Rabbit Breeding

9 Tips for Surpass Breeding

1. Both the buck and doe should be apt breeding age, in most cases they should be at least six months ancient. Many does will be unable to breed if not initially 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 healthful 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 excellent understanding of line breeding genetics to be successful.
6. Unless you are plotting 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 shape 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 excellent thought 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 vital 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.