Indoor bun breeding questions

Hi everyone

Long time no see.

I have been busy here in New Zealand

To refresh your memories, I have 4 house buns. 3 fixed (1 female and 2 males). My other bun is a female and planning on a mating next month!!!\

Truffles is a Enderby Island Rabbit. The rarest breed of rabbit! Hence the breeding :wink:

I have a a separate indoor home for her once shes preggie. But my questions are :-

What do you use for next boxes? Is a cardboard box ok with a entrance up part way up for her to get in and out of it and the top easily opened at the top for me to look in?

How big should the box be? Shes midium sized.

Should I put her into another room closer to the time of giving birth on her on in her house?

Oh any advice would be greatly taken.

Being the rare breed, I would like to help increase their numbers and extend the gene pool. PPl have waiting lists for the babies, so finding homes will not be a problem.

Thanks heaps

bronie

If you have a spare hutch i would put her in there well away from the other buns. and give her enough space to have a runaround and leave the babies. As she wont spend that much time with them she will want to get away from where there nest is and also have some exersise XX

what are you gonna breed her with as you said your other bunnys were fixed!?

Hi, Nest boxes are made of wood usually, I wouldnt use a cardboard box incase of it getting wet and would be easily crushed if mum jumped on top of it. Not all breeders use nest boxes - I can name more that dont, to those that feel it necessary. All my rabbits are outside and bedded on shavings. If they are expecting a litter I give large handfuls of straw and hay (as hay is a better insulator) and towards the end of the due date they use it to build a nest in amongst the shavings. This, even in the middle of winter has proved sufficcient to keep babies alive, along with fur they pluck to line the nest.
If I am reading your post correctly you are breeding from her while she is in the house? A nest box would really not be necessary as it would keep more heat in and potentially 'cook' the babies. Doe's have, in summer, been known to uncover their nests to prevent babies overheating.
If these rabbits are for showing I would advise against raising them in the house. Rabbits outside have a much better coat due to the colder conditions (don't know if this is true in New Zealand), and those inside, and forever moulting do not have the correct texture and feel to the coat that is required.

She is having a meeting with another Enderby Island Rabbit next month! Her boyfriend will be coming form the other end of the country!! It will be a "day date"

Her house will be a plastic bottom which wire framing sides and top. It has a hindge top that opens part of the top and a another entry point in the middle at the front. Maybe I should just cover the one 1/2 with a towel. Giving the closed in feeling to it. As her living area is a 3 split level condo shared by a 4 buns.

I do think having her new home away from the others is good, then she should feel more relaxed and safe without the fear of the others getting to her babies.
I only wonder if it should be in my bedroom which is unused as I sleep on the sofa or in another part of the living area.

Oh the fun of planning kits!

bronie

How old is the doe? She shouldn't be mated before 6 months old as she is physically not mature, and may have complications if mated after she turned 1 year (fat around the ovaries). She may 'miss', i.e not take from that mating - or not accept the buck. Also be prepared, as it is her 1st litter for her to abandon/eat the young. It is usually unwise to expect anything from a 1st timer, usually it takes 2 or 3 times for them to get it right.
If she is stressed in the later stages of pregnancy (3 weeks+) i.e moving house or travelling, she may "absorb" the litter (abort).
Just some things to consider.

Thats why it has taken so long for me to decide to breed her. She haa just gone 10 months So a good time to start. I just couldn`t handle for eating her babies!! (I`m veggie here) So hoping she will have a good first litter, thinking positively!!

bronie

Yep, its not nice when they do, but to enter into breeding rabbits its something one either has to be okay with (I wouldn't say accustomed to, as its something you never get used to) removing 1/2 eaten kits or to not breed at all. Its just one of the harder sides to the hobby - but you must be prepared for all eventualities. I even know a couple of people who have lost their does in the process of giving birth to a large litter.
Does your doe have a pedigree certificate so you can see what she has been bred from and rule out the possibility of hidden bad genes (bad teeth etc)?

I have the history right back to when the Enderby Island Rabbit came off one of the islands below New Zealand. Only 50 rabbits were taken off before the rest were destroyed But it had to be done. Here are to wonder ppl that I highly admire for their work in saving the breed.

http://rarebitsandpieces.com/enderbyisland.htm

and

http://www.dorabbiton.co.nz/template.cfm?page=32&sub=79

Bob has been hit by the latest storm in the US! So please send positive vibes too all bunny ppl along with everyone else over there.

As you can see from the pics and reading the history, they are a bun well worth saving!! And I`m willing to do my bit.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the two sites above and i`m sure you will fall in love with the breed too, as I did

bronie

hehehehehe as you can see from the bottom link, these buns are the only breed of rabbit that Do Not breed like rabbits!!

They are a very intriguing breed !!

I have yet to see the cream enderby, but I hope to soon!!

bronie

looks like you need the buck for a week or two to get the kits grate web sites

bunnymad said:

hehehehehe as you can see from the bottom link, these buns are the only breed of rabbit that Do Not breed like rabbits!!

They are a very intriguing breed !!

I have yet to see the cream enderby, but I hope to soon!!

bronie

Click to expand...

OMG, the cream Enderby is stunning... that made very interesting reading and its nice to hear from you again Bronie

im in love with this rabbit now thier history is so interesting ive been reading both websites for ages i want 1 lol

glad you like the links I feel very honored to able to a Enderby.

I will be meeting Sitereh at the nationals here next month and it will be one of her boys that will be meeting truffles.

I can now enter truffles into shows as I`m now a member with a rung bun I`m just having fun deciding on a Stud name!!

Enderby Inn

Island Treasures

Enderby Island Treasures

Natures Enderby`s

bronie