Problems with breeding

[txcarl1258]

I have been trying unsuccessfully for over a week to get my rabbits to breed. I have 4 does and two bucks. Two of the does have bred and raised litters in the past. One of my bucks is proven and the other is not. The younger buck is over a year old so I know he isn't too young. He tries to mount, but has not been successful. I can't get any of the does to let the older buck mount them. I feed them all Manna Pro Sho formula. I always take the doe to the buck, I figured it would take a few days since I have not bred any of them since the spring, but not a week! Any advice on things I can do differently?

 

[AZ Rabbits]

As far as the does not letting the older buck mount them, you may need to do assisted breeding. When you take the doe in to the buck, hold the doe by the skin on the back of the neck with one hand, pulling forward slightly toward her nose (lifts the tail slightly) and put your other hand under her abdomen, lifting it slightly (enough to give the buck access for breeding). I have always had success using this method. If you have a mature buck this works quickly. If you have a new buck, sometimes they'll sniff around trying to figure out what's going on. But after a new buck has successfully bred using this method, they'll jump right on the next time.

 

[DKRabbitry]

Not sure where you are at, but with my rabbits, warm weather makes them not want to breed. If they are a little overweight, and it is above 60 degrees, they don't want anything to do with it. I was a bad bunny momma and let a couple of the bucks get a touch overweight this past summer, and it definitely shows in their breeding performance. Same goes for does. If they are fat it throws everything off.
Also, if you decide to hold the doe for the buck, I have found that if you gently pinch their lower back, it sort of tweaks a nerve and causes them to present (Like if the buck were mounted and squeezing her back with his front legs, that same nerve helps get the doe to present and lift for him). There is a similar nerve on goats that show people use to get their goats to flatten their rumps.