Doe bred ONCE, but kindles TWICE in 6 weeks (...then does it again!)

[woodsie]

That is quite something! It will be interesting to see what happens in future litters! Keep us posted with her, glad she is a good mom for you!

 

[Bunnylady]

Have I ever mentioned that I think my rabbits' motto is, "How can we drive her crazy today?!"

Congrats on the new litter, however they got there!

 

[sawfish99]

Is there ANY other rabbit on the other side of wire next to Golding? Even the other doe?

If yes, re-check the sex of that rabbit, even if you have before.

If not, I would suspect Golding is a hermaphrodite and is self-impregnating. Sperm won't survive 2+ months.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Well, how cool would that be? You get babies and wouldn't even have to feed a buck!

 

[secuono]

I've seen on tv that some animals can store sperm and use when they feel right and safe about it. Might be possible with rabbits. Heck, that whole 'stimulated ovulatiors' also seems false in many domestic rabbits.

 

[TherapyBunnies]

I have a doe that likes to prove she is the one in charge. She had a litter at 25 days or 40-45 days after breeding. Either one is suppose to be non-viable. She raised the litter with no problems.

 

[treeclimber233]

I had a doe once that had babies 6 weeks after I bred her. She had multiple litters way past the 30-32 day limit and raised them. Mother Nature doesn't always read the rules us lowly humans go by.

 

[shanzu farms]

Thanks to all for these comments...I hadn't checked in a while.

In very short: definitely, no way the other doe is a 'buck'- for sure, it's obvious anatomically. Also, there is a plywood wall between them. They barely see each other. Just no way even if was a buck (and it isn't!).

Maybe she is a multisex rabbit? Hadn't thought of that. The bunnies (now 14 in total) are all very healthy, and so is she.

The breeder (Kenyan farmer kind of famous here for breeding rabbits - i live in Kenya) said to me on the phone that he "had witnessed such happenings", but with his Chinchillas and only a couple times. He referred to the problem as: "ovulating whenever they want". But the sperm survival is really a quandary if this is the case...

Meanwhile - No luck with my (only) buck and doe #2 (Cascade). Ultimately, this project hasn't worked out technically (I just have the three rabbits): I've got two calendar skewed litters, supposedly sired by a buck i don't own back in June a week before we got them; and the buck I do own hasn't done anything with the other doe successfully, after 3 attempts. Like he doesn't find the spot, though he surely tries, and she seems to avail herself to him. So either one of those could be a dud, and I won't know until I breed my buck to the MAYBE hermaphrodite, after she recovers from two back to back litters. (I'm gonna give her a little break!)

The only rabbit I own that I know is 'fruitful' for sure is perhaps a dang hermaphrodite!!!

It's fun anyways...

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I find that I have to hold the female rabbits tail over her back for the male to mount and find the mark, but only on unexperienced females, once they have a litter or two they "lift" (raising the rear end and tails) themselves.

 

[shanzu farms]

Small update: same female (Golding) had one MASSIVE baby a month after the second litter. Still born, or she killed it quickly. Again, she's never been bred by me, only supposedly bred on June 7th a week before we bought her. 2 full litters and 1 stillborn giant.

If she gives birth again, she has to be a hermaphrodite...

Yes - i keep them strictly separated from my one buck - see earlier comments for the detail.

Meanwhile, just started dispatching the first litter of six. Ugh. Built a killboard but wasn't as easy as I had anticipated - function wise. Think I'll buy a rabbitwringer.