Breeding Your Rabbits

Before you start breeding your rabbits, you need to consider what you are going to do with the babies.

Here are some options:

If you are breeding for show, of course you will save some babies to show and to breed with later to improve your own line of rabbits. But what do you do with the rest?
You can sell some as pets. Be sure to give prospective buyers as much information as you can about the care and commitment it takes to have a pet rabbit. You may be able to sell some as breeding stock to other breeders at rabbit shows. If you think you may have problems placing the babies in good homes, it may be best not breed at all.

Ok, you've thought it over, you've got your breeding stock, now what?
First your doe and buck need to be old enough to breed. Wait until both the doe and buck are at least 6 months old (older in larger breeds) before breeding them. Before you breed, look at both the buck and doe. Do your rabbits feel in good condition? Are they bony or shedding? Don't breed anyone who isn't in the very best of health. When breeding rabbits always take the doe to the buck's cage, or put the pair in neutral territory. If you don't, the doe may act aggressively towards the buck, or the buck may be so preoccupied with marking this new territory he won't take interest in the doe.

How do you know a doe is ready to breed?
One way to tell is to look at her genitals. Does will become swollen and dark red in color when ready to breed. You can usually tell before too long, if you put the doe in the bucks cage. If she runs away like crazy and grunts, she probably won't accept the buck.

A successful breeding should go something like this:
You put the doe in the buck's cage, buck and doe sniff each other. The buck will then mount the doe from behind. If the doe is ready to breed she will lower her front-end and lift her backend to accommodate the buck.

When the buck is successful he will usually let out a little squeal and then fall off the doe. Sometimes the doe will mount the buck or they will run around in circles. This is normal behavior, I call it the pre-mating dance. You will need to watch the mating to see if it is successful. This way you will know when the babies will be due and you can start making plans for their arrival. If the doe refuses to mate, you can try letting her spend the night in a cage right next to the buck. Just keep taking the doe to the buck and eventually she will breed, it just takes time and patience sometimes.

When your doe does successfully mate, mark your calendar. She should kindle anywhere from 28 to 32 days after mating.

*Dwarfs have a genetic occurrence called "peanuts". Peanuts are newborn Dwarfs that have gotten the wrong genetic combination. They can be born dead or alive. These tiny babies are destine to die, so trying to save them is impossible, peanuts eventually starve because there not able to process milk. They are like a severe preemie in humans. It is best to remove all peanut babies, even if they are born live right after birth. Peanuts will be very small, with a bulge or domed head. Their hips are usually very thin and pinched in. All true Dwarfs will experience this "peanut problem" odds are 25% peanuts in every litter.

Good luck, I hope things are hopping for you soon.

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