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Breeding Age

fidgetsmum said:
With respect, i am fully aware of how to breed successfully and responsibly in younger rabbits, and it is because I am aware that her age may be against her that I have asked such an emotive question on this site. As explained, I have no intention of doing anything that may harm her or any kits should she become pregnant. My animals are more important to me than my husband or any other person I know, so i do resent the implication that I would not "do it properly" or have my animals best interest at heart.
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With respect, there was nothing in your original post to indicate any sort of knowledge, so I responding purely to your first post, and nothing else. The question was about a first time mum at 2 and a half, and that question was enough to ring alarm bells.

It's great how much you love your bunnies and that you keep them all and also that you don't want to do anything that may risk her, so for the sake of this girlie, in this instance I would avoid breeding her.
 
fidgetsmum said:
None of my rabbits have health problems, apart from one adopted ex pets at home dwarf lop who is a house bunny, who suffers from recurrent abcesses, and as such has to have constant medical treatment. I have my doubts that breeding from her is a good idea, and most probably wont go ahead with it, as her wellbeing is more important to me than more kits. I just needed other peoples advice before making up my mind.
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I know you've said you probably won't breed her but it really would be a terrible idea. Aside from having a known health problem you have absolutely no idea what's hiding in her genetic background.
 
Sky-O said:
With respect, there was nothing in your original post to indicate any sort of knowledge, so I responding purely to your first post, and nothing else. The question was about a first time mum at 2 and a half, and that question was enough to ring alarm bells.

It's great how much you love your bunnies and that you keep them all and also that you don't want to do anything that may risk her, so for the sake of this girlie, in this instance I would avoid breeding her.
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It was for this very reason that I asked the question - having heard from others who also care for and respect their others, I am of the opinion that it won't be in her best interest and have decided not to breed from her. She is absolutely beautiful, full of life, inquisitive and loving, and i don't want to be responsible for changing any of that. i spend the majority of my salary (afterbills - yuk - ) on my animals welfare, and when we had myxi year before last, spent almost £7000 at the vet, managing to save just one of my girls. My husband is absolutely besotted with them all, and I know he is against it, so this has cleared doubt in my mind as to whether it is right or not. I apologise for snapping at you! :oops:
 
BattleKat said:
I know you've said you probably won't breed her but it really would be a terrible idea. Aside from having a known health problem you have absolutely no idea what's hiding in her genetic background.
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No, this particular girl has a clean bill of health - we have them all checked every 6 months, as we were hit very badly by myxi then mucoid enteritis as couple of years ago. The rabbit with the abcesses has been spayed and is a house bun - she doesn't go out with the big girls as they pick on her.
 
fidgetsmum said:
It was for this very reason that I asked the question - having heard from others who also care for and respect their others, I am of the opinion that it won't be in her best interest and have decided not to breed from her. She is absolutely beautiful, full of life, inquisitive and loving, and i don't want to be responsible for changing any of that. i spend the majority of my salary (afterbills - yuk - ) on my animals welfare, and when we had myxi year before last, spent almost £7000 at the vet, managing to save just one of my girls. My husband is absolutely besotted with them all, and I know he is against it, so this has cleared doubt in my mind as to whether it is right or not. I apologise for snapping at you! :oops:
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That's lovely :) It would be lovely to see photos of your bunny crew and their set up. :love:
 
Sky-O said:
That's lovely :) It would be lovely to see photos of your bunny crew and their set up. :love:
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If I can ever work out how to upload photos ( I hate technology ) I will see what I can do. Thank you to everyone who has helped me to make this decision. I knew in my heart that it was the wrong thing for her, but just needed the voice of reason to help me get to the right place in the end :love:
 
fidgetsmum said:
No, this particular girl has a clean bill of health - we have them all checked every 6 months, as we were hit very badly by myxi then mucoid enteritis as couple of years ago. The rabbit with the abcesses has been spayed and is a house bun - she doesn't go out with the big girls as they pick on her.
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oh I see, sorry for the misunderstanding. The way it was worded I thought you were debating breeding from the one with health problems too!
 
BattleKat said:
oh I see, sorry for the misunderstanding. The way it was worded I thought you were debating breeding from the one with health problems too!
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Oh no, no, no - she was spayed as soon as we got her, as she was to be bonded with a nethi x mini lop we rehomed (he is our other house bun). He was castrated in order to stop him "playing" with her all the time and they quite happily bonded, then she started to develop the abcesses and then to top it all got myxi. She survived after incredibly severe treatment for all the problems that go with it, so she has a weak chest now and can't stand cold or damp conditions. I have a photo of her somewhere fast asleep on the fireplace last christmas, while the others took their chances in the snow! Totally spoiled :D
 
I would get her spayed as Breeding from her is a no go and Uterine adenocarcinoma effects over 80% entire Does aged 3+
 
Jack's-Jane said:
I would get her spayed as Breeding from her is a no go and Uterine adenocarcinoma effects over 80% entire Does aged 3+
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Hi - as I have now decided not to go ahead, then spaying for her and castration for the new buck will be the next visit to the vet. Once thishas been done, I will keep him as a house bun too, as he gets on ok with the two little ones already.
 
I also thought rabbits hips fused :? i read that rabbits should have the first before they reach 1 yr but no later than 3. Obviously im reading the wrong info (not that im planny on breeding like) :thumb:
 
No, they don't fuse together in the same way that guinea-pigs' hips do. They can stiffen and fat can develop around the ovaries and reproductive organs.

It's not a good idea to try for a first litter from an older doe; definitely not at 2 years and especially a French Lop who at 2.5 is already in middle-age!
 
klw said:
No, they don't fuse together in the same way that guinea-pigs' hips do. They can stiffen and fat can develop around the ovaries and reproductive organs.

It's not a good idea to try for a first litter from an older doe; definitely not at 2 years and especially a French Lop who at 2.5 is already in middle-age!
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Guinea pig pelvis's don't fuse either. People used to think they did but they don't. It's a myth just like the one about rabbits pelvis' fusing ;-).
 
wendle said:
Aww if you have the space and funds for a full litter if it was me and I had funds and space I would go to a rescue and adopt 6/7 bunnys that have been left in rescues for ages and are already spayed/neutered vaccinated and wormed :thumb::)

You can't change the world by saving one animal
But for that one animal
You can change its world :love:
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I love this little saying!
 
klw said:
No, they don't fuse together in the same way that guinea-pigs' hips do. They can stiffen and fat can develop around the ovaries and reproductive organs.

It's not a good idea to try for a first litter from an older doe; definitely not at 2 years and especially a French Lop who at 2.5 is already in middle-age!
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Ahhh thanks, i must of read it somewhere but god knows where lol.
 
Sorry to hear about you losing some buns to myxi. :(
It's a horrible disease, I lost 3 of my buns when I was 12 to myxi, that's before we knew they needed vacinations.

Were your buns vacinated?

And if you want to add photos you can upload them to facebook or photobucket, right click on the picture you want and copy the url.
Then paste it into the middle of these >>
 
Breeding rabbits should have their first litter before they're 1.5 years old (some even say one year) and then at least once a year after that.
Two years is definitely too old to be a first-time mommy as the chances for complications increase the older the rabbit is.
 
fidgetsmum said:
Hi - as I have now decided not to go ahead, then spaying for her and castration for the new buck will be the next visit to the vet. Once thishas been done, I will keep him as a house bun too, as he gets on ok with the two little ones already.
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Great news!! What a fantastic caring bunny mummy to take on all the advice given and truly do whats best for the bunnies :love:
 
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