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This can happen if a receptive doe is kept near bucks and not bred, is bred with a buck but sperm was not passed, or if a receptive doe has been mounted by another doe.

A pregnant doe should be fed a high-quality diet with the food intake being cut back at the last couple of days of pregnancy. Once the kits are born, the amount of food should be gradually increased again. It is extremely important that a pregnant doe be given an unlimited supply of timothy hay and fresh water at all times.

The gestation period will last on average 32 days. The babies will do most of their growing during the last 10 days of pregnancy. The doe should be provided a kindling box in which to prepare for the births. Hay or shredded paper should also be available for the doe to make her nest inside the box. A typical litter size for an average medium sized rabbit is seven to eight kits. This is only an average as the litter size will depend upon the health, size, and age of the doe among other environmental factors.

Although artificial insemination is available for rabbits, the natural method is the most commonly used. Brothers and sisters should not be mated and unless you are breeding for meat production, you should breed only rabbits of the same breed. Unless the ancestry is the same for at least four generations, the rabbits cannot be sold as pedigree breeds.

Rabbits with genetic disorders such as malocclusion should not be bred. If you are starting a breeding program, you will need to keep breeding records of your rabbits. It is highly recommended that if you do not want to have rabbits as a business then do not allow your rabbits to breed. If you are interested in having several rabbits as simple pets, there are many available for adoption at animal shelters across the country.

Learn more about this author, Angela Pollock.
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