Breeding Rabbit Basics?

What are the basics I need to know for rabbit breeding?

• I got two rabbits today... and they were very mistreated by the previous owners before I got them. And when I say that I mean they feeding them rotten vegetables, not cleaning their cage, using a bird cage as a rabbit cage, and feeding them black water. >.< I wouldn't have gotten the bunnies if I saw how unhealthy they were, but it was at night so I couldn't tell. When I brought them home (they also gave us the cage which was super dirty) I was cleaning it and found 3 baby bunnies about 3-5 days old. And one was dead. ;( I'm just a kid, so I don't know what to do. I know a lot about rabbit care, but barely anything about baby bunny care. How do I take care of the rabbits including the parents? Help?! (They also are going to a very good vet)

• Answer:

  First of all, you need to separate the 2 adults. You will need to figure out which one if the male and which if the female. The male should have testicles that are easy to see when you turn him over and look. Since a doe (female) can get pregnant shortly after giving birth, there is a good chance she is pregnant again already. You will need to keep them totally separate. If you are planing on getting them neutered, you can get the male done now (or as soon as you can), but the female will have to wait until the litters are weaned. Make a nest box for the babies. This can be a litter box or shoe box or something similar. It should be big enough for the babies and the mom to feed them, but not much bigger. Line the bottom with some shavings, then use some fur and put the nest she has made on top. Made a dent with your fist and put the babies in that then lightly cover the babies. The doe should feed them 1-2 times a day, usually in the early morning and later evening. You will want to free feed the doe. This means giving her as many pellets as she wants as well as some alfalfa hay (timothy too if you can). She needs to be able to produce enough milk for the babies while keeping herself in good condition, if she is pregnant again she needs to provide those ones with a good start as well. Also make sure she has plenty of fresh water. The babies will open their eyes around 10 days old and should start to come out of the nest around 2-3 weeks. They can also start to eat solid food at this time. Even though they are eating solid foods, you should keep them with the mother as long as you can. Also make sure they have access to plenty of pellets and hay. If the female is pregnant again, then she should have another litter in about 4 weeks. This does mean the older litter will need to be weaned at that time. You should put them in a separate cage and keep the diet the same, do not give treats or other foods as young rabbits have very sensitive digestive systems and changes can lead to bigger problems. The younger litter shoudl get the same care as the older one, but should not be taken from the mother until around 8 weeks old. Once the litters are around 8 weeks, you should try to sex them and separate them by sex. If you are going to find them homes, they should be 8 weeks before they leave your care. Once the litters are weaned, you can cut the pellets for the doe back. This is to avoid her getting too fat from over eating. Still give lots of hay. The male should have limited pellets (about 1/4 cup per 5 pounds of body weight), lots of hay and water. Since the care was not good before, introduce the new foods slowly to avoid digestive upset. Also limit veggies to small amounts while he adjusts to the new foods and new environment.