[color=blue]Hi all. We need help. My daughter and I just bought 3 rabbits (Netherland Dwarves) We tried to breed once, but the baby was still born.
Help!! Can we breed again? When? Why did this happen? What can we do to prevent this from happeninng again? Thanks,tonya marie-TM
Yes, you can breed again! That\'s pretty normal. You can breed the doe again in a couple weeks. Either she had a tough time getting it out of the birth canal this time and it died or she didn\'t care for it this time. I loose babies some litters and the next litter they all live! You can\'t really do anything to prevent it except make sure it\'s born in the nest box and if it isn\'t put it back in if it\'s still alive. Trust me, you didn\'t do anything wrong some litters my does keep alll their kits, sometimes they all die.
Heres some good advice: don\'t breed if you can\'t deal with death, it happens to all of us! Better luck next time!
A couple of weeks? Over breeding is inhumane. Especially when owners are not well prepared for so many rabbits to care for. I know that the kits are very cute and all that, but being a responsible breeder or pet owner means that you care as much about their health and well being as your own. I don\'t think any woman you would find much joy in getting pregnant a couple of weeks after giving birth to ten or twelve babies.
But we are not talking about human women, we are talking about rabbits. Human women wouldnt eat their young, but I have seen rabbits do it. Nature happens, and there is nothing you can do but make sure you have studied everything you can get your hands on. If you wait a year to rebreed her, she might not be able to breed again (over weigh, etc). Though making sure you want to breed at all is a good concern. Rabbits (while wonderful animals) are not the same as dogs or cats or humans and shouldnt be expected to act like them. Make sure you read everything you can get your hands on before you try again. Your local library probably has at least 5 nonpet type rabbit books (and if your breeding then you need the non pet type books, theyll have more info on breeding than pet books.) Good Luck!!!
tonyamarie,
I know this late but I just joined and saw your post. If your bunny is healthy and has good weight you can rebreed her. It is common practice to breed a bunny right away if they loose a litter. I myself have done this. As for her loosing the first one, It could be a couple of reasons, a single baby will not stay warm enough, you can take a heating pad wrap a towel around it set it on low and put it under half the nest box to help keep it warm. The reason for putting it under only half the nest box is so the baby can get off the heating pad if it is too warm. Also it is not uncommon for a doe to loose her first litter, they are new to this and unsure of what to do.
Good luck,
Jodi
Tonyamaria,
I\'m sory to hear that you lost your baby bunny. I know this reply is late but I just joined. It is perfectly ok to rebreed a doe right away if she loses a litter. I have done this myself. if she only had the one it probably got too cold. One baby doesn\'t produce enough heat. You can take a heating pad wrap it in a towel turn it on low and put it under half the nest box. The reason for half the nest box is so the baby can get off the heating pad if it gets too warm. A lot of the time a new mom will lose her first litter because she doesn\'t know what she is doing.
I hope you have better luck on your next try.
jodi