First Time Breeder

[fignewton2009]

I am a first time breeder and recently breed my netherland dwarf doe who just turned 6 months to my 7.5 month old netherland drawf buck. It was a first time for them both. He got in a couple of fall offs before I seperated them. I did not go back and rebreed them which I feel might have been a mistake.

I have been patiently awaiting to see if she is indeed pregnant. tomorrow will be day 30. Up till now, the only difference I have noticed in her is that her belly is rounder and a bit firmer feeling but I have no clue what to look for with palpating. I tried several times over the course of the last 30 days but just do not feel anything but then again not sure what I am looking for.

She has not started building a nest. She is laying around a little more but that could just be her enjoying the cooler fall weather. I have read like everything I can find online to see if there are any other signs I might have missed but I see none of the attitude changes most mention.

SIGH.... I so hope she was indeed breed because I have waited so patiently lol. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Daisy-Henry]

Hi. It was also my first time. I bred my 6month old lionhead to my 12month old doe around 2 months back, after 40days no kits, so I re-bred her and 2 days ago she kindled. She started making her nest a week before, then destroyed it and re-built it on the day she was giving birth.

Breeders said that my buck might not have been ready, so that's why my doe didn't get caught her first time round.


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[majorv]

Twice is enough, but we usually breed 3x, wait a couple hours and breed twice more, just for insurance. First timers can be unpredictable in that they can wait until the last minute to make a nest...sometimes they don't even do that. You'll need to watch her close because if she has them on the wire they won't last long...assuming she's pregnant. Just have a nestbox in with her.

Not all does go thru a personality change so I wouldn't count on that. If you don't know how to palpate try to get someone to show you. Optimal time to do this is at 2 weeks.

 

[fignewton2009]

Thank you for the info and replies.

Today is day 30.... no fur pulling or nest. .... All she is doing is sleeping or grooming. I guess only time will tell. Next time I will make sure I put the two back together for a few more rounds.

 

[Daisy-Henry]

It takes roughly 31 days but breeders wait until the 40th day to put her back with the buck as the doe could have her kits late. My doe made her nest minutes before she gave birth, but I did see her making a nest the week before too. (It's so adorable when they hold the hay/straw in their mouth).

When you put her back with the buck only let him mount her around 2 times as a rabbits womb is like a Y shape and they can carry 2 different litters at once, this will put a big stress on the rabbit. (You probably already know that, but just incase).

But good luck and keep us updated !


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[majorv]

You could wait 40 days...that would be the max, I guess. We know by 35 days...if you learn how to palpate then you don't even have to wait that long. There are YouTube videos on how to do it, but getting someone to show you is the best way to learn...go to a rabbit show and get to know the dwarf breeders. They'd be glad to show you.

In the 5 years we've been breeding we've never had more than one litter and we typically breed the doe 5x if we can...I think it's very uncommon, but more possible if you breed a doe and then accidentally breed her again like a week or so later.

 

[fignewton2009]

I definitely need to learn the palpating thing. I tried at around 10-14 days and then after that a few days but I couldn't feel anything. Not even poop. That is.... IF I did it right.

Today is day 31. She was frisky this morning and was doing a little digging in her nestbox but not really like she was trying to make a nest. I have seen her do that digging thing a little before she was bred. I got excited and then thought woohoo she's nesting. But then she calmed down and has been relaxed all day. She did not take any of the hay I put out for her to add to the box either. I know only time will tell but I am getting anxious because if she is not pregnant I want to hurry up and breed her again. I am just being impatient. :-(

 

[fignewton2009]

Start of day 32. nothing so guess she's not pregnant. *sigh* Guess I'll rebreed on Monday.

 

[woahlookitsme]

If you don't have much luck breeding yours you might want to try a proven buck. Proven meaning he has successfully sired a litter before

 

[WMCrabbitry]

To make sure that she is re bred then leave the buck in overnight then take him out in the morning


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[woahlookitsme]

Be careful with leaving them together though. If They show any sign of aggression especially the doe then do not leave them together. The doe can and will castrate your buck if they don't get along.

We left a boy and girl cal together and they did fine because they basically cuddled all night. I would never do it with my tans

 

[ladysown]

WAIT until day 35. rounder tummer, firmer feeling... quite potentially bred. don't give up til day 35. MIND.... you should see babies move if you watch careful like.

THEN rebreed day 35.

One fall off can and will often do the trick. Twice or three times is just insurance.
No need to breed later.

DO NOT leave the buck in with the doe unless you are willing to handle a potential neutered buck. Can and HAS happened. Be forewarned.

 

[fignewton2009]

Thank you everyone for all the wonderful advice. I am slowly learning from each of you.

Today is day 34 and nothing. I tried and tried to see if I felt anything moving in her tummy. I also tried to see if I could see anything moving. I did not feel anything except the rhythm of her breathing and all. I then decided to maybe try and put her back in the bucks cage just to see if she was receptive or not. She just did the whole bunny blender thing and never would have anything to do with him but then again her being a first time doe she did that the first time I put them together and I had to wait a good while before she would calm down. I was scared to let her run around too much so I took her out. She is now peacefully back in her cage grooming herself as usual. I thought that this would be easy to get her knocked up but I guess now LOL. :imstupid

I HOPE that I can get her bred in the next couple of days if nothing happens still by tomorrow which will be day 35.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get a doe in the mood so that she will lift easier for the buck?

 

[ladysown]

the thing you need to consider... she was showing signs, she was digging... she might have dead or stuck kits. I've had polish go well past delivery date and then give me dead kits. Do keep a good watch on her.

 

[majorv]

This is the hard part about breeding....could she have dead kits or is she unbred? One of my first timer acted pregnant but by day 34 had nothing so I asked my daughter to try palpating her because she was acting like she wanted to deliver something. We moved her to another cage and the next day she had one dead kit that looked larger than normal, which is probably why she had a hard time delivering. I think the palpating may have helped her to expel it.

To help does get in the mood we will sometimes put them in a cage right next to a buck for awhile. If you aren't successful with them mating then wait til the next day and try again. They'll eventually come around, especially if there's a buck close.

 

[fignewton2009]

Wow majorv.

It's day 35. No babies. She is acting fine like nothing is wrong and so I am assuming it just didn't take. I am going to wait until tomorrow to try again I guess just to be certain. If she were still trying to dig or whatever then I might think she was in trouble but she's acting normal as of now so must be a bust this month.

I will update if anything changes.