This is our "In The Nest Box" page, which is sort of a preview for the "Available Bunnies" page. Check the dates to see if the pages have been updated lately. I'll always put a date on the top of the page so you will have a hint as to if the page is anywhere near current or not. There's just me for updating the web pages so it doesn't happen nearly as frequently as it should.
Hillside Camilla
a tortoiseshell doe
Hillside Azzie
a black buck
Camilla and Octavian had a litter of five earlier this year so hopefully Camilla and Azzie will have another good sized litter. That had been Cammie's first litter and she did an excellent job, especially as a first time mum bun. We are very hopeful that she will have another excellent litter.
Here's some color predictions on the possible litter between Camilla and Azzie, providing they appear:
Azzie's color genes: aa B_ Cc D_ E_
Camilla's color genes: aa bb C_ D_ ee
Well, none of the recessives match up except for the "aa" for "solids". This could be an all black litter. If any chocolates appear, then we will know that Azzie has the recessive "b" for chocolate. If any albino appear, then we will know that Camilla has the recessive "c" for albinos. If any torts appear, then we will know that Azzie has the recessive "e" for non-extension (torts & fawns). An entire black litter wouldn't be a bad thing, we could use some more black in the herd here.
Well, we will find out on January 28th, if she is going to have a litter. All three possible upcoming litters are due on January 28th, 2025 so we will find out then if any of them are going to have a litter.
Hillside Amy
an agouti doe
Hillside Dandelion
a Ruby Eyed White (REW) buck
Amy doesn't usually have a very large litter, her last litter was a litter of one. However, she is an excellent surrogate mum bun, so even if she has only one offspring, she can help the others with their babies if necessary. We are, of course, though, hoping for more than merely one offspring from her.
Here's some color predictions on the possible litter between Amy and Dandelion, providing they appear:
Amy's color genes: Aa B_ C_ Dd Ee
Dandelion's color genes: _a __ cc __ _e
Amy's litter (should she have them, she doesn't have a good record) could be agouti, black, and torts. If there's any REW, we will know she has the recessive "c" for albino. If there's any blues, then we will know that Dandy has the recessive "d" for dilute colors.
If she has a litter, it is also due on January 28th, 2025.
Amy was sneaky and didn't even start building a nest. Blondie has been taking grass into her nest box, but then she eats it instead of building a nest with it. Well, she doesn't quite eat all of it, but most of it. Camilla has been eating all the grass she is supposed to be using to build a nest. Amy had been eating her grass, too, but she saved a little bit of it for nest building. Most of Amy's nest is from pulled wool, she built a nice warm nest and had five babies! Usually, she either has none or maybe one or possibly two. But Five! Yay!
Four of the five are more than likely going to be REW, which is Ruby Eyed White, but you already knew what REW meant, didn't you? There is also a dark colored one, but I don't know if it will be agouti (wild rabbit color pattern) or black. Guess I could go out and see if it has a lighter color inside the ears. If the inside of the ears are dark, then it's a black bunny. If the inside of the ears are lighter, then it's an agouti color. Whatever color, she has five babies and usually she takes good care of babies so we are really hopeful that the whole litter will survive.
Hillside Blondie
a fawn doe
Hillside Dandelion
a Ruby Eyed White buck
Blondie is actually an older doe who hasn't had any offspring yet, although she's had five attempts. Not sure why she doesn't have her litters, this will be the sixth attempt and with a young buck this time, so hopefully she will have a litter. She was eight months old at the first attempt, which should have resulted in a litter. On the fifth attempt, the buck was quite young, so that may not have been a valid attempt. This time, she is three years old and the buck is ten months old and he's the sire of Clover's last litter so hopefully this time Blondie will have offspring?
Dandy is a "REW" which is another name for an albino rabbit. Blondie had an albino parent, so she can engender albinos as well. We are hoping for a lot of albino babies in her litter since we need more white rabbits to provide fiber for the "Coconut Dream" color of Hula Bunny yarn. With Dandy being albino and Blondie having the albino recessive, there's a 50% chance of each baby being albino.
Here's some color predictions on the possible litter between Blondie and Dandelion, providing they appear:
Blondie's color genes: Aa B_ Cc D_ ee
Dandelion's color genes: _a __ cc __ _e
Blondie's litter (should she have them, she really doesn't have a good record) could be agouti, blacks, albinos and torts.
If she has a litter, it is also due on January 28th, 2025.
For the past week or more, Blondie has been taking all the grasses she gets and hauling them off to her nest box. This is usually considered a very good sign of a possible litter. However, she then eats the grasses and as of January 29th, no babies have appeared. Maybe Blondie just wants to be a complete tease. (sigh!)
Looking at the three possible litters, I'm suspecting the end result will be than Cammie (Camilla) and Azzie will have a litter of possibly five. Amy and Dandelion may or may not have a litter of one or two. Blondie and Dandelion most likely won't have a litter at all (sigh!). It would be really nice to get some offspring from Blondie, it keeps the herd a little less inbred. But, the bunnies don't always get the memo on what they're supposed to do.
Well, we will see at the end of January how things go and if any bunny doesn't have a litter, then we will try again with some bunny else.
Update January 29th, 2025. So much for my predictions, eh? No babies from Camilla at all, and I'd figured she would have some. No babies from Blondie, but that's actually almost expected. However, FIVE babies from Amy & Dandy. Woot!
There is still time for Blondie & Camilla to have a litter, but if they don't have them by the first of February, they aren't likely to.
Should you be interested in any of these babies, once they are officially available, they will be listed on the "Available Bunnies" page. Sending an email is the best way to let me know you are interested in a bunny.
Just a side note, anyone who is raising rabbits - or any other livestock for that matter - and wants a great database, check out 'Kintracks'. It's really goood to have data and details on the whole herd when making decisions.