Billy's_ Mom
New Kit
Please help me im new to this
Sorry, but he's never going to be suitable for breeding. It sounds like you don't know the breed or genetic history of your rabbit so he can't be used to breed from. It's very important to choose a male rabbit that your know the medical and genetic history of - who their parents and grandparents are - otherwise you risk problems like heart disease, misaligned teeth that overgrown, deformed babies etc. It's just like dog breeding you need pedigrees and information on what genetic illnesses they are carrying.
[emoji38]Once you've neutered him, he is ready for breeding
So, there you have it. Only genetically perfect rabbits, dogs etc should ever be bred. And all that without knowing the history of the OPs rabbits. Now if we extend that to human beings we get....oh dear.
The OP also posted on another thread asking what breed we thought her buck was as she didn't know herself, so obviously she doesn't know his background.
The OP didn't know the breed, therefore it's not a big assumption that they know nothing about the parents (future grandparents). Whilst knowing a history doesn't rule out genetic problems it gives the breeder the opportunity to reduce (and in many cases avoid) them. For example knowing whether there is a dwarfing gene in the male and female line can make it possible to avoid peanuts (babies with the double dwarfing gene that generally die within a few weeks of birth). A verified lineage isn't a guarantee when you buy because not every breeder will make use of the information they have available to them. Some will put up with a few dead kits or bad health because they particularly like the conformation of the live ones (longer ears or smaller size).
When considering breeding you have a choice, you can prioritise health or looks. Whichever you pick will mean sometimes you make a compromise on the other. It's something dog breeders are just realising the consequences of and trying to back track and breed health back in - a much harder job than selecting for it in the first place.
On lifespan, I would argue the opposite. We know from wild rabbits that live in captivity and in isolated colonies without predators that the potential lifespan of a rabbit is easily 8-10 years (I lost my own hand reared wild rabbit at 9 years old a few months ago). The fact that many pet rabbits have a lifespan closer to 5 years is a sign that bad breeding has screwed their genetic health leading to more susceptibility to disease and conformation (e.g. skull shapes and extreme sizes - both small and large) that have reduced their potential lifespan. As pet owners, long life and good health is something we prioritise and should be encouraging in breeders.
With all due respect, a wild rabbit brought up outside it's native environment will or should have a longer life span. But it is no longer wild, it is of wild stock. Isolated rabbits living without natural predators is again not the norm, yes rabbits do have natural potential to live longer but nature gets in the way. My point on longevity was for wild rabbits living in the wild with all the predations that brings. In human terms, would some members of the Royal Family have such long life spans if they had been brought up and lived a more "normal" life?
We all aspire to our pets having long, happy and healthy lives. However there has to be a point where rational decisions are made that have to take sentimentality out of the equation. There are plenty of threads on here that to me read like cruelty in the extreme just because the bunny is loved, but love takes many forms and making the right decisions is one. Without pointing to anyone here I will use a personal example. My mother in law had a dog, multiple strokes left it blind, barely able to walk and with double incontinence. It lived like that for 3 years, bumping into furniture, unable to play and with nappies fastened on. All because it was loved!!
Would this be about right?
Ultimately, the breeder should have chosen to continue breeding from the healthy line, but instead went for the unhealthy line.