Missed The Mark??

[LovelyLad'sLagomorphs]

Okay, so: I’m still new to rabbits

Today I had mated my buck to one of my does.

It was his first time, but I did hear him grunt and slump off to the side (followed by jolting motions).

I was wondering if there was a way to tell if a mating was successful?

I read somewhere to check for moisture undertail: there was moisture, but not noticeably, I guess?

Her tail was *heavily* dampened, but her vagina more or less looked the same.

Did he miss the mark? Am I thinking too hard??

Otherwise, would it be wise to mate them again? And if so, when?

 

[Rabbits By DK]

Normally I watch for falloffs. It sounds like you may have seen one...I usually look for at least two, preferably 3-4. You can palpate the rabbit in about a week to check for babies if you're not sure.

 

[eco2pia]

"Fall offs" are usually pretty dramatic. My current buck will hop around trying to hump various portions of the female, including her head, back, etc like a little jackhammer. When the female is receptive she lifts her tail and stands on her hind feet tippytoes to lift her back end and allow alignment. It can be subtle or obvious depending on the doe, but if she's not having it she will keep her bum clamped to the cage floor determinedly and she will look like she is bracing herself to avoid lifting.

When the female does not lift, he eventually just gets tired and slides off.

When she does lift he will dramatically kick his whole back end forward, hind feet leaving the ground, and literally fall off, usually pulling a tuft of fur out of her back at the same time--it is NOT usually subtle. It looks like he's been punched, and he curls up like he's having a seizure attached to her back, freezes in place, and collapses, along with a fairly loud grunt. It is unmistakable. Even if my boy is the most extra of drama queens, I will say if you truly have doubts, try again tomorrow. You will KNOW when you see it.

 

[LovelyLad'sLagomorphs]

Normally I watch for falloffs. It sounds like you may have seen one...I usually look for at least two, preferably 3-4. You can palpate the rabbit in about a week to check for babies if you're not sure.

Okay, that’s useful!! If I were to breed them 4 times, would I space them out over an extent of time or something else?

 

[LovelyLad'sLagomorphs]

"Fall offs" are usually pretty dramatic. My current buck will hop around trying to hump various portions of the female, including her head, back, etc like a little jackhammer. When the female is receptive she lifts her tail and stands on her hind feet tippytoes to lift her back end and allow alignment. It can be subtle or obvious depending on the doe, but if she's not having it she will keep her bum clamped to the cage floor determinedly and she will look like she is bracing herself to avoid lifting.

When the female does not lift, he eventually just gets tired and slides off.

When she does lift he will dramatically kick his whole back end forward, hind feet leaving the ground, and literally fall off, usually pulling a tuft of fur out of her back at the same time--it is NOT usually subtle. It looks like he's been punched, and he curls up like he's having a seizure attached to her back, freezes in place, and collapses, along with a fairly loud grunt. It is unmistakable. Even if my boy is the most extra of drama queens, I will say if you truly have doubts, try again tomorrow. You will KNOW when you see it.

Thanks for the insight!!

This breeding was an aided one (I lifted her tail as he did the do).

But yes!! I’ll be sure to try again

 

[eco2pia]

Okay, that’s useful!! If I were to breed them 4 times, would I space them out over an extent of time or something else?

If you think you have a fall off it only takes one, if you are going to get more it will happen in a few minutes.

It would be better not to keep breeding once she is bred. It would also be better not to keep breeding if she is really resistant.

I will usually try, and either get a success or nothing. If nothing, then try in a day, or maybe two. If she is seriously resistant I give her a week, just so I don't create a behavior problem where she is scared or angry and the buck becomes scared to try.

If I see one confirmed fall off, I wait to see if they will go again immediately. Either way I consider her bred and mark the calendar accordingly. If I am not sure, as in the case you described, I would try for the next day or two, but then I would stop, and just wait it out. If you just keep breeding and breeding you will never know when she actually "took" and you won't have a sure due date. That usually results in stressed rabbits and potentially babies on the wire, not in a nest.

The last doe I bred I got 3 fall offs in about 15 minutes. That is ideal, but the doe had a litter of 6 from her last breeding of 1 fall off.

 

[Skai]

Okay, so: I’m still new to rabbits

Today I had mated my buck to one of my does.

It was his first time, but I did hear him grunt and slump off to the side (followed by jolting motions).

I was wondering if there was a way to tell if a mating was successful?

I read somewhere to check for moisture undertail: there was moisture, but not noticeably, I guess?

Her tail was *heavily* dampened, but her vagina more or less looked the same.

Did he miss the mark? Am I thinking too hard??

Otherwise, would it be wise to mate them again? And if so, when?

More than one fall-off is a good thing, IF the doe will allow it. Rebreed the next day, IF the doe will allow it. I have one doe that will cry miserably if I put her back in with the buck and she's pregnant. She seems to know, others not so much. Some does will hurt the buck so you really have to go slow, be careful, and know your rabbits.

 

[Rabbits By DK]

Okay, that’s useful!! If I were to breed them 4 times, would I space them out over an extent of time or something else?

I usually only put them in once and if there's less than 2 falloffs I put them in again in the evening or the next day. If the doe is resistant, I try a different buck.