Repeated mating of the female rabbit. All about rabbit mating

» Rabbits

Rabbits are unusually prolific animals; it is normal for an adult female to give birth to 60-70 rabbits per year. But an uncontrolled increase in the number of animals is not required; the rabbitry needs healthy and strong rabbits with positive, stable traits.

In this article we will talk in more detail about at what age you can breed rabbits, how to do it correctly and when to breed after birth.

First, let's look at at what age rabbits begin to reproduce and when it can happen for the first time. The rabbit reaches sexual maturity by 3 months after birth. Avoiding random coverings, from this age animals are sorted and seated based on their gender.

However, to obtain healthy and strong offspring, 3 months is still an early age. Therefore, 4-month-old rabbits are suitable for planned mating of rabbits.

This age is not considered an exceptional rule. So, if the farm contains rabbits of meat breeds, then the first mating begins at 5, or even 6 months.

However, rabbits should not be overexposed. Animals that do not participate in reproduction gain excess weight, lose interest in their partner, and such litters are few in number.

Males become suitable for mating later than females of their breed. Therefore, a partner for a mature female is selected 1.5-2 months older.

Childbirth in natural conditions occurs all year round. On average, a healthy female has 6-7 litters annually. In late autumn and winter their frequency is less frequent due to weather factors. October and November are considered unfavorable for mating.

However the best offspring grow more often in winter litters. Rabbits born in the cold season are healthier and stronger than their summer relatives. If the purpose of raising rabbits is to obtain fur, then winter is the most favorable season for mating rabbits. You should also avoid mating rabbits during active molting.

For successful mating, the time of day also matters. In summer, morning hours are most suitable for mating, since it is not yet hot. In winter or in cold weather – the warmest hours of the day, that is, daytime.

Selection of partners and formation of pairs

When selecting males and females suitable for mating, the following criteria are used:

Animals must be healthy and be of a suitable age and condition. To obtain high-quality offspring, individuals over 3 years old, overweight rabbits, and animals with underdeveloped or damaged genitals are not suitable;
Rabbits must bear the best characteristics of their breed or their individual qualities are most suitable for the rabbit breeder;
For mating, it is advisable to select winter rabbits, as well as those born in early litters from the female rabbit. These rabbits are best suited to be breeders;
Mating of related individuals is not allowed. If there is a shortage of animals, they can always be found on the side. It is worth remembering the need for quarantine and thorough health checks for new animals joining the herd, especially when it comes to producers.

Experienced rabbit keepers, in addition to choosing active and strong individuals, also pay attention to the mother and brothers (sisters) of the future sire. If there were many weak or sick rabbits in the litter, and the mother also has shortcomings (frequent miscarriages, bad character), then there is a high probability of their recurrence.

In addition to individual selection of partners, experienced rabbit breeders pay attention to pair formation. The ideal option is to carry out several matings at the same time. In this case, the excess (lack) of rabbits in litters can be mutually compensated, and the choice of future producers will be greater.

When forming a pair, the experience of the male and female is also taken into account.

For the first mating, it is advisable to select an experienced male or female as a partner.

Animal culling

There are frequent situations when a manufacturer loses its status. There are several reasons:

Rare or, on the contrary, too frequent matings lead to the loss of the positive properties of the sire;
The onset of the “limit” age. The best offspring are from rabbits 1-2 years of age;
The presence of a disease leading to frequent miscarriages. The death of several litters in a row indicates that the rabbit has listeriosis, a dangerous disease that is inherited;
The loss of maternal instinct in a female rabbit, leading to the destruction of her own offspring, is a clear sign of the animal’s unsuitability for further reproduction;

The fertility of rabbits gives their owner ample opportunities for selection. Therefore, if due to some individual characteristics there are doubts about the suitability of a rabbit for reproduction, then it is better to replace it.

Proper preparation of a rabbit for breeding

The key stage of preparation for mating is determining the rabbit’s readiness for motherhood, otherwise called the hunting period. Its duration is 3-5 days depending on the season.

Between periods of heat, mating is unlikely. The breaks between the next female hunt also range from 5 to 10 days. In winter, they can last longer, as the sexual activity of animals decreases.

Determining the hunting period is quite simple. This is evidenced by:

Increased activity of the rabbit;
Plucking belly fluff;
Preparing materials for the nest.

To be sure, the condition of the rabbit’s genital organ, called the loop, is checked. Its redness and swelling clearly indicate that the female is in heat.

There are no such restrictions for males.

Immediately before mating, it is important to properly prepare the cage.

Rabbits are mated only in the male's cage. Many years of experience show that adding a male to a female, as a rule, does not produce a positive effect. A similar rule applies to “neutral” territory.

Remove everything unnecessary from the rabbit's cage, including the drinking bowl and feeder. The animals will not have time to eat. The cage must be washed and disinfected. Only after this can you place the rabbit with your partner.

Rabbit nutrition

The diet of rabbits before mating should always be more nutritious. Why is it advisable to increase the share of mixed feed, oats, grains, and legume products?

Steamed potatoes and oats are very useful for males. Feeding with such products begins in 1.5-2 weeks. Sprouted wheat is very useful for females. Good nutrition increases the number of rabbits in the litter and makes them healthier.

Coating process

Now let's find out how to breed rabbits for the first and subsequent times. In small farms where it is not possible to carry out artificial insemination, two mating methods are practiced:

Adding a female rabbit to a male for a long period of time - 5-7 days. In this situation, the animals themselves will decide on the optimal mating option. At first, it is advisable to observe the animals. Cases of fights if you don’t like your partner are not uncommon. If the partners are aggressive and the matter ends in a fight, then the animals should be seated to avoid serious injuries;
The second option is a short-term replanting of the female for 2-3 hours. The disadvantage of this method is the need for constant monitoring and, possibly, intervention by the rabbit breeder. Determining the moment of coverage visually is not difficult. It lasts for half a minute. After covering, the rabbit falls over on its side and emits a characteristic squeak - a signal to the rabbit breeder that the partners can be seated. If the partners flirt too much and do not have intercourse, then experienced rabbit keepers simply hold the female rabbit with their hands, allowing the male to do his job faster.

Control mating

Successful mating of a female rabbit does not guarantee pregnancy. Therefore, to be sure, a control mating is carried out 5-6 days after the first mating. There are no special features for the control mating.

Often control mating is also a check of the results of the first mating. If the female rabbit shows aggression and does not allow herself to have a trusted partner, you can be sure that there is no need for control mating.

If the mating proceeds as usual, its date is noted, and, accordingly, after 5-6 days another control mating is carried out.

Checking mating results

You can accurately verify the effectiveness of mating within 15 days after it has taken place. To do this, the rabbit's belly is very carefully palpated. There are videos on the Internet showing this procedure, so in order to avoid harm to the rabbit, it would be useful to watch them.

The presence of one or two chains of oblong lumps is clear evidence of pregnancy.

Refusal of the female rabbit to mate

If the female rabbit does not allow the rabbit to approach, then rabbit breeders choose one of the following options:

The animals are placed next to each other after some time, for example, after 2-3 hours. If the situation repeats, then the procedure is repeated every other day;
If the first method does not work, then you can change the male. Often this option is the most successful.

It is necessary to distinguish between refusal to mate and too prolonged mating fuss. In the second case, the rabbit simply needs help to speed up the procedure. Refusal is evidenced by the female’s aggression and reluctance to allow the male to approach her at all.

Forced or accidental inbreeding

Inbreeding or, more simply, inbreeding also occurs among experienced rabbit breeders. When keeping a herd together (in a pit, enclosure, etc.), random crossings periodically occur.

Another problem is the inability to find a match for your own animals that is suitable in terms of health, appearance or breed. Then inbreeding becomes forced.

Dozens of scientific papers have been written about the pros and cons of inbreeding, so without going into unnecessary details, we will give an example from practice. Even ancient pastoralists sought to exclude the crossing of closely related animals. It has been experimentally verified that Regular inbreeding in the herd leads to degeneration. Although in laboratory conditions, inbreeding is practiced to breed new breeds.

If, for some reason, inbreeding does occur on your farm, then experienced rabbit breeders are guided by the following recommendations:

They try in every possible way to prevent the crossing of born rabbits with other relatives on the paternal or maternal side. Based on this, in a small herd, all rabbits born from such a cross will most likely go to meat, and will not participate in reproduction in the future;
With forced inbreeding, they try to select a couple with the weakest family ties possible, that is, distant relatives. Given the fertility of rabbits, this is quite realistic;
All rabbits born with congenital defects, and there will be more and more of them with each subsequent inbreeding, must be removed from the herd.

How can this happen in the cold season?

The rabbit breeder should not be afraid of winter intercourse. However, to prevent frostbite and death of animals, adhere to the following recommendations:

Winter matings are carried out warmly, in closed and heated rooms. A suitable temperature for rabbits is considered to be 19-27 degrees Celsius. If it is impossible to achieve the desired temperature, then a decrease of 3-5 degrees is not critical. With proper insulation of the cage, it is possible to obtain healthy offspring even at 10 degrees Celsius. However, the worst enemy of rabbits is not low temperature, but drafts and dampness, which must be excluded;
Rabbits must be well fed, and the diet is as varied as possible. Potatoes, legumes, oats, sprouted grains of wheat, corn and other cereals are suitable for winter feeding of future parents;
Animals within 1-2 weeks before mating and during it requires long daylight hours, at least 12 hours a day. Artificial light is also allowed. Insufficient lighting leads to extremely small litters (1-2 rabbits) or is the main obstacle to successful mating.

Now you know how and at what age rabbits are born. However, we note that experience for rabbit breeders comes with years and mistakes. However, careful study of the issue, the use of advice and help from experienced rabbit keepers will protect you from many, often fatal mistakes and will allow you to get healthy rabbits with the necessary characteristics.

And finally, we suggest watching a short video from which you will learn when rabbits are covered:

Mating rabbits is a mandatory process necessary for their breeding. Only with proper and high-quality mating can a healthy offspring be guaranteed. But it is important to know some points that affect animal breeding. This article explains everything in detail.

How are rabbits bred?

If a farmer decides to breed rabbits, engage in mating and littering, he should know the methods of breeding these furry animals. There are only three ways:

Breeding at home in a natural environment. For effective fertilization, it is necessary to place the male and female in the same cage for two days and observe them so that the natural process occurs. Not everything can always work out the first time, even if you wait a longer period of time. Therefore, some farmers immediately plant several females and one male.
Breeding rabbits with human participation. This method is practically no different from that described above, only in this case you should hold the female so that the male can cover her.
Breeding on large farms. This method is used when many rabbits are bred. Therefore, for maximum confidence in the result, insemination of females is carried out using the artificial method. Of course, this method cannot be called simple, since in order to turn your plans into reality, you need to know several nuances. First of all, it is necessary to collect the sperm of rabbits, and only the venerable ones, and then place the sperm inside the rabbit using a syringe.

Determination of gender

Before you start breeding rabbits, you should determine their gender. This is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. Moreover, such an activity will seem difficult for a person who is encountering this for the first time.

To determine the sex, you need to place the rabbit on its back, lower its tail, and press with your fingers on both sides near the rabbit's genitals. In a female individual, the genitals look like a loop or hood with a slit (genital slit). In males, the genital organ is formed in the form of a tube with a round hole in the middle.

Lay the rabbit on its back

Press on both sides to bring out the genitals

The female genitalia looks like a loop

Female rabbit genital slit

The male rabbit's external genitalia has the shape of a tube.

Rabbit reproductive organ

Preparing for breeding animals

First of all, animals must be prepared to ultimately produce healthy and viable offspring. First, you need to reconsider the diet of random rabbits. The menu should contain vitamins and proteins. In addition, the cages where the rabbits live should be put in order - the conditions should be favorable (a spacious cage, a lot of light, it should be warm). Next, the female rabbit is placed in the male’s cage.

Choosing the right rabbit

Choosing a female rabbit for mating is not so difficult. First, assess the age of the animal: the female should not be younger than 6 months, since at a younger age she will not be able to bear offspring normally. Of course, the best option would be young individuals who have already given birth to rabbits and then conscientiously fed them. In this case, already 45 days after the previous litter, the female can be bred again.

It happens that a mother rabbit eats her babies. If this happened, there is no need for this female to happen again.

An equally important criterion for choosing a young rabbit to mate with is her weight. The female should be moderately well-fed, but not suffer from obesity. If the animal is thin, you should start fattening it. The female rabbit must be in the hunting stage, because without this the mating will not work. If a specific day of the month has been selected for mating, the female should be separated from her relatives for a while.

How do you know when it's time to mate rabbits?

To reproduce offspring, you must wait until the rabbits reach full puberty. The age at maturity is slightly different for each breed. Next, you need to wait a couple more months for your body to get stronger. It turns out that on average, the first mating takes place at 5-6 months. This is the most optimal age.

If the rabbit begins to actively mark the territory, this indicates that the male is ready for mating. Requirements for males:

activity;
healthy appearance and sufficient weight.

If a rabbit sheds, it is better to postpone mating for this period, since in a state of molting the animal’s immunity is weakened, which can negatively affect the quality of the litter.

As for the female, she must have a desire to mate. This is easy to understand: the female’s behavior becomes restless, she often moves around the cage, and can pluck her down to improve the future nest. In addition, the female's loop swells and acquires a bright pink color. And if you stroke the rabbit’s back, she will lie down and begin to stretch out. Sexual desire in females occurs regularly (every 7-9 days).

You can mate rabbits without the female hunting, but the effectiveness of such mating will be low, since the rabbit’s body needs about 5 days to mature the eggs. Therefore, it is still recommended to regularly check the female’s heat before mating. And during the mating process itself, you need to hold the female rabbit so that her back is raised and her tail does not interfere with the penetration of the male’s genital organ into her.

The female is considered covered when the male, after a couple of minutes of rapid movements, abruptly stops in a certain position or jumps off the female, making snoring sounds. Mating can be repeated after 5-7 days. The convenience is that you don’t have to wait for the right day to mate.

While in humans pregnancy can only occur on certain days, in rabbits ovulation occurs spontaneously immediately after intercourse. Nature intends for rabbits to reproduce regularly. By the way, female rabbits do not have estrus (menstruation).

If the female refuses to accept the male upon repeated mating, then most likely she is already pregnant. You need to carefully feel her lower abdomen. In a pregnant female, on days 13-15 after successful mating, two parallel threads of soft balls the size of a cherry will be palpable. The rabbit is placed separately and is no longer probed so as not to cause a miscarriage.

At what age can rabbits be bred?

To determine the age for mating as correctly as possible, one should take into account the fact that rabbits do not live long, about 9-10 years, and already from the 5th year of life the percentage of successful matings drops, therefore it is recommended not to mate. In addition, in old age there is a sharp decrease in the volume of milk in female rabbits after the birth of offspring, so the female cannot feed them on her own.

In rabbits, the process of aging and the extinction of maternal instincts is an individual feature. It often happens that, by all academic parameters, a male or female is subject to culling, but at the same time they still produce numerous and healthy offspring. But as statistics show, regardless of the age at which the first mating occurred, the animal can give birth to strong young rabbits during the first 2-3 years of its life.

Rabbits mating

Despite the fact that there is an expression “to mate like rabbits,” these animals are quite selective in choosing a sexual partner. That is why, in a farm with a large number of rabbits, a person has to take part in the natural process.

You can take a male and several females. But more often than not, a couple is planted, while monitoring the entire process and, if necessary, holding the female so that she does not spin. Mating is a fairly quick process, lasting no more than 2 minutes. The male can be presented with several females per day for mating (mating) at intervals of approximately 4 hours (this time is necessary to restore sperm quality).

During mating, rabbits should get rid of all the contents in the cage, leaving only a drinking bowl with water. You should not leave animals alone, as there is a possibility of a fight. Often experienced females do not accept young males. Experts believe that their smell is not as sharp and desirable for females as the smell of mature males.

When to breed rabbits after breeding offspring?

You should know how much time should pass after giving birth. Of course, it is useful to take a certain pause, since the female’s body needs time to recover after childbirth. On average, a female rabbit should not be bred until about 45 days after giving birth. At this time, the female and the babies should be placed in a separate cage.

It is also important to isolate pregnant females from males. This is necessary in order to avoid mating of a male with a female rabbit in position, since this can harm the offspring, for example, the rabbits may be born dead. In addition, a rabbit's uterus has such a structure that she can become pregnant again while already carrying baby rabbits in the womb. The second offspring in this case will be weak.

Pregnancy (pregnancy) of a female lasts about a month. A few days after giving birth, the female may begin to behave restlessly, refusing to give up her babies. Then a “single” mating is carried out. To do this, take a male and alternately (without pauses) introduce him to several female rabbits. Immediately after the last mating, a rabbit who recently gave birth is brought to the table. The sperm of such a male will be inactive, therefore she will not become pregnant, and the female rabbit will go into hunting and will return to the rabbits.

But keep in mind, in this case, the first female that is placed with the male will turn out to be pregnant!

What is inbreeding?

Inbreeding is the inbreeding of two rabbits. In most cases, it is undesirable to do this, since as a result the offspring may be born unhealthy and weak. But this applies specifically to closely related inbreeding. There is also distant inbreeding, which is even advisable to carry out in order to obtain a stronger breed of rabbits.

Inbreeding is not always well thought out; it often becomes the cause of a person’s shortcomings if the hereditary recording of livestock and mating schedules were carried out incorrectly. To correct the error, it is important to introduce new individuals into the rabbit family, preferably males, since with their help it will be possible to straighten the family line of the animals and obtain healthy offspring.

Mating rabbits in winter

Of course, you can mate rabbits throughout the year. But the mating of animals in winter requires special attention. Many farmers are concerned that low temperatures may pose a problem for successful mating. To do this, morning hours are chosen for mating so that the sun sufficiently warms the room where the rabbits are kept.

The mating process of rabbits in winter is carried out in the same way as in other seasons. In addition, there are some breeds of rabbits that can continue mating even if the heat source is completely absent. Of course, such conditions should not be allowed: home farms must have a temperature of at least 12 degrees.

The only thing you should be wary of is drafts, since they are terrible enemies that make rabbits get sick. Drafts can cause poor quality mating. In winter, this process requires increased comfort in keeping animals.

After the mother rabbit brings the rabbits into the cold period, you need to warm them up as much as possible. If there is no battery or heater in the rabbitry, it is recommended to take the offspring into the house so that the babies get stronger and gain strength.

How to determine whether mating was successful?

To independently determine the effectiveness of mating, you need to carefully palpate the rabbit’s abdomen 2 weeks after mating: if you can feel small balls with your fingers, this indicates that future rabbits are developing in the fetal sacs. But the verification process should be carried out carefully and gently so as not to harm the babies.

Why are matings unsuccessful?

Sometimes it happens that despite the efforts made, the rabbit does not become pregnant. First of all, do not be upset, because in a few days you can re-mate the rabbits. But in order to get better results, you should change the male, since he may be too young to mate.

In this case, an unsuccessful mating is often due to the fact that not all the male’s sperm gets into the internal organs of the female. But this problem can also be overcome: it is necessary to hold the female rabbit correctly so that the rabbit can complete the insemination process without a hitch.

Knowing how and at what age to breed rabbits, you will be able to learn how to mate them correctly so that the female gives good, healthy offspring. Only with the right approach to the process and creating comfortable conditions for the female and male, will it be possible to breed both decorative and farm rabbits.

Mating rabbits can sometimes be a big challenge for novice rabbit breeders. And the question of how to carry out mating correctly and avoid mistakes is one of the most pressing. To avoid failures, read our tips.

Every rabbit breeder should know the general rules for breeding rabbits. And the first important question is the age of the animals. What age must the female and male be allowed to reproduce?

Puberty begins at different times in different breeds. The smaller the breed, the earlier its representatives are ready to mate. So, for example, rabbits of decorative and small breeds are ready for mating at 3.5-4 months, Californians at 4-5, and giants at 5-6. But “ready” does not mean that the mating will go well. It should be noted that it is best to do it when the body has fully adapted after puberty, which is about a month later. So for the best result, which is what we are talking about, you should add another 1 month to the indicated time frame.

Video about mating Californian rabbits

Experienced rabbit breeders have noticed that when rabbits become sexually mature, they begin to actively mark the territory of the cage. And this applies to both males and females.

Did you know that breeder rabbits are selected at birth? Surely in a litter you can tell the difference between the active big guy and the barely moving “dead one.” A small, cheerful hero (or a large female) will become the successors of the family in the future.

We have already introduced you to how to distinguish a male from a female, and we hope that your candidates for breeding are worthy: purebred or, at least, have a good reputation and were purchased from a reliable seller. These should be:

rabbits from the first or second brood;
strong, conformable, fast growing, active, healthy;
from different manufacturers (not relatives).

The smaller the breed, the earlier its representatives are ready to mate

Before mating, the rabbit and female rabbit need to be fed properly. The female should receive a complete diet. In her diet, it is necessary to increase the portion of compound feed with the normal supply of roughage (hay, branches). But you cannot overfeed the female. Fat rabbits don't get pregnant well. 2 weeks before mating, feed the male boiled potatoes, steamed wheat grain and oats.

And one more important point is the female’s hunting. If the rabbit is always ready, then with the female rabbit this is possible at a certain time. During this period, she becomes very restless, rushes around the cage, carries hay, and tears up the fluff on her chest. Instinct tells her that it is time to build a nest. This moment (and it lasts 5-6 days) can be determined as follows. Examine the female's genitals. If it is red and swollen, your girl is ready to meet her groom.

If the male is young and is meeting for the first time, then it is best to choose a calm, experienced female for him.

2 weeks before mating, feed the male boiled potatoes, steamed wheat grain and oats.

There are at least three of them.

The first is used in the propagation of ornamental breeds. A female in heat is placed in a cage with a male and left for a certain period, for example, a week. Animals, having met each other, decide for themselves when to mate. It would seem, what could be simpler? But not everything is so lyrical. It turns out that the moment of sympathy among rabbits does exist. The female may not like her partner, and she will avoid him in every possible way and hide behind her tail. And if both animals are active and aggressive, they can start such a fight that they maim each other. Such cases are very common among the rabbit brethren, so be on your guard. Observe your pets for 24 hours, and if the dating period went smoothly, you can hope that mating will also “go as planned.”
The second method is used by amateur rabbit breeders who do not have many eared rabbits on their farm. What is its essence? The female, ready for mating, is placed next to the rabbit for several hours and the couple is not left unattended, so that in case of a fight or other problems, they can react in time and seat the animals. The advantage of this method is that you will see for yourself whether mating has occurred or not.
The third method is used in large farms. This is artificial insemination. To begin with, sperm is collected from purebred males. To do this, they are placed next to the female and at the moment of ejaculation, a test tube is placed into which the biomaterial is collected. Then a veterinarian or an experienced farmer performs the procedure of artificial insemination of rabbits ready for mating using a special syringe with a tube-shaped tip.

The female may not like the partner, and she will avoid him in every possible way and hide

If the female rabbit does not allow the male to approach, and this happens often, then sit them down for a few hours and try again later. In case of another failure, we repeat the mating in a day.

It also happens that the female does not want to act according to your schedule. Why doesn't the rabbit let the rabbit come? She wants to “flirt” with the male, to get to know him better, even though she is absolutely ready for mating. In this case, clever rabbit breeders tie a string to the yoke’s tail and, at the right moment, when the male begins to mount, they carefully lift the female’s tail by pulling the string.

If visually everything went well, but time passes, and it turns out that the rabbit is not covered. The reason may be her obesity.

If a male has mated with different female rabbits and there are no offspring, he is subject to culling.

If a male has mated with different female rabbits, but there are no offspring, he is subject to culling

A week later, a male is placed next to the female and her reaction is observed. If the expectant mother is aggressive, growls and does not let the male near, it means that the mating was successful, the rabbit is pregnant, and offspring should be expected soon.

Repeated mating should not be allowed, since the rabbit’s uterus has 2 sections, and in the event of repeated mating, fertilization of new eggs may occur. Such a double pregnancy will end in double births with an interval of a week, which will greatly deplete the mother’s body. And most often, rabbits in such cases are born dead.

After two weeks, you can carry out another procedure to check for pregnancy. The female is carefully placed on her knees and the lower abdomen is probed, closer to the genital opening. If you find small balls under your fingers, these are embryos. But such manipulation must be done extremely carefully, otherwise the threat of miscarriage cannot be ruled out.

A week later, the male is placed next to the female again and her reaction is observed.

Signs of pregnancy include sudden pickiness of the female in food: she will eat some things willingly, but refuse others. A pregnant female builds a nest: she carries hay and tears fluff on her chest. But these signs are also characteristic of false pregnancy; they quickly pass.

It is interesting to know that first the sperm enter the rabbit’s oviduct, and only then the eggs ready for fertilization, which begin their release at the moment of mating. At the time of mating, a mature female releases from 6 to 18 eggs, each of which can become fertilized.

The activity of sperm in the womb of the female remains throughout the day. One egg can be fertilized by not one, but several sperm. After 10-12 hours, the fertilized egg begins to divide, on days 5-7 there are already embryonic petals, on day 8 the embryos are attached to the wall of the uterus, and by day 13 their length already reaches 7 mm.

Breeding rabbits in winter

Many rabbit breeders practice breeding rabbits in winter. The fact is that these animals tolerate cold well, but not drafts. If it is frosty outside, then it is better to keep the cages with the breeders in a barn, where they will not be blown by the cold wind.

Video about keeping rabbits in winter

The quantity and quality of offspring is also affected by the length of daylight hours. In natural light, winter mating often produces only 1 baby. This is the so-called “one-cub syndrome.” To avoid such a nuisance, it is necessary to provide additional lighting so that the daylight hours are 10-12 hours. Additional heating of the room in which you keep the rabbits for mating will not hurt. A pregnant and then nursing rabbit will also need it.

A pregnant rabbit needs special care and special care. This is the topic of a separate article. And we wish you success and good results in rabbit breeding!

Igor Nikolaev

Reading time: 5 minutes

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Any breeder of rabbits, in order to successfully breed them, must have the necessary knowledge about such things as the optimal age for the first mating, the diet of animals before mating, as well as various techniques and tricks to get the best results.

The unpretentiousness of rabbits and their resistance to low temperatures allows you to get offspring from them even in winter, if you provide them with comfortable conditions for this.

Increasing the number of livestock is the basis on which all rabbit breeding stands. Mating rabbits requires increased attention from the breeder, and above all this concerns the selection of pairs for breeding.

Breeder males must meet the following requirements:

individuals from the first or second (in extreme cases, the third) litter of the queen rabbit are suitable for reproduction;
selection of males is carried out immediately after birth; in any litter there are the weakest cubs and, usually, one strong and large one; it is he who is the best candidate for subsequent reproduction;
You should also pay attention to the rabbit's weight, the quality of its fur, its build and activity level.

Culling is done based on how many matings have failed.

If every third mating of rabbits does not lead to pregnancy in the female, then such a male is not suitable as a breeder.

Among rabbits, selection for a breed takes place according to the following parameters:

rabbits that are not fertilized as a result of control matings are culled;
Also, females who have less than four cubs in several offspring in a row are not suitable for the tribe;
they do not adopt mother rabbits who eat their offspring;
A high level of milk production is also important, which is an indicator of good female productivity.

It is generally accepted that in a private household there should be at least two breeding males with high sexual activity. Phlegmatic and lethargic animals are subject to culling. Before mating, animals should be carefully examined for general health.

Optimal age and best time for mating rabbits

Beginning rabbit breeders should know that females of almost any breed are ready for the first mating at the age of five months, and their weight should be at least three kilograms (if they are not decorative small breeds). It should also be remembered that the smaller the breed, the earlier the first mating can be carried out. The same is true in the opposite sense: the larger, the later.

For example, females of the black-brown, white or gray giant breeds, which are large rabbits, are allowed to mate for the first time by about two to four weeks. However, it is also not worth keeping the animal, since it gains weight, which negatively affects its ability to fertilize.

A male rabbit is ready to mate at the age of 6 to 8 months.

How do you know when a female rabbit is ready to mate?

Rabbits can be born at a certain time, which is called the hunting period for females. The onset of this period can be determined by the behavior of the rabbit and by some external signs.

Usually females behave calmly and quietly, but with the onset of heat they begin to worry, dragging the bedding, scattering food, and sometimes starting to pinch the fluff on their chest. Possible refusal to eat. The loop of the female rabbit's genital organs is usually pale pink, not enlarged. When the female begins to “want” the male, her loop swells and turns bright pink. Such signs appear in females, regardless of their breed.

Hunting in females who have already given birth can begin one or two days after giving birth and lasts for five days. The next two days (6-7th) it declines, and then there comes a time of rest. The frequency of hunting is individual. For some females, the cycle is 9 days (in summer), for others it is 15-20 days (rest of the year).

Rabbits breed all year round. In summer, it is best to conduct mating in the morning and evening. The most unfavorable time for mating is considered to be October and November, since during these months the animals are usually lethargic.

The high fertility of rabbits is due to the fact that females are ready for mating already on the second day after giving birth. However, you need to give them time to feed their offspring.

Before the breeding period, rabbits need to be prepared for it.

In 15-20 days, you need to examine the animals, determine their weight and general health. Sick and weakened individuals are not allowed to mate. If underweight is detected, such rabbits are transferred to enhanced nutrition.

Preparation should also concern the composition of animal feed. Two weeks before mating, a mixture of boiled potatoes and steamed oats is added to the males’ diet. Rabbits are given concentrated feed without changing the amount of branch feed and hay. It should be remembered that overfed animals reproduce worse. If a rabbit is found to be obese, then concentrated types of feed and food with a high concentration of starch are almost completely removed from its diet.

Before mating, it is necessary to examine the female’s nipples (there are eight or ten of them) and external genitalia. Rabbits with deviations from the norm are discarded. Animals that are actively molting should also not be treated.

To obtain the best results when mating, several conditions must be met:

Before mating, you need to remove the drinker and feeder from the cage.

It is imperative to place the female in the cage with the male, and not vice versa. This is necessary so that the rabbit feels confident in a familiar environment.

At this time, the animals need to be monitored, as a fight is possible between them.

The mating of rabbits is considered completed when, after the process, the male falls on his side (sometimes he makes soft rumbling sounds). This process needs to be repeated two or three times.

After mating, the female is transferred back to her cage. If the mating does not work out, then after 2-4 hours the female rabbit is again placed next to the rabbit. If nothing happens again, a day later the female is placed with another male.

5-6 days after the end of mating, the rabbits undergo a control mating. If the rabbit does not want to mate, she is pregnant. In this case, she will not allow the male to approach, she will scream, fight and bite.

Large rabbit farms use artificial insemination of rabbits. This method is considered the most effective. First, the female is placed next to the male, and then, at the very beginning of the process, a test tube is placed and the sperm is collected. After this, the veterinarian performs fertilization using a special syringe.

Any rabbit breeder needs to keep a journal in which to carefully record the dates of matings, their times, as well as the names or numbers of the mated animals.

Inbreeding is the mating of related rabbits. Such mating of rabbits negatively affects both the health and size of the offspring.

However, some rabbit breeders deliberately crossbreed such animals, and for quite a long time. In order to obtain a new breed.

Accidental inbreeding is possible in cases where young animals are not bred on time.

Since such crossing is harmful, it is necessary to periodically buy males from other families.

If there is no opportunity to inject fresh blood, the most distant relatives available are mated.

Rabbits tolerate cold well and are able to reproduce in winter. However, during severe frosts in the rabbitry, it is still better to increase the heating. Rabbits do not tolerate drafts well. In addition, the rabbitry and cages must be dry to prevent the animals from catching cold.

In winter, mating is best done during the daytime. There are no differences between summer and winter mating, there are only nuances. Firstly, shortening daylight hours negatively affects the activity of animals, so experienced rabbit breeders often “extend” the day with the help of artificial lighting. Secondly, during winter breeding, there is rarely more than one rabbit in the litter. This is not a pathology, but a feature of rabbit physiology.

In winter, it is better to place newborn rabbits in a warmer place than where adult animals are kept.

Rabbit breeding occupy one of the most popular niches in rural livestock farming. Not only large farms and farms are engaged in breeding; recently it has become popular among ordinary citizens. At dachas, in private houses outside the city, and even within the city, many families started a private “rabbit” business.

The benefits are obvious:

A female rabbit is capable of bearing more than 20 rabbits per year in 6 litters. This is more than 50 kilograms of meat per year, more than 20 skins.
Meat is very healthy. It is dietary and contains a minimal amount of cholesterol.
The skins are in great demand.
They are unpretentious in maintenance; due to their small size, their breeding is possible even in an apartment.

Advice from a professional

If you are still new to this business, then first you need to decide on the breed. The type of breed will determine the type of business. What will you sell: meat, meat and skins, only skins.

And, of course, before purchasing your first pets, study the characteristics of the breed so as not to make a mistake in your choice. There is no need to purchase individuals with noticeable flaws; such defective animals will not produce good offspring.

How to pair

Preparation

First you need to carry out a number of preparatory procedures. A few days before mating, inspect the individuals. Do not allow sick animals to mate. If any external ailments are noticeable (rash or irritation), also move the animals aside. Those rabbits who ate their cubs in previous times or refused to feed them are also excluded.

Select only those who have reached puberty. Usually this age occurs at 3-3.5 months. For successful mating and further use for breeding purposes, it is necessary to take into account one nuance: allow males to mate at the age of 4-5 months, and females at the age of 8 months.

The weight of the female at the first mating should not be less than 2.5 kilograms. On average, a female's estrus lasts for 4 days. In the warm season it is repeated every week, in the cold season - about 10 days.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s the rabbit’s first mating or not, check that the female is in heat. At this time, the genital loop enlarges and turns pink. The rabbit is agitated and not eating well.

For older individuals, choose younger animals. The season doesn't matter. Capable of producing offspring at any time of the year. There are usually 5 to 8 female rabbits per male. In one day, a rabbit can fertilize two females.

Keep records that include dates, times, names, number of rabbits, parents, animal behavior and other details.

One of the important points in selecting individuals for mating is the degree of fatness and obesity. Those who are healthy, well-fed, but not obese should participate in mating. Otherwise, obesity or thinness of the parents will negatively affect the offspring. The rabbits will be weak, inactive, and developmentally delayed.

Process

Many people make mistakes in believing that there is no fundamental difference in the fact in which cell the mating process will take place. In fact, it is necessary to transplant the female into the male’s cage, and not vice versa. In someone else's cage, the male will feel discomfort and uncertainty, the covering of the female rabbit will not occur.

Attention

Remove from the space all unnecessary objects that may interfere. These can be drinking bowls, feeders, etc. Clean the mating area.

The covering of the female rabbit will be complete only if the rabbit has fallen on its side with a quiet purr. Already during mating, eggs are released from the ovaries. Their number ranges from 3 to 9 from each ovary. Fertilization occurs within 24 hours after mating.

Video on how to substitute a male:

Determination of gender

One of the important points that every breeder should learn is sex determination. If you do not have this skill, you will have to call a specialist or veterinarian to your home every time. It wastes your money and time. To save money, it is more advisable to learn this simple task.

It is worth mentioning the age at which it is better to determine the sex of a baby rabbit. Females and males should be selected no earlier than one month of age. Until this age, the cub should be with the mother; it is undesirable to tear it away from feeding. In addition, in the first month of life, it is almost impossible to determine the sex of a baby rabbit, and even experienced breeders often make mistakes.

Gender identification video:

Just a few tips when choosing, if you do not yet have the proper experience in gender determination:

When purchasing baby rabbits at a pet store, do not trust the sellers. They are general specialists and many of the sellers simply will not be able to determine who is in front of them: a male or not.
If you have knowledge of sex determination, but you do not have experience, then in doubtful cases it is better to refuse the purchase altogether. Then you will avoid surprises in the future.
You can take a specialist with you, he will tell you.
When making your own choice, give preference to slightly older rabbits, for example, one and a half months or two months. They have more pronounced sexual characteristics, which means they are less likely to make mistakes.

Determining the sex of an adult

When determining the sex of an adult, be careful. The hind legs are strong enough to hurt you, and the long nails can scratch you. Place the animal on a flat, but not high, surface. The skin between the head and back is taken in the working hand. Hold the scruff of the neck firmly, with your whole palm, not just two fingers.

Lift the animal and sit it on its hind legs. Then, as quickly as possible, sit him on his tail. The faster you do this, the less likely the rabbit will roll over onto its belly. In this position on its back, it seems to be reclining, the animal will not be able to provide you with worthy resistance.

Continuing to hold the animal by the scruff of the neck with your working hand, use your other hand to explore the area where the external genitalia are located, stretching the skin. Using your index finger and thumb, press on the organs as if you were squeezing it out. Important: fingers should be directed not from left to right, but from top to bottom. That is, from head to tail.

In females, a pink triangle will appear, it looks a little like a tongue. In males, a penis will appear that will be shaped like a bullet. In adult males, you can easily find the testicles - small swellings. If you notice two testicles, then you don’t have to do the above procedures - this is a 100% male.

When purchasing, you should pay attention to the presence of exactly two testicles in the male. An animal with one testicle will not have such high productivity of the genus as its normal counterparts.

Sex determination in rabbits

Since the genitals of small rabbits are very poorly visible, you can examine them under a magnifying glass. Press down on the area between the anus and genitals. In females you will not notice any changes. Males will have a barely noticeable bulge, in the middle of which there will be a hole.

Before you start choosing yourself, practice on adults. Carefully study the location of the genital organs and remember the slightest differences.

Attention

It is wrong to choose a gender, especially a young one, based on his behavior. Some beginners in the field of breeding believe that the animal necessarily jumps on the female, and based on these criteria they determine the sex of the animal. In fact, during the maturation period, many rabbits can mate with each other, and the females even jump on each other. This occurs either from an excess of hormones, or due to a showdown.

Experts are able to determine gender by appearance: rabbits have more developed rump, and rabbits have a more powerful head; Females have a more rounded constitution, while males have a muscular and angular body. But these are all secondary sexual characteristics, which must be checked against primary sexual characteristics.

Inbreeding

It is also called inbreeding. Sometimes you have to resort to inbreeding, sometimes inbreeding occurs among young animals that were not seeded in time. Family ties are known to have negative consequences for offspring. Weak individuals, deterioration of breed characteristics, weak body, illness, inability to develop breed qualities, death of the embryo, mutation - this is an incomplete list of the results of inbreeding.

But, at the same time, how do new breeds get then? It is through long-term crossing of related individuals that it becomes possible to develop a pure new breed.

This is a painful issue for breeders. The inbreeding method is subject to only experienced specialists who select for crossing with special care, monitor the development of further offspring, and take into account every smallest nuance.

Random inbreeding

They love doing this

In ordinary life, inbreeding is more negative in nature. If you encounter this phenomenon in your practice, then the most effective way out of this situation is to purchase an individual from another offspring in order to further dilute the blood. There is nothing wrong with the fact that you will have one generation from your parents - relatives.

Forced inbreeding

Occurs in cases where there is no way to add “new blood”. In this case, several points need to be taken into account:

Select a couple that is as closely related as possible. If you have a choice between brother-sister and grandfather-granddaughter pairs, then give preference to the latter. The further the relationship, the less the risk of negative consequences.
Next, follow the standard rules. Select healthy ones, females must have maternal qualities, their health must be excellent.
It is better to send offspring from relatives to slaughter. And at the first opportunity, get a new male.

Mating rabbits at home

They do what we want.

Mating rabbits at home is no different in principle from mating on a farm. But here all the necessary conditions must be created. Try to separate a place for rabbits. There, no one should distract or frighten them, less noise, more air. Create a comfortable atmosphere.

Here the content should be divided into two types. If you are doing this business for the further sale of meat or skins, then it will be more suitable for you. In elevated areas, a hole is dug at least a meter deep. This is where the animals will be kept. The walls are concreted, a grate is laid on the floor, which is covered with sand. Dig a wide and deep hole above the grate.

When you release the animals, they will dig their own individual holes from the common one. Feature of feeding: long feeders and drinking bowls should be installed in the pit, then the animals will not crowd around them. The top of the pit must be covered from precipitation. At the same time, do not limit the access to light and air. But such maintenance has many disadvantages: high mortality, it is impossible to trace the condition, it is difficult to identify the disease, frequent inbreeding. Pros: getting maximum offspring.

Cage suitable for breeding for sale. Each animal has its own cage, it is at rest and feels comfortable. However, both decorative breeds and meat - skin breeds - can be bred in cages.

Mating after childbirth

Rabbit mating

After giving birth, the female is physiologically ready for mating within a day. But she needs to give birth to her offspring. Therefore, keep the female away from the males while feeding the rabbits.

How to determine if a female rabbit is ready to mate? This was written above in the paragraph “Preparation for mating.” If by all indications the female rabbit can begin the mating process, there is no need to hesitate.

As you can see, keeping and breeding is not particularly difficult, but has its own specifics. In order to get successful offspring and not be disappointed in your choice, you must follow a number of rules. Carefully select animals for mating, avoid inbreeding, care for animals, avoid stress, and be attentive.