# Help - my rabbits won't breed!



## emptycupranch (Jul 13, 2008)

I bought a standard rex doe and a buck a month and a half ago. The doe is 2yrs old and has had a few litters, and the buck is a year old - I don't believe he has bred before.

I put them together after they had settled in their new home - the doe didn't seem interested in the buck, she would just tuck her tail down and growl/whine. I tried for a few days and finally left them together overnight. Hoping that they managed the deed I am now sure that they did not - it has been 36 days. I started putting the doe back in with him for 10 minutes at a time 4 days ago, a couple times a day. Same thing, she just growls and hunches down so he cant get to her. Today she didn't growl but was still not receptive - and the buck really wasn't even interested in her anymore. I think he has given up!

These are my first rabbits in many years - I used to have two angoras that bred easily...like rabbits...lol 

I did not expect my new rabbit farming venture to get off on such a rough start! Is there anything I can try? I always put the doe in the buck's cage. I've tried at all different times of day, in different weather. I've tried hiding from view to give them privacy! I do know I definitely have a male and a female. Help!


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## ahahahni1 (Sep 4, 2006)

Yes, please answer this question mine are doing the same thing but used to being housed in same location not same cage.


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## HisWorker (Aug 17, 2008)

Ive put my 2 standard rex's together twice.
And the Doe runs around the hutch, hops over the buck and
wont have anything to do with the buck.


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## YuccaFlatsRanch (May 3, 2004)

Put them each in a separate carry cage section and set them out in the sun for awhile (like in the early morning) and let them warm up a little bit. Always seems to work for me, especially in the fall or winter. Cool sunshine seems to get their juices going.


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## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

The breeder I got my rabbits from showed me how to hold the female and lift her rump from underneath her belly.(if she doesn't breed naturally). 

I felt sorta like I was betraying her but the buck did his job and fell off and all. She didn't seem phased by the violation.


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

A two year old that has not been bred for some months could be tough to breed.

I have some breeding tips on my web site
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/breedingtips.html

You might also try a change of scenery. Put a dog pen on the grass to contain the rabbits. Do this in a fenced lawn area if you can. Be sure they have food, water, and shade out there, and hopefully cover from aerial predators (hawks).

Many times the does are so happy to have some running room that they will breed when they would not before.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios


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## XCricketX (Jun 7, 2006)

Have a vet check her out for any abnormalities.

Limit her diet intake... if she is on pellets, lower that to 2 ounces a day, and give her plenty of hay. 

She may be carrying too much weight for breeding.. you will have to lower this before attempting to breed.

Put them under 24hr light.. for about 3 days. Stick their cages beside each other.

Hope your rabbits do better for you soon!

Cricket


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## emptycupranch (Jul 13, 2008)

Thank you for the tips Franco - I have added your link to my faves.

Cricket - maybe that IS the problem... I think I've been feeding too much as she has definately gained weight since I bought her, she is rather chubby now.

They have been living in cages right next to each other - I am going to try separating the cages for the 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' effect. I'll try them again in a few days and start the doe on a diet.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Awhile ago there was another thread on this topic. Someone mentioned that popping the doe into a carrier and taking her for a car ride and then putting her with the buck may result in success. For some reason -- possibly the break in routine, possibly something to do with the motion -- this is supposed to help.

Hmmm... I've got a doe out there that has been resistant for the longest while. When she is bred, she throws nice litters of 8 - 9, but lately she has been planting her bunny butt on the cage floor and refusing to budge, in spite of my warnings about what happens to such rabbits. Maybe she'd like to go to the feed store with Brian this afternoon.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Well, Tuppence went for a ride, but although it definitely jogged her out of routine, she still was not receptive to the buck. It looks as though I am getting a new young buck and doe very soon from a friend, so I'll give Tuppence a reprieve from the stewpot until we can try out the new boy. It will be a while - these are fryers we're getting or just a little older - and I will quarantine them for a time before letting them join the general population.


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## YuccaFlatsRanch (May 3, 2004)

"Have a vet check her out for any abnormalities."

OH PLEEZ - rabbits that are not breeding surely don't warrant a Vet Bill. For the same cost I can get you 2-3 new does and bucks.


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

When I have a doe that won't bred, i take her out and put her back in. It may take a few times. But it almost always works. Just wait a few minutes each time.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

SquashNut said:


> When I have a doe that won't bred, i take her out and put her back in. It may take a few times. But it almost always works. Just wait a few minutes each time.


LOL, SquashNut, I can just hear the doe thinking: "Oh well, may as well give in and get this over with!" 

It sounds worth trying. Thanks for the tip!


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## CookingPam777 (Oct 16, 2007)

My Lion Head won't breed with my chocolate buck either. Tried twice no kits. She is fine with my Rex. Won't help me get a long haired brown rabbit though.


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

My NZW doe Denise lost a litter by my NZW buck Frosty.
So last time I went to breed her to him she refused. So this time she had cross breds from my cal buck Randy.
I have to wonder if she knows Frosty and her genes don't match up or some thing.
I have another NZW buck raised to try on her next breeding. But I would still like to have kits from her and Frosty. But it is really up to her, not me. No matter what I might think.


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## XCricketX (Jun 7, 2006)

YuccaFlatsRanch said:


> "Have a vet check her out for any abnormalities."
> 
> OH PLEEZ - rabbits that are not breeding surely don't warrant a Vet Bill. For the same cost I can get you 2-3 new does and bucks.


Well, then put your money where your mouth is and buy her some new does!

Cricket


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## emptycupranch (Jul 13, 2008)

Arg... still no luck! Nothing!

I bought a different buck and that hasn't worked - I've separated their cages, tried different locations/pens, she has been on a diet and has lost alot of weight, not so fat now. Lately she has started to bite and growl at the buck which seems to tick him off. He will fight back briefly and then pout with his head under her. I almost had a hissy fit myself yesterday when I put her in his cage and I was immediately sprayed with urine from not only him but the neighboring buck as well! Every one of them was very close to joining freezer camp at that moment.

I did have a real close look at her again and discovered a large pocket (half inch) of black smegma like stuff hidden in a fold near her vulva. It was actually a bit difficult to clean and obviously uncomfortable for her to have it removed - seems like it has been there for quite some time and the skin was growing around it....I had just noticed a little bit and had to peel the skin away to find it all. So I got that cleaned out, and am keeping an eye on it. Very weird... but maybe that has something to do with things? Not sure what I should put in the 'pocket' if anything - polysporin? or? There seems to be a clear yellow secretion in it.

I also bought a second doe but she is only coming 5 months old. I'll hopefully breed her next month and finally get a litter.

I am really wanting a litter from the senior doe - she is pretty nice and I'd like a replacement doe from her. I took her and my buck to the local farm fair and they both took first... I'm so proud of them! 

Then I will probably give her to a pet home so I dont have to deal with this again. I didnt buy her with the intention of eating her...can't seem to bring myself to considering that. 

Why is this so difficult??


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## emptycupranch (Jul 13, 2008)

Ok... I think I *might* have succeeded! After trying every thing I could think of along with everybody's suggestions I put the doe and the buck together in a large dog crate out in the yard. I left them together all afternoon. I watched for a long time and it was still a no-go but then I just went in the house and let them be.

When I retrieved the doe her vulva area was swollen and messy - so can I assume that he actually got her??

That was last friday, and today I put them back together in the yard pen and the buck never even tried to breed her - no interest from either party all afternoon.

I guess I will find out at the end of October. Should I keep putting them together or just leave her be and see what happens at the end of the month?


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

YuccaFlatsRanch said:


> "Have a vet check her out for any abnormalities."
> 
> OH PLEEZ - rabbits that are not breeding surely don't warrant a Vet Bill. For the same cost I can get you 2-3 new does and bucks.


Hmm.

While I agree with what you said, I do think you could have softened it considerably. No need to be condescending. With rabbits, no matter how long you've bred/raised them, there's always something new to learn. None of us has it down perfectly.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

emptycupranch said:


> Ok... I think I *might* have succeeded! After trying every thing I could think of along with everybody's suggestions I put the doe and the buck together in a large dog crate out in the yard. I left them together all afternoon. I watched for a long time and it was still a no-go but then I just went in the house and let them be.
> 
> When I retrieved the doe her vulva area was swollen and messy - so can I assume that he actually got her??
> 
> ...


Since rabbits are induced-ovulators (don't throw any eggs until they're bred) you do NOT want to put them back together at this point. She may already have some buns in the oven, and could start another, fresh pregnancy if bred again -- jeopardizing both pregnancies, which will probably end up in complete loss of all kits.

I know it's hard to wait, but that's about all you can do at this point.

Silly rabbits!


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

So what do you do if none of your bucks is the least bit interested? I mean not at all. And I did check to make sure that they hadn't accidently been castrated.


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## ladysown (May 3, 2008)

House them next to each other perhaps? Or house them next to each other AND give them each a doe? You know...form of friendly competition.


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## Jennifer L. (May 10, 2002)

I keep my bucks housed next to the does all the time, and believe me they are really GLAD to get a doe in the cage with them when I bring one over! Must be frustrating to see the doe and not be able to get her, but life is tough for everyone.  BTW, there are two layers of wire between the cages so there's no funny business between the wires. I have one buck who is not really too interested even with that arrangement. Two other bucks will breed anything as soon as the doe's hind feet hit the cage when I'm lowering her in. 

I think sometimes young bucks who aren't quite ready yet just don't show interest. I've had some bucks who don't show any interest with one doe and then get really excited when you drop another one in the cage with them. Maybe they do it just to mess with your mind. 

As to does that won't breed, I've had some that just---wouldn't---breed. Period. I had some Silver Foxes that I loved and it took me four months to get them bred the first and only time they conceived. They were related does about 9 months old when I got them, and their pedigrees were not too close, either, so if it was inbreeding I don't know how it happened unless the peds were not correct. The buck was randy as the dickens as was no problem, it was all on the does side. Significantly, the daughters were all poor breeders, as well. It was a big disappointment as I just loved the fur on those rabbits, but they are all gone now. Way too much money, time, and emotional energy trying to work with them. *sigh.

So I guess I'm saying that if you have some problem rabbits the problem may not be a one time only thing and to be aware and be really critical if it happens a second time with the same bun.

BTW, those of you who might leave a buck and doe together trying to get the doe bred for several hours or overnight without supervision DON'T DO THAT unless you really know the personalities of the rabbits involved. I'm sure it's rare, but one can kill the other. I had a young buck that was home grown from a "good natured" family that killed a doe he was in with for two hours. I'd heard that the doe might kill the buck, but this was the other way around and it was shocking to find. So be careful when you do something like that.

Jennifer


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## Bernadette (Jan 17, 2004)

MaggieJ said:


> Well, Tuppence went for a ride, but although it definitely jogged her out of routine, she still was not receptive to the buck. It looks as though I am getting a new young buck and doe very soon from a friend, so I'll give Tuppence a reprieve from the stewpot until we can try out the new boy. It will be a while - these are fryers we're getting or just a little older - and I will quarantine them for a time before letting them join the general population.


But did Brian remember to point out the abattoir and perhaps the butcher shop on his guided tour.....


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Bernadette said:


> But did Brian remember to point out the abattoir and perhaps the butcher shop on his guided tour.....


Darn, I knew he forgot something! :rotfl:

Well, Basil has his little black book all filled out with girl bunny phone numbers and he looks ready to me... So any day now Miss Tuppence will be dropping in at his batchelor pad for a visit. 

So she'll either breed or become bunny-pot-pie. Either way, Tuppence will get her comeupence!


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## emptycupranch (Jul 13, 2008)

Holy cow it is 31 days later and we have 6 new bunnies!!! She made a nest yesterday (I had put the box in 'just in case') and when I got home from work tonight there they were 

Woohoo! I am SO relieved, now I just hope all 6 make it! It is pretty chilly out but they seem to be well covered.

Thank you to everybody who offered advice  Now I have to go read through all the new popple questions here....


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Wow, that's super! Congratulations on the new popples! :bouncy:

Where does the time go?


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