# I Cannot Get My Doe Pregnant Again! Any Advice?



## Morgan M Baker (Dec 3, 2016)

Hello, I have a mini rex doe named Cami Anne. Her papers say she is a broken red but I believe she is more of a broken fawn. She has opal/lilac spots. Any opinions on that id be very interested in. Cami is my very first purebred doe, I have had her since the day she was ready to leave her mom. I got her from my animal science teacher who also owned a farm and always had animals in the schools shop, particularly a lot of purebred rabbits, which she allowed us to breed and do projects on. I have 8 rabbits, whom I love very dearly. Only two are purebred. Before I got Cami Anne, I already had 3 rabbits and was never really interested in breeding rabbits. But once I experienced it in the classroom, I was intrigued. So, I picked Cami Anne the day she was born. I automatically knew she was the one. I brought her home later on and soon after that, I bought a purebred male mini rex from a breeder about 2 hours away from me. His name is Casanova, he is broken red with some castor. When Cami Anne turned 1 year old, I bred her to Casanova, who was 3 at that time, and 32 days later Cami Anne gave birth to 2 stillborn kits. I was devastated, but from piecing together what I already knew, research,  and some suggestions from a professional rabbit breeder,  I bred her again 2 days later, after checking her genitals looked normal of course. This time, 32 days later, she gave birth to 4 healthy, beautiful kits! I was so excited and proud! Cami Anne was such a wonderful mother, and never seemed to mind when I handled her babies. She was just a genuinely good mother, considering this was her first live litter.





 

 

 

 


They all grew up to be happy, healthy, and ornery too! I kept one, the broken red male, and sold the rest, who were all females. The other 3 were all charlies. Fortunately, one female was returned to me, which I am actually glad she was, because this brings me to my current issue. I have bred Cami and Casanova 3 more times since her last litter was sold. She has failed to get pregnant every time. Im not sure what to do. Cami is almost 2, and Casanova is 4. Is he maybe sterile already? I've read that males almost never go sterile, unless the heat is a factor. The last 2 times I've bred them and waited 33-34 days, it has been chilly out, so it almost can't be the heat. And besides, Cami got pregnant with her litter of 4 in the dead of summer anyways, although I'm sure every time is different. She made a nest about 2 weeks ago (rather early) out of straw in the nest box but hasnt pulled fur. She was actually due December 1st and it is now the 3rd, so I'm not sure what to do as I'm pretty sure she's not pregnant. I wont remove the nest box because she has it year round,  she loves to sleep in it. I don't think I want to breed her again until spring because all my rabbits live in the garage with only heat mats and straw to keep warm, and occasionally a heat lamp above the cages when it's below zero. I know a nest would keep them warm but i dont want to risk it. But if anyone has ANY advice or tips for me to get her to conceive, itd be greatly appreciated. I'm starting small, but slowly trying to start my own rabbitry. I already have such a long waiting list for babies, but have not been able to conceive. Thanks. -Baker'sBunnies


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## promiseacres (Dec 3, 2016)

Definitely not an uncommon problem. Many does will not conceive in the fall with less day length. From my research it's somewhat genetic if they will breed year around or not. (Big issue in commercial breeders as they don't want to allow a doe to sit several months not prodcing. ) 
Things I do and have done to encourage fall litters include lights on at night, apple cider vinegar in their water, and 1 teaspoon of BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds ) . Lights are the only thing I feel really do much. The ACV and BOSS do help coat condition also.


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## Hens and Roos (Dec 3, 2016)

we have had does not liking the buck. Hope you can figure it out!


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## Bunnylady (Dec 3, 2016)

Well, I can clear up one mystery for you, anyway - Cami isn't a broken red, she's a blue (or possibly lilac) tricolor. Wonder how her breeder missed that?

To me, it seems clear that you have some sort of fertility issue going on here, though whether it's him or her or both, it's hard to say. 2 and 4 are pretty small litters for a 1-year-old doe; particularly since 4 was all she had when bred right after the first litter was lost. That sort of breeding generally results in the largest litters a doe can produce; from a healthy young Mini Rex, I'd normally expect 6 or 7. IME, Mini Rex seem to have outsized appetites, so it's awfully easy to let them get a bit overweight. Fat rabbits may have their hormones suppressed to the point that they won't breed; even if they do breed, they may not conceive.

Older bucks sometimes do start "shooting blanks." Do you have another doe you can try Casanova with? If other does have good litters with him, then you know it probably isn't him. If Cami has small litters with another buck, the problem is more likely to be her.

Sorry to hear that things are being so frustrating for you; sounds like you are getting a firsthand understanding of why I say that anyone who believes in the expression 'breeds like rabbits' has never tried it.


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## Kaye (Dec 3, 2016)

So true!! I laugh when someone says 'breeding like rabbits'... rabbits that you really want to breed (like my Blossom) can't get it right. I have given up on her, she's being adopted out as a pet to a lady that is experienced in pushy, frightened, rabbits. I LOVE my Blossom, but she is of no use to my breeding program and is only taking up space and feed that could be used for a breeding doe. I wish you luck!! 
And @Bunnylady is awesome. Listen to her. She is who I go to with my questions


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## Morgan M Baker (Dec 3, 2016)

Wow thank you! And i do have 3 more does but none are purebred, they are all mixed. Nova is a new zealand/silver fox/something else according to my vet. Ava is a 'purebred' mini lop but she has no papers and she is quite small. The last doe I have is Cami and Casanova's daughter. I dont think any of the two would look good crossed together, but any opinions on that? People love the fact that my babies usually have papers but I do sell them as pets only anyways. I was however planning to get another buck in the spring to breed to Cami, as i figured the issue was Casanova. Now I'm thinking maybe I should get a purbred doe and another buck. And I'm not really understanding,  a broken blue? Any explanation? Thanks so much! -Baker'sBunnies


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## Latestarter (Dec 3, 2016)

Greetings and welcome to BYH! Pretty rabbits! I see you've already met a couple of our bunny "gurus"   Sorry you're having issues with yours. If you're trying to determine the viability of the male or female, using different partners or the buck with other does would be good regardless of the "looks" outcome as you're only doing it to determine if the animal is viable. If he can't get any females pregnant, or the doe can't get pregnant from a different buck, well, that solves the mystery. If she/he works, then you'll have kits you can either sell as un-papered pets, or as meat rabbits. Hope you get it worked out! Please make yourself at home and browse around the forum! Jump in anywhere you feel the calling


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## Morgan M Baker (Dec 3, 2016)

Also I have 2 more adult bucks. They are mixed. I have Smoky and Buddy. Buddy is a gray and white rex mix, he is quite large. I also have Nova's father, he is gray. I have on occasion had thoughts of breeding Buddy and Nova. My only problem is Buddy's size. He is quite large, although, Nova is up there in size also. I just don't know if it would be a good idea, but any suggestions would be appreciated. Ive attached some pictures of all 3. Nova has a giant dewlap, like her mother, whom I recently gave to a woman who cares for special needs rabbits because she was very violent as she was abused terribly from the people befor e me. Nova is about 2, ive had her since she was born, and Buddy is about 3. Also, the pictures of Nova are from when she was a bit younger, she has grown a little bit bigger, and also has a pretty big dewlap. Her mother had a gigantic one as well! Thanks guys! 
-Baker'sBunnies


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## Kaye (Dec 3, 2016)

Such pretty buns!!


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## Kaye (Dec 3, 2016)

Line breeding is breeding mom/dad back to offspring. Or grandparents to offspring. 
Inbreeding in sibling to sibling. Inbreeding causes problems from the limited gene pool. Line breeding tends to use the best of the genes from your line. 
My reason for telling you this is you say you have Nova's father. Smokey??  You can breed him to Nova and try for your colors. Also, if colors are what you're looking for, then a REW will tell you all the colors that your bunny can throw. Rabbit genetics are very interesting


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## DutchBunny03 (Dec 3, 2016)

You could check the doe's vulva. It should be a purple-ish color for the best breeding results. As already said, it could just be the time of year. Fall is a bad time for rabbit breeding. Your rabbits are beautiful, btw!!!


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## Baymule (Dec 3, 2016)

She may have too much fat on the inside, preventing her from conceiving.


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## Bunnylady (Dec 3, 2016)

Morgan M Baker said:


> And I'm not really understanding, a broken blue? Any explanation?



There's a gene, called the harlequin gene, that causes some areas of the rabbit's coat to have only red-yellow pigment visible, and other areas will show the darker pigment. These areas are often rather random patches, and they may be fairly large. For some reason, when you add the broken gene to a rabbit with the harlequin gene, the patches tend to be smaller. Sometimes there are lots of the darker areas, sometimes just a few. A rabbit that has both the harlequin gene and the broken gene is called a tricolor, because it has 3 distinctly different colors  on its coat. Generally, you call a tri by whatever the dark base color is (black, chocolate, lilac or blue). Cami is clearly a dilute, it's just that her few dark patches are so small, it's hard to tell if they are blue or lilac. So she is either a blue tricolor or a lilac tricolor.







(harlequin Mini Rex)





(Black Tricolor Mini Rex)


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## Morgan M Baker (Dec 6, 2016)

Thanks everyone! I think ill try to breed Nova and Buddy in the spring. Maybe even Nova and Smoky. Just seems weird because they are related, but i know rabbits dont think in that manner. Also, my teacher had both of Cami's parents in the school shop. Her father was pure red, but her mother on the otherhand looked exactly like the black tricolor, only she had a little more white. What other possible colors could her future kits have? Although I'm sure they are dang near infinite, but I'm still curious. 
-Baker'sBunnies


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## Morgan M Baker (Dec 7, 2016)

Good news everyone! Cami was actually due for a litter on the 4th, but i didnt think she was pregnant. I came home from work tonight, around midnight, and checked on all the bunnies. My boyfriend has been feeding and watering them for 2 days as I have been pulling double shifts. Anyways, Cami had fur pulled, I reached in and... 4 gorgeous kits! One looks to be solid, two look to be broken, and one actually looks harlequin, maybe tri color! I am so thrilled! My boyfriend says he hadnt noticed she pulled fur (her box is in a nice dark corner) so I think they may be a couple days old, as her last 2 litters were born on day 31. I will post pics in a little while! Thanks everyone 
-BakersBunnies


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## Latestarter (Dec 7, 2016)

wow, talk about a nice surprise! Congrats!


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## Bunnylady (Dec 7, 2016)

Yay for warm and wigglies!

As far as colors - harlequin and non extension (the gene that gives you colors like red and tort) are the most recessive genes in their series. Since your rabbits are those colors, you are pretty much locked into solid and broken variations of harlequin, red and tort. Apparently you have dilution genes in the mix, and self genes, since Cami is a dilute and it looks like you had a tort in the previous litter. Good Mini Rex reds are chocolate - based, so you probably have chocolate in there, and just for the fun of it, maybe a wild card like REW. You won't be able to get things like castors or chocolates from this particular pairing, but if you ever wind up breeding to other rabbits, who knows?


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## Hens and Roos (Dec 7, 2016)

Congrats!


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## Morgan M Baker (Dec 7, 2016)

Thanks guys! Heres some pics! Any color suggestions? The solid is probably going to be like the 3 in her last litter, the charlies, because they looked just like that. But the harlequin looking one, I'm not sure! Sorry the pics arent that good, i didnt want to have them out of the nest for long as its a little chilly in the garage, but i will keep you guys updated. 
-Baker'sBunnies


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## DutchBunny03 (Dec 7, 2016)

Thats an awesome surprise!!!! As for colors, it looks like you have a couple Harlequin-like patterns, and maybe a gray, white, or cream. Its a bit hard to tell at this age.


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