Unique and Intelligent but Running out of Food.

The Pygmy rabbit has a couple of traits that set them apart from other wild rabbits in America such as the cottontail or the jack rabbit other than being the smallest. They are the only species who dig and live in burrows and they have been observed to be very vocal, giving out what seem to be alarm calls to one another.

90% of the Pygmy rabbit’s diet consists of sagebrush leaves and they use the bushes as cover from predators. The destruction of large tracts of sagebrush is what most animal conservationists blame for the Pygmy rabbits decline.

Trying to Restore a Wild Species in Captivity

The Oregon Zoo has for the past several years been the home of a program that is trying to breed Pygmy rabbits in captivity, in the hop that they can eventually be returned to the wild. They have had some successes and a number of pygmy rabbits have been returned to the wild in Central Washington. The programs funding may be cut at the end of the year however, and some zoo personnel fear that should that happen there are still far from enough pygmy rabbits back out among the remaining sagebrushes for their species to survive,

For the inexperienced, the way a mother rabbit behaves around her kits may seem unusual, and they believe there is a problem. However, in most cases this is not true.

The concern usually arises from the fact that the mother rabbit is rarely to be seen with her babies, so the observer may conclude that she is rejecting them, and they are not being fed properly.

Unlike other animals, the mother rabbit does not naturally spend a lot of time with her offspring. This behavior can probably be attributed to the domestic mamma bunny’s genetic instincts. If she were in the wild with her brood, staying with them at all times would endanger them. Adult rabbits have a scent that can be tracked by predators, kits do not. By staying away except to provide necessities, the wild female rabbit is doing her babies a favor.

What is “normal” behavior for a new rabbit mother?

Rabbit mothers will not normally visit the nest box to check on her offspring during the day, but she does keep watch, just from a distance. Rabbits only need to be fed by their mother once or twice a day, and the mother will only allow the kits to nurse when she feels it is safe, usually just before dawn, and just after dusk. If there is a continual crowd of humans (especially children) around the cage, the rabbit mother may become too stressed to nurse, so make sure to give her plenty of privacy in the weeks after giving birth.

But how can you tell if the babies are well fed?

A well nourished baby bunny will have quite a distended tummy, looking a little like a “Pillsbury Dough Bunny” If the kits are not being fed well they will have tummies with a sunken appearance, their skin will be wrinkled, and their response to being handled will be weak or nonexistent.

If your baby bunnies are displaying these symptoms professional help is called for. If the baby seems very sick place a drop of honey or a fruit jelly in their mouth until you can get them to a vet.

Struggling to Survive in a Changing World.
The Amami can only be found on two isolated Japanese islands, and have lived happily in dense wooded areas surviving on bamboo shots, berries and other local vegetation. They are sometimes called “living fossils” as they are the last remaining descendants of ancient wild rabbits that once roamed the whole of the Asian continent. They weigh an average of 5 to 6 pounds, and are usually a dark grey in color. Their dwindling numbers have come about mainly as a result of human interference in their lives. Up until the 1920’s they were hunted for both meat and medical purposes, then heavy logging in the
Amami Oshima and Tokunoshima Islands where they live all but destroyed their habitat. The fact that a healthy Amami doe only usually produces two small litters per year meant that natural restocking could not keep up with decimation being caused by the modern world and its’ people.

Using Science to Save a Species.
The Osaka geneticists, from the noted Kiki University, took cells from the ear of a dead Amami rabbit, and introduced them to an unfertilized egg from a lab rabbit. They did manage to create a viable embryo that was successfully re implanted. Although the scientists have yet to publically release the results of this first pregnancy, they do intend to continue their work until they are successful. The same team did successfully clone and restore a species of wild rat, so they believe that saving the ancient Amami is a real possibility.

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.

Why Should I Spay or Neuter my Pet Bunny? Why not Breed?

It may be an attractive idea. Breeding your cute pet bunny, to produce a few more cute bunnies that you could put into a show or sell to the local pet store.

However, rabbit breeding is a serious business, and thousands of rabbits are left homeless every year as a result of a “back yard breeding” experiment gone wrong.

Get Rich with Rabbits?

Most serious rabbit breeders will tell you, if you think you will become wealthy breeding bunnies, think again. If you are willing to breed rabbits for the love of it, and have the considerable resources and available space to do so successfully, it can be incredibly rewarding.

Experienced rabbit breeders take great pride in the development of new colors, patterns and even breeds.

A rabbit bought from a chain pet store is rarely ever suitable for breeding purposes. It is hard to find out enough about the pet store rabbits ancestry and genetics to use them in a breeding program that will have a chance of being a successful one.

Thinking Ahead Before You Begin

In the event that you did decide to breed, and began properly, with quality stock, what will become of the kits once they are born? Are you willing and able to house those less desirable rabbits that don’t sell as babies?

Will you take back an unwanted rabbit if the purchaser finds them unsuitable, or just no longer wants them?

Many people buy rabbits, especially as pets, on a whim, and have no idea the amount of work involved in keeping them happy and healthy.

If you are not able to face these kinds of responsibilities rabbit breeding is not for you. That isn’t to say no one should breed rabbits outside of large “bunny mills”.

If undertaken in the knowledge that there is a good deal of hard work and financial investment involved, rabbit breeding can be a fulfilling and enjoyable experience for bunny lovers anywhere.

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 mating rabbits of two different breeds, just to see what they might come up with. Mixed rabbits such as these however are of little value and the potential for disfiguring or fatal genetic abnormalities is high.

New rabbit breeds are the result of long and often heartbreaking breeding programs, as the number of kits that die within days of some unexpected cause is high.

Breeding for Quality, One Step at a Time

When starting a breeding program to produce higher quality rabbits, which may be suitable show rabbits, the breeder should only try to improve the line one fault at a time.

If you have an otherwise good looking rabbit with too broad shoulders and too short ears, introduce a rabbit with better looking shoulders to the line first. Once you have rabbits with the correct upper body type, you can then move on to improving the ears with the introduction of another unrelated animal to the line.

Becoming familiar with color genetics, and experimenting with new color combinations can produce very attractive, though possibly not show worthy, rabbits.

A working knowledge of color basics can also help the breeder avoid litters full of “Charlie Marked” kits, rabbits who are usually white with only a few splashes of uneven color.

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.

How to Tell When Your Doe is Ready to Breed

OK folks, here’s some basic rabbit breeding information that should help you understand the mysteries of rabbit love.

One of the reasons that rabbits have a (deserved) reputation for constant breeding is that the doe (female) rabbit does not have a true estrous cycle.

In layman’s terms that means she does not have a set time in “heat” like dogs or cats. Instead the female rabbit is what is known as an “induced ovulator” in that no egg is released until after mating with a buck. So in all likelihood a female rabbit can be bred at any given time.

The Dating Game

This said, there are times that a doe will be far more receptive to a buck’s advances than others. If the female is acting very restless, or nuzzling water bottles in the cage, that is often a good indicator that she is ready to breed.

Swollen genitals with a dark pink or reddish tinge can also provide another good indicator that the doe is more likely to be mated successfully.

When trying to breed a rabbit pair, the doe should always be taken to the buck’s cage, as the female rabbit resents most intrusions on her territory and is far more likely to become aggressive rather than amorous if a male rabbit invades.

Rabbit Breeding Age?

Although the age differs somewhat between specific rabbit breeds, the best time to first breed a doe is between six and nine months old.

For the majority of female rabbits, if they do not produce a litter before reaching their first birthday the natural fusing of pelvic bones may prevent her ever doing so without a great deal of pain and difficulty.

Timing is Important

In theory, a female rabbit is perfectly capable of conceiving again almost immediately after giving birth. To force her to do so however would be somewhat inhumane.

Most vets and experienced breeders advise waiting at least 4-6 weeks after a doe has produced a litter before mating her again. By that time the older kits will have already been weaned, and the doe’s body should be well recovered from pregnancy.