Please help! Giving birth? Preparing?

[Thumperina]

wendymac wrote:

It doesn't sound like she got pregnant. Now is the time to separate the buck from the doe. There is no medical reason why they should have a litter before being spayed/neutered. And the chances of mammary cancer are lower if they're spayed without having babies (at least with dogs and cats, so I would assume it's the same for all animals).

The reason he's shaking is because he knows he's about to be put with a doe, and he's going to try breeding her. LOL

I wouldn't breed brother to sister. Unless they are both exemplary for their breed, and you know ALL the genetic problems in their line, you're taking a big chance.

Thank you, Wendy. We want the doe to have babies at least once - I guess, a little later. Probably not with her brother,u'r right.
I wonder, if every buck is neutered, how do people breed rabbits?sounds likeneutering is advice that every bunny owner gets.
If we neuter ours, how do people make arrangements about breeding unrelated rabbits from different owners? I don't know anybody who has the unneutered buck rabbit. Dothey split the litter to both owners afterwards?Or, is litter the doe's family responsibility? We don't want any fancy rabbits for sale,wejust want some good petbunnies (andmine are good pet rabbits: they were born in January in the first for their mom litter, they survived, they are absolutely not aggressive and seem healthy).

What is funny, she doesnot seem to need him around at all - she is much happier when left alone.

 

[Thumperina]

wendymac wrote:

Unless they are both exemplary for their breed, and you know ALL the genetic problems in their line, you're taking a big chance.

No, we don't have a lot of info. I think that their parents alsoare siblings, but they can'ttell us for sure as they don't know...

 

[Thumperina]

Could anyone advise please on how to prevent the doe from nesting in unexpected areas? The rabbit has a hutch to spend a night and is set free in the yard.
All the videos I watchced showing nice hutches with nice nesting boxes while my doe is sitting in the underground tunnel and pulling out her hair.
Who knows, she may BE pregnant this time. SHE STOPPED EATING (no pellets, not even carrots that she loves). What could it mean?

 

[Thumperina]

Oh, I pulpated her today but haven't found anything, but I am not experienced in it.

 

[LindseyG]

Put the doe in a hutch...honestly that is the only way to make sure she has them in the right spot.

 

[Thumperina]

LindseyG wrote:

Put the doe in a hutch...honestly that is the only way to make sure she has them in the right spot.

For how long? (well, I guess till she had babies. I am not even sure that she is pregnant). What about predators? I knowwe don't have any (except for the cat wandering around rarely), butthe doedoesn't know it. It's very normal to make a nest in secluded area where rabbits don'tlive,from the rabbit's perspective. Hutch is the place where everything is about rabbit's presence

But we will try, thank you!

 

[Lydia]

Please do put the female in the hutch, and don't let the male near her. We found out the hard way that it is a VERY bad idea to let the male be near the female when you are unsure if she is pregnant or when she is due. Our first rabbits, Fred & Ethel had their first litter on 1 Nov 2011. We didn't know to separate them at the time, thinking he would help her with the babies. To make matters worse, we didn't know she had had the babies until a few days later. Fred used that time to get her pregnant again, and when her first litter was barely 4 weeks old she was having to abandon them for another litter.

Please put the female in a controlled place, like the hutch, where you can monitor her. Not only are you inviting her having the babies in a hard to reach place like the underground hole, you also risk her having the babies in random places on the ground. Sometimes a panicked female will give birth while moving, leaving the babies in random places on the floor. Giving her a structured environment with a set place to nest and plenty of soft nesting materials (like paper towels, hay, etc), will give you and her both peace of mind. Mother bunnies are sneaky, protective, territorial, and over all worry warts. They will try to hide their babies from you if you don't control the situation.

You obviously care for these bunnies, and want what's best for them. So please, double check that she hasn't given birth in that hole or elsewhere in the yard and put her in the hutch to nest.

 

[Thumperina]

I've ordered a nest box from Petco, but in doubt if it's enough large. The dimentions are
11"W x 16"L x 10"H
Do you this this is a good size for rabbits?

http://www.petco.com/product/113064/WARE-Wooden-Nest-Box-for-Chickens-And-Rabbits.aspx?CoreCat=certona-_-ProductDetail_3-_-WARE%20Wooden%20Nest%20Box%20for%20Chickens%20%26%20Rabbits-113064

 

[Lydia]

Depending on the rabbit, that should be fine. You want something that she can stand in to nurse the babies and feel secure, but not something that is so large she wants to lounge in it or use it as a new litter box.

We have used medium sized cardboard boxes with our girls when they had babies, and they liked the security of being able to "hide" their babies in the back of their boxes. Plus, if the box was strong enough, they could sit on top of the box and be watch bunnies.

 

[Thumperina]

Lydia wrote:

Please do put the female in the hutch, and don't let the male near her. We found out the hard way that it is a VERY bad idea to let the male be near the female when you are unsure if she is pregnant or when she is due. Our first rabbits, Fred & Ethel had their first litter on 1 Nov 2011. We didn't know to separate them at the time, thinking he would help her with the babies. To make matters worse, we didn't know she had had the babies until a few days later. Fred used that time to get her pregnant again, and when her first litter was barely 4 weeks old she was having to abandon them for another litter.

Please put the female in a controlled place, like the hutch, where you can monitor her. Not only are you inviting her having the babies in a hard to reach place like the underground hole, you also risk her having the babies in random places on the ground. Sometimes a panicked female will give birth while moving, leaving the babies in random places on the floor. Giving her a structured environment with a set place to nest and plenty of soft nesting materials (like paper towels, hay, etc), will give you and her both peace of mind. Mother bunnies are sneaky, protective, territorial, and over all worry warts. They will try to hide their babies from you if you don't control the situation.

You obviously care for these bunnies, and want what's best for them. So please, double check that she hasn't given birth in that hole or elsewhere in the yard and put her in the hutch to nest.

Lydia, thank you for sharing your personal experience! It's very helpful.

She IS in the hutch every night, alone, locked. There is lots of hay in there. So, if she ever has her babies at night, this is going to be in the hutch, not underground (if this luckily happens at night). We need to make another hutch for either her or the buck as now we have only one for both of them (I am thinking - new, improved hutch for her)

 

[Thumperina]

OH LORD! I was gone for 2 weeks, my husband was watching the rabbits. I got back last Sunday, and today.... (shock) I discovered that my doe has bunnies in the burrow on the front yard. She opened the tunnel entrance and the bunnies got out to feed. I saw at least 2 of them, they have fur - white like the father. I coudn't see for sure about their eyes but they seemed pretty big bunnies. I will get into the whole to see how many she had and if there is any dead bunnies.
Just before we were gone I took her to the vet (she avoided to step on one of her hind legs) and the doctor didn't say she was pregnant!!!

Any advise? It's still hot here. Should I move them to hutch?

The boy gets nuetured tomorrow.

 

[LindseyG]

I would move them to the hutch unless you want completely wild unhandlable babies! They need lots of attention at this young age or they will not be friendly.

 

[Thumperina]

Opened the hole entrance. My arm can't reach, it's too deep.

 

[Thumperina]

got them all. we have 4 VERY ALIVE active bunnies, eyes are open, they covered with fur (they look like little rabbits), about the size of my palm. They were trying to escape when I was getting them. How old can they be?
Nothing else in the burrow, no dead bunnies, not even hay or mom's fur. Looks like they are doing perfectly fine (thank you Lord)
I, honestly, put them back into the hole for now (after I made sure its safe), need to organize and move the hutch (cant do it alone), tonight will move bunnies.

 

[Thumperina]

What is best for lining their nest box? I put hay bit it's pretty scratchy.
Also, should I give alfalfa to mom? anything else for the mom? she is very skinny recently

 

[MyBabyHasPaws]

Alfalfa pellets and hay for mom and babies from here on out. Until babies are weaned mom will stay on alfalfa hay and pellets. Babies until 7mnths. I have to go to lunch but i'm going to write more when I get back.

 

[MyBabyHasPaws]

make sure you are giving her LOTS of fresh water (she should have some available all day every day) also, up her on the greens. give her a bit extra.

have you been using Calf Manna for mom? If not, you should be. She's nursing these babies and needs more. I suggest ordering some and giving right away!

 

[Thumperina]

MyBabyHasPaws wrote:

make sure you are giving her LOTS of fresh water (she should have some available all day every day) also, up her on the greens. give her a bit extra.

have you been using Calf Manna for mom? If not, you should be. She's nursing these babies and needs more. I suggest ordering some and giving right away!

Never heard about Calf Manna, I today saw the bannies for the first time. What is a good place to get it?

I ordered a sample of Sherwood forest food.

 

[Thumperina]

A question: what is better for them - Calf Manna 0r Sherwood forest for growers?
I saw Calf Manna in the store today but didn't get it. My rabbits hardly eat pelleted food.
At what age are bunnies supposed to start getting special pelleted food?

 

[Thumperina]

ok, I got it - CalfManna is a supplement, not a food I bought it, but the doe hasn't touched it yet.