Jerica
07-09-2004, 03:53 AM
Ok, I've been noticing that over many months that my rabbit continues to be producing milk. She is almost 6 years old and the only litter of bunnies she had, died :( There daddy was a bigger bunny and I never really intended to breed them and didn't know which was male and which was female while they were together. Well one baby was undeveloped and the other three must have been sqeezed out. My poor bunny had to go through that sadly enough and she had made a nice furry nest for them in her nest box (I gave her one after I realized she was the female and very fat). Any ways after they died I just let her rest for a long time with out holding her much or anything so I don't know if the milk production stopped then, it was about 2 and a half years ago and plus she was at my grandparents because we had just moved to an apartment in a new town. Well once I got her brought in town to the house we got a little while later, I was able to play with her more and everything. Some months later (I think) I noticed she had got some new milk. I tried to "milk" her gently but after awhile it dried up anyway. Then I don't how much longer later I noticed she had milk again (btw, she wasn't with another rabbit during these times) Well my grandparents some time later found awild baby rabbit and I wanted to take in the little baby. We thought it was old enough to eat on its own although it was rather odd that my grandparents were able to catch it. I brought it home in hopes that if it wasn't ready to eat on its own, my rabbit could nurse it. Although its not a good idea to put a wild rabbit with a domestic rabbit I wanted to help the baby. Well my pet rabbit didn't mind, but the baby didn't nurse. Any way the poor baby died later that night I guess it was too young and malnurioused because it was skinny. My rabbit kept her milk and lost it again, but now almost a year later she has some milk again. Finally I'll get to my question, is it normal for a rabbit to continue to produce milk this long? Like I said she is almost 6 years old and although her milk is getting to be less and less. She's not bothered really, so I know it won't harm her, but why would she continue to produce milk anyway? Is it something to do with never raising her babies or do they normally just do this? My other rabbits never produced milk (although one was male, one I didn't know the sex of, but always thought of her as a female [rest in peace Whisper], and then I had another female rabbit but sold her only a week or so after I got her because she didn't get along with my Satin) Anyways sorry this is so long, I just thought i needed to give all the facts. Thanks if anyone can help.