# Sexing newborn rabbits; anyone heard of this?



## jen74145 (Oct 31, 2006)

Apparently, before baby buns have fur, you can tell the sex by who has a row of nipples down each side and who doesn't. Anyone heard of this? Is it true?


----------



## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Yeah, I've heard of it. It works on the idea that rabbits are one of the few species where the males don't have nipples. The only problem is, I've also heard that this is a myth and that both sexes have nipples, although those on males may show less. I've never been able to find nipples on my bucks... but maybe they are there under the fur and just too small to feel. I keep meaning to check newborn kits... but never seem to remember.


----------



## jen74145 (Oct 31, 2006)

Hmm... maybe next nest check I'll see who looks to be what and make a note. We'll see how accurate I am later.


----------



## furholler (Feb 1, 2005)

Keep us posted, please.


----------



## Bernadette (Jan 17, 2004)

Like MaggieJ, I've heard it, but never think to check when the kits are still hairless - there always seem to be other things going on that are more important - like keeping Momma happy and the kits alive! But.... if things go well, next week I'll have something to check!! :dance:


----------



## Terry W (Mar 10, 2006)

all mammals have 'nipple lines' and the presence of the pregnancy and labor hormones may make the nipples of the boys enlarge-( ever hear of 'witches milk' on our babies?)- giving the Sex Change Fairy plenty of room to play around if that is what you will base your sexing on!!!! I can feel the nipples on my bucks, but darn if I can palpate for pregnancy with any accuracy-- my buns are too well fed!!!


----------



## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

Terry W said:


> all mammals have 'nipple lines' and the presence of the pregnancy and labor hormones may make the nipples of the boys enlarge-( ever hear of 'witches milk' on our babies?)- giving the Sex Change Fairy plenty of room to play around if that is what you will base your sexing on!!!! I can feel the nipples on my bucks, but darn if I can palpate for pregnancy with any accuracy-- my buns are too well fed!!!



I was trying to find some embryology info on species where the male doesn't develop nipples, to see if they still form a nipple line without actually forming nipples. I'm going nuts and can't find anything about it. Not an area where there's a lot of research! I've hunted for rabbits, rats and horses, as the only three species I know that the males don't develop nipples. Well, playypusses, too, but they don't count! Or the other monotreme whose name escapes me...

I have five potential litters due the first week of March...I'm just gonna have to check all the bellies and see how things turn out! Heck, maybe if we all start keeping data on this, we can write our own research paper! :hobbyhors 

Meg


----------



## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

I can't see the point in finding out sooner... gee it is very easy to tell by the time they are weaned. Check each bun as you move them. But it would be interesting to see if the males not having nipples is true... I thought all species in both male and females have nipples.


----------



## white eagle (Feb 8, 2007)

In my book I have it says to sex the babies at the age 3 because when younger you can not tell that easy.. I'm going by what my book says on sexing rabbits. I really wouldn't want to try to sex them as a newborn because it may upset the mother rabbit. Don't want to do that.


----------



## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

All I know is my daughter can sex rabbits by one week old, popping out their peepee's.

The girl is 9 and right 100% of the time, and I have no clue how she does it.
She can see detail in the formation of those genitals that I cant see.

So I just rely on her. I can sex once they are 3 weeks old because the boys penis easily pops out into view and the females slit is also obvious.
But you have to pop the organs out! 
Its harmless and safe.


----------



## Pat Lamar (Jun 19, 2002)

I once ran an interesting article in the PRMA Journal about a "Hairless Rabbit" and which included photos. The rabbit was a buck... and the nipples were quite obvious. The rabbit had been born with the hairless gene and was about 6 months old at the time the photos were taken. That answered the question for me!

Pat Lamar
"Commercial Rabbit Industries"
http://revolution.3-cities.com/~fuzyfarm/


----------



## Terry W (Mar 10, 2006)

Meg Z said:


> I have five potential litters due the first week of March...I'm just gonna have to check all the bellies and see how things turn out! Heck, maybe if we all start keeping data on this, we can write our own research paper! :hobbyhors
> 
> Meg


 I'm game!!! Send me the info, I'll compile it, and submit to the ARBA!!!!

Terry


----------



## rainbird (Jan 9, 2008)

I have noted in passing, that some babies have nipples and some--apparently--do not. I assumed I was looking at does and bucks, but never really put faith in the observation, instead waiting a few weeks until I could reliably sex them the traditional way.

I'm always worried about disturbing the mother too much in the first couple days. Generally, I just peek in enough to get a head count, and to check for bodies. Other than that, I completely leave the kits alone for the first week. However ... 

I have two or (hopefully) three litters coming in a couple of weeks. When they show up, I will do some formal checking, and report back to the group.


----------



## Beaniemom (May 25, 2007)

rainbird said:


> I have noted in passing, that some babies have nipples and some--apparently--do not. I assumed I was looking at does and bucks, but never really put faith in the observation, instead waiting a few weeks until I could reliably sex them the traditional way.
> 
> I'm always worried about disturbing the mother too much in the first couple days. Generally, I just peek in enough to get a head count, and to check for bodies. Other than that, I completely leave the kits alone for the first week. However ...
> 
> I have two or (hopefully) three litters coming in a couple of weeks. When they show up, I will do some formal checking, and report back to the group.


Just a thought, you may want to do a daily head count during the summer at least to check for dead ones, they can attract maggots and all sorts of icky things, plus they'll go "bad" alot quicker. I just haul the box out to check.

I did my "day 9" cleaning last night, laying awake at 3am I remembered I hadn't put in the steps, surely they'd be fine til the morning...Nope. I had a kitsicle this morning that had gotten out of the box. I'm going to put those kit scarper things on all the boxes for next time, hopely that'll keep the little buggers in there longer!


----------



## rainbird (Jan 9, 2008)

Beaniemom said:


> I did my "day 9" cleaning last night, laying awake at 3am I remembered I hadn't put in the steps, surely they'd be fine til the morning...Nope. I had a kitsicle this morning that had gotten out of the box. I'm going to put those kit scarper things on all the boxes for next time, hopely that'll keep the little buggers in there longer!


I'm new here. No doubt this has been discussed in the past, but it's new to me. I've never lost any kits (yet) from climbing out of the box, but I have had to put kits back in on several occasions, after one got out.

So please tell me more about these kit steps and/or kit scarper things ... or point me to the thread that discussed them. thanx.


----------



## Beaniemom (May 25, 2007)

See, the problem with kits is that around 10 day to 2 weeks they start becoming mobile, they can get out of the box, but they can't get back in (hence the kitsicles) and will freeze since they still need the rest of the littermates to help keep them warm. What I do is put a step in front of the box for them to use, I use a block of wood.

The kit scraper is a peice of wood or something on the front of the box, that keeps them from hitching a ride out on Mom, or getting out as easily. I think Pony had a pic of the box with the scraper on it?


----------



## SILEIGH (Jul 11, 2007)

here it is! if your front is high enough you might not need it 
but the plans i got called for a 3 inch front
first time i used the boxes lost 2 kits at 10 days cuz they either jumped out or hitched a ride on mom
havent lost one since i added the lip


----------



## Shade26000 (Jul 9, 2007)

You guys ever tryed a pendulum also called needling. I use this on a Emu ranch I worked at for years to tell the sex. When I would go back and check my records, month or 2 later, I would be about 80% to 90% right. Not bad when no one else had a clue on the sex.


----------



## SILEIGH (Jul 11, 2007)

i did that on myself when i was preggers
straight its a boy circle its a girl 

it was right both times 2 circles


----------

