Well, we have an oops...

[The_Dutchess]

Today we found out that we no longer have two female bunnies. Denali's a boy. And Willow is pregnant. So I will be making a nest box and we will have to figure out what to do. But I have a major headache and I'm not sure what to do. Should we separate them? When will she be having the bunnies? Is there anything she will need? Is it okay if we keep a female baby and it lives with Willow?

Thanks in advance
The_Dutchess

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Today we found out that we no longer have two female bunnies. Denali's a boy. And Willow is pregnant.

Oops, indeed!

Well, at least it is a happy accident! :lol:

:bunnyhop: :lilbunny: :lilbunny: :lilbunny: :bunnyhop:

You aren't the first rabbitry that "the sex-change fairy" has visited.

Should we separate them?

Yes, if only to keep Denali from starting another family with Willow. Some bucks will actually try to breed the doe while she is giving birth, which of course can result in the kits getting trampled. More polite bucks will wait until they are finished kindling, but usually breed them within the first day or two.

When will she be having the bunnies?

How did you determine that she is pregnant? Did you feel the babies?

Does generally give birth 30-35 days after being bred. Most does will start gathering hay to build a nest when they are getting close, so that is something to watch for.

Is there anything she will need?

A nestbox with bedding. I like to put an inch or two of pine shavings on the bottom of the box and also stuff quite a bit of hay in it as well. Sometimes I use shredded paper. I make my own by putting brown paper bags through our document shredder. Also give her a pile of hay to gather and add to the nest.

Many people give a berry flavored Tums for additional calcium. The doe will eat it if she needs it. You can give her more than one- rabbits excrete calcium in their urine, so she wont overdose on it.

Is it okay if we keep a female baby and it lives with Willow?

It depends on the does and the size of the cage. Unfortunately, they may get along fine one day and then hurt or kill one another the next. Usually multiple rabbits are best kept together in a colony situation, but even there certain rabbits will cause problems.

 

[Cottie]

What kind of cage is she in? My daughter has a solid bottom cage for her lionhead, and although not ideal, I wouldn't go through trouble of building a nestbox for an "oops" in that type of housing. Indoors, there's not too much concern over getting chilled, no wire to climb through or get stuck in.

 

[akane]

I wouldn't attempt keeping intact rabbits together without a custom sized cage. I used a 3x6' for netherlands and mini rex and 30"x8' for slightly larger rabbits. It's still not guaranteed to work. They may tear each other up one night. Every now and then I have someone end up with bite marks and missing tufts of fur in 12x12' but that's usually pregnancy hormones setting a doe off. Your best option is neutering your buck.

 

[luvbunnies]

The other comments gave great advise. I'd like to add that if you keep one, you might have a mistaken sex identity again. Does hormones can cause them to fight. You might conider getting mama fixed, before housing her in close quarters with another doe. Also, when you separate these two, you have now, you might to still keep their cages next to each other, so they're not do stressed over the separation.

 

[The_Dutchess]

Just to clear it up, the two "females" we bought were to be kept as pets, to do 4-H with. We are not a rabbitry.
Thank you everyone for your comments. I have separated the buck and doe, th buck in a cage and the doe in the hutch. I will be making a nestbox, and Denali's cage is near Mama Willow's. I have discovered that she is a week along, because I saw Denali humping Willow but since Iam new to this wethought that they were just in heat. The hutch's living area where the food and everything is is wire, but there is another section that is completely boxed in and is plywood. This is where we are putting the nestbox. I heard that you should give her a Tums so I did, but is one enough?

Thanks!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Just to clear it up, the two "females" we bought were to be kept as pets, to do 4-H with. We are not a rabbitry.

Well, you are now! :mrgreen:

I mentioned that you aren't the first "rabbitry" this has happened in so you wouldn't feel bad, since even experienced breeders have made mistakes when sexing young rabbits.

I have discovered that she is a week along, because I saw Denali humping Willow

Did he fall off to the side or over backwards? I ask because it is very dramatic- if he just "humped" her and then calmly got off and hopped away, he was just "practicing", or trying to be dominant.

I heard that you should give her a Tums so I did, but is one enough?

One is usually enough, but she wont need it until she is ready to kindle. It helps prevent calcium deficiency when she starts producing milk.

 

[The_Dutchess]

He fell off to the side. I a still not too sure Willow is pregnant so I will probably try again since we have an unexpected male around. I want to get some popples before we sell/eat Denali!

Also, they are only 5 months... do you think she'll be okay?

 

[luvbunnies]

Yeah, she'll probably be ok. Young animals and people give birth all the time. That is IF she's pregnant. It might not have took.