Since I do not want my buck and doe to produce more kits at this time, I have needed to separate them. However, I notice that the buck seems very lonely in his cage. What do other rabbit breeders do for the buck when they notice this?

-- Karen Southin (karen.southin@dendrite.com), May 09, 2002

Answers

You are being anthropomorphous.

-- Joe (CactusJoe001@AOL.com), May 09, 2002.

Rabbits are territorial. They do not do good housed together. Your buck will be fine.

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), May 09, 2002.

Keep him in a pen next to the girls ,

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), May 09, 2002.

Hi Karen, I understand how you feel. When we had our goat dairy we put a wether(neutered male) in with the buck. They would play and chase each other, seemed to take his mind off the girls somewhat :). I know that most folks keep the buck alone which is fine but for us giving him a companion seemed appropriate & he was less agressive towards humans who entered his pasture. Maybe being alone sets up some sort of agression, I don't know but he was much more friendly after he got a companion in his pasture. Blessings,Kathy

-- Kathy Aldridge (beckoningwinds@yahoo.com), May 09, 2002.

Karen, rabbits are loners! They are territorial and not a bit lonesome for other rabbits! You may have the "Thumper" syndrome. You do not have "Thumper" from Bambi. It may help to get a good book on rabbits and to read and explore some web sites re Rabbits so you will not feel bad for him. Whatever is going on with your buck, it is not pining for rabbit company. If you really want to see some vicious critters just try keeping adult rabbits together. No Way. Don't feel bad for him. Some special treats maybe would make you feel better and he will like them too. LQ

-- Little Quacker in OR (carouselxing@juno.com), May 09, 2002.

Karen & everyone else, I must have been having a 'brain meltdown' sorry, I didn't notice the kit's reference -didn't have on my glasses which probably didn't help. I'm talking goats & your'e talking rabbits. Just ignore me-my husband does sometimes :) Again sorry for the dumb post. Kathy

-- Kathy Aldridge (beckoningwinds@yahoo.com), May 10, 2002.

I also put large sticks in for them to chew on.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), May 10, 2002.

Karen:

Your "separate them" implies that the buck and doe were previously housed together. Bad, bad idea. Sexually mature does when not in need of a buck's attention will often harm them. Not a month ago a neighbor who did not know this left a buck in a doe's cage overnight, found him emasculated and near death the next morning. She told me that she had "often done this before", but this time the end result was that she had to buy another buck.

If you want a doe bred, put her in the buck's cage, let him serve her twice, return her to her cage. This whole process should not take 15 minutes. Some breeders think that allowing the buck to serve the doe again 8 to 9 hours after the first service increases litter size. Mac

-- Jimmy S (Macrocarpus@gbronline.com), May 10, 2002.