Need help w/sexing 8-week old kits

savingdogs

Overrun with beasties
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
551
Reaction score
2
Points
89
Location
SW WA
Okay, here is the deal.

I have no trouble determining the sex of an adult rabbit.

But these kits! I need to sell the males and keep the females from a group my doe just produced for me, and I seem to be having trouble distinguishing. At this point, all four look remotely alike, kind of a slit in a bump when I pull back the hair. With them wiggling about and not really enjoying my examination, I'm having a hard time being certain.

Anyone have any tips for me? I need to offer the males up for sale so I don't want to get it WRONG.
 

chickenrunnin

Chillin' with the herd
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
92
Reaction score
0
Points
34
Location
Roy, Washington
How old are they?

Both males and females pop up.. The girls have more of a triangle shape with a slit to the back side. The boys are cone shaped with a circular opening at the top. Let me know if I can be of more help to you.

I have a pretty high sucess rate at about a month old, but I raise Flemish Giants too...
 

manybirds

Loving the herd life
Joined
Jul 17, 2011
Messages
1,279
Reaction score
18
Points
138
Location
Northern wisconsin
savingdogs said:
Okay, here is the deal.

I have no trouble determining the sex of an adult rabbit.

But these kits! I need to sell the males and keep the females from a group my doe just produced for me, and I seem to be having trouble distinguishing. At this point, all four look remotely alike, kind of a slit in a bump when I pull back the hair. With them wiggling about and not really enjoying my examination, I'm having a hard time being certain.

Anyone have any tips for me? I need to offer the males up for sale so I don't want to get it WRONG.
The males have a explamation point. the females have a half donut
 

chickenrunnin

Chillin' with the herd
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
92
Reaction score
0
Points
34
Location
Roy, Washington
Many Birds it just the opposite..I went out and took pictures for you of my 3 month olds. As soon as I get it uploaded I will publish them for you too see...

The females have the slits so its easier for the penis to be inserted as it is round.

In the pictures the female is the brown rabbit and the male is the gray rabbit.
 

savingdogs

Overrun with beasties
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
551
Reaction score
2
Points
89
Location
SW WA
chickenrunnin said:
How old are they?

Both males and females pop up.. The girls have more of a triangle shape with a slit to the back side. The boys are cone shaped with a circular opening at the top. Let me know if I can be of more help to you.

I have a pretty high sucess rate at about a month old, but I raise Flemish Giants too...
eight weeks. I think I might have four males, but I need to look at them again in the bright light with your guy's descriptions. I don't think I had any triangle shapes or half donuts. Some just popped out more than others. It seems odd to me that you don't see more....penis on the baby boys like on the adult bucks. Does that happen at sexual maturity?
 

chickenrunnin

Chillin' with the herd
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
92
Reaction score
0
Points
34
Location
Roy, Washington
Once you figure it out, its really easy to see the difference. My Flemish Giants start showing their testicle at 4 months and are definately larger and more distinguished..if it helps I can take a picture of my adult males to help out. Let me know..
 

manybirds

Loving the herd life
Joined
Jul 17, 2011
Messages
1,279
Reaction score
18
Points
138
Location
Northern wisconsin
chickenrunnin said:
Many Birds it just the opposite..I went out and took pictures for you of my 3 month olds. As soon as I get it uploaded I will publish them for you too see...

The females have the slits so its easier for the penis to be inserted as it is round.

In the pictures the female is the brown rabbit and the male is the gray rabbit.
Well in babies that age the males do have a little exclamation point. like a penis but the end is flared out. the females have a kind of half oval
 

savingdogs

Overrun with beasties
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
551
Reaction score
2
Points
89
Location
SW WA
I am starting to get the sinking feeling I have four males. :he I'm trying to increase my doe numbers in my meat rabbit herd. I bought a pair but one doe isn't producing, so I was going to keep the females from the doe that is producing. So far she had a lovely female kit last time around but we accidentally broke its leg so we lost her, so if all four of these are males I'm not going to be a happy camper.

I'll have to take out your descriptions with me when I check them again.

I don't have any trouble telling adult males and females apart, just these babies. .
 

dewey

Ridin' The Range
Joined
Jan 29, 2011
Messages
314
Reaction score
3
Points
64
So true...breed and age can make a difference in sexing...even larger breeds can still have errors at 6 weeks.

After the bun is flipped over and held belly-up cradled in one arm (there's a couple of hold techniques to control any wiggle factor) applying gentle pressure straight downward on each side of the area with the other hand will expose the genitals, instead of just parting the fur without pressure. If a circular "tube" pops up it's male, if no "tube" up it's female....also google for good pics of male & female...I'd post links but can't access right now.

Even most very experienced breeders won't guarantee sex at 5-6 weeks old but they will surely offer an exchange if they were wrong and sex was guaranteed.
 
Top