We’ve all heard the phrase “they breed like rabbits!” Well, anyone with any rabbit breeding experience can tell you that the person who coined that phrase, obviously, never tried to breed rabbits. In fact, breeding rabbits can be quite frustrating, and there are a lot more factors involved in producing a good litter of kits than just putting “a buck and doe” together and letting nature take her course. In fact, those who are known as ‘rabbit breeders’ will be the very first ones to tell you that the worst thing you can do is to put any buck in with any doe and see what comes out of it. The reason for this is because there are plenty of “pet” rabbits in the world. Creating more, without a solid purpose for having them, is highly irresponsible! With that said, if you are going to breed rabbits, *please* only do so with a purpose and a solid outlet for every single baby that is born, be it as pets, as brood-stock, show animals, or for meat or fur production – or be fully prepared to keep and care for every baby that is born via your breeding’s. Only breed a buck and doe that are well-matched, and very healthy. And do not ever breed any rabbit that is known to have hereditary problems, such as malocclusion, eye-spots, or split penis.
Once you have everything in order, and you do have a set reason for breeding and have done your homework – to learn what strengths and weakness you’re wanting to build on, toward improvement for that breed, then please continue to read thru this section as we will discuss correct husbandry and cleanliness, possibilities of licensing which may be required, tips on how to successfully breed, keeping breeding records – included but not limited to pedigree’s, and we will provide links to National Associations and Regional Clubs.
