Tell us everything we should know as in
which breed is better to sell,
how to tell the difference between a male and female,
what to feed them,
do most rabbits need seperating from each other and individual cages,
what there behaviour is like and anything other relevant information would be great!
thanks.
This is my kind of question!
I remember when I was in the exact position you are now. I didn’t know where to start or what to do. The first thing I did was join the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). To Join them go to arba.net there is a tab on the top right hand corner that says "join". The ARBA provides you with a book with tons of info in it and a subscription to the Domestic Rabbits magazine.
If you’re already a member then you’re off to a great start!
There is so many things I could tell you about breeding rabbits, but first things first..
The breed. The ARBA has 47 recognized breeds. To see them go here: http://www.arba.net/Breeds.htm
Choosing a breed comes easy to some people to others it may take a little thought. You should not worry about which rabbits will be better to sell because breeding rabbits should be done for the pure joy of breeding rabbits. Raising a grand champion from your own line of rabbits is very rewarding. However, there will come a few times where you will need to sell some of your rabbits. I don’t think it’s the breed that you need to pick, but the quality when it comes to selling rabbits. EXAMPLE: You may have a low quality holland lop (a popular breed) But your trianta is looking good (a more rare breed) you will probably sell your trianta first. Given that there are trianta breeders in your area.
When choosing a breed look over the breeds on the ARBA breed picture page pick out a few that you like how they look. Look those breeds up! If you click on the pictures most of them send you to the breed specailty website. Google the breed name and see what comes up usually if you put in the breed and rabbitry after it in google you will get links to people with those rabbits. E-mail these breeders with specific question on that breed. There are a lot of genetic things that some breed have to worry about than others. Popular breeds will be easier to get a hold of a breeder in your area.
Probably the best thing you could possibly do is attend a rabbit show.
There you get a close look at several breeds and you can talk to the people who own these rabbits. They will help you out greatly!
To find a rabbit show in your area go here:http://www.arba.net/Shows.htm
You don’t have to bring a rabbit to go and it’s free to get in.
Use your time there to talk to everyone you can. Exhibitors, the secretary, and even the judges (after they are judging of course)
Also at shows there is usually a vendor there that will have rabbit supplies available. Everything from cages to tattoo kits, nest boxes to carriers. These are things that you will need.
As for your second question. Sexing:
That is rather hard to explain using only words.
Pictures say it all-http://www.debmark.com/rabbits/sexing.htm
*You can also ask one of the exhibitors this at a show. They will show you the difference.
Feed: Nutrition, one the most important things when if comes to breeding rabbits. You need some good quality pellets (ask breeders for references) As for vegetables, keep young rabbits far away from vegetables it can hurt they newly adjusting stomach. Some vegetable for adult rabbits is fine, just don’t get carried away. Hay is good roughage for them. I use alfalfa, but I hear good things about timothy.
When you buy a new rabbit make sure you get some of the food it’s used to from its last owner so that you can switch it off with out too much stress.
If you plan on having rabbits for breeding you should definitely put them in separate cages. Rabbits really don’t like living in pairs and will often become violent with it’s cage mate.
I use all wire stack cages and I love them.
Every rabbit is different. Some rabbits are sweet as can be and others will bite you whenever you put your hand near. The breed it is has nothing to do with this.
BREEDING-
When you have picked out your breed and bought atleast one healthy doe and one healthy buck with no disqualifications. Read up on every possible book you could find on breeding rabbits and talked to several other breeders, you are ready to begin!
Make sure they are in separate cages and of appropriate age for breeding for your breed. TAKE THE DOE TO THE BUCK. This is important because if you bring the buck to the doe then the doe will get aggressive. Everyonce in awhile you will get a stubborn doe that will not accept the buck. Just wait until tomorrow and try again for 5 consecutive days. She’ll come around. Give them enough time to see if she really won’t accept him or she’s just playing hard to get.
The buck will mount the doe and if successful, the doe will raise her rear and the buck will fall. Take the doe out of the bucks cage and hold her as though you were cradling a baby. This will cause muscles to tense up and keep sperm in. About 4-7 hours later do this all over again. The first breeding just anitiated ovulation.
On the 28th day you will need to prepare a nest box for the doe. Abo
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4 Responses to “Mum and i want to start breeding rabbits..but we don’t know where to start?”
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July 1st, 2009 at 4:15 am
NEVER breed pet store animals. End of. You need to get your breeders from a /breeder/ who can show the genetic history and health of both the male and female rabbits, and show they’re not related in any way.
An exotic breed like a Rex sells well in theory, but Dutches are good if you’re planning to sell to families- they have nice temperaments.
Male and female- the males have testicles. …Duh. The females don’t.
You feed them rabbit food.
Yes, you will need one cage for the male, one for the female. Then TWO for the babies- they can start to mate at six weeks old, but they shouldn’t be sold until they’re eight weeks, so you’ll need to put the males in one cage, and females in another cage.
Oh. And you need an UNLIMITED vet bill, and you need to realize that by having an unspayed and breeding rabbit, you’re shortening her life by at least two years- and that’s if she doesn’t get cancer.
References :
July 1st, 2009 at 4:23 am
You start with a grown male and female and then look up on the internet under raising rabbits and it will tell you everything,why listen to people who aren’t experts,don’t you want to succeed.
References :
July 1st, 2009 at 4:41 am
Okay i breed rabbits:
Please don’t breed rabbits for money as rabbit breeders including myself *Don’t* breed them for money,its creating/improving breeds & the pure pleasure of seeing & rearing the young plus just the pure love of rabbits.
For a breeding Doe the hutch size should be at least 6ft long & 2ft wide & 2-3ft tall for a dwarf-medium breed of rabbit & for a large-giant breed at least 8ft by 3ft,a breeder of *Flemish Giant rabbits* i know has horse stables for her breeding does!!
For breeding a large hutch is needed as said above,a large feed bowl or 2 smaller ones,a large water bottle(not a bowl for water as young rabbits can drown in them),a hay rack to keep the floor free from hay which can in courage mites,toys as baby bunnies are playful!
A nest box is said to be needed for breeding does as they give birth in them though my Does don’t use them.
**Most importantly research is needed,as i kept MANY rabbits *Before* breeding them,that’s the best way,so you get to know.**
To start off with the *Doe* & *Buck* should be quality stock,rather that poorly bred pet shop ones,buy your rabbits off 2 separate rabbit breeders as you really shouldn’t interbreed them,until you are *Fully* established with breeding.
Once you have got *All* the necessary items,including hutches,then you can start.
Remember,please read up on rabbits & breeding them,before breeding them.
The normal litter size is 3-9 kits(baby rabbits) though even more than 9 is normal,so remember to have homes "At the ready".
Female rabbits are "Induced ovulates" meaning like cats,Camels & ferrets they are always ready to mate,though from late January to late summer is the rabbits normal most productive times.
So really the buck can be introduced any time & one mating can be successful.
The doe should be ***NO*** younger than 5 months when bred for a *Dwarf Doe* preferly Small-medium rabbits(e.g,Dwarf Lops,netherland Dwarfs,Dutch rabbits..)
can be bred at 5-8 months,Larger breeds,such as Flemish giants at 9 -12 months,9 months being the *Earliest* age to breed her.
Bucks can be bred a 5 months earliest,really bucks any size can be used for bred until 4 years old where does no more than 3 years of age.
The doe when at the correct breeding age should be introduced to the buck either in *His* cage or on *Neutral* territory as introducing the buck into her cage could end up in a fight as she defends her territory where the buck just wants to mate!
The mating is quick normally the buck will mount the doe & within 30 seconds max will often make a sharp scream & fall of the doe,this is the normal sign of the completed mating.The doe should be mated again(if wanted,for larger litters)less than 24 hours lated so 5 or so hours after the first mating.
Only mate her twice as any more than twice is wrong & unnecessary.
If she refuses the buck with is common take her out & re show them a day later,or another way is to pace her in his cage,for 2 days *Without* him in there as she can smell his scent & it may make her ready to mate,don’t leave her in with him for more than 10 mins as he will mate her continuously which is not needed & will frighten her.
A rabbits gestation period is between 28-34 days the norm being 31 days,when she is 12-14 days "Pregnant" you can gently feel her stomach between her hind legs to see if she is pregnant.
If she is you should be hard marble sized balls inside her,plus her belly will be taught. If you can’t feel anything & her belly isn’t taught,then she might not be pregnant,all rabbit breeders do this as unlike guinea pigs rabbits don’t appear larger.
The kits are normally born in the early hours of the morning,so when your asleep.
Rabbits don’t mind human scent,so touching the kits *Isn’t* a problem,the doe will make a nest from her fur t pulling it out from her chest,belly & throat.
You can tell if she has given birth by,the hopefully *Warm,moving nest* & maybe by a tiny bit of blood on the hutch floor.
To check on them remove the mum though as she can be bad tempered towards people touching her kits (though rarely).
Once that has been done,part the nest & check th kits as some might be *Stillborns*,just remove these if there are,though i have never had any(Touch wood…)stillborns.
The young are born,blind deaf & naked hair begins to grow at 3 days old,they open their eyes at 10-14 days after begin born,you can properly start to handle them at 3 weeks of age.
At the end of the does Pregnancy she will require 2 times as much mix when the young are born & are lactating she will need 3-4 times as much mix.
The kits can be weened at 7-8 weeks of age i prefer to wait until they are 8-9 weeks old.
So really with choosing a rabbits breed it depend where you live in live in the U.K & *rex rabbits* are rare so are *Dwarf Hotot rabbits*, i breed Dutch Rabbits & Dwarf,Mini & Cashmere Dwarf Lop rabbits.
Adult male rabbits have testicles clearly seen by their anus,& when the skin above their Privates is pressed the penis will appear.Does are difficult to sex when young,when pressed above privates a fleshy slit will appear.
Here are some websites to get you started:
http://www.thebrc.org/ (The british rabbit council)
http://www.mismatch.co.uk/rabbitbreed.htm (Info on breeding rabbits)
http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/sexing.shtml (Sexing rabbits)
Hope this helps & you research into breeding rabbits before you go ahead!
Best of luck,xxx
References :
I breed Rabbits,guinea pigs,gerbils & have kept hamsters & rats
July 1st, 2009 at 5:25 am
This is my kind of question!
I remember when I was in the exact position you are now. I didn’t know where to start or what to do. The first thing I did was join the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). To Join them go to arba.net there is a tab on the top right hand corner that says "join". The ARBA provides you with a book with tons of info in it and a subscription to the Domestic Rabbits magazine.
If you’re already a member then you’re off to a great start!
There is so many things I could tell you about breeding rabbits, but first things first..
The breed. The ARBA has 47 recognized breeds. To see them go here: http://www.arba.net/Breeds.htm
Choosing a breed comes easy to some people to others it may take a little thought. You should not worry about which rabbits will be better to sell because breeding rabbits should be done for the pure joy of breeding rabbits. Raising a grand champion from your own line of rabbits is very rewarding. However, there will come a few times where you will need to sell some of your rabbits. I don’t think it’s the breed that you need to pick, but the quality when it comes to selling rabbits. EXAMPLE: You may have a low quality holland lop (a popular breed) But your trianta is looking good (a more rare breed) you will probably sell your trianta first. Given that there are trianta breeders in your area.
When choosing a breed look over the breeds on the ARBA breed picture page pick out a few that you like how they look. Look those breeds up! If you click on the pictures most of them send you to the breed specailty website. Google the breed name and see what comes up usually if you put in the breed and rabbitry after it in google you will get links to people with those rabbits. E-mail these breeders with specific question on that breed. There are a lot of genetic things that some breed have to worry about than others. Popular breeds will be easier to get a hold of a breeder in your area.
Probably the best thing you could possibly do is attend a rabbit show.
There you get a close look at several breeds and you can talk to the people who own these rabbits. They will help you out greatly!
To find a rabbit show in your area go here:http://www.arba.net/Shows.htm
You don’t have to bring a rabbit to go and it’s free to get in.
Use your time there to talk to everyone you can. Exhibitors, the secretary, and even the judges (after they are judging of course)
Also at shows there is usually a vendor there that will have rabbit supplies available. Everything from cages to tattoo kits, nest boxes to carriers. These are things that you will need.
As for your second question. Sexing:
That is rather hard to explain using only words.
Pictures say it all-http://www.debmark.com/rabbits/sexing.htm
*You can also ask one of the exhibitors this at a show. They will show you the difference.
Feed: Nutrition, one the most important things when if comes to breeding rabbits. You need some good quality pellets (ask breeders for references) As for vegetables, keep young rabbits far away from vegetables it can hurt they newly adjusting stomach. Some vegetable for adult rabbits is fine, just don’t get carried away. Hay is good roughage for them. I use alfalfa, but I hear good things about timothy.
When you buy a new rabbit make sure you get some of the food it’s used to from its last owner so that you can switch it off with out too much stress.
If you plan on having rabbits for breeding you should definitely put them in separate cages. Rabbits really don’t like living in pairs and will often become violent with it’s cage mate.
I use all wire stack cages and I love them.
Every rabbit is different. Some rabbits are sweet as can be and others will bite you whenever you put your hand near. The breed it is has nothing to do with this.
BREEDING-
When you have picked out your breed and bought atleast one healthy doe and one healthy buck with no disqualifications. Read up on every possible book you could find on breeding rabbits and talked to several other breeders, you are ready to begin!
Make sure they are in separate cages and of appropriate age for breeding for your breed. TAKE THE DOE TO THE BUCK. This is important because if you bring the buck to the doe then the doe will get aggressive. Everyonce in awhile you will get a stubborn doe that will not accept the buck. Just wait until tomorrow and try again for 5 consecutive days. She’ll come around. Give them enough time to see if she really won’t accept him or she’s just playing hard to get.
The buck will mount the doe and if successful, the doe will raise her rear and the buck will fall. Take the doe out of the bucks cage and hold her as though you were cradling a baby. This will cause muscles to tense up and keep sperm in. About 4-7 hours later do this all over again. The first breeding just anitiated ovulation.
On the 28th day you will need to prepare a nest box for the doe. Abo
References :
Rabbit breeder since 2001