Buck Rabbit. Rabbits Breed at an Astonishing Rate. That is one of the attractive features of Breeding Rabbits. They Produce Quickly and the amount of space and investment is reasonable. Many people have Rabbits as pets up to Large Commercial Rabbit Farms. We will examine all aspects of Breeding Rabbits, Numbers and calculations.
Breeding Rabbits have become very popular in the last few years. Its history goes back to Ore Roman Days. Breeding and Using Rabbits as a Meat Source. It Became very common during the World Wars because of the Speed that they are able to Reproduce.
As general rule rabbits are prolific breeders. One male buck can service up to 10 does. When kits are born there can be up to 21 babies a litter, the actual average is 8. Many Rabbit Farmers do inbreeding and also line breeding. a Newborn rabbit will reach breeding maturity at 6 months of age. A healthy can have 5 litters a year.
Rabbits Breed so Much – Buck Rabbit / How Often do Rabbit Mate
Rabbits Breed so Much – Rabbits can have aloooooot of babies (Kits). A female Rabbit (Doe) can mate close to every 30 days. That is 5 times a year. She can be mated Day after Birth. Kindness would give her a little break. The Bucks can Mate whenever the Females are Ready. She can produce 25 – 50 baby Rabbits per year.
Do Buck Rabbits Mate for Life
Average Life Span for the Wild Bunny is very short. They usually only make 1-2 Years. A domestic Pet Bunny can make 8 – 12 Years. The difference is that the Wild Rabbit is faced with Predators, Harsh Weather, many conditions the Domestic Bunny is Shielded from.
You can also Read our Guide –18 Ways to Make Money by Rabbit Farming—Extensive Guidelines for Rabbit Farmers
Rabbits do not Mate for life. They will continue Breeding as the opportunity presents itself. The female can Breed around 5 Times a Year, while the Buck Rabbit can Breed close to Three times a day. It is wisest to give him a 24 Hour rest between Breedings. When Finished the Buck will Pass Out ( Fall ). Many Rabbit Farms allow Buck to Mate twice with a doe to help make sure higher birth Rates.
Buck Rabbits Can also Breed with Siblings
In Raising Rabbits this is also Rabbits mating with close relatives is considered acceptable. From a Genetic purity point of view too much Inbreeding can weaken yot Herd. Inbreeding causes genetic weakness in a Family of Rabbits to be stronger.
How Often a Rabbit farmer changes a Buck Depends on the Type of Rabbit Farming that he is doing. A rabbit may be Raising Rabbits for
- Meat – Quantities and Weight
- Show – PureBreed
- 4 – H – Trainability – Coats – Health
- Pets – Docile
Here is a list of the Different Types of Breeding Programs a Rabbit Might Be Managed. Depending on the Outcomes that the Breeders are desiring will be the Type of Breeding Programs Used
Types of Breeding Programs
| Types of Breeding Programs | Described | Pros | Cons | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross - Breeding | Un Related Rabbits Different Breeds | Healthiest - Largest Litter sizes | None | Raising Rabbits for Meat |
| Line Breeding | Mating from same line, uncles, cousins, Not direct relatives | Good Traits are Strengthened | Bad Traits are Strengthened | Used for carrying on specific traits. This is usually only by experienced Managed Breeding Programs |
| In Breeding | Mating closely - fathers to daughters, Brothers and Sisters | Creates lines that have similarities | Weakened Animals - Small Birth rates - Abnormalities | Creating New Breeds |
| Out Crossing | Unrelated Rabbits same Breed | Healthiest - Largest Litter sizes | None | Breeding Show Rabbits. Purebreds |
Type
Description
Advantages
Disadvantages
Purpose
Rabbit Breeding Problems
In Trying to produce specific traits in Bunny Populations Breeders have run into various Weaknesses and Problems her are some you might encounter when Breeding Rabbits very close together in family Units,
- Blindness
- Heart Defects
- Skin Problems
- Infertility
- Diabetes
- Birth Defects
Rabbit Pregnancy Problems to Watch For
| Pregnancy Complication | Description | Symptoms of Problem | Remedy for Problem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metritis | Bacteria Infection Uterus | No Milk Low Birth Rate | See Vet Antibiotics |
| Caked Breast | Milk Does not come out fast enough | Breast becomes tender, swollen, hard | See Vet Check Feed Dehydrated |
| Toxemia | Weight Loss, Malnourishment Swollen | Sudden death | Breeding Stock Feed when pregnant Vet |
| Mastitis | Bacteria infection of Teats | swollen, red, hot, no milk, litter dies | Antibiotics, strip milk, hot pack every couple of hours |
Important Breeding FAQ
- Heat Cycles – signs, Restlessness, swollen red-purple vulva, acce[pts the Buck
- Light – Less Light = Lower conception rates – artificial lights used
- Temperature – Too Hot Buck loses sperm, too cold Does refuses mount
- Location – Take doe to Bucks Cage
- Length Breeding – rebreed in 4 – 12 hours – some just leave doe in overnight
Breeds of Rabbits and Litter size
We went ahead and built a table that would give you a quick understanding of Major bRabbit Characteristics. Breeds – Origin – Size – Purpose – Litter size = Breed Associations – remember litter size varies on a lot of factors but here are some averages for you understanding
Breeds of Rabbits FAQ
| Breed of Rabbit | Origin | Weight | Purpose | Kits / Litter | Breed association |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealands | California | 5 kg 11 lbs | Meat | 8 | American Federation New Zealand Rabbit Breeders Assoc |
| Californias | California | 3 kg 7-10 lbs | Meat | 6 - 8 | California Rabbit Breeders |
| Rex | France | 4.5 kg 10.5 lbs | Meat | 2 - 4 | National Rex Rabbit Club |
| Satins | Michigan | 4 kg 9.5 lbs | Meat | 2 - 4 | American satin Breeders Association |
| Paliminos | American | 5.4 kg 12 lbs | Meat | 6 -8 | Palimino Rabbit Breeders Association |
| English Angora | England | 2-3 kg 5-7 lbs | Wool | 6 - 8 | National Angora Breeders |
| French Angora | France | 4.5 kg 10.5 lbs | Wool | 6 - 8 | National Angora Breeders |
| Giant Angora | Turkey | 4.5 kg 9 - 10 lbs | Wool | 6 - 8 | National Angora Breeders |
| Satin Angora | Turkey | 4.5 kg 6 - 10 lbs | Wool | 6 - 8 | National Angora Breeders |
| Mini Lop | UK | 3 kg 5.5 lbs | Dwarf | 2 -3 | American Mini Lop Rabbit Club |
| Dutch Dwarf | Netherlands | 1 - 2 kg 2,5 lbs | Dwarf | 2 - 4 | American Netherland Dwarf Rabbit Club |
| Pygmy Rabbit | North American | 500 grams 1 lb | Dwarf | 6 | ? |
| Britania Petite | UK / Polish | 700 grams 1 1/2 - 2 lbs | Dwarf | 2-3 | American Britiania Petite Rabbit Society |
Size
Purpose
Litter Size
Breed Association
Rabbit Breeding Age Limit
One of the most important considerations when Breeding your Rabbits that they are Healthy. You want them to be able to conceive the best possible chance. Do not breed your rabbits, if they are sick or have bad inheritable conditions you don’t want to reproduce. Rabbits can be Bred when they reach 75% of their respective breed size.
The time it takes is according to the Breed but usually falls around
| Size | Doe | Bucks |
|---|---|---|
| Small Rabbits | 5 / Months | 6 / Months |
| Medium Rabbits | 6 / Months | 7 / Months |
| Large Rabbits | 8 / months | 9 / Months |
How Many Liters Can a Rabbit Have in a year
The overall average of 5 liters, but rabbits gestation is 30 – 32 Days and Rabbits can be bred very quickly after giving birth. So the total could be closer to 8 – 10 per year. But that would be hard on your doe’s and shorten their overall lifespan of giving birth. The feed is Important – Supplements – Health of Rabbits – all these things can alter the number of Rabbits that your does can Produce
Profitability of Commercial Rabbit farming
Rabbit farming for Wool
How many liters can a Doe Rabbit Have in its Life
There are many factors that affect it but if we calculated in perfect scenarios. A doe Rabbit could have
- 6 litters a year
- 7 productive Breeding Years
- Top Limit of 12 Per Litter
- 504 possible rabbits
Rabbit Meat Profitability Table
| Rabbits | Rabbits Born | Lbs Meat / Year | Average Price / LB | Total Revenue Possible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 84 | 252 | $ 8.00 | $ 2016 |
| 2 | 168 | 504 | $ 8.00 | $ 4032 |
| 5 | 420 | 1260 | $ 8.00 | $ 10,080 |
| 10 | 840 | 2520 | $ 8.00 | $ 20,162 |
| 20 | 1680 | 5040 | $ 8.00 | $ 40,320 |
| 30 | 2520 | 7560 | $ 8.00 | $ 60,480 |
| 40 | 3360 | 10,080 | $ 8.00 | $ 80,640 |
| 50 | 4200 | 12,600 | $ 8.00 | $ 100,800 |
| 100 | 8400 | 25,200 | $ 8.00 | $ 201.600 |
| 200 | 16,800 | 50,400 | $ 8.00 | $ 403,200 |
Can Rabbit Siblings Mate
Yes they can, This is called InBreeding. This is an Acceptable Practice in Commercial Rabbit Farming. The Focus on Commercial Rabbit farming is the Productivity of Rabbit Meat. Breeders of Show Rabbits and those Breeding Purebreds have different Goals.
How Many Does can a Buck Rabbit Service
Oh, the Life of a Buck Rabbit and his Harem – Not as Many as Solomon but—Many Rabbit farmers hav a ratio of 10 – 12 Does Per Buck.
Some Farms practice Artificial Insemination of Rabbit Sperm to further develop and manage your Rabbits
Artificial Insemination Kits can be purchased on Amazon. Has an artificial vagina for semen collection. Here is Video on Explanation.
How Old Can a Rabbit Breed
Rabbits can begin Breeding at an early age. Depending on the Breed, some as early as 5 months and some of the larger breeds up to 9 months. A good formula is when they reach 75% of Full Breed Size.
When do you stop Breeding a Doe
- She looses 2-3 consecutive litters
- She Does not conceive after 3-4 Breeding attempts
- When she begins losing interest in mothering her kits at 2-3 weeks of age
- Generally if Healthy Does will go 6-9 years
- Bucks will Breed until they Die
Foods to Feed Breeding Rabbits
Maintaining a good Rabbit Feed that is balance is very important to keep Rabbits healthy. They are made with fresh, wholesome ingredients that contain no fillers, preservatives or artificial flavors. You can check ingredient labels to see what was contained in the feed,
The feed is extremely important to have Large Healthy Litters some of the Main Ingredients are the Following.
- Fibers
- Vegetable Oils
- Vitamins and Minerals
- Carbohydrates
- Protein
Darlene and I began Breeding Bichon Frise’s 30 Years ago. The Breed was plagued with Hot Spots. It is where the dog licks itself until it was raw sometimes Bleeding. We took them to the vet, drugs, antihistamines, Hormones, we tried everything that was suggested. They would leave and then pop right back again.
I had done some research on some of the dog fillers that were used in commercial Dog food. Some of the byproducts, chicken feathers, Beaks, are the things most throw away. What clinched it when I found out some of the fillers had petroleum products in them.
We immediately began buying food, that had no Fillers, and no Byproducts – Miraculously the Hot Spots went away. The dog’s coats got better looking. Allergies disappeared. Puppies were healthier, with fewer puppy losses.
Today Science is very advanced, so that Good reputable Rabbit Food Suppliers, know the very best ingredients n that will help your Rabbits
- Stay healthy
- Resist Disease
- Longer Life
- Better Litter size.
I know when raising Rabbits. Food is 75% of your working cost. So you want to be as efficient as possible. But do not shortcut giving your Rabbits Healthy Food and Clean water. here is a Graphic I found from Purina – Summarizes the whole cycle
How long do Baby Rabbits Nurse
Baby rabbits (Kits)will nurse for approximately 5 Minutes. It is important to watch daily that the little guys are gaining weight. Sometimes a Doe will stop milking or not be able to feed them if they have a large litter.
Watch and make sure the little rabbits are increasing in size you can spot that visually. Evidence of them receiving Nutrition in their milk – Make sure Doe Rabbits have an abundance of clean drinking water while they are nursing. Milk is made up mostly of water and the little kits can be ravenous.
Kits will begin to be weaned at approximately 6 weeks.
Need to make sure they are about six weeks old. They can be gently switched to pellet feed. Then Move several of them from the Mother Doe, this allows her milk to slow down, then you can move the rest a couple of days later. Then you can have all the kits moved to strat them growing out. Then you can allow some time for the Mother to Rest Up.
Does can be bred a couple of days after birth, but is best for the rabbits to allow them to rest and rebuild their bodies. When carrying the babies, and also when nursing them the mother’s body is providing all the nutrition to the babies.
Ask any Mother having children is a lot of hard work. When we had our daughters, our doctor gave my wife Pre Natal Vitamins – they were as big as horse tablets. But the doc knew that the baby would need a lot of Nutrients
How Much Space for Breeding Rabbits
A Does Rabbit cage should be large enough to easily hold large litter. This could be as large as 12 Kits. a minimum would be A 30″ x 30″ x 18″ wire cage. Larger cages 30″ x 36″ x 18″ are even better, especially if you leave the Babies with their mothers a little longer.
Can I Breed Rabbits in the City
Generally, the answer is yes, You will need to check the local zoning laws, but Rabbits are usually considered pets. Some things to consider
- Inside or whether you are keeping them outside
- If You are renting – is it Ok with Landlord
- Predator Protection important – Dogs, Cats, Racoons, Rats, Neighborhood Children
- Smell – You will need to keep up on Rabbit droppings, They can get quite Smelly. So stay on top of that
- Rabbits are quit so no neighbors will complain here
Can I breed Rabbits Inside
Yes, you sure can. It might take a little creativity, But it is an amazing teaching process for your children. It can teach them so many things. I wanted just to list a few that are so important
- How Babies are Made
- It is a very quick process
- Doe and you can take her to visit a buck – so you don’t have to keep two. many larger Rabbit farms can also do artificial insemination.
- Shows the Birthing Process
- Shows the Nursing Process
- Teaches the Children – Responsibility they have to
- Feed
- Water
- Clean – up rabbit Poo
- Also, Kids grow up quickly, this can be a year-long experience and then move on to other things. Rabbits breed so quickly
Can you Spay or Neuter a Rabbit
Yes, you can and it is very good to do if your Rabbit is only a Pet, or your rabbit stays in your house. It is important to call around and find a veterinarian that handles Rabbits for this. Most Vets like to do rabbits from about the youngest 4 Months of age – to about 6 Months.
Advantages of Neutering or Spaying Your Rabbit
- Prevents any cancers female cancers from your doe
- Prevents to many or unplanned litters
- Rabbits are less aggressive toward each other.
- Marking with Urine Reduced
- Rabbits are more Docile
- Really helpful when potty training your bunny
- Prevents false pregnancies and doe preparing nest by pulling out her hair
- Rabbits are chewers – this will slow down destructive chewing
How Much does it Cost to Neuter a Rabbit
It is great for you to do some research and find a veterinarian that is familiar with Rabbits. Ranges can vary and Spaying and Neutering Rabbits is usually higher than having your cat or dog done. The last dog we had Neutered was $ 185, but we have a vet that has been taking care of our animals for 30 years.
Doe Rabbits will Range from $50 – $400
Males – Bucks will range from $ 50 – $300
Again this depends on the community and state you live in. Spaying and neutering is major Surgery for any person or animal. They will need to be put to sleep. Usually, they will have an overnight stay.
Most Veterinarians will want the Rabbit to be awake and then have a bowel movement. When a Rabbit is sedated it not only puts the Rabbit To sleep But also the animal’s whole digestive system will have to wake back up.
Is Rabbit Breeding Profitable
Yes, Breeding rabbits can be very Profitable. Rabbits can be raised for different reasons. Some of the Profitable Businesses that can be a part of this is These
- Commercial Rabbit farms
- Breeding Rabbits for Meat
- Breeding rabbits for Angora Wool
- Breeding rabbits for Pets – Dwarf Rabbits
- Worm Farms
- Rabbit Manure sales for Gardens
- You can Check out our extensive articles in the above links.
Worlds Smallest Rabbit – Pygmy
Wild
The Worlds Smallest Rabbit is called the Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit. It is a Rabbit Found in North America – specifically Washington State. They can fit in the palm of your hand and generally are less than 1 lb. These Little guys can sprint at speeds of 15 MPH.
Their Lifespan is 3 – 5 Years. They are Wild Rabbits.
Dwarf Tame Domesticated Rabbits
- Netherland Dwarf
- Jersey Wolly
- Polish
- Mini Lop
- Britania Petite
Rabbit Breeding Associations
We are adding this Table for you the last category will list the Breeders Associations, Breeders Clubs.
Breeds of Rabbits FAQ
| Breed of Rabbit | Origin | Weight | Purpose | Kits / Litter | Breed association |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealands | California | 5 kg 11 lbs | Meat | 8 | American Federation New Zealand Rabbit Breeders Assoc |
| Californias | California | 3 kg 7-10 lbs | Meat | 6 - 8 | California Rabbit Breeders |
| Rex | France | 4.5 kg 10.5 lbs | Meat | 2 - 4 | National Rex Rabbit Club |
| Satins | Michigan | 4 kg 9.5 lbs | Meat | 2 - 4 | American satin Breeders Association |
| Paliminos | American | 5.4 kg 12 lbs | Meat | 6 -8 | Palimino Rabbit Breeders Association |
| English Angora | England | 2-3 kg 5-7 lbs | Wool | 6 - 8 | National Angora Breeders |
| French Angora | France | 4.5 kg 10.5 lbs | Wool | 6 - 8 | National Angora Breeders |
| Giant Angora | Turkey | 4.5 kg 9 - 10 lbs | Wool | 6 - 8 | National Angora Breeders |
| Satin Angora | Turkey | 4.5 kg 6 - 10 lbs | Wool | 6 - 8 | National Angora Breeders |
| Mini Lop | UK | 3 kg 5.5 lbs | Dwarf | 2 -3 | American Mini Lop Rabbit Club |
| Dutch Dwarf | Netherlands | 1 - 2 kg 2,5 lbs | Dwarf | 2 - 4 | American Netherland Dwarf Rabbit Club |
| Pygmy Rabbit | North American | 500 grams 1 lb | Dwarf | 6 | ? |
| Britania Petite | UK / Polish | 700 grams 1 1/2 - 2 lbs | Dwarf | 2-3 | American Britiania Petite Rabbit Society |
Size
Purpose
Litter Size
Breed Association
