more breeding Q's

[Nyctra]

I heard rabbits can be hard to breed when the daylight gets shorter, and since my daylight is ALREADY pretty scarce (I live in a forest, VERY shadowy here!), I'd like to breed whenever I can. I was planning to breed a couple does tomorrow, but now I'm reconsidering who I'll breed... The goal is really just meat for the family with the bonus of omigosh babby bunnies so much luvs ♥♥♥♥ *cough* Okay, so;

Gaia just had babies about 12 hours ago, but goes into the "hot dog" position and lifts to breed when I pet her. :roll: Even though she does this, would it be asking too much of a first timer to rebreed her tomorrow and wean the kits at 3-4 weeks? Rebreeding her likely wouldn't make her abandon her little newborns or something, right? I figure it should be OK - I mean, in a colony, she'd probably already be bred again by now. lol Is there usually a problem with does "taking" so soon after giving birth?

I'm really thinking of rebreeding Gaia now, because after feeling Mag down her back, I found that she's still pretty skinny. Her pack of wolves must still be draining her - caught them hunting her down for milk again tonight. lol If I bred her back now and weaned the kits over the next week, do you think she'd fill out in time for the next batch? This bunch of 12 are almost six weeks old now. Will free feeding a skinny rabbit make them meatier, or just gain weight in fat?

Thanks in advance; you people are just so helpful and wiser than me! Please pardon all my newbie questions!

 

[skysthelimit]

Does are most receptive up to 5 days after kindling. They will not abandon their kits if they are rebred.

 

[3mina]

If she's in good condition go for it. My breeding season is March to August if I'm lucky and get a bunch bred in August. Mine are outside so all natural light. I've heard Christmas lights are enough light to breed by and I'm curious as to whether that's accurate. I'll most likely try it when I've got my greenhouse set up.

 

[skysthelimit]

I don't always turn on lights intentionally, when I do chores in the am for 20 minutes, then I sometimes leave them on from 7-9pm, after I do chores them come out for the night to put the dogs up. That's just a bit of extra light. The barn faces the street, so the street lights are on all night long.

Most of my litters were born between January and April.