selenium for rabbits

[treeclimber233]

I just saw a posting about the need for selenium for breeding on the cow list. I have been having a hard time breeding my rabbits and was wondering how much selemium is necessary for rabbits. I have tried everything I can think of to get them to breed and nothing is working: different brands of food, made sure all rabbits are young and healthy, proper size cage, constant water, added extra lighting,..... Some get pregnant (checked by palpating) and never deliver. Others occasionally get pregnant. Out of 50 does I only sold 300 ish babies. I have feed squash in the winter months because the Vit. A helps in the winter but even that has not helped this winter. Maybe not enough selenium????

 

[Bunnylady]

Selenium is a trace mineral; too much is associated with birth defects and abortions, also hair loss and nerve damage in the animal consuming it. Cattle get most of their calories from forage, if grown on selenium-deficient soils, the diet may be deficient in the mineral. Rabbit pellets should be balanced to reflect the rabbit's needs (note that I said "should"), the manufacturer in theory is adjusting the formulation according to the actual content of the ingredients.

How much are you feeding? Rabbits that are too fat or too thin can be disinclined to breed, and fail to concieve if they muster the effort. Wintertime is the off-season, many rabbits simply won't get in the mood, no matter what kind of adjustments you make.

 

[treeclimber233]

This situation has been going on now for about2 years. Last year I had about 50 does and only sold 300 ish babies all year. That averages out to about 6 babies a week out of 50 does. My does are not too fat or thin. I have 5 different breeds and several bucks of each breed. I have even gotten a doe from a friend that bred just fine for her not breed when she came here and I am not sure she fed rabbit pellets to her rabbits. I also went to the barn just now and found a doe that had 9 babies two weeks ago peed on her babies last night and they were all dead. Why would she do that? She hasn't peed in the box before last night...I am thinking of getting rid of them. They are just a big waste of time and money for me. I raised rabbits since 1990 and since I moved here I have had a steady decline in babies to the point that I am not getting enough money to even feed them. I have no idea what is going on.

 

[ksalvagno]

You said since you moved there. What changes did the rabbits go through when you moved? Did you put them in a barn that previously had other animals? Has there been a dramatic climate change? There could be something at your new place that is affecting the rabbits.