Mating rabbits

Maui Mary · Apr 15, 2012

My Lion's Head rabbits have had babies together before, but I've had them mate 2 different times now and nothing. Each time I've put them together for 24 hrs. They are only about 2 years old. Can rabbits actually have a hard time mating? What could be wrong?

wendymac · Apr 16, 2012

When they had babies before, were you the one that bred them? Or did you buy them from someone that had bred them before?

Have you tried using a different buck or doe? One of them may be sterile.

When I breed, I put them in an Xpen together, watch them for about an hour, then put them back in their own pens. I repeat it again a few hours later. That's it. 24 hours seems like an awful long time to have them together.

Have you checked the buck's penis, to make sure he doesn't have an STD or something? That everything looks okay, on both of them?

Maui Mary · Apr 16, 2012

I bred them before. He sired a kit a couple of months ago with my other female rabbit. They all look health. Maybe trying to separate them and then put them back together and for shorter time periods. I'll try that. Thank you for the advice.

ZRabbits · Apr 16, 2012

Already got some good advise from Wendy. Just wanted to wish you luck.

Let us know how you make out.

K

majorv · Apr 16, 2012

The key is to watch them. If you don't see them mating then you don't know for sure that it happened.

Blaze_Amita · Apr 17, 2012

other than what Wendy said- that's what I do with aggressive bucks, but if I have a passive buck(at least with the does) I have left does in with the buck over night. But it's got to be just right to do that. Most times I put them together(either xpen or in the bucks cage)and watch them, let him breed and fall off at least 3 times before seperating. I have a couple very passive gentle bucks that I leave the does in with over night and remove them first thing in the morning. I know the buck will do his job, but agian, it's a passive buck and a passive doe

majorv · Apr 17, 2012

I'm leery of leaving the doe and buck together overnight, but that may be just because I know our rabbits. We've only done it once, with a pair of Californians. It's not so much the bucks I don't trust, it's the does. I've seen a couple of ours accept the buck and after mating 3 times they've had enough and turn on the buck. We have one doe that doesn't want any part of being bred. It's a chore to get her bred! :thud: