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Breeding two sisters

R

RainbowRose

New Kit
So I have two lovely Mini Rex rabbits named Cirrus and Stratus, and when I originally got them I was planning on breeding them, but then that fizzled out. The other day I was thinking again and thought that breeding them might actually be a great way of earning some extra cash, as long as that was safe for them. They are about 16 months old, and Broken Chinchilla Mini Rex’s. The person I got them from said that they’re not quite suitable for show, as there is a little bit too much white on them for the category.
I do not want to breed them for meat. The kits would be sold as pets or show rabbits.
Apparently to be show quality the girls would have to breed with a Broken Chinchilla buck with more black/grey on him.
I am a teen and so don’t have much money to spend on cages, etc. but my mum seems into the idea and is happy to help me with the whole thing.
My top questions are:
Is there any more than a tiny risk that the doe can be injured or killed in the process of breeding and pregnancy?
Is it possible to hire a buck for stud?
If not, can you keep a buck separate from the girls and would he be lonely?
Would people actually buy pet rabbits from a young teen?

I think that’s all, although I want to add that they currently live in a conservatory but we’re looking to move them outside for summer and what sort of setup would be good? They are still pets and so I don’t want to have the small wire cages setup a lot of big rabbit farmers have.
Thanks so much, all answers appreciated!
 
Please don't breed them. There are too many rabbits out there already needing homes in addition to those bunnies that will be abandoned once they've gone past their cute baby phase and not to mention those rabbits that will just be chucked out in the wild and not able to survive on their own once the owners have had enough of them.

Also you have no guarantee you'll be able to sell them meaning you will have to bear the costs of keeping all the babies which are vet fees on top of food/bedding/accomodation etc. If you do manage to sell them how are you going to guarantee that they'll get good homes where they'll be neutered, vacinated and homed appropriately?

There's also the risk of uterine cancer for your rabbits and you need to be able to cover vet fees for them over their lifetime which can be over 10 years. They are not cheap or easy pets eg one of my rabbits cost me over £2k in emergency only vet fees due to stasis in less than two years before any vaccination costs were added on. My rabbits were rescues so the adoption fees included them being neutered (didn't cover the full cost) but that's expensive especially as you need a specialist vet for rabbits which costs more.

I'm not trying to be rude but tbh I don't think you've thought this through properly and would suggest that you enjoy your rabbits for who they are as pets and get them neutered.
 
I agree with the above, just enjoy your rabbits for who they are and get them neutered when you can to remove any risk of cancer further down the line. Too many risks and you could end up with unsold and unwanted babies on your hands which would then negate any profit you make. Breeding can get out of hand very quickly.
 
RainbowRose said:
So I have two lovely Mini Rex rabbits named Cirrus and Stratus, and when I originally got them I was planning on breeding them, but then that fizzled out. The other day I was thinking again and thought that breeding them might actually be a great way of earning some extra cash, as long as that was safe for them. They are about 16 months old, and Broken Chinchilla Mini Rex’s. The person I got them from said that they’re not quite suitable for show, as there is a little bit too much white on them for the category.
I do not want to breed them for meat. The kits would be sold as pets or show rabbits.
Apparently to be show quality the girls would have to breed with a Broken Chinchilla buck with more black/grey on him.
I am a teen and so don’t have much money to spend on cages, etc. but my mum seems into the idea and is happy to help me with the whole thing.
My top questions are:
Is there any more than a tiny risk that the doe can be injured or killed in the process of breeding and pregnancy?
Is it possible to hire a buck for stud?
If not, can you keep a buck separate from the girls and would he be lonely?
Would people actually buy pet rabbits from a young teen?

I think that’s all, although I want to add that they currently live in a conservatory but we’re looking to move them outside for summer and what sort of setup would be good? They are still pets and so I don’t want to have the small wire cages setup a lot of big rabbit farmers have.
Thanks so much, all answers appreciated!
Click to expand...


rabbitwelfare.co.uk

Breeding Amnesty

Join our rabbit breeding amnesty and support responsible practices. Create a safe environment for unwanted rabbits. Learn more at Rabbit Welfare Association.
rabbitwelfare.co.uk rabbitwelfare.co.uk

If you are considering breeding then please read this

Breeding Rabbits It’s very important for any rabbit owner to be responsible with their rabbits, so generally, responsible breeding should be done under the guide of a responsible, experienced breeder as a mentor. Most likely, if you need this information to help you with deliberate breeding...
forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk

Don't breed or buy when rabbits in need still die

Please don’t breed or buy while rabbits needing rescuing or adoption die. Yes, they die - some quite literally as they aren't found rescue space in time, or maybe metaphorically - they die inside - just waiting for their chance of a home where they are loved and cared for as they deserve. In...
forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk
 
I am also a teen who breeds rabbits for extra cash :) My dutch rabbit Rosemary just had her (and metaphorically speaking my) first litter. The babies are fine, Rosemary is fine, and so is Cookie, Rosemary's husbun. As long as it is carried out ethically (i.e. not overworking or stressing the rabbits so you can get more money) your bunns will be happy.
There are a few factors to consider when breeding bunnies, though:
  • Popularity. If no one wants mini rexes, or cares to have a purebred show quality rabbit, than the kits will never be sold and eventually will most likely find themselves in a rescue. Rex and Mini Rex are the 5th most popular breed in the UK, so I think they are safe.
  • Litter size. Mini Rex rabbits have an average of 6 kits per litter. That is a good number, not too few to not make a profit, and not to many to be unable to sell them all. It would also be unwise to have both bunnies pregnant/raising kits at the same time, because that would double the amount of babies you have to sell.
  • Health and space. What does your rabbits' habitat look like? For a mother, there should be enough room for her and her kits. Do your rabbits have any genetic defects other than the incorrect coloring? If so, it would be inhumane to pass those on to her kits. Do the girls live in the same enclosure? (ok, you said they do.) If the conservatory is nice and spacious, mothers should be fine together, but if it's too cramped the sisters will fight. Territorial instincts go crazy during pregnancy.
  • Plan and Research. PLAN, RESEARCH, PLAN! I CANNOT stress this enough. You need to be sure you have everything needed for pregnancy/birth available before you breed them. Research everything you can about the breeding process, on the internet or in books. The best book I have for rabbit breeding is this one: The Rabbit Raising Problem Solver. The best website is this: Breeding Rabbits Teal Stone Homestead. Read every rabbit book you can get your hands on. Be prepared for everything that could go wrong.
Moving on to address your questions:
I'd say there is a 10% percent chance your doe could be injured in the breeding or pregnancy. She would definately not be killed, though! (unless she is unhealthy or over/underweight. Never breed a less than prime rabbit). Oftentimes, however, it is doe that inflicts the damage on the buck during breeding. My rabbits, and thousands others, breed safely and quickly. I would not be worried. No risk it, no biscuit! Important: When breeding, take the doe to the buck's cage, not the buck to the doe's cage. As for pregnancy, unless you double breed the doe, she has a 99% chance of having a safe pregnancy. If anything happens, it is the unborn kits that would die. She would either miscarry them or absorb them into her blood. The process of giving birth is the same. Rabbits give birth quickly and cleanly. You have nothing to worry about!

Yes, you can hire a buck for a stud! IF there are any nearby. A good place to look is Craigslist (I don't know if they have that in the UK, I'm in the US), but it's doubtful if many people think of hiring out their buck as a stud. 🤷‍♀️ I think you'd be better off buying your own buck.

Keeping a buck away from the girls is just fine, and necessary if you mean kept out of their enclosure. I keep my rabbits on my porch. My two girls are on one side, and my boi is on the other. As long as you spend plenty of time with him, he will not be lonely.

And yes, people will buy rabbits from young teens! I am one and have already successfully sold a litter. The key, I think, is to be professional. Have good marketing, take good care of your rabbits, and be confident. Too many adults nowadays view teenagers as irresponsible, therefore doubting they could sell amazing bunnies, it's time to prove them wrong!

About your last question: A raised wire HUTCH (not cage) on a raised porch attached to your house is an ideal setup. The hutch should be mostly wire for sanitary reasons, but it is also important that some of it is wood. This provides a cozy little shelter and a place to rest their paws from the wire. It should be raised so predators are not able to reach it, and spacious. They should have exercise out of the hutch everyday.
^--- That setup is what I have, I don't know if that will work for you, but the main things are: Space, security from predators, shelter, protection from the elements, and being close to the house. It's like solitary confinement if you keep your rabbits a long ways from the house.

I think you'll do great! But I wonder- are we the only two people on this forum who think breeding is ok? We can be buddies!

ps I think Cirrus and Stratus are BEAUTIFUL names! especially for chinchilla colored bunns!
 
Also, I agree with HouseofRabbit and Orenoko- spaying is important. I recommend setting apart some money from your breeding profits to get them both spayed. Let me warn you, it's not cheap.... But it's unavoidable. The statistics are staggering, every female rabbit above the age of six will develop uterine cancer. It's deadly. So once the girls are four, get them spayed and let them enjoy a long happy retirement.

Hope my super long post helps, btw!
 
I'm sure you mean well, RosemaryBunny, but a lot of what you advise isn't considered good rabbit care. Wire bottoms are very bad for rabbits' feet, and even if they have some wood as their flooring, it means that they can't use most of their hutch comfortably. It's far from an ideal setup, also because rabbits should also never be confined to just a hutch, even when they get some time outside each day. Rabbits are very active animals and need access to a large run 24/7 so they can choose when they want to run around and have fun, not only when you are able to let them out. I'm also not sure how Cookie is Rosemary's husbun when their not being neutered means they can't live together fulltime? I don't know if your girls live together, but your boy must be living alone since he's not neutered, which means he's not getting the rabbit companionship he needs. That's a huge downside of breeding that you don't mention.
 
‘’Breeding

The RWA&F does not support the breeding of rabbits. There is a welfare crisis in the UK and there are large numbers of rabbits in rescue or rehoming centres.
However, we are often asked how many litters we think is ‘ethical’ to breed from a single doe each year. The obvious answer to this is zero until the welfare crisis is resolved, however in the interest of participating in this debate our thoughts are as follows:

Ethical breeding involves a lot more than purely the number of litters that each doe has per year. Consideration should be given to other factors, most notably the 5 welfare needs stipulated under the Animal Welfare Act.

These include providing adequate space and enrichment for the rabbits to fulfil their natural behaviours. Traditional breeding cages do not normally satisfy these requirements.

Another of the welfare needs is for rabbits to have companionship. Entire (unneutred) breeding rabbits are kept alone.

As well as the provision of veterinary care, diet is also crucial to ensure the breeding rabbits and their young are healthy. Muesli diets should be avoided both for breeding stock and for the offspring that will be offered for sale. Muesli diets are proven to cause a number of health problems and weaning kits on to this diet could cause problems that will never be rectified.

A strict cleaning protocol should be in place, to ensure that disease (E. cuniculi etc) cannot be spread. Breeding rabbits should be selected for health and temperament, avoiding genetic diseases and exaggerated features and care should be given to ensure that they are handled and socialised properly so that they are confident and sociable pets.

The BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Medicine advises the following:

A breeding doe should have a MAXIMUM of 2-3 litters each year.
She should not start breeding until sexually mature.
A breeding doe should stop breeding at approximately 2.5 to 3 years.
If a breeding doe shows reproductive difficulties, then breeding should be stopped and the doe, after consultation with a vet, should be neutered to prevent any further problems (the RWA&F would suggest that rehoming might best meet their welfare needs at this time).
The housing of breeding rabbits should be part of the ethical considerations: keeping males and females together outside of actual mating may lead to trauma, and separation by visual barriers only may lead to stress due to their ability to detect the opposite sex by smell.

It is important that any ethical breeding policy considers the whole lifetime of the breeding animals. It is also important that the supply of young animals from breeder to point of sale is considered, and all aspects of their welfare (e.g. transport) are taken into account. Unnecessary transport should be avoided.

To be truly ethical, rabbits should only be bred if there is a proven demand, and if they are going to be sold or re-homed in accordance with current welfare guidelines:

Kept in neutered and vaccinated compatible pairs or groups
Housed in a secure accommodation of a minimum size of 3m x 2m x 1m high
Fed on a predominantly forage based diet
Responsibility must be taken for the whole life of the rabbits. This means that if there is any reason that the rabbits become unwanted, they can be returned to the store or seller to re-home responsibly in accordance with welfare guidelines, rather than placing a burden on rehoming centres.

Ideally all rabbits would be micro chipped so that they can be traced back to the breeder or store. Strategies should be implemented to avoid impulse purchases, and the store or seller should ensure that the correct environment, diet and health care will be provided before any rabbits leave the store.’’

Ref : https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/policy-statements/
 
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Thank you to everyone who's posted so far & explained their thoughts on this in a diplomatic way.

I think the points I would have mentioned have pretty much all already been covered. The only thing I would add is that rabbits can be very expensive pets to keep, if you do it right. They're quite prone to illness & very good at hiding it so that, by the time you do notice, it's become quite a serious issue. If you would struggle to find money for housing, then it sounds like you might also find it difficult to pay for a large vet bill should you need to (and the more bunnies you have at any one time, the more likely this becomes) in which case, I'd say getting your 2 girls spayed and enjoying them for who they are might be the best option.
 
I think that this post has covered a lot of crucial information on both sides of the breeding/not breeding debate. I guess now it's time for rainbowrose to decide!

A reader of books, you are right. The BEST rabbit setup would be what you described, but for those whose only option is to have an outdoor rabbit, (like me, unfortunately my parents think that an indoor rabbit would cause more trouble than it's worth) the wire /wood hutch on a porch with 6 hours of exercise run time a day is probably the best outdoor rabbit setup. Also, you are right, Cookie has zero rabbit companionship, but I can't help it! If I could I would neuter/spay them all and give them their own room in my house for them to live in and so I could always be near, but as a teen I just don't have the money or time. Cookie has an average of 5 hours of human companionship a day, I do my schoolwork with him in his run. Thank you though, for pointing that out. It is very important, and just because I can't provide him with rabbit companionship doesn't mean other people should take my example.
 
I think it'd be quite difficult to make money by breeding a couple rabbits. By the time you pay for their food, housing, your pet rabbit's vaccinations, vet bills, and random supplies you need (there's always something - cleaning supplies, bedding, etc) then you'd be lucky to break even.

And that's not even counting the time it'd take to breed and care for them, advertise the babies, talk with potential buyers, advise buyers on proper care, etc. When you take the time and financial considerations into account, you'd be better off finding a part time job or doing odd jobs to make money.
 
RosemaryBunny said:
I think that this post has covered a lot of crucial information on both sides of the breeding/not breeding debate. I guess now it's time for rainbowrose to decide!

A reader of books, you are right. The BEST rabbit setup would be what you described, but for those whose only option is to have an outdoor rabbit, (like me, unfortunately my parents think that an indoor rabbit would cause more trouble than it's worth) the wire /wood hutch on a porch with 6 hours of exercise run time a day is probably the best outdoor rabbit setup. Also, you are right, Cookie has zero rabbit companionship, but I can't help it! If I could I would neuter/spay them all and give them their own room in my house for them to live in and so I could always be near, but as a teen I just don't have the money or time. Cookie has an average of 5 hours of human companionship a day, I do my schoolwork with him in his run. Thank you though, for pointing that out. It is very important, and just because I can't provide him with rabbit companionship doesn't mean other people should take my example.
Click to expand...
Ah, I get that your parents have a say in things, too, even if you'd do things yourself differently. And it's tough being a teen when you don't have enough time and money to do things the way you want, too. I'm glad you at least spend several hours a day with Cookie and that he helps you with your schoolwork. Would you be able to cover the wire floor in their hutches, so they can at least have something more comfortable to sit on in their entire hutch?
 
Being a sanctuary owner, I and other rescues have had to deal with the consequences of people breeding rabbits.
I have recently taken in a mini Rex who was kept in a cupboard, been stood on and is skeletal. We are her third home and we think she is 2-3, so don’t think you can breed kits and be sure they go to a safe and loving home. I’m pretty sure the person who bred her though the same.
Perhaps look at the post about animal rescues and see the potential outcomes for any animal you breed.
 
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