Does anyone else get scared?

[Flashy]

Does anyone else get scared when they mate their doe and buck?

Scared of the outcome? Scared of fights? Scared incase something happens to the doe? Just generally scared?

My buns are pets and I am sitting here watching Sandy and Sky mate, andI'm so scared I just want to cry. I have had so much go wrong in thepast with pregnancies, labour, after effects. I can't have it happenagain, yet there is something inside me (I know what it is, it's grief)that tells me I have to mate Sky with anyone and everyone because Ineed to carry on his gene pool.

 

[bluebird]

i watch carefully in case they decide toofight.and unfortunately things can go wrong especially with dwarfbreeds.still births are very common,peanut babies,hippobabies,faders.Not trying too scare you more but is your rabbit a showwinner or something.not all purebred rabbits should be usedfor breeding.bluebird

 

[Flashy]

No, she's not a show winner or anything likethat. I bought a proven doe from a breeder. She has had two litters,the first one she lost, and the second she raised four healthy kits.

They haven't fought, and they are now in separate runs next to each other, so the first hurdle has been cleared.

What are peanut babies, Hippo babies and faders? I have come across peanut babies, butnot the other two.

Thanks for the reply

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

This is not meant to be mean in any way but why are you breeding them if you are scared of losing one?

Sharon

 

[Flashy]

I should never have posted this, sorry

 

[polly]

I am sorry to hear about your bunny, Myfavourite bunny was Dido (my avatar) he died last year he was my heartbunny i felt just as you did but i could not breed from him as he hadmalocclusion, There will never be another Dido he was unique to me butyou will never find Flash again in the generations bunnies are likepeople we might share genetics but we are not identical to our parentsor grandparents. I have other bunnies and in some i can seecharacteristics similar to Dido it gives me happy memories. If I didn'tbreed rabbits i would rescue.

Breeding to try find him again won't work I'm sorry i don't mean tosound hard just honest enjoy your happy memories and give yourselfgrieving time but don't make yourself more upset trying to get a miniflash. In time there will be a bunny for you it could be completelydifferent but it will choose you and you will have a relationship justlike you have had with Flash. it usually happens when you least expectit.

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

Well said Polly. I understand why youneed to breed Sky. As the buck, he shouldn't have anyproblems because his job is over in about a minute. Good luckand hopefully you get some beautiful babies that will melt your heart.

Sharon

 

[Flashy]

Thanks

I'm sorry to learn about Dido though

 

[Flashy]

Thanks

 

[polly]

Hey, Dido gave me my love of bunnies if itwasn't for him and the way he was i would never have got into breedingthem and enjoying places like this. I hope you getgorgeous babies.

I have 3 generations at the mo and i lost the granfather a couple ofweeks ago i can see bits of the grandparents in the babies and the mumbut they certainly have their very own personalities!! they are so funto watch but relax and your doe will too and don't forget loads ofpeople are here when you need help

 

[Flashy]

Thanks.

 

[gentle giants]

What I do is try to be prepared for anythingthat might happen. (I know that's not always possible, but it couldmake you feel better to know you have done everything possible toprepare.) Like when they are mating, put the doe in the cage andimmediatly put on leather gloves so if there is a fight I can have myhands in there splitting it up instantly. Or research a good bunnysavvy vet before you breed or have a litter, so you know if a c-sectionor other emergency care is needed, you know who to call and where to goright away. Do you think things like that would make you feel better?

 

[Flashy]

I always try to be as prepared as possible The mating itself went ok, so that's not a problem.

We have a great vet that can do C-sections, but that still doesn't help me with the fear, but I do get what you are saying.

We have had a hard time with breeding in the past that I almost expectit to go badly, I feel like I have already sentenced her to death.

This explains it a bit more of the litters that we have had in the past 18 months, it's from my blog

'In the past 18 months we have done a lot ofbreeding, and it has always, every single time, had tragic consequences.

Litter 1 October 6th 2005 - 2 dead babies, 2 live babies.

Litter 2 OCtober 6th 2005 - one dead baby.

Litter 3 May 28th 2006 - one dead baby.

Litter 4 June 21st 2006 - 4 dead babies, dead doe.

Litter 5 July 17th 2006 - one live baby, three dead babies.

Litter 6 February 7th 2007 - 4 dead babies, dead doe.'

Maybe it's easier to understand why I'm scared of it now.Yet grief is driving me on. I hate grief *********.

Thank you for the reply

You are right in what you say though. I have also tried to aim it sothat if she gives birth to a dead litter, or she dies, it won't happenon my brothers birthday, or on a day he has a GCSE exam. Talk aboutpessimism.

 

[grumpybabies]

That's so sad i'm so sorry to hear all of thatbad luck. When i had my first litter i was petrified of everything, iwouldn't let anyone near the doe, or in the shed where she lives andwhen she had them, i counted the minutes that passed that theysurvived, i convinced myself that they would all be born dead or dieand i was hell to live with believe me, but just the few healthy babiesyou have must be worth all the pain?

 

[Flashy]

The three live bunnies we had helped me fight through the pain that was going on.

But that doesn't make it easier that I killed those two does with myneed to breed, and the fact that I have probably knowingly killed thisdoe, just because I feel driven by an inner force to mate Sky.

I love my buns with all my heart, so so much, but right now, because wehave had a bad run here, there has been nothing positive happening, soI fully expect nothing positive to ever happen. Because each time Iseem to have hope, the rabbit seems to die. :?

So no hope seems safer. That's a crap attitude, but it protects me.

I'm glad that your litter went ok Being a first time mum is verynerve wracking, so I'm so glad it all worked out. And also glad thatI'm not the only one that gets stressed about it.

 

[grumpybabies]

I would say you can use my doe and keep thebabies after but i would get too attached! Where do you live in the Uk?and do you have a pic of sky?

 

[Flashy]

lol, babies are SOOOOOOOO easy to get attached to.

Myavatar shows Sky and Moon, the two living babes from thefirst litter. Sky is the one with a half moustache and less spots. Hesa nethie dwarf. There are more pics of him as he looks now,onmy blog.

I live in East Anglia. What about you?

 

[grumpybabies]

Sorry i should have looked there first! I am inDevon, but i used to live in your area!it is just my doe isso great with her babies it is a shame i can't help give you what youwant. what do you want to do with any babies of sky though?

 

[TinysMom]

Flashy,

Are you breeding Netherland Dwarfs? (I don't know what they are called over there - sorry).

I have been told by people that NDs are one of the hardest to breed -what you need is a BUD (big ugly doe - that doesn't have the dwarfinggene) and a buck that has the dwarfing gene in order to be successfulat having litters. I've also been told that usually the first litter isborn dead or dies (this was from the breeder I bought my two ND bucksfrom).

If you use a BUD (a BUB is a big ugly buck - mainly a buck that doesn'thave the dwarfing gene) you can have issues with babies that are toobig.

By the way - I don't mean they HAVE to be ugly - oftentimes they'recute. They're just called "BUB" and "BUD" to show that they don't carrythe dwarfing gene.

You may want to start a thread here in the rabbitry called "Tips forbreeding Netherland Dwarfs" and ask folks to help with tips..

Peg

 

[CheyAutRanch]

I just wanted to say I'm sorry you've had suchbad luck, and I really hope it goes well for you. I know how you feel.I had my first foal ever due this year, a mini foal from an experiencedbroodmare. She lost her baby full term, and had an uterine infection,it was simply aweful and the guilt I have for that is horrible (eventhough there was nothing I could have done). I currently have 2 minimares and a mini donkey that I"m breeding and it scares the crap out ofme, I know I"m going to be a HUGE wreck in 11 months when they'redue... so, basically, *hugs* I know what you're feeling and Iwish you luck!!!!

Jessi