Litter of kits and a very defensive mother...

[JBun]

I have been told by loads of people not to handle them yet so.....

I don't know who is telling you this, but many of the people that have commented on this thread about handling the kits, are experienced rabbit breeders that know what they are talking about. Checking the babies daily is an important part of raising baby rabbits. You want to be checking the babies daily to ensure they are eating and no injuries or health problems have occurred. These daily checks also ensure they are used to being handled by people, and don't grow up nervous or scared of it.

You do want to be careful when handling them as they are very squirmy and can pop right out of your hand, so you want to handle them close to a surface or floor so that they can't get injured from a possible fall. It's also a good idea to wash your hands before handling. You can then pet the mom to get her scent on your hands before picking them up if you want. It may help if she is a bit nervous about her babies being handled.

 

[HiddlesKenway]

I have been told by loads of people not to handle them yet so.....

I breed and show rabbits. I handle hour old kits without an issue and have yet to have a doe reject her kits. There are many misconceptions about this. Hold them or your kits will be skittish.

 

[Ebonytherabbit]

My auntie, and my aunties friend and my cousin are rabbit breeders, they told me not to handle them in till they are ten days old, and I do check them daily and are all still alive and I do pet the mother

 

[Watermelons]

You need to handle these babies.
People on here are giving you good advice and i suggest you take it.
And i seriously hope you dont intend to breed these 2 rabbits anymore. There are enough pet quality rabbits out there with no homes

 

[Ebonytherabbit]

Are you telling me I'm not a good owner?

 

[Bucktooth]

I've been handling my babies since two days old (obviously because they have no mom) and they will be 4 weeks old in 2 days. They are insanely friendly. If we call them they come running and jump in my lap. They love being pet and held.

 

[JBun]

Are you telling me I'm not a good owner?

No one is saying this. People are just sharing their experience, which is that they have found handling kits from birth, helps them to be friendlier. But if the advice you are getting from your family is to wait til they are older, that is fine too. Just start handling them as soon as you can.

Just out of curiosity, do you happen to live in the UK?

 

[Ebonytherabbit]

Yeah I live in the UK, well I think my rabbits are naturally skittish any way as my buck only likes to be stroked for like five seconds then he runs away from my hand and my doe likes to be stroked but hates being picked up

 

[Ebonytherabbit]

I'm not touching the babies in till there ten days old at least they will have a couple of weeks to get used to people handling them

 

[JBun]

Yeah I live in the UK, well I think my rabbits are naturally skittish any way as my buck only likes to be stroked for like five seconds then he runs away from my hand and my doe likes to be stroked but hates being picked up

I think the 'to handle or not to handle the kits right after being born', is a cultural difference. That's why I asked your location. I've noticed that people from the UK seem to mostly advise against handling kits for the first week or two. Where as here in the US, it's common for people to advise handling kits from birth. I don't know which is the better of the two, as I've always handled the kits from birth, in the few litters that I have raised, and always ended up with really friendly well socialized babies.

You're probably best with sticking with your families advice since that is what is normally done where you are. And you'll soon be handling the babies anyways. Just spend lots of time with them and that will help to socialize them.

 

[Ebonytherabbit]

OK they are seven days old now so I will start handling them in 3 days time, yeah here in the UK I would get told off if I handled them before they where at least ten days old, maybe your way in the US is better tho if u get really friendly rabbits as are rabbits in the UK tend to be a bit skittish, well mine are any way

 

[Ebonytherabbit]

The pic is not clear but here is a PIC of the babies

 

[Ebonytherabbit]

My doe

 

[Ebonytherabbit]

And my buck

 

[Bryant]

Are you telling me I'm not a good owner?

I'll be the bad guy here...

You spent 3 threads talking about how a member called you irresponsible for letting your doe have an unintended pregnancy, then asked her to explain WHY she called you irresponsible... this should not need explaining, and yes, it was irresponsible (we've all done irresponsible things at one point or another, but that doesn't excuse it)

You said in two of those threads that you were going to get rid of your rabbits because of it. Letting someone on the internet calling you names have an affect you in real life, is also not a mark in your favor.

There are two pages of people (excluding me) telling you their experienced advice on how to approach your kits. You refuse to heed a word of it.

I can't say you're a good OR a bad owner with certainty, but i can say that in your threads you've shown to be irresponsible, stubborn, unnecessarily confrontational, emotionally immature and heedless of the advice you've been given here.

So let me be the first to say, if you want to be a great owner, those traits need to cease.

 

[Ebonytherabbit]

Look I'm only 13 I'm not the person who has the money to go and by a new hutch. I'm not the person who told me that Shadow wouldn't be ready yet. Its different here in the UK as we don't handle our kits in till they are at least 10 days old, if I don't think the information is right I don't have to use it. And did I say I was gonna get rid of my rabbits? No. Not my fault my rabbit got pregnant all u guys do is have a go at me so if ur rabbit gets pregnant and has babies to does that mean your irresponsible? At least I spoil my rabbits and treat them nicely and at least all the babies are still alive I got this app to get advice not for people to have a go at me

 

[majorv]

I think some people may have missed the fact that you're 13 years old. I know that you want some advice, which is fine. The only thing that bothers me is that for some of the advice we gave you, you rejected it because your relatives say different. I'm glad the kits are doing well, but I hesitate to give more advice now because you may tell me that your relatives think different.

 

[Ebonytherabbit]

My mum said to uninstall this app because you guys are making me upset so I am, I'm spending the rest of my day with my rabbits even though I have been with them most of the day any way

 

[Bryant]

Look I'm only 13 I'm not the person who has the money to go and by a new hutch. I'm not the person who told me that Shadow wouldn't be ready yet.

Still should have been separated. That's what you were told by numerous people. That's where the member called you irresponsible. And if you're 13, your parent/guardian should be overseeing them as well to help address anything you may forget.

Its different here in the UK as we don't handle our kits in till they are at least 10 days old, if I don't think the information is right I don't have to use it.

This is still being unreceptive to good advice. And I've never heard 10 days. Maybe 2, never 10.

And did I say I was gonna get rid of my rabbits? No.

You said: "I feel really bad now maybe I am irresponsible maybe I should just get rid of my rabbits." Page 2 or 3 of your first thread.

so if ur rabbit gets pregnant and has babies to does that mean your irresponsible?

Not when it's intentional.

I spoil my rabbits and treat them nicely and at least all the babies are still alive

Glad to hear this.

 

[JBun]

Well done. You managed to bully a 13 year old and drive them away from the site and any helpful info that may have been passed on. She/he only asked about what to do about a defensive doe and not about when to handle the kits. No reason (s)he should have to take advise (s)he never asked for. Not to mention that it was brought out that the general practice of handling kits in her country is different.

I suggest you review the forum's policy for future reference on appropriate discussion, especially where children are concerned.
'We ask that all forum users treat young and/or mentally challenged authors with kid gloves'.

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/showthread.php?t=10320

Ebonytherabbit, I hope you will continue to stick around.


This topic is closed.