# To Breed or Not to Breed? Tough question - one I would normally say "no" to



## TinysMom (Jun 28, 2010)

Ok - backstory first.

About 30 days ago both Athena and Harmony gave birth to kits. Athena's were DOA so I fostered two of Harmony's kits with Athena since she is such a great mama.

For the last couple of days - Athena has chased her kits around - but last night she attacked them. She's been very grumpy with them - and yet very needy of MY attention. Now that the kits are out of her cage - she is coming to me and begging for pets (she just begged the dogs for grooming by putting her head under their chin and nudging them). She is flicking her tail and letting me know in no uncertain terms that she wants to breed NOW.

If I've ever seen a "natural mother" - it is Athena. She is just awesome and in her first litter - I got a great son that is very much like his daddy - so if I bred her - I would breed her to her son to see if he can give babies as good as his daddy can.

She had her first litter 12/24. She started fostering her second litter 30 days ago and as I said - is now chasing them away and rejecting them.

She is actually in show condition (other than the fact she is the least showable of my rabbits for quality). In fac t- she's almost in the best condition she's been in as far as I can remember.

But do I breed her - or not? I know I can't let a rabbit determine my breeding schedule and plans....and Nyx is due in a few days. 

I really want to breed her again just to calm her down and have her be happy again. But I'm not one who likes to breed the rabbits back to back and I feel like this is what it would be.

HELP?


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## pamnock (Jun 28, 2010)

Most certainly go ahead and rebreed her. She's ready, willing, and in excellent condition.


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## TinysMom (Jun 28, 2010)

*pamnock wrote: *


> Most certainly go ahead and rebreed her. She's ready, willing, and in excellent condition.


Ok - I'll take her to Big Jake - her son.

But if she has ELEVEN (or more) kits this time - I'm definitely gonna be screaming...


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## timbaland (Jun 28, 2010)

You've got your hands full. What a demanding little rabbit! XD;; I agree with Pamnock, if she's ready and in good condition...go ahead!


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## TinysMom (Jun 28, 2010)

She's with Big Jake right now - she was trying to mount the female dogs....


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## timbaland (Jun 28, 2010)

TinysMom wrote:


> She's with Big Jake right now - she was trying to mount the female dogs....



 Goofy! My New Zealand can get carried away too.


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## Jaded (Jun 28, 2010)

Gee, shes diffently ready


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## TinysMom (Jun 28, 2010)

*T.A Bunnies wrote: *


> Gee, shes diffently ready


I think she's now trying to braid hay together so she can smoke it like a cigarette as she is snuggled up next to Big Jake.....

She is a MUCH happier camper now....much happier.


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## timbaland (Jun 28, 2010)

TinysMom wrote:


> *T.A Bunnies wrote: *
> 
> 
> > Gee, shes diffently ready
> ...



ROLF! Funny image!


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## wooly_queen (Jun 29, 2010)

Hahahahha!!! Too funny... ^^^^ Glad it went well for you then. lol


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## TinysMom (Jun 29, 2010)

I probably shouldn't have shared that image....but it was just the way she was acting - so sure of herself and like, "I got my own way..".

She's now living in the living room in a different cage and she's um...very regal and like....well...its hard to explain. 

But its like she's going, "I knew what I wanted....I got what I wanted....I'm pretty darn hot stuff and good at this breeding bit..".


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## Rabbit Hero (Jun 29, 2010)

I've never bred rabbits before, I had no idea you could breed a mother and son!


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## mistyjr (Jun 29, 2010)

Yes, Just cant breed sister to brother.


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## Shaded Night Rabbitry (Jun 29, 2010)

LOL. I just got a tort out of a brother sister breeding. I have a feeling it was the same physical litter, to boot. >.>;


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## Rabbit Hero (Jun 29, 2010)

May I ask why?


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## Shaded Night Rabbitry (Jun 29, 2010)

I didn't see the pedigree until I'd already taken him. Didn't think to ask, either. It's not something I've ever actually seen. >.>;;;

He's a promising little junior, though. Will there be severe problems from just once, or does the main issues come from even more inbreeding?


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## TinysMom (Jun 29, 2010)

Some breeders who know more about what they are doing - will do a brother to sister breeding - on a limited basis - to set traits.

It is something I am considering doing myself with two particular rabbits to set a trait.

Then I'm going to take the offspring back to a different parent (grandparent I guess?).

But it is not normally recommended as it can cause problems if it is done too often or becomes too inbred.

The funny thing is- with rabbits and breeding - the majority of things folks will say "don't do"...someone else has done - probably on a limited basis for particular reasons....and been successful with.


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## TinysMom (Jun 29, 2010)

Forgot to add - father/daughter and mother/son breedings are very very common and part of how you develop your own lines with specific traits once you have a pair that works well for you.

This is why Athena's 3 daughters are being bred back to their father Mercury - and she got bred to her son today. (Plus I want to see if the son can give me rabbits as good and reliably as Mercury can...I am amazed at how consistently he gives babies with his type).


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## TinysMom (Jun 29, 2010)

*Shaded Night Rabbitry wrote: *


> I didn't see the pedigree until I'd already taken him. Didn't think to ask, either. It's not something I've ever actually seen. >.>;;;
> 
> He's a promising little junior, though. Will there be severe problems from just once, or does the main issues come from even more inbreeding?


The main issues will come from more inbreeding. Doing it one time isn't a big deal as long as you take him to something other than his siblings.

For instance - something I am toying with from Athena and Mercury's litter is taking their son (Big Jake) to breed with Calamity Jane (his sister) because both rabbits have their dad's type and really good rise.

The offspring from that pairing should carry double the genes for that - BUT - I will have to be careful they also don't carry double the genes for a negative quality (like bad shoulders or pinched hindquarters).

The more I think about breeding these two together though - the more I like the idea.

In Mercury's litters so far (one was a mix cause he got loose) - about 50-75% of the babies have his rise and type. I was amazed when the mixes looked as good for body type - as the full blooded flemish.

SO I'm thinking bringing these two - with that strength - together - might be what I really need to set my lines.


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## Rabbit Hero (Jun 29, 2010)

Ah! Thank you!


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## dixonsrabbitry1 (Jun 29, 2010)

I would go ahead and breed her again. If she does it again, don't breed her. Geneally I don't keep does in my barn that continue to chase and beat their kids up. I have one right now that did that with her first litter. She was an awesome mom with the second. Until I had to pull her form them early when she got mastitus.


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## TinysMom (Jun 29, 2010)

She was a really great mom with her first litter - she kept them with her a long time and was awesome. 

I am thinking about putting her back with Big Jake today just to make sure that she took. 

I know this sounds crazy - but I really swear that she has known all along those kits weren't hers. She has taken great care of them and all - but she didn't treat them like her first litter.

I think she felt they were eating and able to play on the floor and stuff with the big bunnies and they didn't need her anymore.


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