Last Updated on February 27, 2023 by Marjon Ramos
Ever wonder why male rabbits (bucks) fall off the female rabbit (doe) after mating? Sometimes, bucks would even grunt and thump their feet before falling off.
So to answer the question, why do male rabbits fall off after mating? It’s because bucks falling off is a mating behavior that is seen as a sign of success.
Although rabbit breeders say that even though the buck doesn’t fall off, it could still be a successful mating. Sometimes the doe is not ready and doesn’t lift her hind ends when the bucks are doing it.
Still, rabbit breeders would prefer to see the bucks fall off after mating, just to be sure.
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Should you be worried?
No, bucks falling off is totally normal. Some bucks would even take the doe with them when falling off while grunting.
I totally understand why inexperienced rabbit breeders would get concerned by this mating behavior because it can be quite dramatic.
Just make sure that your rabbit is not falling off onto something high if you’re breeding them on a table or any raised surfaces.
The event can be quite extreme as some rabbits will even squeal high-pitched noises and take the doe with them when falling off.
Other than that, there is nothing to worry about because it’s completely normal.
Does it mean that if the rabbit doesn’t fall over after mating, it’s a failure?
No, it’s not always the case. Some bucks would not fall over while others would. The best way to know for sure is to watch the doe if she lifts her hindquarters for him.
It’s very hard for bucks to successfully mate if the doe is not cooperating and lifting her hindquarters.
Consider helping the buck by setting the doe down and moving her back feet and tail out of the way. The buck should have a higher chance of successfully hitting the mark after that.
Examples of rabbits’ successful mating
This one is quite dramatic because the buck released a high-pitched noise after successfully hitting the target.
Summary
Bucks or male rabbits falling over after mating is a sign that the mating was a success.
Falling over after mating can also be accompanied by loud grunting noises and both the doe and buck fall at the same time.
Finally, watch the hindquarters of your doe when mating and make sure that your doe is raising them. Sometimes bucks miss the mark because the doe refuses to lift her hindquarters.
You can help the buck by moving the doe’s back feet and tail out of the way. This would greatly increase the chance of successful mating.
Cite this article:
Sources and Further reading
- Patry, Karen, et al. The Rabbit-Raising Problem Solver: Your Questions Answered about Housing, Feeding, Behavior, Health Care, Breeding, and Kindling. Storey Publishing, 2014.
- Buseth, Marit Emilie., and Richard A. Saunders. Rabbit Behaviour, Health, and Care. CABI, 2014.
