yet another question..... sorry....

On Saturday I am taking one of my buns to the vets house. (she is very untreated in small animals and has many of her own). She has asked if I would mind taking one of my rabbits round to mate with one of her female rabbits....I have already checked... She is keeping all the babies. I think part of it is to get experience. She has helped me so much and I have said ok. Will fudge be ok left on his own for anything upto a day while Smokey his friend is away????? And will he be ok when Smokey comes back??????

Mmm - if she wants experience of a pregnant doe and the care of kits I wonder why she doesn't foster a pregnant bun and then keep all the babies and so help out a rescue.

Is she going to have litters of dogs, cats, hamsters, gerbils, cows, pigs etc to get experience of those too?

I just feel sorry for her poor bun.

Haven't answered any of your questions, sorry.

I tend to keep my bonded buns together, even when they go to the vet, so as not to risk breaking the bond. Mine have never been used as studs though (would be a bit difficult as they have all visited the plum fairy).

Maybe you could check with your vet how long she will need your doe for?

Katie1504 said:

On Saturday I am taking one of my buns to the vets house. (she is very untreated in small animals and has many of her own). She has asked if I would mind taking one of my rabbits round to mate with one of her female rabbits....I have already checked... She is keeping all the babies. I think part of it is to get experience. She has helped me so much and I have said ok. Will fudge be ok left on his own for anything upto a day while Smokey his friend is away????? And will he be ok when Smokey comes back??????

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That is a horrifically bad idea.

You/she have no idea of the genetic history of your rabbit, back several generations.

If you seperate your pair, send him to her house, bring him back, your existing bond will be destroyed and you will need to start from scratch. He'll come back smelling of other rabbits and you will very likely end up with a fight, and so very expensive vet bills, but worse, possibly seriously injured rabbits.

Please reconsider what you are doing.

GrahamL said:

That is a horrifically bad idea.

You/she have no idea of the genetic history of your rabbit, back several generations.

If you seperate your pair, send him to her house, bring him back, your existing bond will be destroyed and you will need to start from scratch. He'll come back smelling of other rabbits and you will very likely end up with a fight, and so very expensive vet bills, but worse, possibly seriously injured rabbits.

Please reconsider what you are doing.

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This, it is an awful idea. If your vet is serious about breeding (why would she be as surely she knows about the rescue situation) then she needs to access an actual breeder who has fully health checked animals and knows thier full history.

GrahamL said:

That is a horrifically bad idea.

You/she have no idea of the genetic history of your rabbit, back several generations.

If you seperate your pair, send him to her house, bring him back, your existing bond will be destroyed and you will need to start from scratch. He'll come back smelling of other rabbits and you will very likely end up with a fight, and so very expensive vet bills, but worse, possibly seriously injured rabbits.

Please reconsider what you are doing.

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What Graham said!!

I would never agree to doing anything like that with my rabbits, for all the reasons above, that plus the thousands of unwated rabbits in rescue already.

It is really not worth risking it for either your or her rabbits. Like Rhianne said could you not suggest she fosters a pregnant doe from a rescue if she wants experience?

I think it was wrong for her to have asked you to do this knowing you have an existing bond between 2 bunnies as this will probably completely break this bond and you may never get them back together again.

such a bad bad idea

Absolutely don't do it.
I agree with all above posts.

I totally agree as well. It's not looking at the best interests of the animals and is irresponsible all round. I personally would be running in the opposite direction from this vet if she thinks this is ok.

I would urge you to read this about breeding in general http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...re-considering-breeding-then-please-read-this

Oh no, please don't do this: read the posts above.

I echo all the above posts *PLEASE DONT DO THIS*

Gosh.... Thanks everyone. I hadn't really thought about it properly and all the posts have been really helpful!! I wont be doing this and I will be keeping my buns together as they love each other so much. Thank you for pointing these things out.

:thumb: good decision

Katie1504 said:

Gosh.... Thanks everyone. I hadn't really thought about it properly and all the posts have been really helpful!! I wont be doing this and I will be keeping my buns together as they love each other so much. Thank you for pointing these things out.

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:thumb: HOORAYYYYYYYYY!!! :thumb:

Just looking at what has been said now and it has got me thinking. I am not splitting them up and nerev would but if I was to split them up e.g one became ill and had to go to the vets and didn't come into contact with any other rabbit. Would this still be the same? Could the bond be lost? Just to add neither of them are ill its just a question that have thought of.

Katie1504 said:

Just looking at what has been said now and it has got me thinking. I am not splitting them up and nerev would but if I was to split them up e.g one became ill and had to go to the vets and didn't come into contact with any other rabbit. Would this still be the same? Could the bond be lost? Just to add neither of them are ill its just a question that have thought of.

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When one of mine was very ill (RIP v sadly) he had to stay at the vets on his own (I had a trio).

When one of remaining two was ill a few weeks ago, his little companion stayed at the vet with him. This was my vet's suggestion, I didn't even have to ask.

I think most people take the rabbit companion to stay with the sick one if at all possible, so you wouldn't have a problem.

So pleased you had second (and third) thoughts about the breeding.

I always take mine in together for any and all things to do with the vets. The only time I haven't was when I was mid quad bonding and Nutmeg had an injury, but I had to separate as the bond had already broken down anyway.

I usually take a companion to the vet with the one who needs treating. I think it makes vet visits less scary for a bun. When Apple needed her eyelid reconstructing I took Berry and Cherry with her. If one of my quad needs the vet I only take one companion as I can't fit four in a carrier or physically carry four buns - three was a struggle, due to arthritis in my shoulders.

When Molly was extremely poorly with hydro pyometra she did stay in the vet alone. She was very, very ill and I don't think she could have coped with having other buns around her. As soon as she started recovering I moved Dylan inside to be with her.

I think the question of whether to take a bunny companion to the vet 'unnecessarily' is one we all have to weigh up for ourselves. If a bun is terrified of travel and the vet, is it fair to take him when he doesn't actually need to go? At the moment I wouldn't take Dylan as a companion as it would take too much out of him and as he is an old bun on daily medication I wouldn't risk him getting stressed.

My vet leaves the decision up to me. If I take additional buns he is happy to accommodate them and if I just take the poorly bun, he is fine with that too.

I always take my two to the vets even if it is only one that is ill.

It also calms the ill one down to have comfort from the well bun.

Ahhhh.... OK.... I have learnt something new!! Obv it is advised not to do it but if needed you could split them but only if the were very ill which all makes sense!!!

Thanks everyone....

So one of your bonded pair is an intact buck, what is the other?