Have a question about breeding

[irishmist]

First off I am NOT breeding my bunnies!

Has enough trouble raising husband... don't need more bunnies

I read something on another forum about breeding but felt I should ask my question here.

Is it true that rabbits can have double pregnancies? If so,will these litters be born at the same time and are a higherrisk? It also mentioned the babies being mummified, whatexactly is this?

Any other info would be appreciated

Thanks

Susan

 

[pamnock]

This is an article I wrote a while ago:

Double Pregnancy (Superfoetation) in Domestic Rabbits

Pamela Nock

Rumors persist that double gestations are common in rabbits,yet in the many years of breeding rabbits and doing double breedingsover the years, I've never seen this happen. I've also noted that incases where the buck and doe were housed together, and the buck wasremoved before the doe kindled, she did not produce a subsequentlitter. Does do become immediately receptive after kindling however, sothere are many cases of litters produced 31 days after the first litterwas born.

The fact that rabbits have a double uterine horn does not mean they are meant to carry a double pregnancy.

Most animals have double uterine horns including dogs, cats,horses, pigs, cows, etc. Litter bearing animals such as rabbits, pigs,cats and dogs have longer uterine horns than do animals such as horsesand cows which may only produce one or two young.

Conversely, humans (like all primates) do not have doubleuterine horns (simplex) or extremely short uterine horns. However,there are at least 25 documented cases of"superfoetation"(double pregnancy) inhumans.

While a double gestation in rabbits would be extremely rare, itis documented in European Hares, which can conceive again in the finaldays of the first gestation.

Sources:

Rabbits & Hares

"http://www.shsu.edu/~bio_mlt/Rabbits.html"

Domestic Rabbit Reproduction

"http://www.fao.org/docrep/t1690E/t1690e05.htm"

 

[irishmist]

Thank you Pam

 

[Lazyacre]

Yes it is uncommon but I have personallywitnessed it once in my 27 years of breeding rabbits. Doe was bred onday 1, then returned to buck's cage on day 15 to test breed. Theory wasif doe was pg she would refuse the buck's service. The doe accepted thebuck. Day 31 (after 1st breeding) the doe had 3 kits. On day 46 she hadanother 2 kits. I have also talked to other breeders that havewitnessed it happening. i no longer test breed, the does are palpatedfor developing fetus starting on day 14 after breeding, though now mypartner has to do the palpating as I have little sensation left in myhands.

During a nursing school lecture during OB nursing section, theprofessor brought up a recent case of a woman having had a full termpregnancy outside of the uterus. The fetus had been developed outsideof the uterus, in her abdomen and due to her large size she had notknown she was pg and had gone to MD because of vague pains. I raised myhand because I had first hand knowledge of this- it was my cousin'swife. That baby is now a healthy young lady of 35 with two kids of herown:sunshine:

 

[FreddysMom]

my grandmother had two fully developedreproductive systems...she went in about 10 years ago complaining ofpain and they thought she had ovarian cancer, but when they went in the"growth" causing pain was another set of ovaries and uterus!.....freaky eh? she also has 8 wisdom teeth