# What kind of an establishment are you running here?



## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

I went to check eggs this morning. I found one green egg from my EE and in the other nest box I found this!














































There are 2 other black babies, my phone ate the photos.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

No babies when I opened the coop at 6am. So they are only a couple hours old in these pictures.


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## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

Awwww!! How cute.

We used to find tiny babies like that at the barn all the time in the hay room.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

well, Mama has been sharing the big chicken run with the birds because the rabbit hutch is full of baby chickens. Apparently turn about is fair play since now my chicken coop is full of baby bunnies! I moved them out of the coop and fixed them a secure nest that the chickens can't get into.


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## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

Dainerra said:


> well, Mama has been sharing the big chicken run with the birds because the rabbit hutch is full of baby chickens. Apparently turn about is fair play since now my chicken coop is full of baby bunnies! I moved them out of the coop and fixed them a secure nest that the chickens can't get into.



lol, That's what the chickens get for taking over their hutch!


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## Germanshepherdlova (Apr 16, 2011)

City gal that I am, I was about to ask what type of animal that was-but I just read another comment, so it's a rabbit right?


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Glad it was you and not me. I would have thought they were rats and killed them. I'd hate to accidentally kill bunnies.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

What the heck is that? :wild:


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

Germanshepherdlova said:


> City gal that I am, I was about to ask what type of animal that was-but I just read another comment, so it's a rabbit right?


yeah, newborn babies! 5 or 6 hours old at most. You can't really mistake the big pile of bunny fur. I just wasn't expecting babies! this does explain why she was trying to dig a hole to China a couple days ago


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## Germanshepherdlova (Apr 16, 2011)

Dainerra said:


> yeah, newborn babies! 5 or 6 hours old at most. You can't really mistake the big pile of bunny fur. I just wasn't expecting babies! this does explain why she was trying to dig a hole to China a couple days ago


Here I thought that fur was from your GSD blowing his coat!


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I thought it was GSD hair too! :laugh:

Gosh, bunnies sure are ugly when they are hairless aliens!


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

lol Lauren. yeah, they get cuter once they get hair. In the beginning, they are kind of creepy looking


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Dainerra said:


> lol Lauren. yeah, they get cuter once they get hair. In the beginning, they are kind of creepy looking


Ya, furry bunnies are adorable, those things are scary. :wild:


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## Germanshepherdlova (Apr 16, 2011)

laren616 said:


> ya, furry bunnies are adorable, those things are scary. :wild:


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

all the babies are doing great today! she's rearranged the nest after I moved them, but seemed to like the new spot I made them. All have little ping pong bellies and are jumping like crazy if you touch the nest


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

I was gonna ask what the heck they were! I've never seen NEW baby bunnies like that before. Interesting. Kinda cute but a little creepy looking at the same time. I thought the fur too was GSD fur lol. Nope!


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## amaris (Jan 6, 2011)

HAHA...i had no idea what they were either...the 4th photo made me think rat babies >.<

but aww....bunnies  They do look strange at this stage though.


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## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

Dang it, I'm glad I wasn't the only one who had to ask what they were!


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

GSDs shed???????


as they get a little older they get cute.. lol they are freakin' ADORABLE by the time their eyes are open and they are moving around!

Here is a pic from the last litter she had:


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## CelticGlory (Jan 19, 2006)

What kind of rabbits do you have? I've always wanted a bunny or two, but I think it would too full of a house with dogs, cats, a bird, and than bunnies! lol.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

they are mutts. lol $5 feed store bunnies left over after the Easter rush.

We are running a petting zoo around here lol
Counting the babies, there are 8 bunnies, 2 GSDs, 2 parakeets, a whole flock of fish, 1 rooster, 4 hens and 6 baby chicks. 
Plus 1 husband, a tween, and a teenager. :crazy:


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i was wondering what they were also. i thought they
were rats.



Germanshepherdlova said:


> City gal that I am, I was about to ask what type of animal that was-but I just read another comment, so it's a rabbit right?


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i thought it was dog hair. 



Dainerra said:


> yeah, newborn babies! 5 or 6 hours old at most.
> 
> >>>>You can't really mistake the big pile of bunny fur.<<<<
> 
> I just wasn't expecting babies! this does explain why she was trying to dig a hole to China a couple days ago


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Feb 3, 2011)

Awww, how cute and creepy at the same time 

Do you raise bunnies too?


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

I would never have guessed the new born babies were bunnies. The picture of the older white one is adorable!!!


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

*updated pics baby bunnies*

updated pics: 
2 days old











































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do I raise bunnies? Not on purpose but it's starting to look that way.

They are already looking more like bunnies. In a few days their eyes will open and then they just get cuter every single day!


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## Snickelfritz (Feb 21, 2007)

I had no idea baby bunnies were born hairless and helpless! No idea! I thought they were baby mice. I raised Cavy (Guinea Pigs) and when they are born their eyes are open and have hair, tiny and cute but can already run. Wow! They are so cute! I want one


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

How cute-Ror was digging a hole the other day-hope she's not expecting bunnies


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## catz (Dec 10, 2010)

Very cute. They do look a bit like baby rats but the ears and size are a give a way. Are you going to get mum spayed now? Its advisable to have bunnies in neutered pairs. 
Here are some baby rats for comparison


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

she was supposed to go to a breeding home a couple weeks ago actually. The only time she likes to be handled is when she has babies. Very odd girl that way lol She is a large mix, would be a good doe for breeding meat rabbits. I just don't have the heart to eat them myself.

My vet is actually advising against having the boys neutered. They don't fight and get along well. *gasp* he even thinks that it's best to not neuter dogs/cats unless you think there is a risk of them getting out to breed unwanted litters.


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## catz (Dec 10, 2010)

Is two litters not enough for one bunny to have though? Its not really fair to use them as breeding machines. 
If you dont eat the babies is this tecnically an unwanted litter? 
Sorry I hope I'm not coming across as stuck up but I dont feel its fair to let rabbits have litters here and there. It really takes a toll on their bodies. 
I'm trying to think of it like if someone joined up here with a mixed breed dog and showed pictures of their second suprise litter. They would be flamed. Rabbits may not be dogs but they should be treated with the same respect. Sending her to a home where she will be bred repeatedly for meat is the same as a puppy farm over breeding their bitches for pet shops. 
Maybe I'm being naive as most of my friends have house bunnies and they are like having a small dog around. You have intact males and females together and they are allowed to breed which seems irresponsible to me. 
I work with a small animal rescue and we get so many rabbits brought in. There is no need to breed. Like we say on here there are to many unwanted dogs in shelters, there are too many unwanted bunnies in rescues as well. 
I am honestly not trying to put you down or start an argument but I feel we cant get mad over breeding one animal too much and not give the same attitude to another animal


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

All I know about rabbits is what I read in "Watership Down", but, aren't rabbits built to have litters constantly as long as there is enough nutrients? The phase, "breeding like rabbits" also comes to mind.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

We found this litter in our lawn mower....I put them where mom could find them. Didn't have the heart to let them die, even if they were just field mice.


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## CelticGlory (Jan 19, 2006)

From what I remember from my Rabbits Only forum days, you have to keep the girls apart from the boys!! They can reproduce as soon as they get old enough to mate at three months old.


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## catz (Dec 10, 2010)

Any animal can breed constantly but its no real life for the rabbit. They are kept in hutches to small for them. Rabbits should have 6 square foot of space in their cage per rabbit and at least 2- 3 hours out of their hutch to be happy. Most people dont realise that the hutches on the market are not big enough for a bunny. I can imaging if they are being kept for meat they wont have much space. 
Also its best to keep rabbits in neutered opposite sex pairs for company as they are very social. Cancer is a common thing in un neutered rabbits. 
I dont think its right to breed bunnies when there are 35,000 rabbits in rescues in the uk and Ireland and many more in rescues in the USA. 
I deal with rabbits being dumped every day so its a topic close to my heart.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

actually my bunnies have a large outdoor run (7' by 8') with 2 attached houses for shelter. She wasn't meant to be bred again. DH thought it would be ok to put all the bunnies in one run while he did some repairs to the fence. The 2 males have been separated since they were weaned.

The person who was supposed to take her (and might still) has a similar arrangement. Rabbits are kept in breeding trios, with mothers being separated before birth. All the bunnies have houses with attached runs. I will tell you though, that I've not met many rabbits that are social with each other. 

Not going to argue the meat rabbit industry on this forum. females that throw good kits are bred a few times then retired. No different than breeding cows, pigs or any other food animal


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## catz (Dec 10, 2010)

Your set up sounds fine and I'm honestly not trying to put you down as an owner in general but what if I said my GSD got pregnant because my OH thought it was ok to put her in the garden with with an intact male. That would be considered irresponsible dog ownership and to let it happen to a bunny is just as irresponsible. Your bunny has already had 2 litters. When you sell her on you wont know how many times they will breed her back to back. Is it fair? A rabbit shouldn't have to live under that constant stress. 
Try think of it as a dog. We complain constantly on this forum about by breeders or are horrified when we hear of a dog having her 4th litter. Why cant we be just as horrified hearing it when its a rabbit. 
I know many people with a pair of bunnies who live together in the house. They are affectionate, know tricks and are litter trained. I believe an animal with the same intelligence and potential as a dog should be treated with the same kindness. 
The meat isn't the thing that bothers me, its the abuse of a poor rabbits body with to many litters.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

I actually know the breeder. She doesn't breed back to back. She breeds does for 2-3 litters and then processes them. 

Personally not something that I have a problem with. I know that she won't be a pet. She really isn't a pet now because she really dislikes people. I haven't seen a rabbit under any stress when they have a litter though. 
I don't see it as any more irresponsible than breeding any other livestock for food. Good care taken of the bunnies = better return for the meat


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Meat rabbits don't usually end up in shelters or rescue...they go in a tummy.


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## catz (Dec 10, 2010)

Any animal have up to 5 litters is to much in my opinion. Your rabbits body will be under stress. Being pregnant is hard and having 20+ babies in a short space of time is going to take its toll. 
Her soul purpose is to pump out babies and then be killed herself. That makes me very sad for her. 
If it was a dog this thread would look very different. Sadly rabbits are in the group of disposable pets like rats, hamsters and guinea pigs. 
Your rabbit has feelings and is intelligent. I cant see the kind of life your are describing being fit for any animal.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

onyx, yes very true. The same can be said for my chickens. Yes we love on them, name them, and cuddle them. Then when they start to slow down we eat them.

I'd do the same with the bunnies, but I'm a sissy. Plus, I'd rather have beef or chicken than rabbit for dinner. Agree that I didn't intend to have this litter with her. but two litters in the life of a 4 yr old bunny is hardly over-stressing her body.


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## catz (Dec 10, 2010)

onyx'girl said:


> Meat rabbits don't usually end up in shelters or rescue...they go in a tummy.


I realise that but the OP said she dosen't eat rabbit so her two litters would be considered pets


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

just because I don't eat them doesn't mean that I don't sell/give them to people who do.

I used to have a pet cow. Just because I didn't eat her didnt mean that someone else didn't


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