Our family has successfully bred Mini Rex rabbits in the past, but now we are attempting to breed a pair of Holland Lops. We put the doe into the bucks cage and wait and watch. He tries, but he never falls over sideways. Our Mini Rex bucks always fall over sideways afterwards. Does the Holland Lop buck have to fall over sideways to be successful? I really hated asking this question, but we just gotta know.
Well...the key is, he has to actually deposit the sperm. When an actual \"connection\" occurs and a \"deposit\" made, the buck falls backwards or on his side. Some \"falls\" are more dramatic than some, but it pretty much has to happen.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
Our Holland Lop buck is not falling over. Yesterday, we put the doe in the bucks cage 3 times for about 15 minutes each time. Today, we\'ve put her in twice. We are supervising carefully so that we know for sure if a legitimate breeding takes place. Is this harmful to keep putting her back in? Do you think she\'ll get stressed out? He goes through the motions several times but I just don\'t know if it\'s really working or not. Neither rabbit has been fighting, and they\'ve treated each other very well. He\'ll lick her and cuddle with her. She just sits there or tries to hop away. The Mini Rexes have always been so easy to breed, but these Hollands are a different story. So do I just keep putting her in his cage until we know for sure?
Sometimes if the doe is not being receptive she makes it difficult for the buck to penetrate. You will know when he does. Try it again but may sure you keep an accurate record of when he did do it right so you can put the box in.
I had that problem with a pair and after awhile he finally got it right! It also helps if they are mating with the right end! LOLOL
We\'ve been breeding Holland Lops for a little over a year now. We have had 4 litters with the ssame buck and only once did he \"fall\" over. The other times he just hopped away after doing his thing. Though I will admit that the time he fell was the largest litter of the 4.
You know...it does help if they get the right end. We had to keep guiding him around to the right end LOL.
Holland Lops are awfully cute. Especially when they lay their heads side by side and look up at me with their cute little eyes! I think that they are both happy to actually meet face to face without cage wire between them!
Mischief: I\'m glad to hear from someone else with Hollands. It makes me feel better knowing that they don\'t always have to be quite as dramatic as our Mini Rex buck. Today when we put them together, they just sniffed, licked, and played so I\'m hoping that maybe it did happen, but just not as dramatically as our Mini Rex.
are you giving them enough room tt breed ?
had the same problem with my frenchlops-
after I gave them more room to breed he fell off every time.
Hello! everyone, Newbie here
I\'ve never bred rabbits before but this \"falling Over\" sounds just
halarious.
Is it from pure exhaustion or is it \"Rabbit Drama\"
4hmomof4
Sound like if he\'s kissin and huggin,then he got the job done!
Sorry! I couldn\'t resist.
Mike E
Update on breeding my Holland Lops:
Day 36 and no kits so I\'m assuming it didn\'t work. We had tried for 4 days in a row 4 times per day. I palpated the doe and thought that she was expecting but I guess I was wrong. We\'re ready to try again. We did as suggested and put them today in a larger enclosed rabbit run to try again. We left them together for over an hour (supervised) and still no falling over. He does try but no falling over. Does anyone have any other suggestions on getting a successful breeding to take for my Hollands?
How hard is your buck \"trying\"? In other words, if he\'s trying real hard, it could be the doe. If she is not raising her hindquarters for him, no breeding will take place.
Sometimes the buck is not energetic enough. Not much you can do about that, unless the buck is overweight, and then a diet is in order. Weight is important where the doe is concerned also. Check the doe\'s vulva to see that is the deep moist pink that indicates receptiveness. If the vulva is pale, she won\'t be receptive.
I find two things that sometimes help...
1) Travel. Any shows you can attend? Sometimes the trip and exposure to other rabbits help where the doe (and sometimes the buck) is concerned.
2) Try switching the buck and doe to each other\'s cage overnight. The doe will have the opportunity to \"drink in\" the scent of the buck, and may be more receptive when you return her to her cage in the morning where the buck will be waiting for her.
Good luck.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com