Before you start to think about breeding a pair of rabbits, remember, if all goes well and the doe delivers her litter, they are going to grow up fast and you are going to have to do something with the babies. Here are some options with what to do with the kits after they are weaned and ready to go:

1. Give to friends, family, neighbors.
2. 4-Hers are always looking for bunnies to show in 4-H projects.
3. If they are pedigreed, sell for breeding or showing.
4. Keep them yourself if you wish to breed or show them, or just as a pet.

Make sure the two bunnies you wish to breed are healthy. Also make sure, if you plan to show or breed them, that the doe and buck�s colors are compatible. This means that they are from the same color group so the kits will turn out colored in that group. If you breed to rabbits with totally different color groups, then the babies with turn out poorly colored, or with the "sport" color (different markings) which are improper for showing.

Mating

Always bring the doe to the buck�s cage. If you bring the buck to the doe�s cage, chances are he will just be smelling everything or marking things with his scent and will not want to mate. Some people leave the rabbits together for a few hours, some for a whole day, and some leave theirs together after a few matings are witnessed. It is your choice. When breeding mine, I leave them together for about 15 minutes, after they have mated a couple times. When the doe is ready to mate, she will lift her tail up. The buck will mount the doe for a few seconds them grunt and fall off of her.

MARK THE DATE on your calendar because this is how you know how far along the doe is in her pregnancy.

Palpation

When it has been about 2 weeks after the mating, take out the doe carefully and put her on a table and take one of your hands and place it under her and carefully and gently feel her stomach, back toward her hind legs. You may be able to feel little ball-shaped things that may feel like marbles or small grapes. This takes time to learn, so you should probably have an experienced breeder try to palpate her.

The Doe During Pregnancy

ATTITUDE: Some does may act aggressive or "moody" during their pregnancy, especially in the last few days before delivering. HANDLING: Do not take her out unless you must, and when you do, hold her carefully and support her back and hind legs. DIET: Don�t change the doe�s diet or suddenly give her treats and fruits/vegetables if you normally don�t. If everything is kept the same she should do fine.

Nest Box

Provide the doe with a nest box at least 4 days before her due date, which is usually 32 days after mating. The box can be made of wood and should be a little bigger than the doe herself, but not so huge that she uses it as a litter box or it can�t fit into her cage. The may or may not be a top (but I suggest that there should be) and make sure there�s a litter piece of wood nailed on where she jumps into the front of the box to keep the babies from falling out of the nest. Also, make sure the box is in the opposite corner in which she goes to the bathroom in.

Before the Delivery

The most obvious sign that a doe is ready to deliver is the pulling of her hair. She will pull her own fur from her body and put it into her nest (usually inside the box) and will pick up hay or straw and arrange it nicely inside the nest. If you see the doe has made her nest somewhere else, move it into the box. It is normal if she takes it all out then puts it all back in. This is what my does did when they were ready to deliver. I think it is because they are nervous. Some does pull their hair a week before they deliver, some does a few days before, some right before they give birth, and some afterward.

Kindling

"Kindling" means when the doe delivers her litter. Small rabbits usually have between 1 and 4, medium rabbits between 4 and 7, and large rabbits possibly even more. It varies. The delivery usually only takes about five to ten minutes. Does rarely need your help. First-time moms may have their babies on the bottom wire of the cage, and if they stay their too long, they will die from exposure (they get cold very easily). The doe will never pick up the kits and move them into the box. So if you witness the birth, and they are born on the cage wire instead of in the box, YOU can move them into it. The doe will probably not mind, just pet her first and let her know that it�s you. They are more concerned with animal scents than human smells. (If you are worried about the doe "killing" her litter or cannibalizing them, this is actually rare. Sometime you can mistake a doe for "eating" the babies when she really tried to take off the sac and accidentally bit too hard. When a doe actually eats the babies, usually out in the wild, she is trying to get rid of it to keep wild animals away from smelling that and then going after the live ones. )

Nursing

The doe only nurses the litter twice a day for a few minutes. If you think she is neglecting them, you can find out yourself buy picking up the kits and seeing if they have round plump tummies. If they do, they are fine and are getting fed. If they aren�t, there stomach are skinny and flabby.
Sometimes the doe waits a day or two to nurse the litter. Don�t worry, this is normal.
Also, make sure the nursing mom ALWAYS has fresh food and water available at all times.

Growth of the Kits

By one week old kits will have grown soft fuz hair over their bodies. At about 1-2 weeks old their eyes will have opened. To see a daily growth chart of the kits, read my Pregnancy Journals.

Weaning

(COMING SOON)