I new at breeding

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

If she didn't have any Kits then there's no reason for you to wait

 

[CindyGodwin]

I am breeding now, it seems the female will not lift her butt up and let him in. Is this normal, or is this something that I need to be concerned with? Should I just leave them be for a couple of days and hope for the best? Or should I watch and make sure he gets it in there? What is the normal thing to do?

 

[judymac]

Roof latched, baby-safe sides, plenty of bedding. . .I'd give it a try. As problems crop up, as they occasionally do, breeders just adjust as needed--and you've done that. Good job! If anything else comes up in the future, I'm sure you'll be able to deal with it as well.

 

[judymac]

Okay, breeding issues are common, especially at this time of the year when the hours of sunlight drop below 14 hours, which is nature's call to the bunnies that it is spring and a great time to breed. There are a few things you can do:

• Turn the doe over on her back, and check her vulva (the 'slit' below the anus). If it is pale and small, she isn't in the mood to breed. If it is moist and somewhat swollen, pink to purply-reddish-pink, she's probably ready. If the vulva is very dark purplish-red, she's probably just past being ready. Although rabbits actually release eggs at breeding, and not on a monthly schedule like people or other livestock, there is still a hormonal mini-cycle. If the doe has the dark red just-past-the-interested-cycle vulva, try waiting a few days and then try breeding again.
• If the vulva is pale whitish pink, and she's simply not interested, try switching cages with the buck for a few days. That will give a chance for his scent in his pen to hopefully turn on the hormones again. Then bring her back to the buck (who is now in her original pen), and try breeding again. Afterwards, leave the doe in her home and take the buck back to his hutch.
• If nothing is working, some people have success by taking both buck and doe to a neutral location (one person took them into their living room, another a secure aisleway in their barn, another in a grazing/exercise pen in the lawn), and supervised the rabbits as they had a chance to interact. Many said that after a bit of exploration, the rabbits got down to business and bred.

 

[ladysown]

as long as you write down the date so that you remember. Give her a nestbox three days beforehand. And then enjoy the little ones should they arrive.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

as long as you write down the date so that you remember. Give her a nestbox three days beforehand. And then enjoy the little ones should they arrive.

Three days is a little late

 

[lizowens53]

Your adjustments look good to me. I am sorta new at this too! When I was a young teenager, my parents raised chickens and the neighbors raised rabbits, and we helped each other. My husband's dad raised rabbits too. I asked a lot of questions before I got started and my husband built some of our cages. We used the 1/2 to 1/4 inch 16 and14 gauge hardware cloth with good sturdy wood, and we have not had any problems with predators or sore hocks. Some of the cages we were given were not up to our standards, so we made some adjustments. November 2nd was the 3rd time we have had kits and I have 4 does that had kits, every one of them acted differently. I actually had a 5th doe that we bred, she made a perfect nest in her box, but she never had the first kit. One of them waited until the morning she gave birth to pull fur, but she pulled more than any of the others. One of them made her nest 2 weeks early. I just tried to watch them and put the nesting box in as soon as each one showed signs of nesting. I had two that built their nest away from the nesting box, so I moved it next to the nest and they moved the nest into it. Someone told me if you put the nesting box in too early, they may use it for a place to use the potty.
I do a lot of things I remember from my family raising them. One person tried to tell me if you touch the kits before they get fur, the mom will kill them, but that hasn't been true for me so far. I take all precautions I can, then try to let the moms and mother nature take care of them as much as possible, but if the mom seems stressed, I try to figure out the problem and fix it. If that involves touching one or more of the kits, then I do that. Once their eyes are open and they start moving around, I clean out the nesting box really well and replace the hay and if some of the fur was still clean, I put that back in too. Most of them have stayed in the nesting box another week after I do that, and some different amounts of time. I love the kits, it is difficult for me to list them for sale, but I know I can't keep them all, so I just do my best to find them good, loving homes. I am here to learn all I can, so if anyone want to suggest anything different, please do so.

 

[Alaska Satin]

Three days is a little late

My rabbits usually kindle at 31 days and I put the box in at 28 days - so three days works great for me. If I put it in earlier than that, more often than not they end up using it as a potty tray.

 

[judymac]

s long as you write down the date so that you remember. Give her a nestbox three days beforehand. And then enjoy the little ones should they arrive.

If you just put the doe in with the buck and leave her for a while, write down the date you first put them together. The doe generally gives birth a month later, about 31 days, so the nestbox goes in three days before the due date, or about the 28th day after breeding.

 

[BuffBrahmaBantam]

Okay , so here are the improvements that I made to my rabbits cage . What do y’all think? Am I ready to breed again? I’m anxious to have babies!! But I do not want to be to pushy that I regret it!!

Very nice!

I‘ve heard the doe might use the nest as a litter box if you give her hay or straw too early. You might want to keep the hay in a hay rack until about day 28 of the pregnancy.

 

[JG3]

Three days is a little late

Not late at all if you know when your rabbit kindles. Better than wasting a bunch of hay repeatedly because they just peed and pooped in it. Mine kindle day 31 and 32, they get their boxes day 28 or else they just soil it all instead of building a nest.

 

[JG3]

I am breeding now, it seems the female will not lift her butt up and let him in. Is this normal, or is this something that I need to be concerned with? Should I just leave them be for a couple of days and hope for the best? Or should I watch and make sure he gets it in there? What is the normal thing to do?

Never leave your doe and buck in the same cage unattended. They can end up fighting and she can even castrate him, then you wouldn’t be able to breed. Obviously, this depends on rabbit temperament, but I’d never risk leaving mine alone together. If they don’t breed within 30 mins, take out and try again later.

Do a search on the forum, there’s some tips for making does more receptive. I’ll be trying one next time. I have one doe who hasn’t been participating. The saying breeding like rabbits isn’t always accurate. LOL
You could also lift her for him and see if it works.

 

[AlbinoGiant]

Rabbits can often have phantom pregnancies and pull there fur. If the mate was successful then she'd be pregnant. As for the blood I would check her over to make sure she hasn't got cuts or injuries on her. If she is pregnant she will have her babies in her own time.

If she is bleeding from her butt, check her poop, if its runny then it might be coccidiostat which can be treated.