# Summertime breeding



## Gary (May 6, 2019)

Im in central Florida. It gets a bit warm out here. Is it ok to breed in the heat or should i lay off for a while? I started this back in January with a whole lot of bad luck. Litters dying and rabbitry continuously selling me bucks instead of does. My doe just had another litter that she seems to be doing better with. I got what i think is two more does yesterday. Im 4 months into a bunch of dissapointment so I'm excited about getting litters but is the heat an issue that i should consider before mating? I don't want to create a situation where I'm causing death.


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## mysunwolf (May 6, 2019)

No problems that we've had, and in fact our rabbits always did better breeding April through June, then they took a bit of a break in the hottest months, and started up again in the fall, only to break for winter again. As in, our does would refuse to breed if the weather wasn't right. If the does pull too much fur and the kits seem sweaty, you can always take away some of the fur. Another good reason to breed in warmer months is that if the kits fall out of the nests, you have a lot more time to rescue them and put them back in than in the winter months. Good luck!


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## B&B Happy goats (May 6, 2019)

Hello Gary, we are just west of Gainsville fl., bucks tend to go sterile  in the heat of summer, I don't  bother them when its  hot even though  they are in the shade of the trees.....on really hot days I put frozen bottles of water in their hutchs to help them cool off....I guess if you have a inside rabbitry with AC (i know of one in live oak ) you can breed year round....they can tolerate the cold better than our heat that we have.
If the rabbitry can't  tell the difference  between a buck and a doe, I would buy my rabbits elsewhere!  Especially  with all the issues you have had with them dying.  What breed of rabbits are you breeding ?


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## Gary (May 6, 2019)

I had all nz trio 2 does 1 buck but this weekend i had to exchange one doe becuase she wasn't pregnant after 3 months. All the had was mini rex in female so i exchanged 1 and bought a 2nd mini rex. They assured me that it wouldn't be a problem to breed nz with mini rex


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## B&B Happy goats (May 6, 2019)

Gary said:


> I had all nz trio 2 does 1 buck but this weekend i had to exchange one doe becuase she wasn't pregnant after 3 months. All the had was mini rex in female so i exchanged 1 and bought a 2nd mini rex. They assured me that it wouldn't be a problem to breed nz with mini rex



It's  not a problem. If your breeding the MR male to a female NZ.......however  if you want to breed for meat rabbits and keep size...stay with NZ to NZ ....
If you are breeding for pets keep the male smaller than the female....
I only breed meat rabbits, NZ, to NZ...there are other ways to get a larger NZ mix but I don't  want to confuse  the issue here....honestly, I  wouldn't  buy from these people anymore. What are they charging you for a NZ ?  I sell mine that are under 3 months old for $9. Because I like to move them and gain some good customers,  and I have enough for us to put in the freezer.


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## AmberLops (May 6, 2019)

They should do fine breeding in the summer. Bucks will sometimes become sterile in the hottest months (or when it's over 90 degrees for 10 days in a row) and frozen water bottles in their cages can prevent them from becoming sterile...but some just don't want to breed because it's hot! The does are usually just fine though if you can get your bucks to breed them


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## B&B Happy goats (May 7, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> They should do fine breeding in the summer. Bucks will sometimes become sterile in the hottest months (or when it's over 90 degrees for 10 days in a row) and frozen water bottles in their cages can prevent them from becoming sterile...but some just don't want to breed because it's hot! The does are usually just fine though if you can get your bucks to breed them



Most days here are over 90 in the summer and the humidity is evil....it's  a cool day in the summer if we are in the 80's


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## AmberLops (May 7, 2019)

B&B Happy goats said:


> Most days here are over 90 in the summer and the humidity is evil....it's  a cool day in the summer if we are in the 80's


Ha ha ha! I've never been to Florida...
I'm betting summer here in Tenn. is going to be brutal....it's been in the 80's for the past 3 weeks!
It'll be my first summer here but I went to college in Arizona and they have terrible summers..it gets 120 degrees


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## B&B Happy goats (May 7, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Ha ha ha! I've never been to Florida...
> I'm betting summer here in Tenn. is going to be brutal....it's been in the 80's for the past 3 weeks!
> It'll be my first summer here but I went to college in Arizona and they have terrible summers..it gets 120 degrees



Our humidity here in the summer runs from the high 70 's up......nonthing breeds except parasites. ...and nigerian goats


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## AmberLops (May 7, 2019)

B&B Happy goats said:


> Our humidity here in the summer runs from the high 70 's up......nonthing breeds except parasites. ...and nigerian goats


 Ha ha ha! Tons of mosquitos I assume?!! Oh and don't forget the roaches!


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## B&B Happy goats (May 7, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Ha ha ha! Tons of mosquitos I assume?!! Oh and don't forget the roaches!



Skeeters are not too bad here, but we got chickens to eat them, and bug lights to zap em...right now it's  the knats .....up your nose, in your eyes and in your mouth....and when your outside sweating your butt off trying to get something done ....they call all their family in for a picnic. 
Roachs...no problem, i nuke the yard with bug granuals....no ticks, fleas or roachs


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## AmberLops (May 7, 2019)

B&B Happy goats said:


> Skeeters are not too bad here, but we got chickens to eat them, and bug lights to zap em...right now it's  the knats .....up your nose, in your eyes and in your mouth....and when your outside sweating your butt off trying to get something done ....they call all their family in for a picnic.
> Roachs...no problem, i nuke the yard with bug granuals....no ticks, fleas or roachs


Doesn't sound too bad!!
I hate the gnats too...horrible! And those flies that aim for your ears...


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## B&B Happy goats (May 7, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Doesn't sound too bad!!
> I hate the gnats too...horrible! And those flies that aim for your ears...



 Today the biting flies arrived while i was out in the  chicken yard working, , just love them, not ! 
But when i lived in South Georgia they had yellow flies, those things could take a chunk of skin off ya !


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## AmberLops (May 7, 2019)

B&B Happy goats said:


> Today the biting flies arrived while i was out in the  chicken yard working, , just love them, not !
> But when i lived in South Georgia they had yellow flies, those things could take a chunk of skin off ya !


Oh no!! I hope there aren't any yellow flies in Tennessee....


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## Bunnylady (May 8, 2019)

In my neck of the woods, it's deer fly season. From now 'til about, oh, mid-July, they get really annoying around here. We're far enough back from the marshes not to get green heads, though we do get those gigantic black horse flies. Gads, those things look just plain_ evil_!


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## AmberLops (May 8, 2019)

Bunnylady said:


> In my neck of the woods, it's deer fly season. From now 'til about, oh, mid-July, they get really annoying around here. We're far enough back from the marshes not to get green heads, though we do get those gigantic black horse flies. Gads, those things look just plain_ evil_!


 Those things are awful!!
I was raised in Hawaii and we have the biggest (think dinnerplate size) Cane spiders, centipedes and cockroaches there...
I don't miss those!!


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## B&B Happy goats (May 8, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Those things are awful!!
> I was raised in Hawaii and we have the biggest (think dinnerplate size) Cane spiders, centipedes and cockroaches there...
> I don't miss those!!



I would drop dead if I came across a spider that big and centipdes creep me out too....


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## LavacaW (May 15, 2019)

Lived in Central Florida for 6 years.  Weather was very similar to what it is here in South Central Texas.  I raised rabbits here for several years.  Actually did better raising them from September thru April.  Did not breed them after late April.  "blue ice blocks" that you use in coolers are not expensive and are very washable.  I had two for each cage and put one in around noon each day.  One in the cage and one in the freezer.  Get the ones with the thick walls.


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## Ridgetop (May 15, 2019)

Gary said:


> rabbitry continuously selling me bucks instead of does.


*See B&B post - change where you are buying your rabbits.*  You need to learn how to sex rabbits yourself so you can check for yourself.   They can be correctly sexed as young as 4 weeks.  You also need to learn how to check for other things in the rabbits when you buy them.  Go to some rabbit shows and ask questions.  Breeders usually are thrilled to have someone ask them questions about rabbits.  Go early in the day because people spend a lot of time sitting around waiting for their classes and will be glad to talk to you. 



B&B Happy goats said:


> If the rabbitry can't tell the difference between a buck and a doe, I would buy my rabbits elsewhere! Especially with all the issues you have had with them dying. What breed of rabbits are you breeding ?


*Definitely.  If they are selling you bucks instead of does, either they don ot know what they are doing, or they are not honest.  In either of these cases you need to find some one else.*



Gary said:


> I had all nz trio 2 does 1 buck but this weekend i had to exchange one doe becuase she wasn't pregnant after 3 months. All the had was mini rex in female so i exchanged 1 and bought a 2nd mini rex. They assured me that it wouldn't be a problem to breed nz with mini rex



This was a bad idea.  You traded a large meat breed rabbit for a smaller mini breed, and then bought another small breed rabbit as well.  If you are breeding for meat you will not get much meat on a Mini Rex or Mini Rex cross.  For meat production you want to stay with a meat breed size rabbit, not minis.  Second if you traded a NZ doe for a Mini Rex doe and bought a 2nd Mini Rex doe and are planning on breeding those does to your NZ bucks you have just put yourself in the position of having kindling problems because you bred a large breed buck to a small breed doe.  If the kits are big like the sire the small doe may not be able to deliver them alive. 

You need to go to a couple rabbit shows.  Unfortunately, in hot climates the show season is during the winter months.  However, there will be County Fairs around. find out when the rabbit judging is taking place, in particular the "meat pen" judging.  "Meat pens" are 3 rabbits that look and weigh as much alike as possible.  That is how they are judged, based on the met standard.  Go to the judging show and listen to the comments.  They will be very helpful.  Then you can see which kids have meat pens entered.  Most of those  kids will have extra rabbits they left at home after choosing their meat pens for competition.  See if you can buy some does from them.   Be careful about buying meat pens straight across since you don't know how to sex a rabbit  Meat pens are chosen for the 3 rabbits that weigh the same and look the same.  Often they are all bucks.  In any event they are seldom all does so you will be getting at least 1 or 2 bucks, usually littermates.   If you talk to some of the junior exhibitors, they or their parents will be able to help you choose a couple good does from their rabbits.  Depending on the Fair, not all the meat pens will sell.  The exhibitors who don't sell will be willing and happy to sell you some does and will also be glad to teach you how to sex the rabbits.



AmberLops said:


> They should do fine breeding in the summer. Bucks will sometimes become sterile in the hottest months (or when it's over 90 degrees for 10 days in a row) and frozen water bottles in their cages can prevent them from becoming sterile...but some just don't want to breed because it's hot! The does are usually just fine though if you can get your bucks to breed them



I am in so California and used to breed year round.  Short daylight hours can be compensated for by lights in the rabbitry.  Bucks become sterile in the heat (along with some rams and other animals).  The older the buck the more the heat affects him.  If yiu want to continue breeding successfully in the summer months, keep your best young buck from a December litter and use him for the summer breeding.  Junior bucks about 6-20 months will usually stay fertile during the heat.   In addition to ice bottles, you can use misters along the outside of the rabbitry where the breeze will blow through the water and produce a cooler temperature.  Fans can also be useful. 

For the does, I put shavings in the bottom of the nest box and just give them a handful of straw to build their nest.  I check every morning and take the fur and extra straw out of the nest.  I keep the fur and replace it on the kits if the nights cool down.  Make sure that direct sun cannot hit the nest box at any time.  The kits are extremely sensitive to heat and if they are gasping in the nest, remove the nest box and take it inside the house.  If there is A/C in the house cover them with the fur.  Replace the box in the evening so the doe can feed them.  If the temperatures are high you will have to do this every am and pm.

Another trick to cool off rabbits is to put squares of wet carpet in the cages for them to lay on.  Some like it, some don't. 

*ALSO, CHECK THE AUTOMATIC WATERERS SEVERAL TIMES DAILY.  THE LINES CAN GET HOT AND RABBITS WILL NOT DRINK HOT OR WARM WATER IN THE SUMMER.  IF YOUR LINES GET HOT, USE CROCKS AND YOU CAN DROP ICE CUBES IN THEM DURING THE HEAT OF THE DAY TO ENCOURAGE DRINKING. *  We also used to do that at the summer Fair.* 
*
One year our feeder PVC line broke and DH ran a new line.  He decided to put it overhead instead of replacing the line I had buried in the barn.  It was spring and everything was fine until we had a sudden hot spell in the 100's.  In spite of the misters, I lost 3 does, and no rabbits were eating.  When I checked the automatic drinker nozzles, not only were they hot to the touch, but the water almost burned my fingers!  As soon as I bled each line to cool water the rabbits attacked the drinker!  To avoid more deaths I had to scrounge for enough crocks for the cages until we could insulate the pipes.  DH put them back underground the following weekend.

It was a hard lesson.  Rabbits won't eat if they can't drink.  Any time I have a rabbit off it's food, I immediately check the automatic water valve.  They can plug up.


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