brother and sister bunny questions

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krazeekat

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Hi, my name is Kathy and we recently got 2 newbabies, dwarf netherland I'm pretty sure 1 boy and 1 girl. It's not thefirst time we have had bunnies in fact I have had them throughout life.But my parents were the ones with all the answers and being a kid Ididn't listen as well as I could have and now they are both gone so Iwant to make sure I'm doing the right things for them and for teachingmy kids.

I didn't know that cedar was that bad that will go as soon as I can geta better option, I'm guessing the timothy hay for their beds? I want tolitter train them too, and I have had conflicting ideas for what to usein it. They are brother and sister and sharing a cage sincethey are small that too is going to change. Here is the silly question,can siblings mate, is it recommended? I know its different with cats,dogs etc... I will probably check into spaying our littlegirlbut I just had those questions. Thanks for any and alladvice. Calvin and SophieThank you too.
 
I am not too sure abt siblings mating but it wouldberecommended to sterillise both of them to preventunneccessary diseases.You can try other beddings that does not haveclay in content because I thought that hay wasn't a very good absorbent.

Actually, I think that the bedding isn't very important since you are litter-training them.
 
As I have suggested to many other people,newspaper cat litter is my all time favorite, it's very absorant andnot harmful to them. Pine is also bad for them.

I would suggest fixing the bunnies, siblings can mate but this resultsin inbreeding, some say the kits are born with more deformaties thennormal when they are inbred, I am not a breeder and do not in fact knowfor sure if it is true but I wouldn't suggest in giving them the chanceto breed.

Laura
 
Yap M&Smom! The percentage in the kitsdeformities is high so it is discouraged to breed them.;)Don't let themsuffer when they are born in the world.
 
To learn as much as you can,visit a selection of websites. Just types rabbit in a search engine andit will give you plenty of choices. Regular visits to the vets to checkthe rabbit health, fresh supply of food and water and a clean bed isthe main essentials. Talk to a vet if you are unsure after all vetshave spent their lives learning about all sorts of animals, they willbe full of useful rabbit advice and tips on how to keep a happy healthyrabbit. Good Luck! :D
 
Most definitely can mate at 3-4 monthsold. Recommend neutering for reasons of health and reductionsof undesirable sexually induced behaviors. Unbred, unspayeddoes of six years old, or more, have 70% chance of contracting uterinecancer, which is almost always rapid and fatal. Unbred,intactbucks are more likely to develop testicular cancer,than castrated ones. Without the sexual hormones at work, thebuck becomes a more placid pet and is less frustrated itself.

Both un-neutered does and bucks tend to become aggressively territorialupon onset of puberty. Bucks often spray urine, quiteaccurately I might add, in order to establish their dominance overother rabbits, or you, and to "mark" their mates. While notso prone to spraying, although some will, unbred, unspayeddoes can become dark in temperament and moody, veryterritorial, and apt to aggressively approach anyone invadingtheir space.

Neutering pet rabbits is considered a very conscionable and responsible thing to do by most animal lovers.

I don't let my buns sit in the "bedding" they use to urinate anddefecate in. Hay is not a good substancefor bedding, in myopinion, for some buns may eat it after it has been soiled.My buns are suspended by hardware hooks slightlyabovetheir newspaper lined cage trays in a wooden frame towhich I have stapled 1/2" x 1/2" vinyl clad hardware cloth wire tofunction as a floor. I include a corner litter box in eachcage for toilet purposes. Any poops excreted outside thelitter box passes through the hardware cloth to bedepositedupon the newspaper lining the sliding traybelow. Each day, I simply sweep off the refuse and/or changethe newspaper, depending upon the condition of same.

I use WOODYPET Pofessional Animal Bedding, available at mostTractor Supply Company outlets, strictly as a litter. It is awood basedgranulatedsubstancethatexpands into a saw dust liketexture after it absorbs liquid urine and moisture.Itis non- clumping and the used portions of the litter are easilyremoved, leaving the unused material behind. It isbiodegradable and very user friendly, in my estimation. Thecost is $4.95 for a 30 lb bag.

There are many other litters out there that are satisfactory.Just stay away from clay based, clumping cat litter, that may beingested by your bunnies and lead to their early demise.

Buck :)

P.S. FYI and from their website at http://www.woodypet.com :

[font="Futura, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]BEST BEDDING BECAUSE IT IS SAFE[/font]

[font="Futura, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]Woody PetProfessional Animal Bedding is the Best NON-TOXIC alternative for woodshavings because there are no Dangerous Hydrocarbons like there are inpine and cedar wood shavings.[/font]









 
Siblings can indeed inbreed. This mayresult in a higher than usual number of undesirable genes due to theclose relation. Since the gene pool is smaller, the odds ofinheriting a recessive gene from each parent is higher.Inbreeding depression can also cause a lack of vigor, diseaseresistance, life span and may also cause breedingdifficulites. For this reason, inbreeding is not recommendedto beginners.

"Professional" breeders sometimes use inbreeding as a tool to theiradvantage, as there is also a higher chance of the offspring ofoutstanding siblings inheriting the parent's desirable show or breedingtendencies.

As Buck mentioned, rabbits reach sexual maturity as early as 12 weeks, so I would separate the siblings as soon as possible.



Pam


 
Pamnock,

It's amazing how clear you make everything! I've heard inbreedingcreated more deformaties, I just never knew why, which is why I had ahard time understanding why breeders say that. Thanks for clearing itup!
 
Buck Jones and Pamnock,both of you are definitely well-learned.

All the genetics stuff are so profound but both of you are still able to make it clear to us.Thanks a lot!
 

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