The Taming Of The Shrew after Awful First Dates? - Popples!

imajpm · Sep 9, 2015

Maybe she thinks he is a young whippersnapper! I think bucks are pretty interesting. I have a NZW buck who isn't the smartest rabbit. He has a one track thug mind and none of the does like him. It always take repeated trips, twice a day, for three or four days before they finally give up and let him have his way.

I used to have an angora buck who conversely, they all loved. I used him for all my nervous, worried, confused first timers. He would just sit quietly in the middle while they zipped wildly around him in circles. The minute they stopped, he'd hop forward and set them off again. So back he went, sitting in the middle waiting and ignoring them. Eventually they settled down and he commenced the second phase of his seduction, which was gentle face grooming. Shortly after that, when they were good and romanced, he got the job done

I miss that buck. I have another now who is similar but not quite as patient.

Preitler · Sep 30, 2015

Yippee, popples at last

Sometime between 23:30 and 01:30 this night (I'm on sick leave with the flu and coudn't sleep, kept checking and drinking tea through the night)

Well, when I started to try getting her bred I worried about the heat, now I keep putting hot stones under the nestbox and won't disturb the nest for a few days, it's getting pretty cold now.
So I don't know how many, or what they look like, but the nest looks ok, and I could feel them when I added the fur I saved from her false pregnancy

It's much later in the year than I planned, greens are getting scarce already (because almost everything gets mowed and shreddered, all the good stuff

verreaction: ), I hope my own pasture does better next year, after this years bunny berry treatment...
Anyway, I need to buy some bales of hay, sure will have to feed this litter until end of January, and with 4 does and one buck there are more bunnies than I planned for.

Ok, but I can start to worry about that as soon as I know the litter is well, gets fed, etc., it's her first time after all.

Will make pics asap.

EnglishSpot · Sep 30, 2015

Congratulations on your litter!!! I can't wait to see pictures!!!!

HansenHomestead · Sep 30, 2015

All 3 of does didn't want to play at first. I let them try on there own for a few minutes, but after that I placed my hand on all of the does heads, and made them lay flat. After that they all lifted without a struggle.

Preitler · Oct 3, 2015

Hi,

Pictures

This is what my nestbox looks like. Note that the entrance get's stuffed with hay everytime the doe leaves, kits can't get out, the other two does don't dare to touch the plug, my red shrew is a very dedicated and protective mom :roll:

And that's the litter, 10 kits in all levels of broken, and the same colour as buck and doe. One is somewhat smaller, maybe I'll take some bigger out for a meal.