Bunnies everywhere!!!!!

[Sabine]

Hi everyone, don't know whether to laugh or to cry but I have five more rabbits as of now. My female (bought as a male) rabbits was due to be spayed tomorrow. The appointment was all booked and money put aside etc... when from under the shed some more Bunnies emerged. Coco's first litter were the beautiful Magic and Miracle who are ten months old by now and we were hoping to keep. I am having second thoughts now and might be looking for a good home for one of them. Anyhow I have no idea how she managed to get pregnant again since she hadn't been seen in the neighbours garden for ages. But nature seems to have found a way. And I thought I had my bunny family all planned out and everything sorted (even bought a dwarf lionlop a week ago) and suddenly I have nine rabbits. Could you gyus give me some advice? Firstly what is a good age to gather them up and tame them since they were born wild? Magic and Miracle were about six weeks or so when we got hold of them and Coco suckled them only a few times after, she may have even had the new litter by then. These five guys now seem to be about four weeks old I guess. They've started venturing out and eating grass. I was going to give them another week or so.
I have made arrangements with the pet shop where I bought Coco and I was hoping to sell them (or give them to good homes) when they are 7-8 weeks old.
I have postponed the spaying for Coco by a forthnight. Have any of you any advice on that? I Just thought it might not be a good idea to have it done while she is still suckling her young. I just hope to God she is not pregnant again.
One more question: Is there any absolute fool proof way of sexing rabbits. a few weeks ago we thought Magic was a boy and Miracle a girl. On second examination it appears the other way around. Miracle is also considerably bigger if that means anything? I've noticed on Magic's chest some tiny little lumps that appear to be teats. Is that possible to feel them in a rabbit that young. I want to keep the male rabbit to avoid any more accidents but can't tell which is which for sure.
I'd be really greatful if anyone had any thoughts on any of the issues. I've only had rabbits for a few months and need to learn much more... sabine

 

[Happi Bun]

Definitely do not give them toa pet store. Find good homes for them yourself. Screen potential adopters carefully and test their bunny knowledge. Areyour rabbits roaming free?I'm a bit confused by how she got pregnant, sorry.

You can spay the mother after the babies are weaned. I wouldn't risk doing it now, you don't want them to motherless.House Rabbit Society recommends weaning the babies atexactly 8 weeks, which is also when the males and females should be separated.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Moving this to the Rabbitry, where you'll get the answers you need there more quickly.

I'm so sorry this happened. I hope for the best for all the newbies.

 

[Sabine]

Thanks for the reply. Coco spends most of her day roaming free in our rather large garden. Up till a few months ago she used to escape into the neighbors garden where she played happily with their male rabbits. We had bought her as a male and thought nothing of it. The result were Magic and Miracle. After that we kept a close eye on her and blocked off all possible escape routes but I reckon by the time we found the first lot she was already expecting the second lot. The first time around it was cute and funny but I am feeling a bit desparate at this stage. Yes the bunnies are roaming free. I am hoping to catch them at the weekend and start taming them. Coco is booked in for the operation in two weeks time. I obviously have to cancel today. have no idea how to find homes. Not even the pet shops want them...

 

[gentle giants]

DO NOT give/sell them to a petstore.A good portionof my rescues are rabbits that people bought on a whim at a petstore, and then got bored with and dumped. The lucky ones are the ones that come to me or another rescue before they begin to have health issuesthrough their owner's neglect. Also, don't advertise them for free, put up an adoption fee for them.

While I know that Coco must love having the run of the garden during the day, I have to admit that would make me very nervous. I don't know much about your wildlife over there, but I am betting you probably have some kind of large predatory bird/s like our hawk? I would also worry about stray dogs, etc, getting into the yard. Would it be possible to build some kind of large pen/enclosure with a top over it, so that she could play in the grass but still be safe? (It would also make sure she couldn't get to the neighbor's bucks anymore, LOL.)

 

[polly]

You should really leave the spay till she has weaned her babies as if she is sore she may not feed them! I would wait till they are at least 6 weeks before having her spay done! I really think that her and the babies would probably be better caged till 1 she is spayed and 2 you know what sex the babies are. That will prevent any more accidents! which you are right can be cute the first time but not so cute when it keeps happening:?

As for sexing a boy has a donut and a girl has a taco (slit) if you put pressure on the top and bottom and gently press the bits will extend out a little bit that is the easiest way to sex. If you are having problems why not contact the BRC and see if there are any breeders near you that would help you sex them You can get teh number from here http://www.thebrc.org/ I hope that helps you a little bit

 

[Sabine]

Yes I was thinking of waiting until six weeks. We've just cought four of them. Six are still under the shed. We just assembled the new hutch and they are going to sleep there with their mum for the night. I hope we catch the remaining two tonight as well. By the way I am in Ireland, would the BRC be in touch with breeders in Ireland?
P.s. Got five now. One more to go

 

[polly]

lolvisions of you diving to catch baby bunnies!!

I am not totally sure but i think it is for Ireland too. they should be really helpful to you anyway so I would def. get in touch and see what they say to you

good luck catching therest of them!

 

[Sabine]

Great, I'll try them, since the pet shops are reluctant to help anyhow in particular the one who caused us the dilemma in the first place by selling us a female rabbit when we asked for a male.. We caught all six rabbits last night and kept them overnight in a cage with their mum. I left her out this morning and she ran back under the shed. I am really worried that their might be more under there. I was hoping to seal off the underneath of the shed and keep Coco more enclosed until her operation. I am half worried she might be pregnant again although in theory she should have no access to the males next door and hasn't been seen there in months. I am having nightmares of ever multiplying bunnies. Scenes of "Father Ted" spring to mind if you ever watched that series...

 

[polly]

Glad you managed to get them. I would be seriously considering keeping her in a run so that if she has managed to get pregnant again she has them where you can see them!! and you know what she is getting up to out of interest what colour are teh babies? can you post pics of them and mum ?

ANd isn't that just typical that the pet shop that caused the problem won't help to solve it!!

 

[Sabine]

I took loads of pictures. Four of them are brown like their mum and two of the brown ones have distinct lionhead features. The other two are orange and white. The mainlt white one looks most like a lionhead. They've been playing with my nine week old dwarf lionlop for the best part of the day. He is not much bigger then them and I was hoping he'd show them the ways of a domesticated rabbit. LOL It's actually funny he almost looks like one of them except for the eyes and the lop ears. I'll post pictures tomorrow as I have to wait for David to do it as I am not as computer savvy. I also rang the BRC (thanks for the advice) The lady I spoke to was very nice but couldn't really do much for me. No rabbit councils in Ireland. But she advised me to write a letter to the shop which I have done. Although at this stage I don't know if I really want them to have my bunnies. Was thinking of ringing the ISPCA and maybe they could have a word with the shop but it seems rabbits don't seem to be high on the list of priorities...

 

[Becca]

Oh dear - Good Luck With everything :?

 

[Sabine]

Yeah thanks, it seems to be taking up most of my time and I'm supposed to be on holidays...

 

[polly]

The only other thing I can suggest is to contact the RWA I think it is all over teh uk but not to sure. I know the helpline is meant to be very good and the woman who runs it is meant to be fab they might know of any rescues etc that could help you

http://www.houserabbit.co.uk/

 

[Sabine]

Thanks I'll try them tomorrow. Getting also flyers ready to post locally to find a home for Miracle first. Will also go to the vet tomorrow to know for sure what sex they are

 

[polly]

Good luck let us know how you get on!

 

[Sabine]

I sure will. Have made an appointment for Magic and Miracle with the vet this evening to find out once and for all what sex they are so as to avoid any future mistakes. Will also get them vaccinated since I am at it. I am sure I could have had a fantastic holiday for all this ....
By the way the new bunnies are getting tamer by the minute. This morning the sauciest of them syayed in the open part of the cage as I had my hand in it cleaning it out. They also seem to be nibbling a good bit of the Timothy hay (freshly imported from a uk supplier) and some pellets. Haven't sen them use the water bottle yet.
Coco spent the first night in captivity with them in the new hutch, last night she seemed rather reluctant to go in at all and couldn't wait to be left out in the morning to get back into her own hutch. (I know how she feels nursing a baby through the night myself) I might let her back into her own hutch after feeding tonight after all she had slept there from the day they were born. (I wish I had my own hutch to crawl into LOL!)

 

[polly]

awwww how did you get on tonight at the vets? you all sorted now with teh sexes!

You should find the babies come out of their shell pretty quickly at a young age they really have little fear!!

If that is what your doe has been used togoing into her own hutch then that should be fine as long as they have been fed

 

[Sabine]

Just back from the vet. She thinks they are two girls, so at least I don't have to worry about splitting them up. They also got their shots against Myxymatosis. I am half sorry now to let go of one but i can' t face to super active rabbits like Coco around the place. Coco didn't want to go in with her babies at all tonight but she spent quite some time with them at around three this afternoon so they should be ok. They have also discovered the water bottle and most of them are drinking fine. I hope I can pursuade Coco to go in in the morning. I had to grab her and put her in. I might have a friend who will take one rabbit of me, it's a start

 

[Dublinperky]

Ohhhh! Good luck on finding home for the babies. I would confine Coco more so you could be sure of no more pregnacies. GOOD LUCK!