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Previous Sweet Doe Pulled A Monty Python
- Thread starter GypsyG
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GypsyG
Loving the herd life
My arm is healing nicely. The doe seems to be back to normal again, but I won't ever trust her enough to press my luck. She is handled with gloves and a long sleeve shirt.Just wanted to check in and see how things are going with your doe...
And how's your arm?
AmberLops
Herd Master
I'm glad you're okay! And I wouldn't trust her either...better to be safe than sorry 
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Rabbit scratches can be really nasty - make sure not to get an infection - use antibiotic cream. My grandmother had a friend who raised rabbits and got severe blood poisoning from rabbit scratches. That was a long time ago when you couldn't just get hydrogen peroxide and Neosporin over the counter. I still have a scar from a NZW doe who swiped her rear claws down my leg when I was wearing shorts during the summer. I was trying to turn her over to check her and she wasn't having it. After that I made sure to trim my rabbits claws too. I would wrap the big rabbits in a towel for DH to hold, and put the small ones in a sock to clip their rear claws with a set of wire cutters.
I have found does to have nastier tempers than bucks. I never would sell does to people for their kids to keep as pets, only bucks. When the doe hits 6 months it seems to be the magic number and they turn nasty until they are bred. Most of our bucks on the other hand, usually were pretty tame and agreeable. Of course, lots of food and non stop breeding makes most males easy tempered. LOL
Definitely breeding her should calm her down. It is the main reason that I always keep does bred or with litters on them. If I can't finish a doe by the time she is 10 months old, I breed her anyway and take the chance she will never finish. If I wait until she is 12 months old often the doe will not want to breed and I have to hand breed her. And often does that are 10-12 months old by the time I breed them don't turn into the best brood does either. It is a shame because the nicest does with a couple legs just are begging to be kept back from breeding for that extra month it will take to get to the shows but then if you wait to breed them and finish their championships, when they finish they don't always do well as breeders.
As far as nasty tempered does, I have had a few, but they usually get better tempered once they are bred. It seems to be a hormonal thing. That is why I like to keep them bred. I have had a couple that got very nasty and tried to attack me when I reached in to get them to take to the buck. I would wear heavy leather gloves, and got quick grabbing them to take them out of the cage. I don't give them time to get aggressive. If they are too nasty, I cull them into the freezer. The bad temperament does not seem to carry down to their sons or daughters. I have had a couple go after me when they first kindle, but I put on heavy gloves and take the nest box out to check the kits. Second litter they were fine. With sweet does I can check the nest boxes in the cage if necessary, but I prefer to take the boxes out to check the litter since when I have to remove dead kits, peanuts, or any mess, it is easier to do it out of the doe's cage. The does are usually pretty blasé about me removing their nest boxes. Also with an aggressive doe I keep the nest box between me and the doe as I take it out.
Like everyone here I prefer not to have aggressive rabbits. They are not fun and I can replace them easily by keeping another breeder so why keep the nasty ones. The does are allowed to have a little PMS until they are bred, new moms are allowed a little leeway for the first litter, then they either shape up or I ship them out. Yum yum! We love rabbit and dumplings!
My daughter loved her rabbits (she had Havanas), showed them and sold a lot for pets. She hated butchering day and would not go in the barn when her dad was butchering. Most Havanas are sweet tempered, but one day one of a litter that was being sorted bit through her thumb nail and she could hardly get it off. After we got the blood stopped, her tears dried up, and her thumb bandaged, she went back into the barn and told the rabbit that it was headed for butchering. She added "and I'm gonna watch!" LOL
On butchering day we always had macaroni and cheese or omelets. DH couldn't stomach eating meat after butchering several dozen rabbits.
I have found does to have nastier tempers than bucks. I never would sell does to people for their kids to keep as pets, only bucks. When the doe hits 6 months it seems to be the magic number and they turn nasty until they are bred. Most of our bucks on the other hand, usually were pretty tame and agreeable. Of course, lots of food and non stop breeding makes most males easy tempered. LOL
Definitely breeding her should calm her down. It is the main reason that I always keep does bred or with litters on them. If I can't finish a doe by the time she is 10 months old, I breed her anyway and take the chance she will never finish. If I wait until she is 12 months old often the doe will not want to breed and I have to hand breed her. And often does that are 10-12 months old by the time I breed them don't turn into the best brood does either. It is a shame because the nicest does with a couple legs just are begging to be kept back from breeding for that extra month it will take to get to the shows but then if you wait to breed them and finish their championships, when they finish they don't always do well as breeders.
As far as nasty tempered does, I have had a few, but they usually get better tempered once they are bred. It seems to be a hormonal thing. That is why I like to keep them bred. I have had a couple that got very nasty and tried to attack me when I reached in to get them to take to the buck. I would wear heavy leather gloves, and got quick grabbing them to take them out of the cage. I don't give them time to get aggressive. If they are too nasty, I cull them into the freezer. The bad temperament does not seem to carry down to their sons or daughters. I have had a couple go after me when they first kindle, but I put on heavy gloves and take the nest box out to check the kits. Second litter they were fine. With sweet does I can check the nest boxes in the cage if necessary, but I prefer to take the boxes out to check the litter since when I have to remove dead kits, peanuts, or any mess, it is easier to do it out of the doe's cage. The does are usually pretty blasé about me removing their nest boxes. Also with an aggressive doe I keep the nest box between me and the doe as I take it out.
Like everyone here I prefer not to have aggressive rabbits. They are not fun and I can replace them easily by keeping another breeder so why keep the nasty ones. The does are allowed to have a little PMS until they are bred, new moms are allowed a little leeway for the first litter, then they either shape up or I ship them out. Yum yum! We love rabbit and dumplings!
My daughter loved her rabbits (she had Havanas), showed them and sold a lot for pets. She hated butchering day and would not go in the barn when her dad was butchering. Most Havanas are sweet tempered, but one day one of a litter that was being sorted bit through her thumb nail and she could hardly get it off. After we got the blood stopped, her tears dried up, and her thumb bandaged, she went back into the barn and told the rabbit that it was headed for butchering. She added "and I'm gonna watch!" LOL
On butchering day we always had macaroni and cheese or omelets. DH couldn't stomach eating meat after butchering several dozen rabbits.
