what was your first experience with breeding like?

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My first litter was a lot like yours. Bought the Blue Flemish doe (as a pet!) and the breeder I got her from casually mentioned that she had tried to breed her two weeks earlier, but after she palpated. there was "nothing there". (File that under famous last words!!!!). She mentioned that in two weeks I should "pack the cage with straw... just in case".

Two weeks later, Ophelia gave birth to 6 beautiful blue Flemish babies. I was thrilled. Read up on as much as I could find. (No forum way back then!) Called the breeder, got lots of support and help... (As they say...the rest is history...) then I had to get a buck to go with the doe, kept 2 baby girls to show... had to get another buck, then another doe, had to build a barn.... (it's been all down hill since then!) And I just love them!

Edited to add: The most important thing I learned from the first litter is the best thing you can have is friends that know more than you do... and always be willing to help someone else. (As was done for me).
 
My first litter was of a Siamese Sable Mini Rex doe bred with a Chocolate Charlie Mini Rex. The babies were adorable! I got the doe at the 2007 co. fair and borrowed the buck from one of my long-time rabbit friends. I got so attached to the babies I had to breed her again once they were sold!... Long story short, I got hooked, easlily!

The most important thing I learned was that having someone to guide you the entire way is very helpful and to pass on the information I learn to other breeders.
 
Long story short, I got my first rabbit in 2000 and my second rabbit the following year. That year, I joined 4-H and after a year at the fair, I decided I wanted to breed my does the next year to show doe and litter and sell babies at fair.

My does were age 1 and 2 years when they were bred for the first time. One doe did absolutely fabulous, 6 kits, all healthy. It's a long story, but we ended up hand feeding one, she lived, and we still have her and her mom today.

The other doe had her first litter DOA. Both does were bred again the following year. The other doe had another successful litter, this doe passed away shortly before her kindle date.

Needless to say, I learned that rabbits must be bred for the first time much earlier than I had bred them. I still regret breeding the one doe and blame myself for her death even to this day.

I also learned that breeding knowledge should be readily available and pressed on everyone, even pet owners. As that point in time, I was involved in a pet forum and I got nothing but flamed for deciding to breed rabbits. Had someone actually be knowledgable and helpful in the endeavor, I feel like it wouldn't have turned out as it had. I do not blame others for the death of my doe, but it does make me angry even to this day when someone asks for breeding help and doesn't get it. It is very common knowledge that first litters need to be between 6-8 months old and there's really no reason I had to go through that (or the doe). :(

So yeah...because of that I now try to be as helpful as I can to anyone who wants to breed, rather than just saying "don't do it" and letting them figure it out themselves!
 
I am sorry you lost your doe. I had to put a pet of mine to sleep about 6 years ago, due to severe aggression, and i blamed myself for a long long time, and second guessed my decision too. I know it is hard. You sound like a great person, and I am sure many people have been saved from making the same mistake because of your compassion on wisdom

:)
 
Well I had two other breeders behind me when I first bred my holland doe, i waited anxiously(and impatiently might I add) and i did learn patience-some. But it is defninetly great to have someone there that cna get excited with you and help you along. i also read up alot and bought books and everything else that you can image to get my mind ready. When i first bred this mini rex, i had already bred my holland and had kits from her so the mini rex wasn't as unknowning- other than the doe, nor the buck were mine, i was the boarder on them, i boarded them in exchange for one of the kits(I still have Poppy to this day, almsot 3 years old, she's my female mini rex and mother to my other female Ebony).
I wish I could explain it, my first dutch litter I got chastized for some because of how much i handled them, the two that had started me would check the nest when the fur was all pulled and what not and then wouldn't bother the mother or babies for up to two weeks, i handled them daily to check on them since that was what i had read, since then, the other two breeders have done the same too(That and I was a bit excited for my first dutch litter). sometimes you can help the older breeders too i guess.
 
My first litter was definitely an "Ooops" moment. I was intending to breed. I had three experienced breeders giving me advice. I was going to start with lionheads since they were very new and rare in my area. I got two does and a buck from a lady and was waiting for them to get old enough to breed. In the meantime I put the two does in with my mini lop Punkin because her bonded mate had passed due to E.C. She took to one of the does, but not the other, so I separated the one doe (Punkin, by the way, is free roaming in a building all her own, and a bit spoiled).

I was researching breeding this whole time and thinking about adding lops (Holland and Mini). However, one day I went out to check on Punkin and Gizzy and found Punkin getting testy with Gizzy who was mounting her. I thought it was the usual sign of dominance between females and I split them up and gave Gizzy a talking to. I noticed Punkin had made herself another nest in her sleepingbox (she had many false pregnancies before this.) Then, the nest moved! You guessed it, Gizzy was a buck. In fact, two of the three bunnies I got from that breeder were miss-sexed....the "buck" she sold me was actually a doe...so when I would have bred them I would have gotten some complications.

All ended well with 6 babies that found great homes. They had manes and lopped ears and everyone thought they were adorable. However, Punkin had a second litter only five weeks later from that mounting session I mentioned. She had five babies from that litter who also found great homes. I just had to separate the first litter a bit sooner than I was intending. For me, that just meant I had to give them more attention. By the way, Punkin was also over a year old, so I'm darn lucky there were no birthing complications. Thankfully she did not have any stuck kits.

Things have gone WAY smoother since that first accidental breeding. I've learned to check my bunny's sex regardless of how much experience the breeder has. I also decided never to buy another rabbit from that breeder and cut all ties with her. In fact, I just met a little 4H girl the other day who showed me all her bunnies. She had a buck that came from that breeder....anyone want to guess what sex it REALLY was? :p

Punkin presently has another nest, but no babies. We're sticking with false pregnancies now again. LOL However, she's always more than willing to lift when "Mr. Right" comes along....well, "Mr. Right now" would be fine for her too. :biggrin2:
 
I do the same thing, Blaze. Even some experienced breeders say they don't bother the babies until they open their eyes because it could stress the mom.:rollseyes

I have an excellent relationship with my rabbits. They get daily attention and handling (whether that's actually picking them up, or just petting). So for me to totally ignore the doe the first few weeks, she would be like- :?. LOL! I handle the babies from day 1 and they end up super friendly and well-adjusted. Weaning and moving to a new home isn't so stressful either that way when they're bombarded with attention the first few days. Instead of being scared, they love it!:)I've also never lost a baby besides peanuts and DOA's, which is something not a lot of breeders can say. I do contribute that to the intense care we give our rabbits, so no one's going to convince me that I do things wrong.:p
 
Our first breeding attempt didnt go well in fact our first year breeding was pretty disheartening tbh.

Our first was Boo who got pregnant fine made a nest popped her first baby out no problems then had trouble with the others that were behind it. We did not know enough about pencil kits and stuck babies which resulted in a few vet trips and eventually an emergency spay then helping get the baby to nurse which went well after about 3 days Boo did all the work.

second litter also problems with pencil kits that was Saffy, Bruce tried to help her deliver as she had been at it all day and unfortunatley had a bit of a problem so that also ended up with emergency spay!

I think at the start when you are new to it its very easy to panic when they are struggling and when people say if its been a few hours go to vets which was the advice we had. And in my mind its wrong but with time and experience its easier to leave the does and make sure they are eating and drinking and not to tired they will do it themselves on most occasions.

I also had one give birth and die which was disturbing. Unless you have a real big doe then problems are likely and you must be prepared.

Now we are pretty easy going with it and are used to most eventualities Bruce is a brilliant midwife and has assisted many of our does if they are having problems. However I will admit I cringe when I see people accidentally breeding such small breeds after seeing the consequences. You can read all you want but nothing tops experience when breeding such small rabbits!
 
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