There is no animal in the world that reproduces more intensively than a rabbit. A healthy female rabbit can bring up to 15 cubs at a time, and after a couple of days she will again be ready for fertilization.
Mistakes of novice breeders
Many inexperienced breeders confuse dwarf rabbits with their wild counterparts. In reality, there are many differences between them:
• dwarf rabbits start mating at the age of seven months, and wild rabbits - only by the age of three;
• the dwarf rabbit is recommended to be knitted for the first time up to a year, and female wild rabbits are usually knitted after this age;
• Dwarf rabbits often experience infertility, unlike ordinary breeds;
• When mating dwarf rabbits, special attention must be paid to choosing a partner so that the litter matches the breed.
Process features
Fame for dwarf rabbits was brought by the fact that such breeds of rabbits very quickly reach puberty. At 6-9 months they are ready for mating. The gestation period lasts a month, after a few days the rabbit is again ready for mating. Females of rabbits, being fertilized, can continue to feed the previous offspring in parallel. But many experienced breeders prefer infrequent mating that do not drain the rabbit. A weakened rabbit is not able to bring strong offspring. Better focus on litter quality.
Pairing
The first sign that the rabbit is ready for mating is her irritability and fussiness. If the mating will occur with its own rabbit, then the rabbit should be planted in the cage. On the contrary, it’s better not to do it, since the crawl can be distracted by the development of foreign territory and not cover the rabbit. Also, the rabbit may be more aggressive on its territory than in the rabbit's cage. If the crawl is from the side, and not your own, it is better to take the bunny to him and do the same actions.
If the rabbit is overly aggressive and keeps the rabbit out of the way, it is best to plant it and try again the next day. If the rabbit is ready for mating, you need to leave the animals together for a while, and the next day make a control attempt.
Pregnancy Dwarf Rabbits
The gestation period lasts in rabbits for about one month. Date of birth will depend on the size of the litter. If there are many rabbits and they are not large, the rabbit will give birth to them quickly. For a healthy rabbit in all aspects and well-fed rabbits, the diet can not be changed until the fifteenth day of pregnancy. After two weeks, you need to increase the daily dose of food and add vegetables and fruits to the diet. Cucumbers will be especially useful for the future mother, as many experts are sure that they enhance lactation.
During pregnancy, the rabbit is best isolated from the rabbit and humans so that it is not exposed to external factors. Somewhere a week before giving birth, you need to build a nesting house in the cage or outside. In size, it should be slightly larger than the rabbit, the entrance must be equipped with a partition so that newborns do not fall out. For your own convenience, equip the house with a top cover. This is necessary so that it is convenient to look after the offspring. Put the bottom of the house with sawdust, the rabbit will do the rest herself.
A couple of days before giving birth, the female improves the litter of the house, raking in the hay and straw there. During this period, the rabbit should not be allowed out for walks, calcium should be added to its water. Due to the insufficient amount of calcium in the body of the rabbit during childbirth, problems often arise.
Childbirth
Bunnies give birth quickly. Each rabbit is born in a separate shell (placenta). After it was born, the rabbit bites the umbilical cord and eats it along with the placenta. After the release of the newborn, mother cleans it with her tongue and waits for the next rabbits.
Postpartum care
After giving birth, the rabbit has little strength, so be careful to ensure that there is always clean water and enough food in her cage.
During lactation, it is better not to add new vegetables and fruits to the diet. Be sure to watch the babies: periodically count them, check the navel area for the absence of inflammatory processes, observe whether their tummy is tight, whether there are wrinkles.
The presence of folds indicates that the mother has a shortage of milk or it has a low percentage of fat content.
In the first-born rabbits, the process can go according to another scenario:
• dead rabbits are born (lack of calcium, too high activity during gestation);
• lack of maternal instinct and, as a result, a nest (help the expectant mother build a nest);
• a small amount of milk or lack thereof (you may have to feed your babies on your own).
If you still decide to raise dwarf rabbits, be sure to get ready. Calculate once again the possible risks, conduct conversations with experienced people in this matter and look for a good veterinarian.
