Shhh Don’t tell the Boss!
I am not sure if any of you know but I actually breed and exhibit rabbits, in particular the breeds Ivory Satins and Sables. I have kept both breeds for many years with varying success. During the autumn and winter weekends I will be driving around the country visiting shows to exhibit my stock.
Sometimes I will get a Red Card which is a 1st in the breed class and if I am very lucky the rabbit would go on to win Best Fur or even Best in Show. But it all starts from the breeding stock, early in spring I decide which pairings to make, based on the previous success I may have or not had.
The does have their litters approx 31 days later and the size of the litter can range from 1-14 but the average is about 6. The youngsters are left with their mums for approx 6-8 weeks until they are fully weaned and can then be taken to a new hutch of their own. I leave them together for approx 2-3 weeks and then separate them again buy this time I have probably got my eye on one or two show rabbits!
Last week though I had a disaster, a doe with 6 youngsters who were all doing well and about 10 days old, suddenly died leaving them as orphans. They would never survive on their own so I decided I had to try my utmost to save them. Never in all my years keeping rabbits had I attempted this before!! The outcome is usually bad as they are notoriously difficult to hand rear.
To be in with a chance they needed feeding 3 times a day but with working how could I manage that middle feed? What else could I do? Of course I had to bring them into work and feed them at lunch time, nobody would know!!
Well you guessed it everyone knew and they all wanted a peep, never had so many visitors to my office!! Lots of ohhing and ahhing going on. There is no guarantee they will live which is a shame but I will give it my best shot.
Here are the little blighters!
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| Tucked up in their make shift bed |
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| Just been fed |
Come back soon and see how we get on...if I haven’t had the sack!
