PURCHASING A GOOD DOE FOR BREEDING

Selecting a good doe or does to begin a breeding program requires a lot more than I originally realized when I began thinking about breeding my little dwarfs. There are some key questions you should ask any potential breeder when looking for stock. The most important thing I have found as a new breeder is to ask a lot of questions and look at a lot of different bunnies in your selection process. Don't be too quick to get a good deal or buy based on how the doe appears. Her type is very important but so is her history of kindling and other factors. Look at the big picture and do your best to balance a couple of different factors when making that final choice.

First of all, don't forget to ask some questions:

• How old is the doe?
  This is an important question because generally you want a doe that is no more than 2 years old.
• Does she readily receive the buck when placed in his cage or is she a seasonal breeder?
  I found out about this question the hard way. I purchased a beautiful doe only to discover that no matter what I did she would not accept the buck. The idea that rabbits breed "like rabbits" insinuating that it is easy is wrong. Bunnies will not always cooperate and some does are very seasonal in wanting to breed. There are many ways you can try and motivate the doe to breed but in the end it is wonderful to not have to worry about these things. You realize quickly that having a proven and reliable doe is so very valuable after you've gone through the hassle of trying to motivate a non-motivated doe to breed.
• Has this doe kindled before? How many times?
  It seems to be an accepted idea that a doe is proven after about her third litter. Sometimes it takes them up to three litters to really get things right and develop the instinct necessary to deliver and care for her kits. It's hard to judge what type of mother the doe will be before this time but after the third litter she should definitely have it down.
• When was her last litter delivered?
  It's good to find this out so you can decide when it is best to breed her again. If you are eager to begin a breeding program, you don't want to purchase a doe that has just weaned her kits. She will need time to build her condition back and it would be unfair to push her when she is not physically ready.
• Were there any complications to the delivery?
  It is good to know if a doe has had a history of "giant" kits or other problems with the delivery process. If you are just beginning I suggest that you try to find a proven and reliable doe that has not experienced trouble in the past. Of course, this is not a guarantee that it won't happen but it is better if she isn't predisposed to troubles from the start.
• How many kits does she usually deliver?
  Dwarfs have a tendency to have small litters of 2-3. However, there are dwarf does out there that will deliver up to 6 kits at a time. It's good to have some idea of what to expect when the time comes. Of course, this is again no guarantee as I have recently discovered when one of my does had 5 kits when she usually delivers 2. These little dwarfs can be full of surprises!!
• Does she take care of her kits? Do they reach weaning age with little complication?
  It is best to know if the doe takes good care of the kits by building a proper nest and readily feeding and cleaning them. Dealing with hand feeding and having to clean the kits continually is a very difficult and time consuming job. Hand feeding is very often a losing proposition because of the complications that can occur and can be heartbreaking.
• Does her family line have reliable mothers?
  Many people subscribe to the belief that mothering is a genetic trait that is passed down. A good mother probably came from another good doe and so on. It adds a little piece of mind at the very least to know that your doe has a good chance of being a reliable mom because that trait is present in her genetic line.
• Has she ever delivered a "peanut"?
  This questions supplies you with a couple different areas of information. First, it tells you that your doe definitely carries the dwarf gene which can be passed to her offspring. When two bunnies carrying the dwarf gene each pass it to a kit, it becomes a "peanut" which is a very undeveloped kit that will not usually survive past the 4th day after birth. You have to be prepared to deal with this reality and check the nest after birth to remove any that might be born dead. They are very small as their name indicates and they are often deformed with a larger head and smaller limbs.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

A few other things to consider when purchasing a doe for you breeding program are as follows:

• Keep in mind that the doe should not be smaller than the buck you plan to breed her to. This can cause complications with birth as the kits may be too large for the small doe to deliver.
• Always look carefully at the doe's pedigree. Does she come from good stock? It's always best to buy a good looking doe from great lines than a super looking doe that may be from mediocre lines. Buy the best stock that you can afford to begin your program!
• Ask about the temperment of the doe. It is my belief that temperment is passed genetically to a certain extent. Some people don't worry about breeding for temperment as much as any other trait but if you do, it should be a consideration when choosing stock to begin breeding. When the time comes to check the kits in the nestbox, do you really want to chance putting your hand into a cage with an overly aggressive doe? I try very hard to handle each of my bunnies as much as possible and I don't like having a bunny around that won't let me into her cage. If you feel the same way, ask about temperment in the bunny's lines and handle the doe yourself to see if you feel comfortable with her.
• Make sure you are breeding two colors that work together genetically to create another showable color if you wish to show your bunnies. Do your homework to understand which colors can be bred to which others. When starting out it is best to choose one or two colors to specialize in and begin there. That way you can really concentrate on working toward the bunny's body type and worry less about getting the correct color as well.
• Most of all remember that it takes years of working on a good breeding program to raise that winning dwarf! I have to keep reminding my self of this:>) Mother nature plays a large role in this hobby and just because you have two beautiful animals to breed doesn't guarantee anything of quality will be born. That's what makes this so interesting... It is a lot of fun to try and outthink mother nature:>) And hopefully sometimes you will win! Good luck!