Buck keeps spraying me

[kweenkylie]

Hi everyone I'm new on this forum and have a questions

One of my doe's had a litter of 5 kits 8 days ago, the runt died but the other 4 are going strong.

Everytime I go near them to check on them or get them out for a cuddle the buck (their dad) comes running over and sprays me. I'm guessing it's urine.

Is this normal, my old buck never did it, is there a reason behind it?

Thanks guys

 

[Flashy]

Is the buck still with them? Or is he separate from them?

It sounds like he is marking his territory, so he is marking you as his. If he has access to those kits then he may realise they are part of his territory and so adds you to it when you are handling them.

And welcome to the forum

 

[kweenkylie]

Hey,

thanks for the info.

Yes he is still in with them. This makes a lot of sense.I hand raised him, he was the runt of his litter and his parents died when he was 8 days old from a severe heat wave here. So needless to sayhe was bottle fed. So maybe he is just saying I'm his.

Every time i open the lid of his cage he jumps straight up to the side of the cage, sits there and waits for his daily cuddle. He's so awesome

 

[Flashy]

I think that if he is still in with mum then she is probably pregnant already.

You need to separate him today, from mum and babies, and prepare for a litter 31 days after this one were born.

He sounds very cute

 

[murph72]

Oh wow. You should never put a buck and doe together unless you want a litter to come from it. The doe is likely pregnant with her second litter while she's still nursing her first. Unfortunately, the doe can get pregnant almost immediately after having the first litter...which means your first litter will be only 4-5 weeks old when the second litter shows up. At that point you're going to have to wean the first litter early because it will be too much for mom to feed both litters and the newborns will need it more. This is not optimal for the first litter which really shouldn't be weaned earlier than 6 weeks, but that no longer becomes a choice.

This kind of breeding is far too hard on the doe. Most breeders will often wait awhile between when a litter is weaned and when they breed a doe again. It gives the doe a period of time to get back any weight that she lost during the previous litter.

When you keep a buck and doe together constantly as you are doing, it is only good for the buck who is getting sex on a more regular basis. However, it is far too hard on the doe and on her babies who will need to be weaned at a young age. Eventually, this kind of breeding willlikelylead to an early death ofthe doe and may result in the loss of babies that are forced onto solid foods too quickly, which can sometimes lead to deadly GI issues.

 

[kweenkylie]

The buck is no longer in with her and the babies, i have built a new cage so they are now seperate. The other doe I have lost all of her litter a couple of days ago so I put her in with the kits and other doe on the off chance she might help feed or something.

I have now seen both of the doe's feeding the kits so even if they have to be weaned from mum at 4 weeks my other doe will hopefully take over feeding them.

The doe I have at the moment I hand raised after her mother died at 8 days old just like her brother (She was not bred to him). They both went to hard feed at 5 weeks of age, theydidnt wantthe bottle anymore and started eating hay and other foodI had put into the cage to introduce them too.

I'm sure even if it came to bottle feeding one of the litters I could do it again.

I had them together because I did want to breed them, my friends have all wanted babies for their kids so I put them together in hopes to get bunnies for them.

All 4 babies have already sold and I still have more friends waiting.

 

[Flashy]

You're doing very risky thingd with your rabbits.

When this doe gets nearer the kindling date of her second litter she could turn nasty.

If currently she is accepting of the doe and the litter and sharing parenthood, then when she gets to something like day 28 maybe separate the kits with the foster mum and see how they go. Not sure breeders will agree with that so feel free to correct me

I'm going to move this to the Rabbitry because its a very tricky and sounds a fairly unusual situation and they may be able to help you more in there.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Do not keep both does with the litters. Take the one out who lost her litter and let the babies' mother feed them herself. They don't need milk from two different mothers. The mama definitely doesn't need help from another doe to feed her babies.

I agree with Tracy; you are doing very risky things with your rabbits.

Also, I suggest that if your friends want rabbits, they buy from responsible breeders who are breeding purebred animals to better the breed. Are your rabbits purebred? Pedigreed?

Emily

 

[murph72]

No two adult rabbits should be together with babies. Not two does, nor a buck and a doe. As a breeder, I often will breed rabbits so they share a kindling date. That way if I need to take some babies from a mom that has too many I can. However, four or five is definitely not too many for one mom. The other doe should have never been added to the mix. I also agree that the original mom could turn on that doe close to her kindling date or when she actually has the second litter. You should have each adult in their own cage if you are breeding them....nobody that is being bred should share a cage...it's just way too dangerous due to the raging hormones.

I also agree that you are putting your does at risk just so your friends can get a free rabbit. Are your friends desires more important than the health of your bunnies? If that is all you care about your rabbits, you have no business having them. As a breeder I first do what is best for my rabbits. If I want to breed a rabbit I wait until it is in the best physical shape possible. Repeatedly breeding your rabbit by accident is bad, but doing it on purpose is completely not understandable to me. Sorry, I just don't get it. Wanting babies is one thing, keeping a pregnant doe with a buck during her pregnancy and then after she has kindled is just irresponsible breeding.

 

[kweenkylie]

I did originally have all the rabbits seperate however somehow the buck kept managing to get out of his cage (I do not know how - unless someone took him out and put him in there) so every time I put him back in his cage he got back in there again. I have now made a new cage and put him in there and he hasn't gotten out since!

I'm not being irresponsible, I'm trying my best and that is why I came on here to get information.

Yes my rabbits are all purebred (I don't like mixing breeds in any animals except horses)

I doubt they are pedigree, they are pet rabbits I didn't want them for showing and my friends don't either and they aren't getting a free rabbit they are all paying me even though I refuse to take it because they want to pay me for the time and effort I have spent with them.

You cannot tell me I have no business having rabbits at least I'm not breeding them and dumping them somewhere to die. Now THAT is irresponsible.

I came on here hoping you call could give me advice on how to handle things not to sit there and bag me out and put me down where I'm doing things wrong. I know they shouldn't be together but somehow he kept getting in there. I have now got new cages for everyone that no one gets out of.

Thank you for your help I appreciate those who gave me advice!

 

[Flashy]

Try to remember that people are passionate about their buns. I do agree though it can be hard when you feel people are getting at you, but you are getting good advice from the breeders here to try to pay attention to it even if it is hard

It's great you have separated them. You've got all adults in different cages and mum and babies still together?

 

[kweenkylie]

Yep all in seperate cages cept mum and babies are together.

I was told to make sure I kept 2 together when i originally got them cause theyre social animals so i originally had the 2 does together until the buck got in with them.

I know everyone is trying to help but yeah it did feel like everyone was trying to get at me. I'd never hurt my bunnies I love them to bits. I love all animals and would never do anything intentionally to hurt any animal.

Tracy, how on earth do you keep track of 16 bunnies?

I love getting information and advice from different people so i can learn the correct way to do things, but i dont like to be judged before people get to know me thats all!

 

[Flashy]

You're on a forum and you're doing the best you can to learn as much as you can. It can be hard when you are given half good information and you're trying to do the best you can, I completely appreciate that.

Sometimes here we get people who refuse to listen to advice and have all the information yet choose to do irresponsible things with their rabbits. That's obviously very different from not knowing things in the first place, but it is very easy to confuse the two.

Essentially yes, rabbits are social so do need a friend, but with most rabbits this is only advisable when they are spayed and neutered, so maybe that is your next step, to get your buck neutered and the other mum spayed.

Once they are all 'fixed' they can then be rebonded back together. Bonding is worth researching

I keep track of 16 bunnies pretty easily because I know them so incredibly well. I have two trios, two pairs and 6 singles, which makes it far easier than having 16 singles.

I would suggest checking out the Bunny 101 forum That will give you loads of information in there.