by Angie Pollock

Created on: July 05, 2009

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to breed rabbits. However, it does take planning, careful considerations, and some common sense to get to that end result - a healthy bundle of baby kits. Before breeding rabbits, you should have reason to create more mouths to feed. Once that has been established, you should prepare both your doe and buck for their first union.

To understand how this union will take place, you will need to understand the ovulation cycle of a doe. Female rabbits are induced ovulators, meaning they do not have a heat cycle like that seen in dogs. Does are receptive breeders which can last from one to two weeks and then they will not be receptive to breeding for approximately another two weeks. Owners may have no clear signs that their rabbit is receptive. However, some does will have signs such as a swollen vulva or chin rubbing. Once the doe is bred, she will release her eggs from the ovary approximately 12 hours after breeding.

The average age for does to breed is approximately six months of age. Bucks typically become mature enough for mating on average at seven to eight months. Larger rabbit breeds are sometimes not bred until they are slightly older. Breeders generally begin breeding rabbits at a young age as some rabbits will not have a successful breeding unless they begin when they are young.

Before breeding, rabbits should be healthy, especially the doe. Overweight does can succumb to problems during delivery. Take a rabbit in poor health and add the stressor of delivery, and a breeder is only asking for complications.

Males and females should be housed separately until they are ready to be bred. For natural breeding, the female rabbit should be taken to the male rabbit's cage. The buck may chase the doe around the cage until they are ready to mate. If the doe is receptive, this process typically doesn't take more than a few minutes. Some breeders allow the doe to stay with the buck for two matings and some will separate the two and bring the doe back for another mating around 10 to 12 hours later. Either way, once the matings have been completed, the doe should be returned to her own sanctuary to prepare for her new arrivals.

As long as a doe is healthy, approximately 85 percent of all breedings will result in a pregnancy. There is a disorder in does known as pseudopregnancy where a doe has a false pregnancy. The female rabbit will behave as if she is pregnant which typically last only a couple of weeks.

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