Lots of new breeder questions

[The_Dutchess]

So for those who don't know that I got an unexpected doe with my buck... sf-buck-here-i-come-t20364.html

So of course they are settling in but is it normal that...

1. Lovey (doe) won't eat or drink anything.
2. Softfall (buck) eats but won't let ANY hands near him.
3. If you don't constantly talk to Lovey she will tear around the cage like a psycho freak.
4. Softfall was hyperventilating in the car and was lethargic until cage entry.

Lovey does calm down if you keep talking to her but Softfall freaks out at every move.
I will also be breeding them in a week or two. I have some questions concerning that.
1. Can I breed them in a week or two?
2. Can someone give me like a crash course on breeding or some tips?
3. Is there anything I can use to weep up breeding so we have babies ready for 4Hers during fair time?
4. Is there anything I should watch out for?
Thanks!
The _Dutchess

 

[ladysown]

so they are brand new to you?

1. I'd give them a month to just chill out.
2. for freak out bunnies... covering the cage helps them with learning to chill
3. Doe not eating. This is not good.
1. if using a waterbottle check that it's working.
2. if using a bowl make sure it's not being tipped
3. Get her eating something, anything... you need to get her started eating or she'll shut down on you and die. (yeah, I'd learn that by experiencing it).
- hay, oatmeal, grass, parsley, pellets, grain.. doesn't much matter what you get her eating as long as you get her started.
- sometimes you need to waggle food in their faces until they bite it and go OH.. right, I was hungry after all.
4. when breeding check that both are disease free, check the colour of her vent, bring her to him, if he falls off (usually does a grunt some scream) check to make sure there is ejaculate where it's supposed to be as some bucks miss.


Others will chime in with more to say, but that will get you started.

 

[Zass]

First off, Lovey needs to eat or producing kits will be impossible.

Do you have anything that might tempt her appetite like BOSS, or plain oatmeal?
There are some grocery store herbs that most rabbits will eat even when they are being really fussy, like cilantro and Italian parsley. Wegmans even had fresh dill a few weeks ago. It can be useful to feed things like that while they are "getting over" whatever set them off feed to begin with. I've also noticed some rabbits will nibble hay even when they refuse pellets.

You can breed them as soon as you like, and expect kits 31 days later. I wouldn't hesitate to breed them in two weeks or sooner as long as they are in good heath.

I'm not sure when your fair is, but it takes 31 to kindle and most people sell kits at 8 weeks.
So breed your buns about 3 months before the event you plan on selling them at.

Softfall's aggression is worrying.(Is he being aggressive? Your description wasn't very clear) Bucks don't usually act that way. An aggressive buck may attack your doe instead of breeding her, be CAREFUL!!
He may calm down in a few days or weeks, he may not.

It sounds like your rabbits were not handled very much where they were before. This is unfortunate.

 

[The_Dutchess]

Ok Softfall plays peek-a-boo. There is two parts of the hutch the largest part consists of a wire front and floor and the square box part is completely enclosed. If I go to the nestbox he goes to the larger "living area" and vice versa. I enticed him with a carrot but then all the sudden he bolts. The lady said she didn't handle them much but when I picked him up when we got him (to take him home) he was fine and snuggled in my arms. The doe didn't care either.
Lovey ate a carrot and nibbled some hay but didn't drink anything. I use crocks and so does her previous owner so it's not that. BTW I tried pellets, celery, and old fashioned rolled oats. I have sunflower seeds but I don't know if they're black oil. Do you mean like the spice Cilantro? We have that... I even use the same feed, hay, and have been feeding at the same time as the previous owner.

 

[Zass]

Your description of their behavior is pretty much what I've seen from most silver fox.
They can be very shy rabbits, but are very easy to handle.

I actually meant the bunches of fresh cilantro you can get from walmart grocery centers these days.
If she is eating carrots and hay then she's doing better than I thought!!! Wonderful.

 

[The_Dutchess]

I went and checked on Lovey and couldn't find her water bowl. I lift up her cool whip bowl (I'm using it as a feeder since she was an unexpected rabbit feeders come tomorrow) and she put the cool whip bowl on top of her water bowl! Lol guess she likes to stack things.

Good news too. She devoured her hay in like ten minutes it was there a few minutes and then I'm like wow she ate! She at half her pellets too.

She seemed to be.calmer this last time. Didn't race around the cage.

The buck likes to hide in that winterbox, the smaller part of the hutch, so I am going to block it with a piece of plywood and just let him in at night.

 

[ladysown]

A trick to help rabbits drink since they need to drink to eat. Is to put some nestea in their water. Pineapple juice mixed in can help as well. Think green when enticing rabbits to eat when using veggies

 

[The_Dutchess]

She is eating so I guess she's getting enough water she just started eating.

I petted Softfall and he cringed and closed his eyes like "Don't eat me!" But I just kept petting him and he's like "Oh this isn't so bad." Lol he's such a character.

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can check her vent cause I don't want to miss a breeding day since her previous owner said she bred her at this time. <br /><br /> -- Sat Mar 08, 2014 11:29 am -- <br /><br /> Oh my word Softfall is awesome! I just held him and he melted in my arms and when I put him back he went to the doorand nosed at me like "What you're done?" That the cutest thing ever!!!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

1. Can I breed them in a week or two?

You can... but it is generally recommended to let them go through their month of quarantine before doing so. Stress will bring out any latent illness that they have, and they are already stressed by the move. Being pregnant is another stressor.

2. Can someone give me like a crash course on breeding or some tips?

Have you read this thread?

judging-a-doe-s-readiness-and-breeding-tips-t9869.html

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can check her vent

I cradle the doe in one arm like a baby, and use my free hand to expose the vent to check color.

3. Is there anything I can use to weep up breeding so we have babies ready for 4Hers during fair time?

Eh? :? Is that supposed to be keep up breeding?

When is fair? Some does can maintain condition even when bred the day of kindling (so they raise a litter to 3 1/2 weeks or so, then kindle at 4 weeks), but most people don't have that intense of a schedule. You might be better off waiting until her litter is 4-6 weeks old before breeding her again so you can check her condition to see how she handled nursing them.

She seemed to be.calmer this last time. Didn't race around the cage.

I'm glad they are settling in! Since you just picked them up yesterday, I'm not surprised that he was scared and she didn't want to eat.

Oh my word Softfall is awesome! I just held him and he melted in my arms and when I put him back he went to the doorand nosed at me like "What you're done?" That the cutest thing ever!!!

Aww!

Many members here take the slow approach with scaredy-rabbits, bribing them with treats and sweet talk to tame them. I do the opposite, and take them out for handling right away to show them that it isn't the end of the world. I would rather stress them out for a few minutes initially than have them be stressed and worried for days or weeks.

 

[The_Dutchess]

Yeah they are still hard to catch especially the doe but they're nice and sweet once they're in your arms. I have to throw a blanket over the doe's face before I can pick her up but I checked vent and it's a dark, bright pink. And yes MSD I did see that thread but I didn't read all of it. I'll check it out, thanks!
The fair is in August I don't know exactly when tho.And yes I meant keep not weep because she has been bred before I think but she does not have a litter currently.