The rules in keeping rabbits

[Lolame777]

Hi everyone,

I recently purchased 2 females and a male rabbit a couple of days ago, New Zealand female is 2 years old, Newzealand cross female is 15 weeks old and New Zealand cross male is 15 weeks old. I've got a large enclosure for them and they are happy with plenty of food, water and shelter.

I would like to know more about how to breed them, whether or when to separate male from females, whether the male will be lonely without the females and when can I keep them together again. What's the rule with rabbits, I want them to be as happy and healthy as possible, they're super adorable.

Btw the white New Zealand rabbit at the back has canker in her ear so am treating her with olive oil and tea tree oil until she recovers, she was like that when I got her

Here are some photos of them

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Do not house males and females together unless you want babies. At 15 weeks, they can already start breeding accidentally

 

[Lolame777]

Do not house males and females together unless you want babies. At 15 weeks, they can already start breeding accidentally

Hi JacinLarkwell,

My plan is to breed them but do I have to separate the male if the females are pregnant or are they okay together in the meantime? Also how do I know if the females are pregnant, do they show signs?

 

[Kiki]

They both will always be pregnant if they are with the male.
They will stay pregnant.

 

[Lolame777]

They both will always be pregnant if they are with the male.
They will stay pregnant.

Is it okay to keep them together if the girls are pregnant or do I have to separate them, I know with some other animals they need to be separated once pregnant but is that the case with rabbits too?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Hi JacinLarkwell,

My plan is to breed them but do I have to separate the male if the females are pregnant or are they okay together in the meantime? Also how do I know if the females are pregnant, do they show signs?

Keep them seperate. Does can become pregnant with a second litter while pregnant with the first and it can cause issues. Not to mention ornery females can easily wound/castrate a buck

 

[Lolame777]

Ok so basically I've gotta separate the male from the females after a week? Do you think that's a good time to separate them?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Ok so basically I've gotta separate the male from the females after a week? Do you think that's a good time to separate them?

I'd do it now. When breeding, leave the doe in the buck's cage, supervised for an hour at most, or after a few breeding falls, amd then put the doe back in her cage

 

[Lolame777]

Ok, I'll do that then, thank you

 

[cassie]

I have two suggestions. One, get Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits by Bob Bennett. It will answer most of your questions. It is not expensive, and it is available on Amazon. Two, house your rabbits separately. As Bunnylady has said, rabbits get along fine with each other until they don't. Then it can get pretty bloody.