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when to breed bunnys
- Thread starter gizmo
- Start date
Hiya Gizmo, I believe you can breed bunnies most of the year round, but I am not a rabbit breeder so hopefully someone will come along soon to be able to answer your question 
There are an awful lot of bunnies in Rescue centres needing forever homes, why do you personally wish to breed bunnies, do you intend to keep the babies, or show them?
Congratulations upon your recent new bunny arrivals, how many were in the litter?
Sorry to be nosey, I am just interested as a fellow bunny lover :wink:
Best wishes
There are an awful lot of bunnies in Rescue centres needing forever homes, why do you personally wish to breed bunnies, do you intend to keep the babies, or show them?
Congratulations upon your recent new bunny arrivals, how many were in the litter?
Sorry to be nosey, I am just interested as a fellow bunny lover :wink:
Best wishes
gizmo said:i am intrested in becoming a rabbit breeder and its nice to learn more.
Have you looked at the British Rabbit Council web site www.thebrc.org?, and the Fur and Feather magazine is a good source of information too.
email furandfeather@btinternet.com or phone 01473 652789 for details.
I will try and flag down one of our Rabbit Breeder members in this forum to help give you any information and tips you require.
Fluffybunny
Warren Scout
Hi I would definitley reccommend joining the BRC as Adele has advised. Bucks can breed from around 5 months (well, physically earlier, but it is best not to put them under so much strain too early), and does should be about 5/6months at least.
Make sure you can find homes for all the babies before you breed them.
I wouldnt advise breeding for no reason, or from parents you dont know the history of. My advice would be to go to a BRC registered breeder and get some good quality stock without health problems, and perhaps have a go at showing when u are a member of the BRC.
Good luck
Make sure you can find homes for all the babies before you breed them.
I wouldnt advise breeding for no reason, or from parents you dont know the history of. My advice would be to go to a BRC registered breeder and get some good quality stock without health problems, and perhaps have a go at showing when u are a member of the BRC.
Good luck
As one of your rabbits only gave birth Friday I would wait until next year for another litter. If you're just starting out you don't want to take on to much at once as there is lots to learn. Also without being established you'll find it more difficult to find homes for the babies.
Are the rabbits you have bred from pedigrees? In that there are a recognised breed and from a BRC member? If not and you're interested in breeding I'd not recommend trying it again with your current rabbits. Cross breed rabbits can make wonderful pets but they are not good for breeding from or for showing. Their background is too much of an unknown.
Have you found homes for your current litter? Alot of people give up after one litter because they realise how difficult it is to find homes.
Tamsin
Are the rabbits you have bred from pedigrees? In that there are a recognised breed and from a BRC member? If not and you're interested in breeding I'd not recommend trying it again with your current rabbits. Cross breed rabbits can make wonderful pets but they are not good for breeding from or for showing. Their background is too much of an unknown.
Have you found homes for your current litter? Alot of people give up after one litter because they realise how difficult it is to find homes.
Tamsin
gizmo said:
aawwww, it sounds like you are being very sensible about things Gizmo
Researching things thoroughly first is a prudent move, it always stands you in good stead.
Rachel (and Tamsin) have given you some very good advice there
Best wishes, and hope the little babies are all okay?
Unfortunately you will soon discover that good homes for baby rabbits are actually quite hard to find once you have had a couple of litters and all your friends / neighbours have taken on one or two. ARC which is a rescue based in Twickenham currently are having baby rabbits and expectant does being offered to them every couple of days at the moment. http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=8023&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 This is an ongoing thread about some of the young rabbits which have been taken in, there are many others who have had to be asked to try other rescues or be placed on ever growing waiting lists to be taken in. Unfortuntely all the rescues ARC are in contact with have long waiting lists and are currently full, some have even closed their waiting lists completely at the moment. They are currently struggling to find permanent homes for many of these babies.
Many mums who have come who have continually been bred are very weak and emaciated and take many months to regain their strength. Tamsin is certainly correct in advising you not to breed again this year.
Janice
Many mums who have come who have continually been bred are very weak and emaciated and take many months to regain their strength. Tamsin is certainly correct in advising you not to breed again this year.
Janice
hi,
as a breeder and exhibitor of rabbits i would say do research firstly and find out as much as u can maybe if u know someone who breeds near u or if u contact the brc they can help u to find someone by u who could give u some good advice maybe if u get around to some rabbits shows nearly all exhibitors breed there own rabbits so can give u advice and help u out, when i 1st became intersted by my moms uncle he took us around shows and we met lots of people who r very friendy and willing to give advice, some find it pleaseing that someone is asking for advice off them and r willing to help out any time even when u do it for so long there is always someone there for u.
for the 1st year i just went around my local shows seeing what its like and going to my moms uncle to look at his rabbits and see what he does so i knew what i was doing and so i could get some good quailty rabbits
becky
as a breeder and exhibitor of rabbits i would say do research firstly and find out as much as u can maybe if u know someone who breeds near u or if u contact the brc they can help u to find someone by u who could give u some good advice maybe if u get around to some rabbits shows nearly all exhibitors breed there own rabbits so can give u advice and help u out, when i 1st became intersted by my moms uncle he took us around shows and we met lots of people who r very friendy and willing to give advice, some find it pleaseing that someone is asking for advice off them and r willing to help out any time even when u do it for so long there is always someone there for u.
for the 1st year i just went around my local shows seeing what its like and going to my moms uncle to look at his rabbits and see what he does so i knew what i was doing and so i could get some good quailty rabbits
becky
Fluffybunny
Warren Scout
I think the question was to breed another of his rabbits, not the same one. But the doe should be rested for at least 6 weeks between the litter being weaned and mated again...with no more than 2/3 litters a year to keep her in condition...and make sure she doesnt get too fat whilst with the litter or you will have trouble getting her to 'take' again..
taylor v 109
Mama Doe
If i were u i would do no more breeding untill u are more sure of what u are doing, as has been mentioned get to know some other breeders for there experience and if u mean to show then get an opion on your rabbits as to there suitability for breeding.You will be wasting your time breeding from rabbits that are not near the standard required. As for rehoming babys that is easier said than done .Get some more advice ,go to shows and join the brc. val
rngpwelfare
Mama Doe
As much as I commend the fact that you are researching things before breeding another litter.
I would like to know why are you breeding, is it with a purpose ie for showing or to keep a particular breeds lines going.
As maybe this is isn't so bad as just breeding crossbreed bunnies willy nilly.
I also, with out rocking the boat here.Would like to know why topic's like this from someone asking for help to breed are helped.
It's very different if it's an accidental litter although I do think some of those are not always the case.
Rabbit rehome states that breeders can not advertise for homes on it's front page and yet the forum that is supposed to work alongside it doesn't condone it.
How can this be?
Sorry if this is stepping out of line and I'm also sorry if I upset anyone but.
I can't see how one side says no we won't help you find homes for the rabbits you have breed but the other side says yes come and ask and of course we will help you as much as we can.
I would like to know why are you breeding, is it with a purpose ie for showing or to keep a particular breeds lines going.
As maybe this is isn't so bad as just breeding crossbreed bunnies willy nilly.
I also, with out rocking the boat here.Would like to know why topic's like this from someone asking for help to breed are helped.
It's very different if it's an accidental litter although I do think some of those are not always the case.
Rabbit rehome states that breeders can not advertise for homes on it's front page and yet the forum that is supposed to work alongside it doesn't condone it.
How can this be?
Sorry if this is stepping out of line and I'm also sorry if I upset anyone but.
I can't see how one side says no we won't help you find homes for the rabbits you have breed but the other side says yes come and ask and of course we will help you as much as we can.
neeshkabeesh
Warren Scout
*Sigh* Posts like this come up in every pet forum I'm part of, I wish they didn't.
This is a tricky subject because on the one hand if we help gizmo we may be helping his/her rabbit to have a good start with her kittens, and we may help the kittens by advising gizmo on proper nutrition, some of us might offer homes for the rabbits too. On the other hand.. well, I'll watch this post and see what happens. Gizmo hasn't said much yet so I'll give him/her the benefit of the doubt.
This is a tricky subject because on the one hand if we help gizmo we may be helping his/her rabbit to have a good start with her kittens, and we may help the kittens by advising gizmo on proper nutrition, some of us might offer homes for the rabbits too. On the other hand.. well, I'll watch this post and see what happens. Gizmo hasn't said much yet so I'll give him/her the benefit of the doubt.
Rabbit Rehome's policy is that deliberately bred rabbits can not be advertised on it's pages. That's not a condemnation of breeders as such, just a policy on what animals can be advertised there. I also don't accept advertising of ducks, cats, puppies and miscalanious small furries etc.
RU's policy is no advertising (including livestock).
So neither will help rehome deliberately breed litters.
As you're all aware RU welcomes both breeders and pet owners. As I said in another post today... it's intended role is to give information to help people make the right decisions not make them for them - we can't do that even if we want to. We can offer advice but in the end we can't physically stop someone putting two rabbits together.
So our only influence is words...
When someone posts intending to breed their rabbit we could say to them "don't breed" - maybe they'll take that and decide not to or more likely they'll go looking for the information they want elsewhere or go ahead without it.
So, in my opinion anyway, I'd rather say: if you're going to breed here is how to do it responsibly. Most people don't realise the work involved and when it's pointed out decide for themselves that breeding isn't the right decision. If people still go ahead atleast they have the information to do it in the most responsible way possible.
There is an article on RR here: http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/breedingrabbits.asp
written by a breeder. It doesn't say "don't breed" in fact it gives some useful pointers. But I've had several people contact me after reading it to say that they are no longer planning to bred their rabbit.
I know it's hard for rescues to see people considering breeding when you're the ones that have to pick up the pieces from so many people who have thought it a fun thing to do. I promise I want to stop that happening too and I'm sure everyone that posts in threads on breeding whether pet owner, rescue or breeder wants the same thing too. Hopefully getting the information and opinions from such a wide source will help make sure people do make the right decision.
I hope that explains abit but if you've question on what RR does/policies etc. anyone's welcome to get intouch any time.
Tam
RU's policy is no advertising (including livestock).
So neither will help rehome deliberately breed litters.
As you're all aware RU welcomes both breeders and pet owners. As I said in another post today... it's intended role is to give information to help people make the right decisions not make them for them - we can't do that even if we want to. We can offer advice but in the end we can't physically stop someone putting two rabbits together.
So our only influence is words...
When someone posts intending to breed their rabbit we could say to them "don't breed" - maybe they'll take that and decide not to or more likely they'll go looking for the information they want elsewhere or go ahead without it.
So, in my opinion anyway, I'd rather say: if you're going to breed here is how to do it responsibly. Most people don't realise the work involved and when it's pointed out decide for themselves that breeding isn't the right decision. If people still go ahead atleast they have the information to do it in the most responsible way possible.
There is an article on RR here: http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/breedingrabbits.asp
written by a breeder. It doesn't say "don't breed" in fact it gives some useful pointers. But I've had several people contact me after reading it to say that they are no longer planning to bred their rabbit.
I know it's hard for rescues to see people considering breeding when you're the ones that have to pick up the pieces from so many people who have thought it a fun thing to do. I promise I want to stop that happening too and I'm sure everyone that posts in threads on breeding whether pet owner, rescue or breeder wants the same thing too. Hopefully getting the information and opinions from such a wide source will help make sure people do make the right decision.
I hope that explains abit but if you've question on what RR does/policies etc. anyone's welcome to get intouch any time.
Tam
Hello, I think Tracy raised an important point about a seemingly conflict of philosophies.
I think that Tamsin has summed things up very well, and I ditto everything she has said.
I feel that people sometimes forget that RU Forum is to enable people to freely exchange ideas and suggestions as to help bunnies, whether those bunnies be in Rescues, individual homes, or owned by Breeders.
Personally I run a Sanctuary that takes in Rescue rabbits, so as an Organisation(Guardian Angels Org. UK) we do not endorse the breeding of bunnies.
However, there is a huge difference between not wishing to breed bunnies ourselves, and being anti Breeders as individuals.
The Breeders who follow the strict BRC ethics are not the same as those who we have classed back street breeders.
All rabbit breeders are contributing towards an increase in bunny numbers though just by the very act of breeding itself. However, many Rescues end up with cross bred (and not so healthy) bunnies, which have been bred by the back street breeders. We all get understandably very upset when these bunnies do not have good health, some of which is attributable to their breed, so, far rather, good breeders who follow very strict regulations (and hopefully Laws will change in the future to limit the number of bunnies being bred :?: ) produce healthy bunnies that enjoy better health and less problems, than not.
RU is merely an enabling tool to provide education and resources, individuals have to choose what path they follow in life, just as I have mine. Hopefully we will make a difference by helping people make more informed decisions, but at the end of the day we cannot tell people what to do.
I do not feel any more in the right as I run a sanctuary/ rescue than a rabbit breeder, it is not about taking moral stances in my view, but truly working to ensure ALL bunnies (whatever their background) have a right to a decent quality of life.
As much as I personally would like to see change, until Laws are brought in to make the breeding of bunnies much more regulated(and especially how many bunnies are bred), and Rescues/ Sanctuaries properly monitored too (as there are good and not so good rescue sets up) we can only make suggestions and make information (ie the statistics of the numbers of bunnies currently in Rescue centres etc, which Tam has endeavoured to do via the RR rescue survey :wink: ) available to enable people to make informed choices.
Making information available to Rescues,Individuals or Breeders, is no reflection on our individual views, merely to try and help the bunnies in their care
I think we need to look past who is the rabbit keeper and what their individual views are, and focus directly on helping with their rabbit(s) when asked to do so I only hope people will be there for our Sanctuary bunnies if something happens to me or David, and not leave them just because you do not argee with our personal philosophies.
I dont feel that the bunnies should ever suffer due to human politics, these politics do seem to get in the way on occasions.
Best wishes
I think that Tamsin has summed things up very well, and I ditto everything she has said.
I feel that people sometimes forget that RU Forum is to enable people to freely exchange ideas and suggestions as to help bunnies, whether those bunnies be in Rescues, individual homes, or owned by Breeders.
Personally I run a Sanctuary that takes in Rescue rabbits, so as an Organisation(Guardian Angels Org. UK) we do not endorse the breeding of bunnies.
However, there is a huge difference between not wishing to breed bunnies ourselves, and being anti Breeders as individuals.
The Breeders who follow the strict BRC ethics are not the same as those who we have classed back street breeders.
All rabbit breeders are contributing towards an increase in bunny numbers though just by the very act of breeding itself. However, many Rescues end up with cross bred (and not so healthy) bunnies, which have been bred by the back street breeders. We all get understandably very upset when these bunnies do not have good health, some of which is attributable to their breed, so, far rather, good breeders who follow very strict regulations (and hopefully Laws will change in the future to limit the number of bunnies being bred :?: ) produce healthy bunnies that enjoy better health and less problems, than not.
RU is merely an enabling tool to provide education and resources, individuals have to choose what path they follow in life, just as I have mine. Hopefully we will make a difference by helping people make more informed decisions, but at the end of the day we cannot tell people what to do.
I do not feel any more in the right as I run a sanctuary/ rescue than a rabbit breeder, it is not about taking moral stances in my view, but truly working to ensure ALL bunnies (whatever their background) have a right to a decent quality of life.
As much as I personally would like to see change, until Laws are brought in to make the breeding of bunnies much more regulated(and especially how many bunnies are bred), and Rescues/ Sanctuaries properly monitored too (as there are good and not so good rescue sets up) we can only make suggestions and make information (ie the statistics of the numbers of bunnies currently in Rescue centres etc, which Tam has endeavoured to do via the RR rescue survey :wink: ) available to enable people to make informed choices.
Making information available to Rescues,Individuals or Breeders, is no reflection on our individual views, merely to try and help the bunnies in their care
I think we need to look past who is the rabbit keeper and what their individual views are, and focus directly on helping with their rabbit(s) when asked to do so
I only hope people will be there for our Sanctuary bunnies if something happens to me or David, and not leave them just because you do not argee with our personal philosophies.I dont feel that the bunnies should ever suffer due to human politics, these politics do seem to get in the way on occasions.
Best wishes
thanks tam as a shower rescuer my self i havent started to breed rabbits as yet my show stock consits of 4 buns with peach my rescue and another rescue on the way i may breed at some point but for now im trying to learn more about breeding even before i consider it i hope if in have a problem i can come on here and ask for help
