Rabbit Breeding

NZ White Buck to NZ Red Doe

We’re considering breeding rabbits. We have one 6 month old male rabbit and want to get a female rabbit for it to mate with. If you have any suggestions, tips, or experiences they would be greatly appreciated.
How many babies are in a litter?

Line Breeding is not nearly as complicated as you might think, it is a concept that extends to all kinds of animals, from cats to horses, pigs to rabbits. The basic idea never changes.

Line Breeding is the process of breeding “like with like”. That means that the rabbits the line breeder uses all come from the same family line, and have similar all around genetic makeups.

Line Breeding allows the rabbit breeder, professional or hobbyist, to produce Read more…

Choosing the Right Rabbits for First Time Breeding

Choosing the right rabbits to begin a new breeding line is essential to its success or failure. Finding healthy, physically sound specimens is the first step for any breeder just starting out.

Making Sure Your Bunnies are Ready to Mate

When selecting rabbits for breeding the animals should be thoroughly checked for disease, preferably by a good vet.

Many does suffer from uterine and ovarian cancers at an early age, and to attempt to breed them could prove disastrous for all involved.Bucks should also be checked too, just to make sure they are disease free and ready to mate.

Inexperienced breeders may consider Read more…

Breeding the Holland Lop, a Beginner’s Guide

For Holland Lop Rabbit Breeding you’ll need separate cages for the buck and the doe. They will happily breed unsupervised if they’re caged together.

You will also need a different cage for the offspring, and a lot of cages if you care to acquire them up for meat or appearance.

This can be quite a considerable financial investment to start with…feeders, trays, water bottles etc. You’ll also need a nestbox for the doe.

Make a sure your rabbits are free of diseases. Rabbit VD can cause the doe to lose her fur. Make certain your chosen rabbits are well conditioned and in good shape. Overweight does have a difficult time giving birth. Read more…

The Trick to Sexing your New Rabbit

Although it is not always the easiest task, sexing  baby rabbits is important and something anyone can learn with just a bit of practice.

Brothers and sisters should be separated by the time they’re sixteen weeks old at the latest to avoid unwanted litters.

To begin, turn your kit onto its back, holding him in your lap or on a flat surface that is not unreasonably cold. Hold its heads at a lower angle than its back legs and it should calm down within a few seconds or so.

Be gentle, stroke your rabbit. It is not going to be at all comfortable being held like this, and will more than likely struggle and protest at first. Read more…

One feature of a professional breeding hutch that can be incorporated into a pet doe’s hutch at breeding time is a shelf. When the young are born this simple feature will allow the doe to get away from her babies for some much needed respite.

Most people choose to keep either a single buck (male), or a pair of does (females). However, if homes can be found for the plentiful offspring of their rabbits, owners are likely to be successful in breeding them. The most important thing is a record of good health for both potential parents. It is also preferable if their parents lived long and healthy lives. Look for good eyes and coat, quick alert movements and a healthy appetite.