The Breeding Process & Gestation Period:

          The Steps in order to breed a rabbit are very simple. They are listed below in order: 

Step 1: 

          First you want to choose a pair of rabbits that will compliment each other. What I mean is you want to choose a buck and a doe that will produce nice quality offspring. When choosing you want to consider the quality of body types of the parents, the colors of the parents, the colors that will be produced by the parents, and last but not least the temperaments of the parents. For example if I were considering breeding a pair of my dwarfs and the doe was a little pinched in the hindquarters and the buck's color was a little light, I would consider the buck's hindquarter and how the offspring’s hindquarters would be. I would then take the buck’s light color in consideration. If I could conclude that the doe's color was a little too dark then the color would turn out normal on the offspring. Also if I could conclude the buck’s hindquarters were nice and full then these two rabbits would be a good combination for each other.

Step 2:

          After you have chosen the two rabbits you would like to breed together the next step is to decide when to breed them. The best time to breed the two now needs to come into consideration. The weather and the type of housing can have great affects on the offspring and the parents. Also the age must come into consideration. A doe should not be breed till it is at least six months of age. For example if it is extremely hot out and both of your rabbits are kept in outside hutches and you are trying to decide when to breed them. Well the first thing to keep in mind is that bucks can go sterile in extreme heat. Also if the rabbits are a dwarf variety then you want to keep in mind that the heat can cause the offspring’s ears to get extremely long. You would most likely want to wait till the weather cools down a little.

Step 3: 

          Once you have decided when to breed the pair the next step is to breed them. If the doe is willing to breed her genital area will look swollen and inflamed. Bucks are usually always willing to breed. Always take the doe to the buck’s cage. Does can get a little territorial and may injure the buck. Now take the buck to the doe’s cage and let them breed. The doe should raise her hind area up into the air and the buck should breed her. If they successfully breed the buck will suddenly fall off the doe and may squeal. Now that the two have breed take the doe back to her cage and leave the two separated. After they have been separated for about an hour or so I usually take the doe back and try breeding them again. Some say this increases the fertility rate and helps you get nicer quality animals. After all these steps are completed please remember that the doe may not be pregnant.

Gestation:

          Now that you think you have successfully bred the pair of rabbits the next step is to wait. The gestation period of a rabbit is 31 days but there are many procedues to be done before the doe gives birth. Below I will list several steps and procedures that need to be done or that the doe will be in at different stages of the pregnancy:

Day 14:

          At this day you want to do a so-called pregnancy test. If one of these processes is completed it will save allot of time if the doe isn’t really bred. The first test you can try is taking the doe back to the buck’s cage. She may fight with him or run from him. She may even raise her hind end up and want bred. If she fights or runs she is most likely bred. If she lets the buck breed her then she probably wasn't bred the first time and most likely is now. Another way to test and see if a doe is bred is to palpate her. This is a more complicated way to tell but it also works. To palpate a doe you sit her belly down on a table or flat surface. Next you take your hand and squeeze the doe’s belly. This does not hurt the doe or any babies inside. When squeezing you want to start at the top of her stomach right below the rib cage and work your way down.  You want to start at the top close to the backbone of the rabbit and pull down somewhat like as if you were milking a cow. If the doe is bred you will feel several clumps of grape like masses. They will be about the size of a grape and there will be usually more than one depending on what breed of rabbit it is.

Day 28:         

          On day 28 of the pregnancy you need to give the doe a nesting box. A nest box is a wooden, medal, or wire box that the doe builds a nest and has her babies in. Nest boxes come in many shapes and many sizes but all of them have the same purpose. Take the nest box and stuff it with as much hay or straw as it will hold.  Put the box in the cage with the doe. The doe should then start building her nest. She will take the straw or hay in her mouth and hop around the cage. She will move it all around the cage and she will start building a nest. Some does do this right away others will wait till the very last minute. Once the doe builds a nest she will then begin to pull out her fur and line the nest with it. Once again some does do this right away others wait till the very last minute.

Day 31:

          On day 31 the litter should arrive. Some does can have their litters early others late. The litter can be born on day 28-34. They are almost always born on day 31 though. Once the litter has arrived check them. Check to see how many there are, see if there are any dead ones, make sure they are all ok, and make sure the doe didn’t have any complications. Only check them once then leave them alone to be with their mother. Check them once a day till their eyes open then they should get out of the nest box and explore.

Whats Next?

          Now that we know about how to breed a rabbit and the gestation period the next thing to know is how the baby rabbit develops.  Now I will just explain it but I will be posting pictures and explain it in more detail when I get some pictures.

       When the babies are first born they are born blind, depth, and naked. They are basically helpless until their eyes open. When the litter is anywhere from 10-14 days old their eyes begin to open and they will have enough fur on themselves that they don't need the fur the mom pulled for them anymore. When they are about 4 weeks old the mother will start weaning them. Little by little she will start moving them from her milk to dry hard food and water. They usually will not be fully weaned until they are 8 weeks old. When the litter is 8 weeks old they are basically fully weaned and can be taken away from their mother permanently. Threw out the next few months after the rabbits are taken away from there mother they will begin to develop there breeding parts and will start shedding their baby coat and develop their adult coats. When the rabbits are 6 months of age they can be successfully bred themselves. At this age they are old enough to handle a litter and can take care of them for themselves.