Author Topic: Getting Things Started! Bunny Breeding (Read 6147 times)

polaris · « **on:** February 09, 2015, 01:13:08 am »

Last winter I purchased a pair of standard Rex (one pitch black, one red eyed white), and two NZW (the buck is an absolute treatment the softest cuddliest bugger in the world!).

However, now they are more than old enough, there is no business on the horizon.

The two NZW have always lived together, ditto with the Rex (they also live with two female lion heads, 6 months older).

In all the time they have been together I have seen no evidence of 'interest' from either of the bucks and have come to conclude that this may be related to the fact they've always lived together. How do I go about fixing this? Or encouraging the action? I would like to have meat raised as soon as possible really as our meat store laid by in the autumn is dwindling quickly, and it's looking like the local co-op is going to be getting a lot of our shopping budget if these guys don't get in the mood. Would bring them in under lights help? Shifting up the enclosures for a few days? Etc...
Any ideas more than welcome!

Shropshirelass · « **Reply #1 on:** February 09, 2015, 07:19:26 am »

I know this sounds like a stupid suggestion but are they definitely the right sexes as Rabbits can be buggers to sex anyways, you would't believe how many cases of mistaken identity we get in at the vets & he turns out to be a she or vice versa, if your not sure just take them to the vets & find out & if need be then you can daily rectify the situation, also another thing could be its just too cold at the moment outdoors so maybe a indoor shed or run? As we often don't see many baby bunnies until around march running around in the fields x

NicandChic · « **Reply #2 on:** February 09, 2015, 09:38:40 am »

Strange, my boys will mate day/night/summer/winter, I've a litter of mini lops at the moment & netherlands due next week. I would definetly check the genders it's very easy, although even if they were all girls they would normally show dominant mounting behaviour etc...sounds like you've got a strange bunch.

Clansman · « **Reply #3 on:** February 09, 2015, 10:59:25 am »

Are they kept outside?

Best way is to separate the sexes.

it may well be something to do with them always being together, are the definitely male/females and not been neutered? are they siblings?

I keep mine apart then introduce the female to the males pen for a few minutes for mating to take place, then repeat this 24hours later just as a double check.

cloddopper · « **Reply #4 on:** February 09, 2015, 10:22:15 pm »

You might even find you have a hermaphrodite rabbit or two like we did ..it foxed us for a while, then it was stew time at the Keepers cottage .
it is not an uncommon event in rabbits evidently .

Clansman · « **Reply #5 on:** March 05, 2015, 08:04:50 pm »

any luck Polaris?

polaris · « **Reply #6 on:** April 28, 2015, 08:18:03 pm »

Quote from: Clansman on March 05, 2015, 08:04:50 pm

any luck Polaris?

Just caught up this! Had great luck, the minute the winter broke i had three litters 9,8,7 respectively dropped within a week of one another. Two NZW and one NZWxStandard Rex.

My black buck still hasn't shown he's got any lead in his pencil but he's been on his own for a fortnight now and is getting my Nympho Standard Rex (who's been pestering the boys cages for a week now... Little bugger...) coming over for a visit next week. I'm going to re-sex him tomorrow just to be 10000% sure.

Out of curiosity, the two girls he's lived the winter with are fairly dominant and often bully him just a little, is this likely to have affected his talent with the ladies?

If he doesn't mate the REW Rex then he's for the pot as she'd have anyone right now....