Whiskerz wrote:
Ok, this is JUST out of curiosity encase I ever decide I want to actually breed bunnies.
Which if I ever did, it wouldn't be for a very long time but I just want to do a little research on it first.
But anyways, I wanted to know, How do you actually breed rabbits?
-Do rabbits come into heat? Or how do you know when they are ready to breed?
-How long do you leave the doe in with the buck?
-How do you make her lift, or will she lift on her own?
-What if she isn't lifting?
-Anything else to know????
:biggrin2:
-Rabbits are induced ovulators, meaning, that they release an egg after the breeding. Being said, they do not go into heat cycles. Bucks typically (but not always)are ready to breed when they "drop", ie, when their testicles drop between 12 weeks-20 weeks on average. Does are normally ready to breed at the age of 5 months but should not be bred until they are fully grown between the ages of 6 months and 8 months (depending on breed). Again, these are all estimates.
-I personally do not leave the two together unsupervised. But everyone does it differently and different methods may work better than others for breeders. I normally bring the doe to the buck and wait for 3-4 successful breedings (the squeak and "fall off" from the buck) for the first attempt. I then remove the doe from the bucks cage and let them relax for a few hours (normally anywhere between 4-7 hours). During this time I am hoping that the breeding has induced the ovulation. After a few hours of rest, I return the doe to the buck for another few successful breedings. After the second time around, I mark it in the books and await the kits. I am really careful not to do the second breeding to late, as I don't want to run the chance of a second litter taking place.
-I have been trying out table breeding for the last few does that I've bred. I've had does that lift so high that they nearly sit on their head, but then I've had some thatglue their butt to the ground. :rollseyesSometimes, if you check her and she is a deep red and is ready to breed, having a different buck can make a difference in her willingness to lift. My current Rhinelander doe that was bred after the last show, didn't want anything to do with breeding with Buck A but when we tried Buck B she sat on her head and couldn't get any higher.
Worst case if she's not lifting when you're cage breeding, you can try table breeding by hand. This can be done in different ways depending on the buck. I've had to lift the doe from underneath, since if I tried holding her tail up, the buck would loss interest. Lifting from underneath I was able to place a finger on either side of her pelvic bone and create a "easier target" for the buck without getting in his way. Lifting the tail, by sliding your hand along the doe's back and between the buck's stomach, you can gentally lift the doe's tail. Moving the tail up slightly is sometimes all the buck needs.
-Not lifting can mean a number of things. She's not ready, doesn't care for the buck, possibly that the buck is not "trying" hard enough, the heat, poor fertility levels in the doe, etc. You'll have to see at the time of the breeding, all the different factors that may be playing a role in her not wanting to breed.
-The main thing before you breed is to make sure you have a goal and to be able to answer the basic questions. What are you breeding for? Will they be purebreds or mixed? Pet or show quality? If they are pets, do you have homes for them? If they are show, are you breeding to better they quality of the breed? etc.
If you do indeed decide that you want to breed, talk withbreeders in your area. Most breeders are more than willing to helpyouget started or answer questionsyou may have. Visiting other breeders gives you the chance to seehow they run their rabbitry and care for theiranimals as well. Go to showsinyour area, see how thejudgingis done and see how the breed that you are thinking about doing is judged and what you should be looking for in potentialprospects. Get a feel for the showing in general to see if that's something you'll enjoy doing(I know I love it!).
I hope that helps.