DOES BRED!

I'm so excited! Today- I GOT TWO DOES BRED! As you know, I've been trying everything- well, of the four does I brought inside, one has entered in to "living in sin" (as I joke) with one of my bucks, one still refuses to lift, and my two mini lop does that needed to be bred were caught multiple times!

How did this miracle occur, you ask?

Well, they all lived inside, to get more daylight (and artificial light, since we live inside). Yesterday, they each got turns in my indoor buck's cage, to stretch out, play, and generally get freaked out by the smell of each other and the buck that is on the cage.

Today, it's warm. North Carolina is setting all time highs this week, with temperatures in the low to mid 70s IN THE MOUNTAINS! So, Tim & I seized the chance to clean out some cages.

I hauled the cage with the three does outside (remember, one is living with her bunny boyfriend), and I thought "This is mean, they are so close to this nice grass...."

Something I should explain- when I first started out, my rabbits all lived in solid bottom pet cages. I still have these cages, and when it's a nice day, we enjoy putting the wire tops on the grass and letting a few favorites graze and lay in the sun.

So, I pulled out three of the cage tops, put them girls in them and then inspiration struck- I've done "grass breedings" before, usually when the does were super ready to breed and I needed to get out of Tim's way while he dumped pans. So, I ran off and grabbed a buck, and put him in with Keep's Eve. They cuddled and nothing much happened, then suddenly *GRUNT* off he rolls! Of course I was worried he was faking it, but he seems to be a nice, level headed buck. A few minutes later he got her again, and this time I actually saw her lift!

Meanwhile, nothing much was happening in the other cages. I had 2 large "breeding cages" and a "transit" cage, which was only big enough for one rabbit. I got them used to eating the grass, then rotated that doe in to a larger breeding cage.

Something I've noticed about my girls, especially the mini lops- they aren't fast women. My gals seem to prefer cuddling and getting to know the bucks before they'll lift.

So, I've brought in two new does, one wooley and one mini lop, and the wooley that wouldn't breed today. Tonight, they are getting more apple cider vinegar, rotation in the magic cage, and tomorrow they'll be spending some time on the grass!

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry