Buzz
Rabbits are renowned for their prolific breeding habits in the wild. As prey animals, it's crucial for their survival to produce numerous offspring. However, breeding rabbits domestically entails significant effort and may not suit everyone. If you're merely seeking a pet, breeding rabbits might not be advisable. Yet, for those interested in breeding for sustenance or to preserve a particular breed, it's essential to acquire a suitable breeding pair, prepare for potential challenges, and grasp the considerable commitment involved.
Key Steps
Preparation for Rabbit Breeding
Determine Your Purpose for Rabbit Breeding: Breeding rabbits is a substantial undertaking, requiring time, dedication, and patience. Before embarking on this endeavor, clarify your motivations. Are you intending to sell them? Do you desire them as companions? Or are you breeding for meat? Assess whether you're genuinely prepared for the commitment. If lacking time, foreseeing potential exhaustion, or contemplating relinquishing the rabbits to a shelter, reconsider your plans.
- Rabbits rank as the third most common shelter residents, following dogs and cats. Others are released into the wild, where they fall prey to predators or succumb due to neglect or hunger.
- Only a fraction of pet store rabbits find caring homes, with some ending up with inexperienced owners who might inadvertently harm them.
- Breeding rabbits rarely yields substantial profits, especially given the limited demand, particularly for pet purposes, owing to the abundance of available rabbits seeking homes.
EXPERT INSIGHT
Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinary Professional
Veterinary Professional
Pippa Elliott, a certified veterinarian, advises: 'Before deciding to breed your rabbit, consider this question: 'Am I capable of caring for and providing for all the offspring if they cannot find homes?' If the answer is 'No', refrain from breeding.'
Explore Rabbit Breeds: A diverse array of rabbit breeds awaits prospective breeders. Prior to selecting a rabbit based solely on its appearance, ensure it aligns with your requirements. Here's a brief overview of several popular rabbit breeds (though not exhaustive):
- American: Known for its sizable build, the American rabbit serves well for both meat and fur. Typically weighing 9-12 pounds, it boasts hardiness and prolific breeding.
- Angora: Available in various types such as English, French, Giant, and Satin, Angora rabbits are prized for their wool, spun into soft, lightweight garments. However, they demand regular grooming due to their woolly coats.
- Flemish Giant: As the largest breed, Flemish giants can weigh up to 22 pounds and come in seven colors. Originally bred for meat and fur, they're now predominantly bred for show or as pets due to their gentle disposition.
- Himalayan: Small and white, Himalayan rabbits find utility in laboratories and show breeding. Their compact size translates to cost-effective upkeep.
- Chinchilla: Revered for their plush fur, Chinchilla rabbits, weighing 9-12 pounds, are prized for their friendly demeanor and make excellent pets alongside their fur-bearing qualities.
Selecting the Right Rabbits for Breeding
: Your choice of rabbit breed may hinge on factors like availability, cost, and personal preference. Additionally, the intended purpose for the rabbits plays a crucial role in breed selection. Whether for selling, showing, keeping as pets, or meat production, ensure your chosen breed aligns with your goals.
- For selling or showing purposes, breed rabbits of the same lineage to maintain pedigree integrity. Mixing breeds diminishes stock quality and reduces market value.
- For meat production or genetic experiments, crossbreeding rabbits is permissible.
- Avoid breeding full siblings and opt for less closely related pairs unless proficient in genetics and inbreeding's implications.
Timing Breeding Appropriately: Initiate breeding of does (female rabbits) upon reaching maturity. Small-medium breeds are ready at 6-7 months, while larger breeds can be bred at 8-9 months. Bucks (male rabbits) typically reach breeding readiness at 6 months for small breeds, 7 months for medium breeds, and 9 months for large breeds.
Ensure Adequate Housing and Planning: Secure homes for kits (baby rabbits) before initiating breeding. Ensure availability of spare hutches upon weaning and consider the financial implications of breeding. Plan for the future of the kits post-weaning.
- Separate male and female kits at 8 weeks old and provide individual cages by 10 weeks for bucks and 3-4 months for does.
- Avoid overcrowding kits to prevent fighting or compromised health conditions.
- Provide a spacious and secure garden environment for the rabbits.
- Prioritize networking with potential buyers through friends, breeders, or advertisements to facilitate kit sales.
Rabbit Mating Process
Breeding Only from Healthy, Content Rabbits: Prioritize the physical well-being of rabbits during mating. Precede breeding with a veterinary check-up to ensure optimal health status.
- Maintain rabbits at a healthy weight to optimize breeding success and monitor their nutritional intake accordingly.
- Inspect both buck and doe cages for signs of diarrhea or infection, and examine their genitals for any abnormalities before breeding.
- Avoid breeding aggressive or unhealthy rabbits to safeguard offspring health and temperament.
Introduce the Doe to the Buck's Habitat: Placing the female in the male's enclosure is advisable to prevent territorial disputes. The buck may feel agitated by unfamiliar scents in the female's habitat, leading to potential conflicts. Always transport the female to the male's territory.
Allow the Breeding Pair Time Together: Permit the rabbits to mate for approximately half an hour, aiming for 2-3 mating sessions. Multiple matings can enhance litter size and breeding success. Some breeders opt for subsequent matings within the same day to ensure successful fertilization, rather than relying solely on one extended session. Immediate separation is necessary if the female displays anxiety, aggression, or attempts to flee from the male. Check the female's vent for signs of successful mating; if her back or tail is damp, indicating an unsuccessful mating, allow them to mate again. Prolonged cohabitation of bucks and does is not recommended due to potential conflicts, despite their occasional amicable interactions. However, unlike hares, does cannot conceive two litters simultaneously.
Assessing Pregnancy Through Abdominal Palpation: Palpation serves as a reliable method for detecting pregnancy in does. By manually examining the abdomen, one can feel grape-sized embryos if the doe is pregnant. Beginners typically perform this procedure 10-14 days post-breeding. Gestation periods vary by breed, lasting approximately 28-33 days. Non-pregnant does can be bred again immediately following assessment.
Caring for the Expectant Doe
Provision of Adequate Nesting Materials: By day 25 of pregnancy, provide additional hay and bedding, along with a nesting box in the doe's enclosure. This box, measuring 18' x 10' x 10', should contain soft straw or hay for nest construction. Ensure sufficient material for nest-building, as the doe will also pluck her chest and stomach hair to enhance nest comfort. Incorporate a small wire mesh bottom and paper lining beneath to manage urine and moisture accumulation. Create a hay opening at the back of the box to encourage nesting behavior, shielding kits from environmental elements and minimizing disturbance from the doe's movements.
Ensure a Tranquil Environment for the Doe: Provide the pregnant mother with a calm, stress-free atmosphere. Minimize unnecessary handling to avoid endangering the litter. If lifting is necessary, avoid grasping her by the stomach.
Anticipate Birth 28-33 Days Post-Breeding: Nesting behavior typically commences around days 25-27, with birthing occurring by day 32-33. Allow the mother to manage birthing independently; however, if observed, avoid intervening as births often occur before dawn. Listen for kit vocalizations resembling baby birds and monitor nest activity or any traces of blood on the doe's nose to confirm birth. Conduct regular checks on the litter post-birth, removing any deceased kits. In cases of multiple breeding, fostering kits among mothers is feasible, but distinguish fostered kits for proper identification.
Consult Veterinary Expertise: Consider veterinary oversight for the pregnant doe to monitor her health and pregnancy progress. Prompt veterinary attention is warranted if birthing is delayed beyond 32 days to prevent potential complications and stillbirths.
Caring for the Doe and Litter Post-Birth
Adjust Feeding Regimen for the Doe: Following birth, provide the doe with unlimited access to dry food to replenish her energy reserves depleted by nursing. Maintain her vegetable intake at pre-birth levels; refrain from further increases until 3-4 days post-birth. Cease feeding if her droppings become loose.
Understanding Care for the Mother: Assess the doe's demeanor and your relationship with her before considering letting her out for exercise. If she allows handling and exhibits normal behavior, a brief outing of about an hour could be beneficial. Utilize this time to inspect the nest and remove any deceased kits. Exercise caution if approaching the nest without the doe's trust or if she becomes distressed. While some believe the doe may abandon kits if touched, others assert that handling them won't necessarily upset her.
Monitoring Nest Temperature: Maintain the nest box temperature at approximately 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the first week. Ensure the cage temperature ranges between 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal conditions. Inadequate warmth can endanger kits, leading to potential hypothermia.
Regular Kits Inspection: Perform daily checks on the kits, both during daytime and nighttime feedings. Monitor their feeding behavior to ensure normalcy and intervene with supplementary feeding if necessary. Monitor their growth and weight gain to ensure healthy development. Regular checks minimize the risk of kits wandering away from the nest and encountering fatal exposure.
Maintaining Cleanliness of Habitat: Proper sanitation is crucial to prevent kit mortality. Ensure the nesting box remains free of urine and feces buildup, and maintain cleanliness in the hutch and outdoor area to prevent infections and fly infestations. Replace nest material a week after birth, monitoring kits' reaction to changes. Change hay every few days and remove the box after three weeks. Replace soiled paper as needed.
Preserving the Doe's Routine: Maintain the doe's daily routine while considering her post-birth condition. Exercise caution with outdoor activities, mindful of her hair loss on the stomach and chest. Avoid wet grass or exposure to cold temperatures to prevent discomfort or health issues.
Commence Weaning at 6-8 Weeks: Separate the kits from the mother at 7 weeks and provide ample food to facilitate independent feeding. By 8 weeks, transition the kits to individual or paired cages, or segregate them by gender. Ensure sufficient water and food availability during the weaning period, considering probiotics for digestive health support.
Tips
- Check local regulations regarding the necessity of a breeding license. Prioritize building a strong bond with the female rabbit before breeding to enhance interactions with the kits. Consult a veterinarian regarding the breeding suitability of rabbits with prior health issues to prevent potential health risks.
The suggestions provided here are contributed by Mytour readers. To share your own helpful tips, please submit them below.
- Ensure adequate housing, supplies, and prospective homes for kits prior to breeding to avoid stress and health issues from overcrowding. Plan for rehoming the kits in advance rather than relying on finding owners later.
- Facilitate breeding by bringing the female rabbit to the male's enclosure to prevent territorial conflicts. Supervise breeding pairs to prevent aggression.
- Prioritize the welfare of rabbits by ensuring a suitable home environment and adequate care for any offspring before deciding to breed.
- During cold weather, provide additional warmth near the nest box using a heat lamp to prevent chilling of the kits.
- Use latex gloves when handling newborn kits to avoid transferring foreign scents, potentially preventing rejection by the mother rabbit.
- Promptly remove deceased kits from the nest to maintain hygiene and prevent the spread of germs.
Warnings
- Expect stillbirths in many first-time mothers; be prepared for this outcome.
- If the doe experiences prolonged labor without delivering, or if she struggles during labor, seek veterinary assistance immediately. Refrain from moving her unless advised by a vet, as she may simply be taking her time. Additionally, contact the vet if the doe continues to bleed.
