Do’s and Don’ts of Rabbit Breeding Genetics

Genetics play a huge part in the production of healthy, attractive rabbit lines that appeal to both breeder and potential owners alike.

Rabbit genetics is a science unto itself, and a good rabbit breeder will take the time to educate themselves in a little depth in the subject. However there are a few basic dos and don’ts that should be followed, whatever breed you are trying to raise.

Do:

• Make sure you begin your breeding program with the healthiest, quality specimens you can afford. A high pedigree is not an essential to successful rabbit breeding, but using animals free of major and noticeable genetic defects such as misshapen limbs and teeth certainly is.

• Concentrate your first efforts on breeding healthy rabbits with good body types before experimenting with color. New and experimental colorations are often accompanied with poor body types until the shade has been properly developed.

• Take the time to research the specific breed you are hoping to raise. Each different one is prone to its own genetic strengths and weaknesses.

Don’ts:

• Breed two “broken” rabbits together if you hope to produce a litter for show purposes. This pairing almost always results in one or two “Charlie Marked” kits in a litter, babies who are almost all white in color with only patchy spots of color.

• Attempt to cross breed species as an inexperienced breeder. The genetic difficulties that may result can be recessive, and not show up until the third or fourth generation of the line.

• Breed a rabbit of attractive color but with visible bodily defects into a quality line. Breeding out the physical defect will take far longer than adding new colors and patterns into a healthy line.

As the public in general tends to adore the dwarf or mini breeds of rabbit, such as the Holland Lop or Mini Rex, some breeders are tempted to try to produce a Dwarf strain of their own line.

If two true Dwarf rabbits are bred together it is almost certain that at least a few of the litter will be born with a double dwarf gene, which is invariably fatal.

Sadly, these kits are almost certainly destined to die in a few short days, and the kindest thing a rabbit breeder can do is allow nature to take its course.

Inexperienced breeders should not really attempt any genetic experimentation until they become skilled at breeding healthy, quality livestock.

Responsible Rabbit Breeding – What Every Beginner Needs to Know

Rabbit breeding is something not to be taken lightly. Unfortunately there are thousands of rabbits to be found in animal shelters worldwide, mainly as a result of irresponsible “back yard breeders”. These people mean well, but fail to consider the overall outcome, a number of rabbits looking for a good home.

If you have however decided to begin breeding rabbits, and have a reasonable plan for their life beyond babyhood, there are basic equipment and environmental concerns that must be taken care of before a breeding program is started.

Housing and Space Concerns

Adequate cage space is essential. You will need cages for the parents, one each, as it is not advisable for them to be housed together. A rabbit can produce as many as twelve kits per litter, so their living space must also be be spacious and comfortable.

Although sibling rabbits can be successfully housed together in the first weeks of life, by the time a kit is three months old, they should be housed in their own separate living enclosure. That is an awful lot of space, and a large number of cages.

A system for needs to be planned out in advance to ensure all the rabbits are properly fed, cleaned and groomed. Taking care of a large litter of rabbits, in addition to their parents, can be more than a part time task.

The Best Time to Begin a Breeding Program

Weather and the changing seasons also play a major factor in breeding success. Most breeders agree that spring is the optimum breeding season.

Extreme summer heat and the freezing temperatures of winter can prove fatal very quickly for tiny kits. Fall, traditionally is a difficult time to produce litters, although no one has a concrete explanation for why that is.

In addition to her regular cage you will need a clean nest box for your doe. Metal next boxes with the corrugated board removable flooring are popular and easily available but many choose all wood nest boxes for their does.

Wood is certainly retains warmth more easily, a great bonus, especially for those breeding rabbits in colder climates. The box need only be big enough for the doe to turn around in it, and house the babies in the first few weeks of life, before they are weaned.

The nest box should be lined with a nesting material of some variety. Many breeders recommend clean grass hay, but straw and wood shavings can also be used.

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.

Getting Off to a Good Start

To start controlled breeding, add the Holland Lop doe to the buck’s cage. He will try to mount her. Hopefully, your doe will collaborate and will advance her rear up for him. Within a identical short clip will bang his feet, and may grunt and drop-off.

I usually allow a buck three conjugations, and then remove the doe from the cage. It is usually recommended to try rebreeding again within six hours. Go write this date on the calendar so you don’t forget!!!

Also, count up 28 days on your calendar and write “Nestbox”. Finally, count day 30 and write “Bunnies Due”. Don’t think you are going to remember. Little is worse than seeing a perfectly nice litter born dead on the cage floor.

Keeping Watch is Key

Does are induced ovulators, which means they don’t have a heat cycle like dogs do. They do have times when they are need less forced breeding than others, but it is hard to predict.

If your doe doesn’t collaborate on the first day, keep trying every day until she does. Light plays a big part in the Holland Lop doe’s receptivity. Try to simulate the number of hours of light in spring by leaving the lights on, and you may have better luck.

Some does can be very stubborn about rising for the buck. You could try to encourage her by lifting her rear slightly (make sure you have long sleeves on in case she tries to bite). If she appears to be completely disinterested or is grumbling, you should remove her and try her later as a disgruntled doe may attack and injure the buck.

Always watch. No it isn’t being rude or nosy…it is important for several reasons. You’ll know if she was actually bred and you will be there to step in quickly if the pair begins to fight or bite each other too hard. When the breeding is through with, take the doe back to her cage.

9 Tips for Better Breeding

1. Both the buck and doe should be appropriate breeding age, in most cases they should be at least six months old. Many does will be unable to breed if not first bred by nine months, due to pelvic bone fusion, so the ideal age is somewhere in between.
2. Ideally, both rabbits should be of same breed, unless you’re breeding purely as pets.
3. The buck should be somewhat smaller than the doe.
4. They should both be as healthy as possible and free from any major genetic defects that could be passed on to potential offspring.
5. Never breed brother to sister. Other combinations are usually ok; mother to son for example, but this is not a recommended practice for a beginner, as it requires a good understanding of line breeding genetics to be successful.
6. Unless you are planning on keeping all the kits you will need to find them suitable homes,(depending on the breed rabbits can have between 3-12 kits in a litter). You may have to advertise for, then screen, potential adoptive parents, which may involve a considerable cash outlay.
7. You will need a separate hutch to keep the kits in once they are weaned. If they haven’t been sold by sixteen weeks you will need to separate sisters and brothers into larger separate hutches. It may also be necessary to keep a spare cage on hand for any animal that becomes sick and needs to be kept way from its siblings for the health and safety of them all.
8. Consider the costs of the extra bedding and food involved with a new litter of kits. If you do manage to sell your rabbits, it is a good idea to supply the new owners with a small supply of the food that the animal is used to eating, to avoid upsetting his delicate digestive system.
9. The most important thing is that you have the time to devote to the proper care of your rabbits. Parents and kits will need regular feeding, watering and grooming. The cages in which the babies live must also be kept especially clean, as these young rabbit, still too young for vaccinations, can be very susceptible to diseases that would not impact a older rabbit as harshly as it might a kit.