Friday, 30 December 2016

Breeding the rabbits

The last litter to be born was probably 3 or 4 months ago and they died. We are not quite sure why, but probably because the mother didn't feed them. The same mother has successfully had litters but has also let other litters die. We would cull her (ie eat her) if she wasn't the only one who produced litters at all.
Since then we haven't been able to persuade any of them to mate (there are now two additional females of mating age so three in total and two males). I have read lots of things on the internet, and as with many things there are lots of unlikely theories out there. Cider apple vinegar is quoted as a cure to just about anything - including rabbits that won't mate. We haven't got quite that desperate yet, but there was another theory about giving them a change of scene, so we put them in cages on the lawn. They were immediately up for it! So all three females have now mated to one or other of the males.
So now we just need to wait and see what comes of it. We have had other successful matings without the doe getting pregnant (they ovulate after mating so in theory any time is a good time)

Bottom Harvey and Debbie (the males are both white called Top and Bottom Harvey as they live in cages one over the other)

Top Harvey with Bernardette (who is the doe who has had litters before. She is the mother of Blondie and Debbie)

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