When it comes to rabbit farming, there are a lot of things to consider and learn before you can really consider yourself a bit knowledgeable about it. There are certain rules that you must not break, such as raising brothers with sisters. However, other combinations should be fine, like father to daughter, mother to son, etc. Of course, until you gain enough insight into how your genetics work, it is recommended that you do not breed closely related pairs. Also, you should only mate with partners of the same breed, unless you are raising them for meat or as pets. This is because you will not be able to sell a rabbit that is mixed block and does not have a history going back 4 generations. Apart from those mentioned above, there are more things to consider when it comes to raising rabbits. Here are some more:
– You should never have more than one rabbit in each cage, especially if the rabbit is 3 months or older. This is because rabbits actually mature faster when they are alone. They won’t fight or breed and this basically eliminates unexpected results.
– Before you start raising rabbits, check the bottom of their cage for signs of loose stools or diarrhea. If you find a rabbit with these conditions, do not breed it with another unless it has been properly treated. Also, check for other signs of infections that may require medical treatment.
– Some people would leave the doe overnight with the buck, while others would put the doe in and take her out once they have mated. If you do this, it would be best to place the doe back in the buck’s cage within 2-12 hours of the initial breeding. Doing so would increase the chance of pregnancy and could even increase the number of offspring.
– Avoid breeding rabbits that present defects such as dental malocclusion or moon eye because it is very likely that they transmit the same genetic effects to their offspring, thus eliminating them from being candidates for rabbit breeding.
Lastly, raising rabbits requires a lot of work and research. Of course, proper planning is a must because otherwise your chances of failing would only increase. So, before you even start your new hobby, consider learning more about it and about rabbit genetics. This would give you the knowledge you need and help you make better and wiser decisions.
