Recommended amount of rabbits in a colony

[Chastain's rabbits]

Thinking of doing a colony set up for my mini lops. They are pets and plan on anything still here after 13 weeks to be dinner. Going to be using a spare 10 x 10 x 6 chainlink dog lot for them. There will be smaller wire around the bottom portion to prevent escaped babies. The floor will be cement patio pavers to prevent digging out. I currently have 1 buck and 5 does and they are 6 to 11 lbs right now. They will have plenty of hiding places from old doghouses and carriers that I no longer use plus nestboxes for the does. Any suggestions on how many minis would be too many for the lot

 

[3mina]

Search the colony threads, that's your best bet
BTW, welcome

 

[Chastain's rabbits]

Been looking around I've seen 4 in a smaller enclosure just hoping 6 in a 10 x 10 lot will be okay and looking for any tips at all as well.

 

[MaggieJ]

How much do mini-lops weigh?

My rabbits are in an 8 ft. square area of a shed. They do best when I have two does and a buck in there, plus their offspring. These are meat mutts, probably about 7-8 pounds.

One thing you need to consider is that if you are raising rabbits to sell as pets, they need a lot of socialization. Colony rabbits tend to become very skittish. Your adults will likely remain tame, but the youngsters will be hard to handle unless you get in there regularly and handle them. One way to deal with this problem would be to remove the youngsters to cages once they are weaned and work with them for a few weeks before selling them.

 

[Iggysbabysitter]

And treats. Handfed. The best litter of kits (from my meat mut flemmie) were handfed a lot of goodies. They came running when it was food time, but as soon as it looked as though I was going to pick them up they ran :/ I miss my colony (zoning bylaws, grrrrr).

 

[akane]

5 does plus offspring would be way too many for 10x10. If you are removing the offspring right at weaning that would work but you'll have fights leaving the offspring in. I wouldn't go over 4 preferably 3. I have 5 netherlands in 12x12 plus offspring.

 

[DarayTala]

I have three does and a buck in a space about that size with five hiding places, and they all get along wonderfully. We'll see how it goes once offspring arrive, I may have to separate the kits once they get big enough, but that remains to be seen. I think it all depends on the temperament of the rabbits though. Mine were about 8 months, 10 months, 4 months, and 6 months when introduced and all got along, even though I've heard that it is very unlikely in older rabbits. They are also all about 8-12 lbs.

I would proceed with caution and see what happens. Also, I was told to let the buck in first and allow him some time to make it his territory, and then let the does in together and they may fight less because they think they are in the bucks home. If the squabble and chase each other some just let them be, but separate them if they do any serious fighting. They need to sort out a hierarchy between themselves, but you don't want them seriously injuring each other.

I hope it goes well for you!

 

[Stormy]

Thanks Maggie- I was wondering what the heck was going on. I thought I was a pretty good rabbit-mommy but after 5 or 6 weeks of age those babies don't want me to touch them, at all. They run like hell if I am going to pick them up. I thought they were sweet when little then turned into wild beasts by 3 months. The moms are totally chill and enjoy being pet. I have been wondering what happened and trying my best to gentle the youngsters I'm keeping - while keeping in the colony. Now you have me thinking I ought to separate the two girls I'm keeping. I hesitate to do that as it may cause friction re-introducing them back into the colony. Do you just let yours go wild, or separate, tame, and add back?

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

Also if you keep a buck in the colony he will go after the buck kits as they mature. You will have to keep an eye out and move them. I just had to move our one remaining buck out tonight because the 10 week old kits are at that age.

 

[MaggieJ]

have been wondering what happened and trying my best to gentle the youngsters I'm keeping - while keeping in the colony. Now you have me thinking I ought to separate the two girls I'm keeping. I hesitate to do that as it may cause friction re-introducing them back into the colony. Do you just let yours go wild, or separate, tame, and add back?

I just let mine go wild, but then I am raising them for meat and I don't sell rabbits. I have to rethink this, however, because I have the Angora gene popping up again and if I want to keep any of the long haired rabbits they are going to need grooming regularly. You could try moving the ones you want to tame to a cage for several hours during the day so you can work with them and then putting them back into the colony at night. They would not lose their place after a short absence.

 

[Stormy]

So after I posted that, one of my youngsters was laying in the grass going into a deep happy petting coma... I have hope. Mine are for meat and interesting mutations but I still like to be friends with my keeper adults It makes it easier for me if I can handle them without freak outs. Good suggestion, Maggie, if I didn't work for a living!! I already move a couple bucks out to their day pens each day, more might lead to chaos...

 

[MaggieJ]

Yeah, I tend to forget that most people are away from home for most of the day. Not sure what to suggest though. My beautiful French Angora type youngster mocks me daily.... "Ha, ha, ha! You can't catch me!" Signing his own death warrant because if I can't groom him, I can't keep him.

 

[akane]

I don't handle mine except when necessary. They are not exactly wild and you often have to keep from stepping on them but they will run if you try to touch them. They have done fine sending them to pet homes in that state. They spend a day or 2 as bunny statues and then start exploring their new humans and quickly become tame house rabbits.

A manure fork with side and back bars on the basket traps a rabbit quite effectively.

 

[MaggieJ]

A manure fork with side and back bars on the basket traps a rabbit quite effectively.

Any chance you could post a picture of this, Akane?

 

[akane]

http://www.jeffersequine.com/wonder-for ... /cp/FA-W5/

I can reach nearly the whole stall from the center with it and just sneak it over a rabbit and drop it. Also works to herd rabbits in to other trap ideas. I've also used a regular pitchfork, you know the ones with a few metal tines for hay, to pin rabbit shoulders and then grab them before they wiggle free.

 

[MaggieJ]

Thanks! I has never seen one of those (I only have poultry and rabbits) but I can see how it could be helpful.