oops! My Flemish Giant mated with my Mini Lop!!

[montana girl]

I am sort of freaking out here and I hope someone can help me. Our Flemish Giant has free access to your fenced enclosed yard. My lops are in their own enclosure. I am not sure how it happened, but the cage door was open this morning when I went out to feed and water, and my female mini lop was gone.
A few moments later I saw that Sampson (my Flemish Giant male) and Freya (my mini lop female) were enjoying newly wedded bliss.

Please tell me what will happen? Will the babies be too big for Freya?

Thank you for any help you can give me.

Darlene

 

[trestlecreek]

Darlene,
I do not know for sure.
If this were my rabbit, I would be on the phone to the vet to see if we could safely abort. I wouldn't want to risk anything.
She may be fine? But I do not have any experience with breeding a larger breed rabbit to a smaller doe, so I don't have a good answer for you.

 

[rebecca100]

Has she ever kindled before? If she has it will help, but I would be very worried. The babies will possibly be larger than what she can have. Maybe she will have them with no problem if she has had a few litters. Then again, I had a big kiko goat about 200 lbs breed a 50 lb pygmy doe and she kidded for the first time with no problem. Same thing with rabbits. Maybe she'll have them no problem. Just note the date and keep watch on her due day.

 

[montana girl]

Wow, thank you so much!

Yes, she has had two previous litters with no problems at all. I have written down the date and will be watching like a hawk.

Thank you so much for the replies.

 

[JoieDeViveRabbitry]

Well we are nearing 31 days since the deed happened, what is going on with your doe Montana?

I did have a French Angora buck breed a Mini Rex Doe, I have my kids to thank for that!
She kindled one LARGE doe kit and that was it, but it was like more than double the Mini Rex kit size, I didn't even know she was pregnant until she had made a nest and delivered and I found the kit.
Later my daughter fessed up to putting Peter in with Dunkin for them to visit, I was ticked!

Just be on the lookout for mumified kits. Usually in that case the doe will go over the due date and show no symptoms of nest building or kindling.
Upon palpatation, hard calcified kits will be felt in the abdomen, they will feel like tumors for lack of better terminology. These require surgery to remove unfortunately as the doe will not be able to deliver them.

If your doe is in active labor for a long period of time (you'll know it, most breeders don't see their rabbits in labor at all as it is done at night time or in private), a shot of oxytocin SubQ could be mighty helpful in getting her to deliver, once administered it usually only takes about 5 minutes for birth to happen and it sometimes happens so fast that the doe delivers on the wire. Stand by if you use this method to make sure they get into the nest. If you need doses I can find it for you.
Do not give oxytocin unless you are certain she is in labor though. You can buy this at a farm store or online usually. It will be for livestock, cattle, pigs, etc.

 

[montana girl]

Thank you so much Jenna for the informative reply. I have been checking her every day and she shows no signs of nest building ect. The stranger thing is that I cannot feel any babies, and with her previous litters I was able to.

So I am just waiting, and waiting.

Thank you so much for the oxy reccomendation. I have my vet on notice so that if things go awry I can give him a call.

Thank you again and I will be sure and let you know what happens!

 

[JoieDeViveRabbitry]

Thank you so much Jenna for the informative reply. I have been checking her every day and she shows no signs of nest building ect. The stranger thing is that I cannot feel any babies, and with her previous litters I was able to.

So I am just waiting, and waiting.

Thank you so much for the oxy reccomendation. I have my vet on notice so that if things go awry I can give him a call.

Thank you again and I will be sure and let you know what happens!

You know it's funny, because I was handling my Min rex doe alot and I never knew she was pregnant with that huge single kit either.
Let's hope for some reason she didn't take! If you don't see anything within the next 4 days or so I would take a deep breath and assume you got really lucky!

Usually I catch posts sooner but I was away showing my rabbits, I'm sorry I didn't you some advice sooner!

I'm glad you seem knowlegable and that you have a vet on standby! Good for you!