# ???munchy



## BabyBlonde (Mar 7, 2008)

One of my black and white broken mini lop does was left with a dwarf lop (brought them together at 8 weeks) to long and she had a kit, but it was all deformed and dead. She is now much older but breeding her, how will she be? I want to breed her with the same harlequin dwarf lop buck, also breeding him with an orange lion-lop doe too.


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## swinnk8 (Feb 10, 2008)

the doe should be fine if she is old enough.

I have 20 years rabbit keeping experience and i am also certified in petcare/store management, to all other viewers please read the suggestions and questions below before starting to breed

This goes to anyone breeding rabbits.
Before you even start thinking of breeding, what are you going to do with the babies?? Are you breeding for your own benefit, or to make money? Where are you going to sell them?? If you cannot sell them have you room to devote to them in addition to your breeding rabbits
I suggest get a good book on breeding rabbits before you start thinking about breeding from them.
It is not as simple as putting a buck and doe together. There is a time scale you have to go by for the first litter and there may be problems along the way which you will have to deal with. Breeding too early will end up in dead kits ,and problems can occur with the doe internally.

I won't go into all the problems because there are so many i will end up writing a saga and also it will persuade potential to read a good book.

Also are these rabbits related, are they pet shop rabbits??
If so don't think about breeding from them they could produce litters with teeth problems and deformities.

please read the page on this link:

Rabbit Rehome - What's Involved in Breeding Rabbits

for rabbit breeding books go to this site:
Welcome to the website of Fur&Feather Magazine

I hope this helps you guys


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## Guest (Mar 12, 2008)

swinnk8 said:


> are they pet shop rabbits??


What difference does it make if they come from a pet shop? Not being funny, just wondering.


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## minnie (Feb 14, 2008)

well with hamsters its a bad idea to breed pt shop hams because of the unknown medical history eg a ham from a pet shop could carry blindness so i guess it would be the same for rsbbits?


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## Guest (Mar 12, 2008)

Hmmm, but wherever the rabbits from the same could be said. If I decide to breed I would be getting a health check done on both buck and doe, I don't see what more you can do than that?


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## minnie (Feb 14, 2008)

but could a vet tell you the babies would be blind and deaf?


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## Guest (Mar 12, 2008)

No, how does any breeder know that the first time he breeds a pair of rabbits?


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## minnie (Feb 14, 2008)

because he can look back in the rabbits history and see that there is no history of it ?


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## Guest (Mar 12, 2008)

Right ok then on that presumption then there's no chance my rabbit will have blind or deaf kittens as he's come from a breeder who has looked into his history.


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## minnie (Feb 14, 2008)

well there is always a chance for whatever reason that they could be deformed but i suppose theres less chance if there is no history of it


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## Guest (Mar 12, 2008)

We bred pet shop hamsters, they had 2 very healthy litters, of which one went to a friend and I know is still doing well at nearly 2 years old.

My rabbit has regular checks at the vet and they are always shocked at how healthy he is. The look of disappointment when they cant charge me to sort his teeth out always brings a smile to my face.


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## minnie (Feb 14, 2008)

ahhh you can't beat that look of dissappointment on a money-loving vets face!


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## BabyBlonde (Mar 7, 2008)

well munchy and prince were from a farm breeder


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## swinnk8 (Feb 10, 2008)

ajshep1984 said:


> What difference does it make if they come from a pet shop? Not being funny, just wondering.


Hi Alan

A lot of petshop rabbits nowadays are from people who either have had a litter by mistake and need to get rid of them or from breeders that are selling their rejects. These rejects sometimes have minor problems. They are either runts of the litter, have minor defects, throw backs while trying to improve their stock standards for show, or generally not good enough show standards. You will not know which unless you are experienced in rabbits and know your standards and rabbit ailments and know what to look out for.
Pet shop owners are never truthful about their sources,and they are never truthful about whether the stock is related, they are in a business, and in it to make money, so you do not know what you are really getting. This means if you breed frm a pet shop bunny you may end up with interbred litters, teeth malocclusion, weak litters and deformed litters. It is the same with guinea pigs and rodents.

I know what sort of rabbits and rodents go into petshops as i use to work in a well known pet store for a long time as a pet care consultant/supervisor. I know my rabbits ,breeding etc and i use to make sure the rabbits and rodents were checked throughly on delivery, went to good homes and that it was made clear when they signed for the rabbit that it was noted on their reciept that the animals we sold were not to be bred from even though their health was ok. 
Even though we stuck to single source show breeders as suppliers, problems with the stock still did occur because These suppliers were selling the store stock that was no good for show. 
Suppliers were changed if there was a reoccuring problem but it is the same with all petshop breeders. You are lucky if you get show quality stock from a breeder. The problem with this is pet shops do not want to buy the stock as they are charged show quality prices, so they make no profit.

Like with a cat or dog if you go to a breeder you can look at the parentage
and at the other rabbits that are being bred, their husbandry and if they are show breeders their standards will be better


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## Guest (Mar 13, 2008)

Interesting reading, never realised any of that! Never heard about any of that before. You're making me worry about my poor pet shop bought rabbit now!


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## swinnk8 (Feb 10, 2008)

ajshep1984 said:


> Interesting reading, never realised any of that! Never heard about any of that before. You're making me worry about my poor pet shop bought rabbit now!


As long as he is healthy has had a vet check, and his teeth are fine and he has good weight on him and eating well, then he'll be ok as a pet, but i would not breed from him.


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