# Getting a Doe rabbit to WANT to Be Bred



## PygmyGoatGirl (Apr 20, 2015)

My *annoying*, and I know, perfectly normal, doe hates to be bred. She gets SO angry. She's been bred successfully (sort of, she had 3 kits, but all deformed and dead), but it took 45 minutes! Our other doe took like five. I NEED to get my doe bred, any suggestions? I've tried ACV. Do you think having her and the buck together (under supervision) for an hour or so would help?


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## cheefulmelody (May 27, 2015)

Not worth trying to me. Unless she is something really special you would have better luck replacing her rather than having a fight every time.


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## nicolemackenzie (Dec 27, 2014)

How old is she? Does she react differently to a different buck?

I wouldn't force the issue. Maybe there is something that makes breeding painful for her.


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

Try a different buck. I'm having this issue with my mini lops. I had one doe and a buck. She would not lift for him so he could never get her. So I put her with a new Zealand buck and the new Zealand doe with the mini lop to see if it made a difference. Both does bred right away. But a stray dog tore into my pens and killed the mini lop doe. Fast forward 5 months and I got a new adult mini lop doe. Same thing. She will NOT let my mini lop buck breed her, but just accepted my new Zealand buck in mins after refusing the mini lop for 30 mins. Lol so apparently I have does that don't like lop ears. Lol

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## Ranger1 (Sep 1, 2014)

A small litter, they were all deformed and dead... Maybe nature doesn't want her to get pregnant for some reason...


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## GaGoats2017 (Sep 5, 2017)

I have had that same trouble with my doe rabbit too. I just assumed with rabbits, it would be easy to get babies ya know. 

I thought they were both does so they were together. She had her first litter which was an accident, and killed them all. Then he bred her back the same day before I separated them, without me knowing. Then killed her second litter. 

Tried to breed purposefully for a third litter and she wanted nothing to do with him. And he didnt try either, they just sat around and ate their pellets. No interest in each other at all. I tried for a week straight, at least 3 times a day for about 10-20 min at least. And nothing, just acted like best buds. (Friend zoned rabbits??)

Finally just put her in with him, and left them together for a week. And marked my calander for the first day I put them together. Separated her after that week. And a few weeks later I had a batch of healthy bunnies! She made a nest and everything.

Not saying that it is always a good idea to just throw them together and leave them...but it worked for me. My two adults were raised together also, so I wasn't too scared about them fighting. Some just don't have the maternal instincts like others do I guess. But if it didn't work the third time, I already had new rabbits picked out and ready to bring home. So there is a point where it's not worth trying anymore.


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## BoulderOaks (Sep 24, 2014)

Hours of light can play a huge role in a doe's willingness to breed. Having a full spectrum lightbulb on them for about 14 hours a day should do the trick. 

Other things to try, that can help along with the light, is ACV in the water(I know you said you tried, but it's still a good tip) at 2 tablespoons per gallon starting at least 1-2 weeks before breeding, taking her to a show(the smells of all the other rabbits on the table seems to get a doe interested), and switching cages for a couple days.


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