Is it safe to breed a 4.2# buck with a 1.9# doe?

[Baby Juliet]

They are about the same size but she only half his weight.

 

[BSAR]

Are they the same breed? What breed?

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

I would not. I always prefer the doe to be larger than the buck, or the doe and buck to be the same size.

 

[Bunnymom,K]

What breeds are they? As a general rule I won't breed a doe to a buck that weighs more.

 

[Baby Juliet]

Lionheads. Does it make a difference?

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

No, I personally don't think breed makes a difference. Like I said, if the breeding pair is not the same size, I prefer the doe to be the larger of the two. If you use a large buck and a small doe, the doe can have trouble kindling, considering her size. That's not to say that you can't breed a buck who weighs 3.5 lbs. to a doe who weighs 3.2 lbs. A difference like that is hardly noticeable. But a difference of nearly 3 lbs., like in this example, is a bit much in my opinion.

 

[BlueGiants]

I agree with OakRidge, I would not breed a much bigger buck to such a small doe. The chances are that some of the babies will take after the sire and be larger than the others, causing the doe problems while kindling. A really big baby being birthed by a small doe is at risk of getting stuck and dieing. If it isn't removed, it will kill the doe as well, not to mention any other babies still unborn. Or it could seriously damage the doe, cause internal bleeding and again, you lose the doe... as well as the litter she can't raise.

The "responsible" part of proper breeding is selecting compatible animals to breed. Not just personality wise, but taking into consideration size, color, faults and breed standards.

 

[BSAR]

Maybe you could post pictures so we could see how close in size they are. Weight shouldn't matter, just actual body size.

 

[TinysMom]

I was a lionhead breeder - and I wouldn't recommend it.

Yes - things could go fine - but its best to not take unnecessary risks (in my not-so-humble opinion).

 

[Flashy]

Sorry to be thick but how can they be a similar size but weigh so different weights?

 

[Baby Juliet]

Not a good picture but gives you an idea of size.

 

[BSAR]

Is the buck on the left? If so, he is quite bigger than the doe.

 

[SilverBirchRabbitry]

Don't breed them unless you want to risk killing your doe.

 

[bunnybunbunb]

Wow, is about the same size. Maybe he is just to fat and her a bit thin? Hmm.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Are they of breeding age right now?
If not, then you could try to get the doe up in weight if you really want to breed them. That way they'd be the same weight.
They are pretty close in size, though.

I always thought that as long as the buck was smaller than the doe in body size, it was ok. But, does are supposed to weigh more than bucks So it does make sense how a smaller buck (weigh-wise) be breed to a bigger doe (weight-wise)

Emily

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

BlueSkyAcresRabbitry wrote:

If not, then you could try to get the doe up in weight if you really want to breed them. That way they'd be the same weight.

No, don't try to add weight to the doe! Does are to be kept on the thinner side (NOT skinny, just no excess weight) if they are being bred. Too much excess fat on the ovaries can cause problems with conception.

Adding weight will not change the fact that the doe is built significantly smaller than the buck. The problem with one rabbit being larger than the other is not so much in the weight difference, but it is in the fact that the doe's pelvis is likely too small to produce a litter from a larger buck without complications. Adding weight to the doe would not help in this case.

I'd suggest leaving the buck out of your breeding program and investing in a small, compact buck. Then if you want to add mass, you can add larger DOES to your herd instead. This will be better for you (and the rabbits) in the long run!