Responsible Breeders

Before even beginning to embark on this there are many important points to consider. First and foremost is the question of why are you wanting to breed? There are hundreds of abandoned, unwanted and mistreated rabbits in rescue centres around the country all waiting for a loving home. If you are just wishing to acquire several rabbits then visiting a rescue centre is probably your best option. The rabbits are often used to being handled, they may be neutered and vaccinated and as adults you can see just what sort of rabbit you’re getting with regard to size, temperament.

If you want to breed because you are interested in showing rabbits or merely enjoy keeping rabbits then you need to make absolutely sure that you do not add to the ever increasing number of rabbit residing in rescue centres. This is what learning to be a responsible breeder is all about.

A responsible breeder needs to keep impeccable records to ensure that all births are planned and prepared for. You need to have a definite plan in mind before starting off and have a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve. In this way you do not end up with accidental, unwanted litters that you can’t find homes for. A responsible breeder is very selective about the sort of person that they sell their stock to. Please ensure that all prospective buyers, whether they want a pet or breeding stock, a knowledgeable in rabbit care. If you have any doubts just REFUSE TO SELL. If the problem is lack of knowledge then offer suitable literature and advise them to contact various people such as the BRC, other breeders etc. Obviously ascertain the purpose of the purchase and if the answer is questionable then again just refuse to sell.

When selling a rabbit, once you have satisfied yourself as to the suitability of the purchaser, ensure that they go away with sufficient food to cover the changeover period and also some sort of care sheet which covers the basics.

Once you believe yourself capable of all this I would advise visiting local breeders to get some idea of what’s involved in looking after several rabbits on a daily basis. Get some idea of the cost involved and the time it takes just to do the basics such as feeding, watering, cleaning out. Make sure that you also have sufficient hutches for your chosen breed to not only keep your current stock but to also put weaned youngsters and for running on any promising youngsters. If you are interested in breeding show rabbits then you need to learn about how to keep the exhibits clean, prepare them for show, teach them how to sit (in some breeds) and also what to look for in a good show specimen.

Once you have acquired your stock and have planned your breeding programme and are clear about your aims then you can start on the actual breeding.

Before You Begin

You need to ensure that your rabbits are old enough before trying to breed from the. This varies for each breed but in general no rabbit should be bred from before it is 5 months old. With larger breeds it is sometimes necessary to wait until they are about 8 months old. The breeder that you purchase your stock from will be able to advise about this. As well as ensuring the animals are old enough they also need to be in good condition. Both rabbits need to be fit and healthy and should not be in moult at the time. When the doe is ready she may start digging about in her hutch and if you turn her over her vulva will be anything from dark pink to purple in colour. Rabbits do not have a ovulation cycle like most mammals they are induced ovulators which means that they release eggs after they have been mated. This in theory means that a rabbit can be mated at any time – you do not have to wait for the female to be ‘in season’. Both animals should be free from any infection (particularly around the vent area) and does that have been bred from before should be rested between litters.

If you are just breeding for interest or pets then in theory you can breed any two rabbits together providing they are similar in size e.g. you wouldn’t breed a British Giant with a Polish! If you are breeding for show purposes then you need to carefully consider your stock beforehand. Choose rabbits that are preferably from the same line and do not breed from a rabbit with a disqualification if at all possible. Try to mate two rabbits together which complement each other. E.g. if your buck could have a slightly broader skull try to mate him to a doe that makes up for the features that he lacks and vice versa. Once you have considered type also take into account colour. Not all colours are compatible with each other (see genetics page) so it is a good idea to plan what colours you would like to end up with and what you are starting with. It would be useful when you are buying stock to obtain a pedigree from the breeder or at the very least write down the colour of the parents, grand parents etc.

Mating the Doe

Once you have chosen your pairing and decided that now is the best time to mate your doe you need to decide whether to breed the animals whilst in their hutches or remove the animals and place them on the floor or a table. I personally prefer to keep them in a hutch then the doe can’t give the buck too much of a ‘run-around’.

Place the doe in the buck’s hutch (never the other way round as does can be quite territorial and she may attack the buck). If both rabbits are happy with this arrangement then the buck will mount the doe and she will lift her hindquarters for him. Not all does are this willing and she may run around or chase the buck around for a while before allowing him to mate her. If she is already pregnant or just doesn’t want to mate then she will back into a corner and keep her tail firmly down. She may even make grunting noise and attack the buck so always observe and never leave the pair unattended. Once the buck has mated (this generally only takes a few seconds) he may grunt, squeal or even scream and fall off backwards. At this point you can assume that the doe has been mated and make a careful note of the date. 14 days from this date the doe can be palpated to see whether she is pregnant and if she is, 28-34 days from this date she will give birth. Sometimes, even though the doe appears to have been successfully mated, she will ‘miss’. I.e. she takes a mating but fails to conceive. This can be due to many factors but is usually due to the doe being too fat or allowing the doe to rest too long between litters. This can usually be remedied by cutting the food ration and feeding extra hay in the case of a fat doe. With does that have been left too long between litters or just appear unwilling placing them in a hutch previously occupied by a buck (especially one that smells!) will usually make her more receptive next time. With does that appear to make a habit of missing it is advisable to mate them several times within 24 hours to increase the chances of conception.

Other reasons for missed pregnancies can be:In very hot weather bucks can become sterile, during the ‘off’ season, (wintertime) artificial lighting and sometimes heating will need to be provided.

The Pregnant Doe

Palpation

Depending on the breed of rabbit, you can generally feel the developing foetuses in the doe’s uterine horns about 14 days after mating. This can be quite a hard technique to get right the first time and it is a good idea to get an experienced breeder to give you a demonstration. Place the doe on a flat surface and be VERY gentle so as not to damage the foetuses. The rabbit needs to be facing you and place your hand palm up underneath the doe, just below her abdomen. Try to palpate the right side of the rabbit as on the left you may feel the kidneys and assume that you can feel babies. Gently bring your thumb and forefinger together by feeling upward with your fingers and pressing in from the side with your thumb. This will bring the foetuses into position between your thumb and fingers. You are feeling for grape-like shapes. In the more advanced stages of pregnancies you may be able to feel the babies moving around. If you cannot feel anything do not assume that she is not pregnant as some does carry the babies very high up in the uterine horns and you may not be able to feel these. There may also only be one or two babies and these may slide out of the way every time you squeeze.

Test mating

If you are fairly sure that the doe is not pregnant then re-mate her with the buck. Keep a very close watch just in case she is pregnant and turns nasty towards the buck. If she accepts the buck then it is reasonable to assume that she isn’t pregnant, note the date and start counting again. The more experienced breeders can tell that their doe is pregnant just by noticing changes in her behaviour and mood.

Preparing for the Birth

Carry on feeding the doe as normal and ensure plenty of fresh hay and water at all times. About a week before the doe is due give her hutch a thorough clean-out and supply plenty of hay for nest making. Some breeders use a nest box to stop the babies wandering and keep them all warm together but I personally do not use these as my does use them as toilets and if a baby get dragged out attached to a teat it cannot crawl back in and usually dies of hypothermia.

Ensure the doe has plenty of hay and avoid handling her. Give her plenty of peace and quiet and generally you won’t see any of the actual labour. Some does may start to nest quite early (sometimes almost 2 weeks in advance) other may not make any kind of nest until during and after the birth.

The Birth

The actual birthing often occurs during the night or the early hours of the morning. You will usually come out the next day and see a pile of hay and fur in one corner that squirms and squeaks occasionally.  It takes only about ten minutes on average for the doe to give birth. It is a good idea to carefully check around the nest area for any babies that may have wandered or any dead. In winter any stray babies need to be gently warmed back to body temperature and then replaced in the nest. In the summer any dead babies need to be removed as soon as possible so as to not attract flies.

In the summer this is not an issue but if a doe only has one kit in the winter then it may have difficulty in keeping warm even under all that fur. It is wise to consider fostering this baby onto a doe with kits of her own. Try to disturb the doe as little as possible as some does may kill or abandon the young if they suspect interference. When checking the nest it is sometime best to remove the doe and rub the doe’s scent on your hands first so that she can’t smell your own smell on her babies or the nest.

If you are lucky enough to see the doe giving birth do not interfere. She will generally deal with the whole process quite efficiently without human intervention. Obviously there are exceptions such as if the doe gets a kit stuck or appears unable to pass what may be a very large or deformed kit. In the event of a kit being stuck then this can usually be gently eased out with the use of a lubricant. If the doe appears to be unable to pass a kit then veterinary attention is usually necessary. Some breeders will sometimes re-mate the doe at this stage as the actual mating (if successful) actually ‘opens the doe up’ and enables her to pass the kit.

The actual cleaning up of the kits and disposal of the membranes and afterbirth needs no interference. The doe rips the sack open and cleans the kits before covering them with fur. Do not be tempted to remove any ‘bits’ unless they have been there a while as the does gets valuable nutrients and hormones from eating these especially the placenta.

Ensure the doe has plenty of food and water and avoid unnecessary disturbances.

Don’t worry if you don’t see the doe feeding her young. She only does this once every 24 hours and usually at night when no one is around. The doe may not feed her babies for up to two days after she has given birth so don't panic if she shows no interest in the nest. If the kits appear to have fat bellies (often the milk can be seen in the belly) then do not interfere. Kits that look very wrinkled and go ‘mad’ when they can feel your hand above the nest (they think it’s mum come to feed them) may not be getting fed. Check that the doe is okay, has plenty of water and food etc, and gently squeeze the teats to see if she is producing milk. Occasionally a doe may not produce milk in which case the babies will need to be fostered.

 Development of the Kits

The kits are born blind and deaf and completely hairless. Within a couple of days fur will start to grow and it should now be easy to determine what colour the rabbit will be. After approximately ten days the eyes will start to open as will the ears and the kits may even start to venture out of the nest. This is the stage (10-14 days) at which they may start to nibble on solid food so make sure there is plenty of hay around and you can also sprinkle some ‘baby-friendly’ food around the nest such as oats. As the kits start to eat solid food increase the food rations and feed ad lib.

At around three to four weeks the kits should be almost completely living outside of the nest especially in warmer weather. It is at this stage that they should be handled regularly and any possible show rabbits can start sitting practise for a minute or two every day. The rabbits can be sexed quite easily and also show potential can be ascertained. In general, particularly in the breeds that we keep, what the rabbit looks like at four weeks is what it will look like as an adult. If the rabbit looks poor and does not conform very well to the standard at four weeks then it probably won’t as an adult.

By about six weeks of age the doe will have probably weaned the babies onto solid food. The babies should be eating and drinking quite happily independently of mum and at this stage mum can be removed from the hutch. We do leave our babies together with mum until eight weeks just to ensure proper weaning and to minimise stress. Mum is then removed and the babies are observed for a further two weeks until we either sell them or house any that we are keeping for our own use in separate hutches.