 Four pups born this afternoon to this experienced girlie. Was pleased to see a good litter out of Temp. She's the herd matriarch, a calm but "in charge" sow and her pups always turn out with a similar calm temperament. Three boars and one sow if I recall correctly.  Watch Me Grow Tansy x CreamSicile Pupped: January 15, 2016
This lad went off to a pet home today. Good pup. Prone to mites but otherwise a healthy little fellow.  Two pups born (as far as I can tell she's staying hidden in the back). One pup found dead.  Watch Me Grow Three kits born, later than I expected, but all seem healthy enough. One may be a peanut or a very small runt, time will tell.  Watch Me Grow A well made nest. Seven kits. Three looking to be peanuts, possibly four. Hoping to foster these kits out to a kinder quieter doe if my other two does kindle over the next couple of days.
Watch Me Grow Five kits born born to this first time mom. She had me fooled, was positive she'd yet again missed with this litter, but we have five nice little babies in a beautiful nest. I am thrilled we have no peanuts as they are both small rabbits.  Watch Me Grow Four pups born to this experienced sow. She's such a nice girlie  Watch Me GrowA baby rabbit is never dead until it is WARM and dead. Tips: 1. Warm them up slowly 2. warm them all the way through before returning them to a WARM nest. Ways to warm them 1. heating blanket set on low 2. warm water bags 3 heating rice bags. etc. My preferred method is to place them on the edge of a warm litter of older kits. This warms them up well and I'll often find them later in the middle of the heap. If I don't have an older litter I will bring them in and put them in a warm rice bag with towels from the dryer all around them.  Found this video on Youtube about caring for rabbits in the winter. Thought it had some good points (protecting from the wind, changing how you water them, providing hidey holes for warmth). I didn't agree with everything in the video though. What didn't I agree with?
1. feeding lots of sugary foods. Rabbits in the winter don't need extra feed, they just need GOOD feed and it's not a time to put them on a diet. My rabbits get hay and pellets one day, a grain mix and pellets the next. Days alternate. The rabbits do well. In winters where the weather is up and down I add pineapple juice into their water. It seems to raise the freezing temp (so water doesn't freeze as quickly) and it encourages the rabbits to drink more. 2. Not breeding in the winter because the babies will freeze. Is there a risk that babies will freeze? Yes, but it happens less frequently than you might suppose. If momma does her job properly the kits will be born into a well made nest. AND one can bring babies in the house if its particularly cold out (they generally only have to come in until they are well furred). Litters of more than four rarely have to come inside. So what do rabbits NEED in the winter? 1. recognition that they come with built in fur coats so don't make them too warm. No heat lamps necessary. They do need protection from the wind. 2. Good food. Not extra feed, but good feed. Not a time for diets unless you have a fat rabbit. 3. Water in bowls not bottles UNLESS you have heated water bottles. Give them new water at least twice a day. 4. Breeding is fine as long as momma does her job. Bring small kits inside for a week until their fur comes in. 5. Giving a box to sit in if rabbits are acting cold. Some rabbits don't get cold, others like to get up off the wire. So weigh out your rabbits needs.  So I bred Whisker to NightLily but he seemed to be sleeping on the job, so I said okay, I'll breed her to Baccia and it'll be easy to tell the babies apart... right now I'm not so sure about that as all the babes look the same. Four of them, one DOA.
Watch Me Grow |
AuthorI have been breeding rabbits for a quite a few years. I thoroughly enjoy them as animals and think they make great pets. I also like to take some of them to rabbit shows to see how they measure up to the standards. 
For the BEST rabbit forum I've ever found. Go to Rabbittalk.com. Good for the pet rabbit owner as well as the breeder for meat or show.
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