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Breed of rabbits ?

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Can anyone tell me whatkind of rabbits these are. Obviously they are cross breeds. They come from the same buck and doe but not from the same litter. Ruby is the grey one 4 months old approx and chico the brown one is approx 5 months old.

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Posted on October 14th 2009 in breeding rabbits

Rabbit Project, Best Breed of Rabbit

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Sebastian shows us what his best breed of rabbits.

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Posted on October 12th 2009 in breeding rabbits

Is She Going to Lift?

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Is she going to lift? This video shows how quickly rabbits breed. As soon as the doe lifts for the buck, he’s pretty much finished. The buck falls off when he’s done. Check out my web site at http://sugarraysrabbits.tripod.com/

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Posted on October 6th 2009 in breeding rabbits

Can someone please tell me the basic facts about breeding pet rabbits?

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Ive got a girl and a boy rabbit, and i think lola (my female rabbit) is pregnant. can you please tell me stuff like the signs of when a rabbit is pregnant, how long they’re pregnant for and basic things like that. ive been searching on google for half an hour and havent found anything!
and i live in australia if that makes a difference?

All answers are appreciated!
Thanks in advance.

im 20 years old i ahve had rabbits since i was 5 and i have had a few litters my self……

first before you breed her you need to make sure you can find them good homes….

if she is pregant she will start taking fur from her body and building a nest with it,,,,her stomache will start to get big and she will be eating and drinking more her stomach will get hard quick….

i would suggest taking the make out untill the babies are out of the cage or big enough to handle him…..

and ur going to see the mother stepping on the babies thats ok when she steps on them it doesnt hurt them its to see who is the strongest if the babies start to die take them away from the mother and feed them ur self i have had to that plenty of times and they make it somtimes they dont…. kitten milk is fine….

if you dont want no more babies get her fixed or have them in separate cages so this wont happen again…

just watch the mom and make sure she is getting plenty of vitamins make sure she gets some type of fruit or timothy hay everyday to keep up with everything and good luck enjoy it…

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Posted on July 13th 2009 in breeding rabbits

Is there an age limit for a doe to stop breeding (in rabbits)?

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hi i am NOT breeding rabbits but i am interested to know..
i know that unspayed doe’s have 80% chance of getting urine cancer at 5 but is there actually and age limited.

thanks
xxx

Hello,

Yes,the first time a Dwarf-Medium sized doe can breed at is 6-9 months old. A giant-large size rabbit at 10-12 months old. However the oldest a Doe can continue to breed at,whatever the size is 4-5 years old. I say 4 years MAXIMUM. Normally 3yrs old. Yes up to 85% of unaltered or non bred does after 4-5 years old will contract womb cancer.

Hope I helped.xxx

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Posted on July 11th 2009 in breeding rabbits

breeding rabbits but i need a little help?

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i breed rabbits or used to a year ago. i want to start again do ive refreshed my memmory but theres probably something i’ve forgotten or that i cannot reserch. from you own opinion what facts would you give me that i probaly dont know. dot worry the babies mum and dad will all be safe in my room with me.

The first step would be to pick a good buck and a good doe, the second step is to take the Doe to the Buck’s cage, never take the buck to the doe, The doe could become rather aggresive. Then after they are together, wait, The buck will fall of the doe and grunt, That is how you know that it could be a seccesful breeding. You need to prepair a nest box to put in with the doe. This will consist of a 4 side wooden box, you can research how to make a nestbox online. fill it with straw and put it in with her, hopefully she will have them in the nestbox.

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Posted on July 9th 2009 in breeding rabbits

Is breeding rabbits a good idea for a 12 yr old n her mom?

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I was thinking about breeding rabbits once i have enough money to pay for the supplies and room for them. i have two now, but no babies cuz they’re both boys. But is rabbits breeding a good idea? Should i? and how do i ask my parents?
um, ok, if u say no (like LENI) could u tell me y plz.
and 2. they’re not going to be homeless! breeding=taking care of the babies too!
uh, DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
um taylor, i AM the daughter.

also, i would be showing them
i would probably keep them outside, but we have cyotes near our house and we have outdoor cats.

If you have a realistic goal yes. Many youth breed and raise rabbits and in competition can beat adults. However, unless your current rabbits meet their breed standard, don’t use them.

Do some research. Go to ARBA shows; get a membership (and some great info with it!), get a copy of the Standard of Profection. This will cost you less than $40. Look honestly at realistic expectations and discount cliches. "Rabbits breed like rabbits" – not always true!! And when you at long last get your champion pair and find he won’t breed or she won’t have live babies you’ll get the full effect of just how much it isn’t true. :( But get that and get a copy of "Raising Rabbits The Modern Way" and/or Storey’s guide to rabbits.

Use a good feed – 16% show/breeding/production feed. Have a plan for the unshowable/unbreedable offspring. DO NOT COUNT ON THE PET MARKET! It’s fickle. There is NO reason for "abandoned rabbits" and "putting rabbits to sleep" – as long as there are hungry people there is no reason for "unwanted rabbits". Depending on the breed you might raise and sell them for meat. Fur, ground for feeding dogs, whole and prekilled for snake food are just a few ways. Some have provided killed rabbits to raptor centers and they feed injured hawks, eagles and owls. Whatever you do before you get involved in breeding have a plan for the extras. The pet market is my last resort partly because the breeds I’ve had are larger than pet people wanted and partly because too many don’t have a concept of *rabbits*. I’d rather a rabbit be humanely killed and fed to a hawk than mistreated.

Do your research. Consider your area and get everything properly set up while you’re researching. Talk to breeders. Get a rabbit breed you can handle. If you’re small you’ll probably be more comfortable with the breeds under 10 pounds rather than over. If you have small places without an indoor place to run them (again research!) don’t get a running breed – English Spot, checkered giant etc.

There’s many breeds that are mid range – the Florida white is one. If you have a plan for the offspring – select the right breed for YOU, have a good management plan for care and on down to the manure rabbits can be an enjoyable venture. Look into basic business practices (consider it a homeschool lesson!) and lay out sort of a business plan – really think about things. Although you probably will not *make* money this shows your parents you have truly thought about all aspects of it, you’ve put that on paper, you have realistic expectations of what it takes and you’re responsible enough to hold up your end.

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Posted on July 6th 2009 in breeding rabbits

Why would rabbits stop breeding?

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Purina Mills Video Library: Expert Responses

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Posted on July 6th 2009 in breeding rabbits

what is the best kind of rabbit hutch when breeding rabbits ??

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like what is the best requirements for the floor? should i keep them inside or outside? wood or wire? how do i make a breeding box? keep the hutch on the ground or high up on stilts etc??

Are you a member of any rabbit club or are you just going to breed crossbreeds to add to the 100’s of other crossbreeds that get slaughtered or abandoned every week.

The following was compiled by me to give more help to new rabbit owners and I exhibit standard rex, dutch, harlequins, magpies and dwarf lop rabbits, also ferrets and ferret cross European polecat hybrids, I got my first pet ferret and pet rabbit over 50+ years ago, when I was a small child.

History.
Dutch rabbits, along with the English, were the most popular pet and exhibition rabbits a position that has now been filled by the Lop breeds. Originally from Holland or Belgium, the breed is striking in its appearance with a white blaze carrying up to a point between the ears, a saddle of colour continuing right around the middle of the rabbit with a straight edge and white markings on the hind feet. Their coat should be glossy and they are a medium size rabbit weighing 2.04 -2. 26 kg (4.5 lb. 5 lb.).

Behaviour of all rabbits.
Dutch rabbits are very lively and alert and should make good pets although a prospective owner should be looking for a breeder that handles the rabbits regularly from a young age so that the rabbit is not too jumpy. Colours Black, Blue, Chocolate, Yellow, Tortoiseshell, Steel Grey, Brown Grey, Pale Grey and Tri Colour
By using body language rabbits can stamp their feet or with a flash of a tail they can be seen and heard by other rabbits over a long distance.

Feeding Rabbits require a high fibre with lots of low quality hay (dried grass) or straw and low protein feed to prevent digestive problems, all rabbits do better on a poor quality hay than on a better quality hay such as timothy hay. Use rabbit pellets which can be purchased from pet shops to provide all your rabbits dietary needs and along with the following. Vegetables:
Artichoke leaves and Jerrusalem leaves, stems and tubers, Asparagus, Baby Sweetcorns and full size ones, Beetroot, Broccoli (and its leaves, including purple sprouting varieties), Brussel Sprouts (leaves and sprouts), Cabbage (can sometimes cause digestive upsets), Carrots (and carrot tops), Cauliflower (and the leaves), Celeriac, Celery (and its leaves), Chicory (in small amounts as this is a diretic), Courgette ( also leaves and flowers), Cucumber ( also leaves and flowers), Curly Kale (Excerlent for winter use), Fennel, Green beans (including leaves and stems), Kohl rabi, Parsnip, Peas (including the leaves and pods), Peppers (red, green and yellow), Pumpkin ( also leaves and flowers), Radish Tops, Rocket, Romaine (and all other lettuce as this is a diretic), Spinach (only occasional), Spring Greens, Squash (e.g. Butternut, leaves and flowers), Swede (Excerlent for winter use), Turnip (only occasional), Watercress.
Herbs (often powerful tastes so may take some getting used to): Basil, Coriander, Dill, Mint (peppermint), Parsley, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme.
Fruits (should be fed in moderation, due to sugar content): all types of fresh fruit including skin Apple, Apricot, Banana (high in potassium),Blackberries (and leaves – excellent astringent properties), Blueberries,Cherries, Grapes, Kiwi Fruit, Melon, Mango, Nectarines, Orange, Papaya, Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Plums, Raspberries, Strawberries, Raspberries (and leaves – excellent astringent properties), Tomatoes (not the leaves)
Wild Garden Herbs/Weeds/Flowers: Borage, Calendula, Camomile, Chickweed ( in small amounts as this is a diretic), Clover (leaves and flowers), Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Dandelion (in small amounts as this is a diretic), Goosegrass (cleavers) but may stick to coat!, Lavender, Mallow, Nettle (the type with the white flowers), Nasturtium (leaves and flowers), Shepherd’s purse, Sow Thistle, Plantain, Yarrow.
Extra vitamins and salt licks are not required. Any changes in diet must be made slowly (green stuffs and prepared feeds) over a period of a couple of weeks, to avoid digestive upsets. Fresh water must be available at all times and renewed daily.
To enable your rabbit to extract as much protein, vitamins and minerals from their low quality food, they digest their food twice, these are soft, kidney shaped droppings which are covered in a small amount of mucous. These droppings are very different from the dry round droppings that you will usually see your rabbit passing. Rabbits are herbivorous and wild rabbits will spend most of their lives grazing on grass, foliage, flowers and roots

Rabbits living indoor will drink more water than rabbits living out of doors because of the dryer atmosphere

Housing
For first time rabbit owner once you get home with your rabbit, put it in your cage and leave it for 48 house so that it can get used to its new surroundings before you start handling it, if you start to handle it too early you could end up with a very grumpy young rabbit from the start.
Rabbits can be kept indoors or outdoors, either way they need their own space in an appropriate cage or hutch. There are many purpose built cages and hutches available, alternatively you could build your own. It is recommended that you purchase the best quality you can afford, your rabbit will need it for 7–12 years. Make sure that the hutch is large enough for your rabbit to stretch full out, and high enough for your rabbit to stand upright. Dutch rabbits are generally comfortable in a 4′ x 2′ hutch. If kept outdoors, the hutch should have a dark enclosed area to provide your rabbit with a quiet space. The main living area should be large enough for your rabbit to stretch full out, and have wire mesh on the door. The hutch should be at least 6" off the floor to provide adequate ventilation. In the winter you can move your rabbits indoors or into a shed. They are also quite happy remaining out of doors, providing extra protection such as an old blanket draped over the front of the hutch at night in very cold weather. Remember rabbits need good ventilation, you can not therefore leave the cover down permanently otherwise your rabbit will succumb to chest infections from the damp, ammonia or overheating, and rabbits die from all of these.
Rabbits are naturally very clean animals and will only defecate and urinate in one area.

Bedding
Hay, straw and wood chips all make suitable bedding for rabbits. It is down to personal choice which you use, however, research has shown that rabbits will choose straw rather than wood chip or wire bottomed cages. All bedding should be renewed at least once a week, and the hutch should be washed, scrubbed and disinfected several times per year.
Rabbits can live out doors quite happily at minus 20c or below, all they need is plenty of bedding and a 4 inch layer of shavings

Exercise
Rabbits need regular stimulation and exercise in a safe environment. This can be in a purpose made rabbit run or simply by bringing your rabbit indoors and letting it play in your living room. Rabbits that are playing outside of their hutches, either in a run or indoors, should be supervised at all times and their play area must be ‘rabbit proofed’ by removing any hazards. Young rabbits will enjoy exercise, but be careful not to over do it, particularly if you are still in the ‘getting to know each other’ period.
Rabbits are sociable creatures and enjoy the company of humans, dogs, cats and other rabbits if carefully introduced. It is generally suggested that each rabbit has its own hutch (particularly if you intend to show it) as rabbits are like children and prefer not to share ‘bedrooms’. They can, however, socialise together in common space, such as rabbit runs, and will like being able to see and hear another rabbit when they are in their own hutches. 2 bucks must never be put together even in a run if they have not been castrated (they will fight).

Rabbits need to be occupied and they love playing with toys. This can include manufactured toys for human babies, birds, cats, dogs, hamsters etc. But rabbits will equally get hours of enjoyment from some very cheap, readily available items in the household, blocks of wood, planks, plastic flower pots.
Rabbits can get exercise by taking them out on a harness and lead, but the problem with this is that rabbits can pick up diseases and fleas left on the grass by other rabbits, if their vaccinations are up to date they should not get any of the diseases but they will still pick up fleas.
Rabbits left to run around the home while the householder is out will chew wires, electric leads and furniture, these pets should be put in a pen or hutch while the householders are not at home.

Health
It is recommend that you get your rabbit covered by Pet Insurance as veterinary fees can mount up. Never leave a rabbit in the sole care of a child. As an adult you will have to assume sole responsibility for the health and welfare of your child’s rabbit.
To prevent territorial behaviour of both bucks (males) and does (females), it is suggested that pet rabbits are neutered, if they are not neutered then it should be one rabbit per cage. I don’t see altering as cruel when the kits may be dead in a year anyway; either through being "released" into the wild" or being slaughtered in a shelter when the owners have got bored of them.
Never put intact cavies / guinea-pigs in with intact rabbits as they will both sexually abuse each other, cavies / guinea- pigs should be housed with others of the same species. Males can be neutered at around 3-4 months, and does at 6 months. Females over 2-3 years old that are not being regularly bred from are at high risk of developing uterine cancer unless neutered.

Rabbits have little ability to regulate their body temperature and die very easily from heat stroke. Ensure adequate shade is provided at all times. Handle your rabbit daily, and it will generally enjoy your company. Never pick a rabbit up by its ears, and always support your rabbits back and hind quarters when handling.
Rabbits can easily experience spinal injuries, nails need clipping every 6-8 weeks and teeth should be checked weekly to ensure they are correctly aligned and they moult 2-4 times a year, only one of these will be heavy (usually late Spring/early Summer).

Seek veterinary advice if your rabbit develops discharges from the eye, nose or mouth, has scabs inside its ears, is passing diarrhoea or mucous, or stops eating and/or drinking. Any ill rabbit must always be given drinking water in a bowl. Water bottles are a clean, hygienic way of providing water if you rabbit is fit and well, but ill rabbits often become listless and will be unlikely to be bothered to lift their heads up to the spout of a bottle and will dehydrate and die very quickly.
If at all worried about your rabbit seek Veterinary Advice as sick or injured rabbits die very quickly
Healthy rabbits kept in clean conditions should not need bathing, if you think your rabbit needs a bath, first sort out why you think so and what you have done wrong in the first place.

Rabbit teeth, some rabbits have an over bight or an under bight which means that the teeth don’t wear down properly, you have a choice here 1] Get your vet to pull the two front teeth out, 2] Get your vet to cut or file the two front teeth down, 3] You cut or file the teeth down. I prefer to do this job myself and cut the rabbits teeth, but I have never had to cut the teeth of any of the rabbits that I have bred. The name for this problem is malocclusion! Rabbits do far far better on a poor quality hay as they will chew this then excrete a pellet which they will eat so as to get more value out of the poor quality hay. This will also give them a more natural exercises to do and keep them occupied for longer. Trimming Nails Sit down and lay your rabbit on its back that way you can get to all 4 feet put your thumb on the sole of the foot with your fingers around the back of the foot and press your thumb down to show the nails take 1/3 rd of the nail off
A rabbits nose should be dry when it is in good health, if the nose is wet seek advice from your vet.

Breeding
Avoid breeding rabbits that have genetic defects and anything that is not found in the wild population such as long fur, extra short fur, drop down ears or satin fur can be classed as a genetic defect. Long hared rabbits such as Angora’s, Cashmeres and Lionheads need a lot more grooming than short hair or normal coated rabbits do
Females will come into heat when a male is around, they don’t go through cycles like most other creatures although they can mate anytime in any month and produce a litter, in theory they can produce a litter every month.
Gestation 30 to 32 days, litter size 3 to 8, eyes open 10 to 12 days, weaning are 6 to 8 weeks When the litter arrives don’t expect every kit in the litter to be the same size, like multiple human births each kit will be different size and weight. Male Rabbit-BUCK (Sire) Female Rabbit-Doe (Dam) Young rabbit- Kit (offspring)
All rabbits should have their first litter before they reach 12 months old, if this is left until latter complications can set in and 95% of all older female pet rabbits die having their first litter.
Males can father a litter anytime from 6 months old up to 12 years old.
When breeding each doe should have her own cage to have her litter in, that way she will feel safe and in wild rabbits the pregnant doe leaves all the other rabbits and makes a stop (small burrow) where only she knows the litter can be found and it is not until the kits are ready to leave the stop that they return to the larger warren and all the other rabbits.
Pregnant rabbits can be handled until she starts pulling out her belly fur, at this point she should not be handled as the stress of the forthcoming litter and being handled may cause her to abort the litter.

If you intend breeding rabbits try to get hold of some pedigree stock, there are millions of cross bred rabbits about and a lot just end up being slaughtered, but with pedigree stock there is always some one out there who will buy them.

The doe must be put in with the buck who has to be housed separately and the matting only take a couple of seconds, then for the next three weeks she can be treated just as if she had not be mated only with a slight increase of food, by the 21 st day you should be starting to prepare for the birth by putting lots of hay or straw in the bedding area so that the doe can start to build her nest.
After the birth she will feed her kits at dawn and dusk, to feed them she will stand over the kits and the kits will come up to feed from the doe. Does don’t menstruate, they ovulate after mating, a very efficient system.

Sexing rabbits try the following sites ….
www.debmark.com/rabbits/sexing. … www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/sexing.shtml … www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=18&cat=1803&articleid=2694 …

My experience
I have bred, exhibited and bred exhibition rabbits since the early 70’s, all of my rabbits are healthy and well cared for, they live up to 12+ years, at the moment I have 26 rabbits.

Garden plants. There’s no such thing as a rabbit-proof plant. However, there are some that usually get passed over for something more tasty. Achilles (Yarrow), Agastache (Hyssop), Aquilegia (Columbine), Astilbe, Digitalis (Foxglove), Eryngium (Sea Holly), Euphorbia (Spurge), Gaillardia (Blanket Flower), Geranium (Perennial Geraniums), Helleborus (Hellebore), Hyacinthus (Hyacinth), Iris, Kniphofia (Red-hot Poker), Lavandula (Lavender), Lupinus (Lupine), Narcissus (Daffodil), Nepeta (Cat mint), Origanum (Oregano), Papaver (Poppy), Penstemon (Beardtongue), Peony, Perovskia (Russian Sage), Polygonatum (Solomon’s Seal), Salvia (Sage), Yucca. Toxic Plants found in the house around Christmas: Poinsettia, Philodendron, Diffenbachia, Taxus Bicata = Yew, Chrysanthemum
Plants found to be Poisonous to Rabbits
Aloe vera, Amaryllis, Anemone, Azalea, Buttercups, Bluebells, Bittersweet, Bryony, Caladium, Carnation, Clematis, Crown-of-Thorns, Cyclamen, Columbine, Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, Deadly Nightshade, Delphinium, Dieffenbachia, Dracaena, Dog Mercury, Evergreens, Fig, Figwort, Fools Parsley, Poppies, Ragwort, Hemlock, Holly, Hydrangea, Impatiens, Juniper, Kingcup, Leyland Cypress, Laburnum, Lords And Ladies, Lily of the Valley, Lobelia, Marsh Marigold, Monkshood, Meadow Saffron, Mistletoe, Morning Glory, Oleander, Primrose, Privet, Schefflera, Spurges, St Johns wort, Rhododendron, Rubber Plant, Tulips, Wisteria, Woody Nightshade

Showing
The Hobby of Breeding & Exhibiting Rabbits is called ‘The Fancy’.
BRC member for over 30 years. www.thebrc.org

Since having a brain injury I had to cut down on pets from over the 200 I owned, I have only kept a few Ferrets and European polecat hybrids, Rabbits, Dogs and a breeding pair of Rosella Parakeets.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/intact-ferrets/ http://www.geocities.com/houseferrets13uk/Tonys_Pets.html .
Contact me if you need any more help. I help my vet when ever I can.

The American cottontail rabbit is an inferior species of rabbit and not the same specie as the rabbits that are kept all over the world as pets, the domestic rabbits originate from Spain

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Posted on July 5th 2009 in breeding rabbits

Rabbits

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Our rabbits that we intend to breed for meat and show. Delilah is the only pure bred and she is a mini rex. the rest are mutt bunnies. Oreo is the other doe and the three bucks are Jack, Fluffy and Adventure

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Posted on July 4th 2009 in breeding rabbits

Looking for a good book on raising rabbits? Get How to Train & Care for Your Rabbit today and maximize your enjoyment of this hobby.