# Sexing question



## goatiegirl (Jan 7, 2013)

I am new to sexing rabbits and have a question.

I have 5 baby rabbits and have been looking at pictures online and trying to figure it out for a few months.

So far I think I have 1 girl and 4 boys. I hope I am right because I have them separated that way.

Now that they are 3 months old, I am 99% sure on the girl. She has the "slit"

The boys are harder. One of them I am 99% sure. He is BIG and when you press on the area he definitely has a "thing" that pops out.
The other 3 boy's area have a circle but I don't see anything pop out of it, it is just a raised circle when you press. 
Anyone know if I am right to assume that the raised circle means boy??

Thanks for the help.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

donut shape is boy ..slit is girl : ) also boys have two sacks, one on either side of the donut


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## Grainneismygoat (Sep 14, 2012)

As they get older it should be easier to tell and also you will begin to know behavior wise.


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## goatiegirl (Jan 7, 2013)

So just to clarify. A donut shape is a boy even if nothing pops out??
I want to be sure because the "boy" we bought last year from a so called breeder is the reason we have the babies today. If the "breeder" got it wrong I am afraid I will. I don't want anymore unplanned breedings.
I have the "boys" in a cage together until the buyer picks them up. I don't want to put her in the same situation I found myself in when I bought mine.
The girl is with her mom until the other cage is free again.

Thanks.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

happybleats said:


> donut shape is boy ..slit is girl : ) also boys have two sacks, one on either side of the donut


LOL...we call it a "cheerio"....maybe I need more manly rabbits!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

males do have a little something that sticks out when you gently pull back


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## goatiegirl (Jan 7, 2013)

One has something obvious pop out. The others look like a "raised" circle. Does it just take longer for some boys to develop?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

here is a good link to help

http://www.pet-informed-veterinary-advice-online.com/sexing-rabbits.html


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Im sure some develop slower than others..it can be a hard call...my daughter put her Doe in with her buck to breed..she about killed him..she sold her as a mean Doe...the person who bought her said the reason she about killed her buck was because she was not a doe but a buck lol...My daughter should have known..but some are just harder to figure out lol..


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## ANurseswildflowers (Sep 11, 2013)

I raised rabbits for years in 4-H...you can use your index and middle finger to push down on both sides of the "area in question." A doe will have a distinctive line, slit, split, or what ever else you want to call it. A male will not have the splitting of the center part. A female is easy to spot out of a group of males when you keep this in mind. Also, depending on how old they are and if the does are around bucks, they will show signs of ovulation which would be a bright colored, red, purplish area...normal after 4-6 months of age...that lasts a few days every so often. Hopefully you know way earlier than that though, otherwise you will have babies soon


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## enchantedgoats (Jun 2, 2013)

we had that problem, went to a breeder for a doe at christmas then went back for a buck this summer, yup we have 2 bucks. oh well....


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

Lots of good advice here. What kind of rabbits do you have? For our New Zealand Whites, the males have a much blockier head then the does. 

Another idea, which is a little risky...is if you are sure you have a doe, and if they are over...oh, about 10 or 12 weeks, you can, (one at a time), put the "buck in question" in with her. Be ready to yank him out of there if he tries to mount her so you don't have an accident. If it's a female, she will not mount the other doe. This is not 100%, but it can help confirm a suspected buck. Again, be ready to pull him out fast. It takes less than 10 seconds for them to mate once they mount.


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## goatiegirl (Jan 7, 2013)

Ironic I saw this post this morning. Last night my daughter let the one male we kept out of her ooops litter out of his cage to run around the barn. SOMEHOW he managed to climb his mothers cage and collapse the top to get inside. She said she found them laying together when she went back to put him away. Knowing my luck I wont be surprised to find her preggo soon. 
Would babies from a mother/son litter come out deformed? Is there a way to stop the pregnancy if she is bred like you "lute" a goat???


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

Usually the male needs to be at least 7 months old before he is fertile. Have his testicles descended? He's probably too young yet to actually bring about a pregnancy if he's under 7 months. But if he did, it should be ok. Not ideal, but ok. There are a lot of articles around the internet about it. Here is one: http://www.azrabbits.com/az-rabbits-blog/in-breeding--line-breeding.html

I would feed the mother raspberry leaves if you have them. They will strengthen her during pregnancy, if indeed she is expecting. You'll know in 31 days.


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## goatiegirl (Jan 7, 2013)

Thanks goatiegranny. He is 5 months old so hopefully not fertile yet. Yes I do see his testicles. I really hope we don't have to go through this baby thing again so soon, although I didn't have any trouble finding homes for the last batch.
My daughter feels really bad about it because I told her not to leave him out unsupervised because I have seen him trying to climb the cage before. It is 3 feet up off the ground but I have fencing under it so my goats don't get under there. I have never seen a rabbit climb like that before. What a stinker!!


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

Yeah, he shouldn't be too fertile yet. Let's hope, huh? Oh how funny that he climbs. You should get a video of it.


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## DancingHoovesFarm (Nov 18, 2012)

I have had a 3 month old buck that bred three of my does and I didn't know it until thy all had babies on the wire. So never trust any buck over 8 weeks with does.


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

darakato said:


> I have had a 3 month old buck that bred three of my does and I didn't know it until thy all had babies on the wire. So never trust any buck over 8 weeks with does.


Wow!! Well, you know what they say about rabbits. I guess the only way to know for sure is to wait it out. At least it's a good time of year for little ones to be born if she is pg. They don't like that hot, hot summer heat. (At least ours don't.)


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## OwnedByTheGoats (Mar 7, 2013)

Okay, I had this problem when I was BRAND new. I wasn't pressing down correctly. PM me for more details, I have a very distinct rabbitry so I can answer most questions of yours with heavy details. Right now I am just too lazy to type the details, LOL!


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## OwnedByTheGoats (Mar 7, 2013)

darakato said:


> I have had a 3 month old buck that bred three of my does and I didn't know it until thy all had babies on the wire. So never trust any buck over 8 weeks with does.


Well, I allow my five month olds with females.  I knwo for smaller breeds that is true, but did you know for giants males CAN'T breed until 8 months? Females can breed at 7! Crazy, eh?


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