My husband is so cute sometimes. Last night he was asking me why I needed to buy any more rabbits at all, just breed the ones I had and let the young ones grow out to see what we had. I explained why, obviously in more detail than he wanted to really know.
This morning he helped prepare our van with one of the transport cages that had been delivered yesterday and to make the hour long drive to Silver Lox, but he had decided to go with me because at least we would be spending time together, which admittedly is not something we get to do much. I suppose he thought he would keep me from buying the more than I should, but we only had two holes in the one carrier we were taking with us and that is my limit for cages in my rabbitry currently. When we got there, however....the impulse buyer side of him came out...as usual.
I was specifically looking for a doe to fill the breeding gap I was going to have in the fall with culling of two does after weaning, one is just old and the other, too crippled. Then we would have only two does to start the season until November with at least one doe from the XCY-3 kindle. Beth was as helpful as ever. She already had two does out that she was evaluating when we arrived. She showed us the two blue does—what is it with me and blue does?—that were nice with lovely temperaments, one a bit nicer in type than the other. The better one was perhaps a bit narrow, but everything looked good on the table for three months old, so I decided to take her.
My highest priority, though, was for a really nice buck. Beth had two that were also three months old. The first was nice, the second one was nicer—in regards to looks, but he had some serious temperament issues with being handled and I have the scratches to prove it. We all discussed some things, as I was thinking it out. Temperament is such a huge issue with me, but he was not a biter, just wanted to escape and I was thinking I could work that fear out of him.
In the meantime, my husband looked to the next cage over from those the two bucks and asked about the buck there. That one sired my XCY-3 kindle, which is looking very good so far. It was not one she offered, but she brought him to the table. I was hopeful and I loved his temperament, but he just did not quite have exactly what I was looking for. My husband looked him over and announced that was his pick, but Beth and I agreed that the second one was better overall...and badder overall too.
Beth had not tattooed either one of these two rabbits and asked if I wanted to do it myself at home, but I have not had the experience of tattooing before. Although I had bought a tattoo pen, I really did not know how to use one yet. I said I would love it if she would show me and she preceded to spray the ears with a numbing solution and tattooed both. The buck was the more difficult one just because he does not like handled, but the doe was rather good about it. So, now I know how the pen works, I just need to do it myself.
I want to thank Beth Kown for teaching me, as well as offering me some great rabbits.
When we got home with our two new additions, we found Black Ivy pulling fur. We decided to have lunch and when I went back out, I counted seven quite small kits, five blacks and two blues—I bet the blues are does too, never have had a keeper blue buck yet! This is her first kindle and she had them in two areas. I moved them so they were all together and noticed she had left the placentas and the kits could use more cleaning. I decided to give her some time to clean them up, since this was her first time, but I will remove the leftover placentas this evening if she has not.
What a great day for a rabbit keeper!