Male or female...this is how you tell them apart!

[curelom]

I think the reason that it feels counter-intuitive for us to think of any combination of bucks and does in a litter as being possible is that there is actually a higher probability of near-equal numbers of bucks and does than of having a litter of mainly bucks or mainly does (if we're going with 50/50--having never bred rabbits, I don't know what affects if there's a 50% chance of producing either sex). It's not enough of a difference that having mostly bucks or mostly does in a litter is really anything to be surprised or concerned about, though--it's just something that's kind of neat. (This would be the case for any animals that average 50% each sex born, or near 50%.) If the percentage is something other than 50%, it just means that some options are more likely than others.

Earlier, I listed all the ratios of does to bucks that are possible in a litter with 9 kits, but some of those actually have a higher probability of occurring than others, just because there's more ways of getting, say, a litter with 4 bucks and 5 does (for example: First kit: buck; second: doe; third: buck; fourth: doe; fifth: buck; sixth: doe; seventh: buck; eighth: doe; ninth: doe), than of getting all does (there is only one way to get that.) If you want to picture how many more ways there are to get a mostly-evenly-divided litter than one that is mostly bucks or mostly does, I've put together a little chart of the different combinations possible in a 5-kit litter (because a 9-kit litter would be way too much to draw out--but it's the same concept with a larger litter). I've represented doelings with blue dots and bucklings with red dots.

(And of course, if you're not interested in picturing how that would look, don't mind Miss Math Person here I just like charting out statistics and probabilities and stuff)



So, all in all, any of those rows of dots are equally likely in a litter (if there's a 50% chance of either sex being produced). Which means that it's just as likely that you'll get 1st: buck, 2nd: doe, 3rd: doe, 4th: doe, 5th: buck, as it is that they will all be does. Even though there are more ways to get 2 bucks and 3 does than to get all does.

(Here's hoping I haven't gone and made it more confusing... :roll: )

 

[jimmywalt]

Here is a post I did in October 2014 with some GREAT pictures!

http://rabbittalk.com/post243038.html


I often have people that purchase our bunnies contact me after the sale and ask how they can check the sex in a few more weeks. I've found good information on this website, but often hit one thread that has the images deleted. One time I found this link and it's really good with great pictures.

Go to this link and scroll about 2/3 down the page. There are some GREAT pictures and it tells you how to tell for sure.
http://backyardbunniesrabbitry.webs.com/apps/faq/

How can I tell what sex my bunny is?

Rabbits are very difficult to sex when they are young, but you get better at it with experience. Around 2-3 weeks usually you can see enough to make a pretty good guess.

You will need to put your fingers right next to either side of the genital area and gently press down. This causes the genital area to "pop" out more so you can see the inside better. This doesn't hurt the rabbit.

Young bucks will have a protruding "tube" with a circular hole on top. The hole usually has somewhat of a slit or large opening which confuses most people, making them think it is a doe. Older bucks are much more obvious because they have a testicle on each side of the penis. Bucks have testicles that descend between 9 - 20 weeks of age.

Unlike bucks, does have a "slit" that goes ALL the way down to the body. It is an opening that starts at the high point and ends where the genitals meet the body, near the anus. When viewed from the side it looks like a pyramid. Sometimes the area appears to have some dark red or purple coloring (this is the best time to breed the doe) while other times it is light pink.

Here is a photo of a 5 week old Bucks penis...



And here are two photos of an adult Buck...




This last photo is of an adult Does vagina...



See how the slit goes all the way down to the body? Babies & Jr. Does look pretty much the same, except smaller!

Here is a really clear photo of the difference between a buck & doe...

 

[ipoGSD]

Has anyone tried and confirmed or disproved this method?

I just read found this, and am wondering if anyone else here has tried it? Seems crazy, but it's worth a try right? LOL
"Lick your pinky (yes I said lick your pinky!) of the opposite hand and gently tap, stroke the genital area (cool breath helps) til the baby starts peeing. If the stream lets out in a straight stream then it is a male. If it lets out straight but then goes to a heavy drip then it is a doe. Crazy? Well, sounds that way, but I have never had it be wrong."
http://rebeccasrocknrabbitry.weebly.com ... s-old.html

 

[SoDak Thriver]

And then....what? Lick your finger again and do it with the next rabbit? :wr_giggle: No thanks.

Eyes on the prize is the best way to sex an animal that has visible genitalia. A particularly full-bladdered doe might appear to stream while a particularly empty-bladdered buck might drip. This seems unreliable to me, though I admit to little experience on the kit-sexing front.

 

[macksmom98]

I would say the best way is still to flip them over and look. Even experienced people have trouble with that too, so if that's the most reliable way then all other methods, including urine stream watching would be less reliable.......and yes, SoDak Thriver, ewe!

 

[Rabbitlover1]

Definitely correct with your sexing. Sometimes rabbits are hard to sex when they’re younger, but it is very easy when they’re older.