I started with rabbits four years ago. Having had a pet rabbit, I knew the basics of rabbit care. But I knew nothing of raising meat rabbits. I read a lot, joined groups and asked a lot of experienced breeders a lot of questions. Armed with a bit of knowledge, a bit of support and a lot of nervousness I began my journey. Beginner's jitters, I told myself, it will pass as you figure it out. And so it has. Litters come and go here with little fanfare and a lot of "ooohs" "aawws" and "so cuuuuute". But still after four years things happen that are just real strange and convince me that rabbits have a sense of humour that is far more advanced than their place in the evolutionary scheme of things would dictate. Not only is is their humour well developed, it can be cunning and rather sneaky, in short it has a touch of evil.
Flare, a perky, friendly little doe two years of age was bred a while back. I like Flare, she's the granddaughter of my beloved Sunfire and loves to follow me around doing the 'Bunny 500' (rabbits, when they're really happy will do things to show their feelings; "Binkies" are when they kind of flip in the air, "Floppies", that's pretty self descriptive, they flop down in a contented heap, the "Bunny 500" is a curious activity involving the rabbit running furious circles around a persons' feet). Unfortunately, for all her charm, Flare's birthing record is less than perfect. She's great when she does become a mama, medium sized litters all healthy kits with no runts. But Flare misses more times than most which means no litter at all.
Last summer I bred her and marked the calender with her due date, August 26. About ten days before she was due, I noticed she was digging around in a corner so I put in her nest box. Usually they recommend you don't put the nest box in until two or three days before delivery date otherwise the rabbit will use it as a potty station. I haven't found that the case in the colonies at all. First of all, the nest boxes are much, much bigger that the standard ones used in cages. Secondly, I designed them (Don built them) very long to resemble a burrow more. I also designed them very high so newborns would not fall out, chill and die. Moms just don't use these boxes to toliet in. When the babies are about two and a half to three weeks old, the mama will start building a ramp-like mound out of woodchips and straw in front of the nest box. Then the kits can get back in when they venture out.
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Flare happily jumped into the nest box and went to work, chewing up the straw and making everything comfy and homey. Her due date came and went and no kits showed up. I waited a couple of days, but no little hairless squigglelies in the box. Ah, well that happens. I was meaning to take the nest box out but that task kept on getting bumped to the bottom of my list.
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A week after she was due, I found Flare had been very busy lining the box with her own fur. In the rabbit world this usually means babies are putting in an appearance in the very near future, anywhere from 20 minutes to two days. I had rabbits go past due date by a day or two and I've heard they'll be up to five days late. I have never heard a rabbit going a week. Now I'm getting a little worried. I'm hoping I just got my dates mixed up. But there is a chance she has only one kit and it's grown to a humongous size, which happens sometimes when there's no competition for room space and nutrition. So I watch her carefully. She's perky, she's happy. She eating, eliminating fine. Everything's rosy in Flare's world. I wait two more days then I take the nest box away. Flare is unconcerned, studiously washing her left ear. As I leave, I'm pretty sure I caught her winking at her colony mate. Rotten little rabbit.
A beautifully made complete with fur-lined bowl nest and nary a kit in sight.
