Baby bunnies!

[snarkfeathers]

OMG...your buns are sooo cute! Thanks for easing my mind about the no-tail.

As for the rest...well, I understand why you would be upset. Please forgive me for my inexperience and let me explain myself better.

We always intended to get Shakes neutered. We also wanted to get a companion for him. We thought "why not get a doe...we should breed him at least once before we got him neutered." Selfish and immature...probably. We intended to get another dutch dwarf and have purebred babies but Foxy came into our lives instead. When we first brought her home she was mean and always growling but has gradually calmed down. Since she's had the babies she has become WAY more affectionate too. And her babies are gorgeous and look like purebred dwarfs and not wild rabbits. I suspect that she may be part dwarf/rex/? because she is quite small. I very much doubt that her babies would be considered as people food.

We already had a very good pet store/vet that told us they would take any healthy babies if we decided to breed, and since we don't have pet snakes in New Zealand, I'm not worried about them becoming snakefood!

I am worried about them finding good homes with people who will treat them right and not coop them up in tiny hutches. Although I know they will be treated very well while at the store (they have a special large area for bunnies and guinea pigs) I can't be sure who will buy them. This is one of the main reasons I must get them fixed asap - I don't think it's right to keep making heaps of babies and not have good homes for them. Would also be getting them fixed for their health and happiness of course. I might have to rehome them myself so that I can screen the people...I just would hate not knowing who they end up with. We are also planning to keep at least one of the babies in the family, and get properly neutered when old enough of course.

I do intend to get Shakes fixed asap (before Foxy has the next litter so in the next couple weeks). What you wrote about him still being able to impregnate her after he is fixed concerns me...I really don't want to separate them for that long unless absolutely necessary.

Shakes has been so much happier since we got Foxy...and not just for the sex (she won't let him when she's preggers). They do everything together now. We have tried to separate them after she got pregnant but they both seem miserable when they are not together.

All in all, our bunnies are pampered and happy pets. So I hope nobody gets upset or angry because of my previous post.

Someone please advise on the 2 month separation! She can still get pregnant after she's fixed doesn't make sense to me cause they take out the ovaries right?

[Karen]

She can still get pregnant after HE is neutered. After she's spayed, then she cannot, but for male rabbits, there's a bit of a waiting period before they're incapable of producing offspring.

[buttercup132]

Thats good that you dont have pet snakes in your area I guess , so it slims that down. Why dont you put a addin the paper for the babies and make them fill out a contract saying they MUST spay/nuter there babies when they are 6 months and to have no interaction with any male/female bunnies until then. To have updates on them monthly and if they were to ever not want them anymore to give them back to you. To always be in contact with you and to always make sure you know where they are.
I know I have too made the mistake of having 2 litters of babies aswell and I got in lots of trouble with people on my bunny board. And it was fun having babies but after you look at the reality and what their lives will be like it's just not worth it for your pleasure. It also is bad for the girl to have too mnay litters and for them to be so close together. I belive you are a good person but just need to fix your bunnies I do hope you stick around we need more bunny people. Got any more pictures to share?

[jackie]

Looking forward to seeing more pictures of your buns!

I am glad you are opting to get the buns fixed asap!

[Miss Z]

Your bunnies are very sweet! I used to keep bunnies, and i know how fun they are to keep!

I was comforted today when i saw that one of your bunnies is called Foxy, as you can see in my avatar, i recently lost my beautiful smoke pearl cross syrian hamster, and her name was Foxy . Thanks for reminding me of her today

[snarkfeathers]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the positive feedback! I would love to share more pics but someone (my hubby) dropped our camera...grrr...
money's tight...so first I will get Shakes fixed and then the camera! Might be a few weeks...probably too late for this litter but I will definately post pics of the next litter...maybe put something on Flikr.

These babies are sooooo unbelievable adorable! They are so active now, it won't be long until they get out of the nest box! There is one we call Lightning because he has a little lightning bolt stripe but otherwise he takes after Shakes - black with white band and blaze. The other three are agouti with white bands and two of them have tiny white stars. We've dubbed them, Flash, No-tail, and Bighead (no star). Lightning is timid but curious, Flash is sweet and curious, No-tail is just sweet, and Bighead is ballsy. Lightning is my hubby's fave and I like Flash the most...so looks like we might keep two. I wonder though...what happens when the next litter is just as precious...do we keep two more...? hmm................
How many is too many?

We just moved into this house (our first house) a couple months ago, and have lots of plans for their patio. They have an enclosed porch, the brick patio and a dirt area with trees right now but we want to put in a grassy strip and plants for them to munch on. I also want some flowers or an herb garden in the back but I know they will eat everything! So I can maybe put stuff in pots or build raised beds or tall topiary herbs like bay and rosemary... but I don't know if I have the patience for that! Any ideas?

[snarkfeathers]

your Foxy was beautiful! what a gorgeous colour!

What is the difference between hampsters and other rodents? I don't think we have hamsters in NZ.

Tia Maria is so cute (and great name!)

We lost our first darling ratty, Ratty, last year and it was so sad. Only a few days later we were at our pet store and they told us about this young rat they had that someone had brought back because they "didn't have enough time for her." So now we have Padmé.

We have a hard time with friends and relatives that hate rats and don't understand why we want to keep them or what wonderful pets they can be.
People hear "rat" and think of big scruffy diseased sewer rats. I think we need to start a campaign...change the name or something. Prunes are dried plums, rats can be....i dunno...mini-dogs? They're affectionate and smart and can learn tricks like dogs. Or maybe...Hand-dogs. Any ideas?

Most of my life i've had horses and cats as pets...now i have rabbits and rats. And I love ALL of them. I guess a pet is a pet. I want guinea pigs and birds next...this IS an addiction isn't it? Does anyone else go to the pet store or wherever and just stare for hours (or until hubby drags you away)?