SnowyandHazel
Active Member
Hi all,
I'm new to the boards and feeling a little stressed- please be gentle with me.
Our family has two rabbits - Snowy and Hazel, who are flemish/lionhead crosses. We adopted these two in the summer when they were about 4 months old, and I was told they were both girls. I even checked before we came home, and sure enough they both looked like females. Ive had rabbits before and even fostered- I feel like the difference is obvious, but they were all adults and I was wrong! A few months go by and about a week ago I went to trim Snowy's nails, and sure enough she has grown boy bits. I guess they were younger than I thought...
I've since read everything I could online about surprise litters and how to tell if your doe is pregnant, and she is. She's grouchy, vocal, starting to nest, and doesnt want anything in front of her face. I gently felt her underside and sure enough she has a few lumpy grapes in there that Snowy doesnt have. She's not yet pulling fur though. Ive read up on nutrition so I feel like I'm set there. She has warm nest area with lots of nesting materials.
Let me be VERY clear that I had NO intention on breeding rabbits, or adding to the overpopulation of pets in this world. As soon as she's weaned the kits I'll be spaying/neutering the adults.
I guess I need advice on a few things:
1) When to separate them. Ive read they can get pregnant while pregnant if only one side took (holy smokes!), so probably asap? I only hesitate because they're so closely bonded- theyre snuggling away as I type this. They are setup in a large outdoor run, that has a 2 story hutch inside the run (hutch door stays open so they can get in and out of the hutch, and still access their run area). I can lock Hazel in the hutch, which would let her still have her nest area and access grass on the bottom level, and still be able to sniff Snowy through the mesh. Is this the best option? I've read that's stressful to separate them, but I obviously have to. Having them separated but still have some contact through the mesh seems like the best option. Thoughts?
2) Outdoor stuff. They're outdoors - we're in the northwest pacific, October temps are around 55 during the day and high 40's overnight. Over the winter the overnight low is not usually colder than high 30's, so not usually freezing temps but cold enough. They have a warming pad made for rabbits (off Amazon) in their nesting box area that's built into the hutch. I've just ordered a 2nd one, so when I separate the two each will have a warming pad. I've added another covered box to the run part of their setup, so when they're separated Snowy will have his own box and warming pad. Both have lots of nesting material available. Is this enough? The box, warming pad, and nesting material? Especially for babies? I have 40" indoor cage that will accommodate two adults during sold snaps, but not big enough to accommodate mom & babies, plus a divider to have dad in there too so they dont lose their bond. Ideally they would stay outdoors, but I'll do what I need to.
3) If I take Snowy in to get neutered now - will they lose their bond? Will she take him back? Ive read to bring them in together in a divided carrier, and let them stay in post op together. Should I wait and bring them in together, or take him now risking they lose their bond?
3a) if I take him in to get neutered now, can he and Hazel stay together? Will he be ok with the babies?
I guess thats it! Thanks for the feedback, and in advance for not flaming me for the oops litter. I care a lot about these buns, and want the best for them.
I'm new to the boards and feeling a little stressed- please be gentle with me.
Our family has two rabbits - Snowy and Hazel, who are flemish/lionhead crosses. We adopted these two in the summer when they were about 4 months old, and I was told they were both girls. I even checked before we came home, and sure enough they both looked like females. Ive had rabbits before and even fostered- I feel like the difference is obvious, but they were all adults and I was wrong! A few months go by and about a week ago I went to trim Snowy's nails, and sure enough she has grown boy bits. I guess they were younger than I thought...
I've since read everything I could online about surprise litters and how to tell if your doe is pregnant, and she is. She's grouchy, vocal, starting to nest, and doesnt want anything in front of her face. I gently felt her underside and sure enough she has a few lumpy grapes in there that Snowy doesnt have. She's not yet pulling fur though. Ive read up on nutrition so I feel like I'm set there. She has warm nest area with lots of nesting materials.
Let me be VERY clear that I had NO intention on breeding rabbits, or adding to the overpopulation of pets in this world. As soon as she's weaned the kits I'll be spaying/neutering the adults.
I guess I need advice on a few things:
1) When to separate them. Ive read they can get pregnant while pregnant if only one side took (holy smokes!), so probably asap? I only hesitate because they're so closely bonded- theyre snuggling away as I type this. They are setup in a large outdoor run, that has a 2 story hutch inside the run (hutch door stays open so they can get in and out of the hutch, and still access their run area). I can lock Hazel in the hutch, which would let her still have her nest area and access grass on the bottom level, and still be able to sniff Snowy through the mesh. Is this the best option? I've read that's stressful to separate them, but I obviously have to. Having them separated but still have some contact through the mesh seems like the best option. Thoughts?
2) Outdoor stuff. They're outdoors - we're in the northwest pacific, October temps are around 55 during the day and high 40's overnight. Over the winter the overnight low is not usually colder than high 30's, so not usually freezing temps but cold enough. They have a warming pad made for rabbits (off Amazon) in their nesting box area that's built into the hutch. I've just ordered a 2nd one, so when I separate the two each will have a warming pad. I've added another covered box to the run part of their setup, so when they're separated Snowy will have his own box and warming pad. Both have lots of nesting material available. Is this enough? The box, warming pad, and nesting material? Especially for babies? I have 40" indoor cage that will accommodate two adults during sold snaps, but not big enough to accommodate mom & babies, plus a divider to have dad in there too so they dont lose their bond. Ideally they would stay outdoors, but I'll do what I need to.
3) If I take Snowy in to get neutered now - will they lose their bond? Will she take him back? Ive read to bring them in together in a divided carrier, and let them stay in post op together. Should I wait and bring them in together, or take him now risking they lose their bond?
3a) if I take him in to get neutered now, can he and Hazel stay together? Will he be ok with the babies?
I guess thats it! Thanks for the feedback, and in advance for not flaming me for the oops litter. I care a lot about these buns, and want the best for them.