Smyles
Member
My rabbit smelled the buck on me tonight. I am concerned she will eat her kits as she has done this before. She went looking for him. They are separated. Do I have anything to worry about?
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To me, that doesn't sound like it's much of a thing. My rabbits don't care much about smell, bucks were housed next to the does and used the same garden, and even getting pregnant again didn't keep my does from caring for their litter. Rabbits are social animals, other rebbits around shouldn't be a problem (not a problem of that kind anyway) Never had a doe eat kits, not even when they were dead already, but that can happen.
Looking for the buck, yeah, be sure to keep them apart, they can be very determined at times. Both.
I've read of several reasons that does might kill kits, undue stress, predators too close, bad instincts, bad genetics. Or a freak occurance, if she really did it I would count that as strike one.
It did happen that kits disappeared with only a speck of blood left though, even 4 out of 5 in one litter before I noticed, but there the culprits always were rats. A wildlife camera is very useful to find out if any are around, I didn't notice much without that, the clues a doormouse leaves are somewhat similiar but I don't want to accidentially trap those.
Looking for the buck, yeah, be sure to keep them apart, they can be very determined at times. Both.
I've read of several reasons that does might kill kits, undue stress, predators too close, bad instincts, bad genetics. Or a freak occurance, if she really did it I would count that as strike one.
It did happen that kits disappeared with only a speck of blood left though, even 4 out of 5 in one litter before I noticed, but there the culprits always were rats. A wildlife camera is very useful to find out if any are around, I didn't notice much without that, the clues a doormouse leaves are somewhat similiar but I don't want to accidentially trap those.
Smyles
Member
Thank you your response. All is well with the kits this morning. She did come out of her room this morning seeking him. He is thankfully going to be neutered in a couple of weeks so they may cohabitate. We plan to spay her as well. They are house rabbits and keeping them separate has been a challenge.
Just be aware, that once neutered, he can still have the ability to get her, while still unspayed, pregnant up to 6 weeks post neuter. So if she is still nursing and not spayed yet, you would need to continue keeping them separated for up to those 6 weeks post neuter, before attempting rebonding.
Even though they've been together previously, you will likely need to go through the actual bonding process once they're fixed and no longer have those hormones affecting their behavior towards one another. It may be an easy bond, or could take some work. You just never know once they no longer have that excess of hormones driving them to mate.
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Spaying_and_neutering_rabbits
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Choosing_a_rabbit_veterinarian
https://rabbit.org/veterinarians/
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-bunnies.html
https://cottontails-rescue.org.uk/information/bonding-bunnies/
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Bonding_rabbits_together
Even though they've been together previously, you will likely need to go through the actual bonding process once they're fixed and no longer have those hormones affecting their behavior towards one another. It may be an easy bond, or could take some work. You just never know once they no longer have that excess of hormones driving them to mate.
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Spaying_and_neutering_rabbits
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Choosing_a_rabbit_veterinarian
https://rabbit.org/veterinarians/
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-bunnies.html
https://cottontails-rescue.org.uk/information/bonding-bunnies/
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Bonding_rabbits_together
Smyles
Member
I can’t thank you enough for all the information you have shared!
