Rabbit Care

Rabbit Care Page Content

General Care

Did you know that your rabbit's teeth grow their whole life (much like fingernails)? Did you know that rabbits in general cannot vomit? Did you know that rabbit manure is like gold for gardeners?

Did you know that your rabbit is more closely related to a horse than a rat or mouse? This means they have a very delicate digestive system in some ways, so I want to take some time to address these things and others in the General Care section below.

Health Checklist

I will share my health checklist for people's personal use. For more details of this process and specifics about what you will be looking for during a health assessment, see my blog titled, "Health Review for New Buyers." Health Review for New Buyers (godaddysites.com)

Housing

This is probably the most heated subject that comes up on social media constantly. No matter which rabbit group you are a part of, I bet you have heard it. We will cover Indoor vs Outdoor, wire bottom vs solid, substrates and their dangers, size requirements (both legal and practical) and anything else that I see pop up on any of the groups I am a part of as time goes on.

Diet

HAY HAY HAY! Think of your bunny as Fat Albert because this is where it's at. Your rabbit's primary diet should be hay! Pellets can be good, but there is a lot to be said about the different types and what is best specifically for dwarf breed rabbits. This will be discussed below, along with safe/unsafe fruits and veggies.

Temperature

When people discuss with me the concerns they may have with housing their rabbits outdoors, one of the most common things I hear is some variation of, "won't it be too cold for them?" I cannot recall the last person who asked me if it would be too hot. So I want to take some time and discuss the fact that rabbits are very sensitive to heat stroke, and really seem to enjoy much colder temps than pretty much anyone would expect. Scroll down to see.

Are Rabbits Mogwai?

You have probably already heard someone tell you that you should never get your rabbit wet. This is based on good advice, but it is not really 100% right. Luckily your rabbit is not a Mogwai, and will not spawn evil copies when it gets wet (if you have no idea what I am talking about, then you have never seen Gremlins and now is the time to do it. Seriously, it is a classic for a reason). In this section below we will discuss when it is safe to get your rabbit wet and when it is not and I will do my best to cover the "whys" of it all. So scroll down and read it, and then watch Gremlins.

WTF is my Rabbit Doing?

In this section we will cover things such as the Binky, the Thump, and the Dead Bunny Flop.

Potentially Helpful Products

This is where we will discuss products we use and have used in the past and how helpful they were or not. We will include things like hay feeders (metal best), bowls, gravity feeders, bottles, shavings/substrates and safety, toys, cord protection, baby gates.

How to Breed Your Holland Lops

I definitely want to take some time to discuss breeding in a general way for people who may be considering breeding their rabbits, but have never done so. Holland Lops are one of the most difficult breeds to work with and I want to tell you why in this section below.

What is Line Breeding?

If you don't already know, linebreeding is inbreeding, but I want to talk about why it is not such a bad thing in rabbits like it would be in humans (or even in dogs and cats). There are pros and cons to doing so and before you do it, you should know them.

General Care

There is a ton to learn about rabbits and if you have never had one in your life, some of these things may shock you. One of the things that always surprises people new to rabbits is that their teeth keep growing all the time. For a well bred rabbit, you should never have to trim or file teeth. If your rabbit has fresh hay all the time, this is typically enough to ensure that their teeth will maintain proper length on their own without concerns of overgrowth. Here at RLR, we give our rabbits apple wood to chew, partly because many of them enjoy it, but also because it is an extra precaution to ensure the rabbits I have who eat less hay (we call this "pellet spoiled") will maintain proper dentition as well. You will find a lot of show breeders who use pellets only (no hay) for hygiene and other reasons which I will discuss in the diet section later. See my "Health Review for New Buyers" blog for information about malocclusion, which is a problem in which the teeth do not align properly and overgrowth occurs regardless of diet or chew toys.

Something else people tend to be very surprised by is the fact that rabbits LOVE the cold. When my rabbits get to go out to the yard and play in the snow, they dance and play like no other time of year. Rabbits will survive in below freezing temps (not that they should be exposed to them regularly), but a well bred rabbit will have incredibly thick fur on their feet that protect them from the cold and act as little snow shoes for them to get around. Rabbits are, however, very susceptible to heat stroke. Most show breeders tend to try to keep their rabbits below 80 degrees in the summer, as there have been studies that have shown temporarily sterility in bucks exposed to high temps (over 85 degrees for several days). If that isn't a sign that these little fuzzballs are not made for the heat, I don't know what is. Realistically, anything over 90 degrees for a prolonged period of time has been known to lead to death in rabbits. We will discuss this more below.

Nails are something that I have seen overlooked time and time again. To some extent, rabbits that are able to dig and run around, will maintain the length of their nails reasonably, but rabbits who live on wire especially will need their nails trimmed regularly. It is very important to check the condition of your rabbit's feet and nails regularly. Overgrowth of nails can lead to foot deformities that can cause other issues.

Do you feel confident handling your rabbit? This is one of the more common things that I see, is people get spooked and the rabbit gets spooked and someone gets dropped (usually the rabbit, but surprisingly enough, not always). The best way to hold your rabbit, is with one hand around his/her chest, one hand supporting the HQs, and the rabbit held gently against your chest. Your rabbit wants to feel secure without feet dangling in the air. Rabbits in general tend to not enjoy being picked up, as they are prey animals and in the wild, being picked up usually means it is the end of the line, so I recommend only picking up your rabbit when it is necessary (and also, since it apparently has to be said, NOT jumping on the bed while holding your rabbit). The best way to build trust with your bun is to just hang out and let him come to you. Sit on the floor and relax until he/she decides to be a lap bunny which, in my experience, tends to happen pretty quickly.

Making your home safe for your rabbit is usually one of the first things people try to do. One of my favorite memes is "lady yells at cat," and there is a version going around where the cat is replaced with a rabbit and she is yelling at it about eating cords, and the rabbit yells back that is is "spicy hay." It is very fitting because bunny proofing is a process. You will think you have bunny-proofed your house, but that rabbit will find something that it should not be getting into. It is your job to adapt with your bun. It all balances out eventually, but one of the biggest issues people have is cord chewing. The best thing you can do is to find a way to get your cords up off the floor, because even pet gates don't always work to keep them from the spicy hay.

To spay or not to spay? That is the question that I am sick of hearing lies about. So there have been studies about high rates of uterine cancer in some rabbits. This data has been twisted again and again. I saw someone post that 75% or more of all female rabbits will have uterine adenocarcinoma by the age of 3 years old. Nope. Just Nope. Ok so to start, this is a bad cancer that does some real damage, so you probably don't want your bun to get it. However the numbers are nowhere near what is being thrown around social media and some of these rabbit rescue sites. Despite all of the ridiculous misinformation, it is a good idea to avoid this aggressive cancer in pet rabbits if possible and the way to do that is to spay, but surgery tends to be a bit more risky for rabbits than other pets like dogs or cats. It is VERY important to find a vet who works with rabbits regularly and has that real life experience. Make sure your bun is in good hands.
So if you don't know the difference between spay and neuter. Spaying is the removal of the female reproductive organs and neutering is the removal of the male testes. Male rabbits tend to have a reputation of being better pets when neutered. They are reportedly more affectionate, less territorial, and less likely to spray urine. This is not 100%, there are always going to be those boys who are little jerks even after the neuter, but in general, this really seems to be how people feel about neutering from their experiences with rabbits. I have a theory on this that may explain some skewed results, and that is all adolescent male rabbits go through a difficult phase. Everyone goes through puberty and your rabbit is no different. The hormones are crazy which leads to this problem behavior and defiant independence. A teenage rabbit is a sassy rabbit and because the recommended age to spay/neuter is 4-6 months, these problem behaviors are typically already started by the time the neuter occurs. The neuter does not simply remove the rabbit's ability to reproduce, it also takes away their crazy teen hormones, so they level out. The thing they don't tell you, is that was going to happen anyways, naturally. Puberty ends and the bun becomes a more level headed adult (usually). I will say that I do believe it happens faster when you neuter a buck at the recommended age rather than wait for him to grow out of it, and again, find a rabbit savvy vet who knows what they are doing. Rabbits are not out of the woods when they wake up from surgery, they still have delicate digestive systems that need to work properly after anesthesia.

A lot of people are surprised to find out that rabbits are not rodents. Besides the official difference of dentition and number of teeth which separates them taxonomically, rabbits are what is called "hind-gut fermenters." This means a couple of things. The first being that they have a somewhat delicate balance of good bacteria in their digestive tract and when it is out of whack, they can die fairly quickly. The other thing it means is they eat their own poo. This may be gross, but it is necessary for their survival. Because of their high fiber diet, they need to digest it again to get all the nutrients. The big important thing to know here when it comes to having a rabbit as a pet, is that if they have diarrhea, it should always be considered life-threatening. Like with humans, dogs and cats, you have all the normal concerns associated with diarrhea, such as hydration maintenance, but you also need to be aware that while diarrhea in people and dogs/cats is caused by increased motility, diarrhea in rabbits is caused by decreased motility in the intestines. This means that all of the food that is fermenting is in there way longer than normal and fermenting too much and allowing too much harmful bacteria to build up in the large intestine. This is why it leads to death so quickly. If your rabbit is experiencing diarrhea, ensure he is only consuming hay and water and speak to your veterinarian as soon as possible. It is also important to note that if you believe your rabbit has not pooped in several hours. this is cause for concern as well, since a lack of intestinal motility (movement) is what causes the buildup of bacteria that can harm your rabbit. A normal healthy rabbit has solid pellet stools frequently (you may have heard it said that they poop every time they hop, which is only a slight exaggeration), and softer, larger cecotrope stools occasionally (these are the compacted, re-eaten stools the second time they come out that look a little like blackberries).

Did you know that it can be dangerous to bathe your rabbit? See the section below titled "Are Rabbits Mogwai?" to read more about when and how it is safe to bathe your rabbit. The biggest takeaway here is that a cold wet rabbit can die from it, but a warm wet rabbit should be just fine.

Grooming rabbits (not including wool breeds) is fairly simple. Nails need to be clipped if/when appropriate, and outside of the things on the health checklist, the main part of grooming your rabbit is to ensure they do not get mats. The most common place for a rabbit's fur to mat is on their hindquarters, especially on the sides of the tail. Make sure to take time to check this area and pluck or comb as appropriate. A rabbit's skin is very thin and can tear much more easily than a dog or cat's, so do this gently.

You may have heard that rabbits are physically incapable of vomiting. I don't know that this is 100% true as I have seen one do so, so let's just say that a structurally correct, average rabbit should not be able to vomit. This makes illnesses of the GI tract more dangerous for them. If they eat something they should not have (something toxic), unlike other species who can induce vomiting and get the toxic substance out, it stays in their GI tract until it reaches the exit. In some cases there can be a lot of damage done (up to and including death) in these circumstances. This inability to vomit also leaves them more prone to intestinal blockages and bloat.

Did you know that rabbit manure is widely known to be high in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, even more so than cattle or poultry manure? Gardeners really seem to love rabbit manure for this reason and because it does not need to be composted to use. Give it a try sometime!

Health Checklist

The following is my health checklist that I go over with buyers, and that I use when assessing a rabbit for purchase. Additionally, I use this as a guideline to monitor the health of my rabbits regularly throughout their care.

EYES: The eyes are clear and bright. There is no redness or inflammation of eye tissue or purulent discharge from the eyes.

EARS: There are no signs of or ear mites such as dark crusty skin on internal or external ear. The ear is clear and free from redness or discharge.

NOSE: The nose is free from discharge or crusty skin. Further, the rabbit’s front paws are free from wet/colored/crusty discharge from wiping nose.

CHIN: The chin is free from signs of irritation or rash.

TEETH: The rabbit’s teeth align normally with no more than a slight overbite. The teeth are of a normal length with no signs of malocclusion.

MOUTH: The mouth is free from abscess

FEET: The rabbit is free from open sores on feet/hocks

NAILS: Nails are present and trimmed with no apparent abnormalities

VENT: Vent and anal area are free from feces. Genitals are free from abscess, ulcers, crusty skin or other signs of infection. Anus is free from prolapse. Surrounding area is free from hair loss or skin irritation from urine scald.

FUR AND SKIN: Coat and skin are free from signs of mites such as scabs or crusty skin. Molting and dandruff can be normal, however the rabbit is free from “walking dandruff” and bald spots and skin irritation. Fur is in proper condition and free from matting or soiling.

GAIT: The rabbit hops freely with no limbs dragging or other signs of injury.

For additional information about what to be looking for in each of these areas, see my blog titled, "Health Review for New Buyers." Just click on the link below!

https://realmoflapinerabbitry.godaddysites.com/bunny-blog/f/health-review-for-new-buyers

For more info about rabbit health, I have included links that I have found to have helpful information;

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/index_en.htm

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/rabbits

EDUCATION | RHDV2 RABBIT HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE : USA INFORMATION

Housing Your Rabbit

This is honestly a huge topic for debate no matter where you look.

In this section we will discuss everything from Cages, wire vs solid bottom, rest pads, litter boxes, playpens, covered if outside, hutches chicken coops, free roam rabbits. It is important to know all the options so you can make an informed decision about what works best for your life.

LEGAL MINIMUMS: Legally according to federal regulations, your adult rabbit under 4 lbs (Holland Lop size) needs to have at least 4 square feet of floor space. The cage is required to be at least 14 inches tall. So a 2 ft x 2 ft enclosure is legally acceptable to house a dwarf rabbit in for his entire life.

For more details of minimum requirements per the US Department of Agriculture, click the link below;

https://www.animallaw.info/administrative/us-awa-subpart-c-specifications-humane-handling-care-treatment-and-transportation#s53

Also know that your area may have more restrictive requirements, so make sure you know your state, city and county regulations.

Personally, I am not a fan of the idea of a rabbit spending his entire life in a 2 ft x 2 ft cage, but I am just here to share knowledge and let people make their own decisions for their rabbitries. I will say though, that I have known other breeders to keep their rabbits in cages this size (and in one case even smaller) and they had issues such as fur plucking, aggression, fertility problems and even physically destructive behaviors directed inward (literally rabbits eating their own skin off). If that doesn't tell you that these legal minimums do not constitute enough space for a rabbit to thrive in, then I don't know what does. Even if you are breeding just for money, larger cages will benefit your bottom line long-term, because healthy rabbits produce better.

REALISTIC MINIMUMS: I move my rabbits around a lot (based on time of day, time of year, me wanting to play with the babies, etc). I have outdoor community areas that they spend some of their time in, indoor barn with stacker cages with insulation, heating and AC (and ventilation of course), in addition to A frame pens outdoors and chicken coops for my rabbits to spend their time in (not to mention in my bed cuddling). I know some people don't believe in cages at all, but I believe they provide safety for the animal. I have literally had Coyotes in my yard, cougars reported less than a mile away and we have birds of prey all over, so cages are a necessity in my opinion, but everyone has their own situation to deal with (predators, neighbors, code restrictions, weather, etc.) so we all just need to do what is right for what we are working with and let judgement be someone else's problem. I do feel very strongly that they should have time out of their cages and enrichment activities for while they are caged (such as toys or jump bars). This is not just a bleeding heart thing, the jump bars will keep those HQs in shape for show and the toys will keep them from being destructive toward themselves or eating the wall or something.

HUTCHES: Lots of people like hutches for their rabbits. I have seen people keep them indoors (usually in a garage) and outdoors. One of the main reasons people like hutches is because the smell of rabbit urine is very strong and rabbits are known to spray, so this is a great outdoor option to keep a rabbit from urinating on all the things in your house.

The most important factor in placement of a hutch should be safety. Will the rabbit be safe from predators? Floods? The heat of the summer? So think about these things and try to find a shady, safe spot with good drainage.

More recently when considering location for your hutch, it is important to consider if your rabbit could have contact with wild rabbits. With RHVD being a concern now in the US, it is something to consider.

CHICKEN COOPS: I love chicken coops for my rabbits. I like the huge ones where I can let my young rabbits I am growing out play and get some sunshine and fresh air. They are easy to clean with a rake and shovel, but there are some things to consider. Rabbits can and will dig out from under these. You have some options here. I personally like to have them on concrete patio paver blocks. This allows them to maintain drainage for urine, but blocks them from digging out. It is also very easy to clean by scraping and we can use the power washer on it. I know people who have buried chicken wire under the run with success to prevent digging out, but in my experience it was unsuccessful (but in all fairness this was done for continental giants in a dog run). The other things to consider with coops, is placement (all the same concerns as hutches above) and predators. Chicken wire is flimsy and if you have a big predator it won't stop them.

INDOOR vs OUTDOOR: The biggest reason I hear people choose to house their rabbits outdoors is the smell of the urine (especially for those who spray). I have also gotten feedback such as; shavings/substrate mess, ventilation is easier, easier clean up.

I house indoor and outdoor. I like both for different reasons. With my outdoor setup I don't worry much about predators (thankfully), but that should definitely be a consideration. Clean up is easier for the most part, and ventilation is good so I stress less about respiratory issues.

WIRE BOTTOM CAGES: Some people will freak out if you mention wire bottom cages for rabbits. The reason I tend to hear is "wire causes sore hocks." This could not be farther from the truth. If you have a well bred rabbit, they will have structurally correct feet and sufficient fur to protect their feet. I have never had a Holland Lop with sore hocks, regardless of age. Nearly all show breeders use wire cages and I cannot think of a time a breeder I know has had sore hocks in their show rabbits. The only rabbit I have ever encountered personally with sore hocks is my Continental giant (AKA vegan puppy) who has never seen a wire floor in her life (not even for travel, she rides in a dog carrier because she is too big for rabbit carriers). She is an older lady and a little bit on the heavier side for her frame. That being said, I truly do not believe that wire bottom cages cause sore hocks in show line rabbits. The reason these type of cages are so commonly used is because they are the easiest to clean and they help to keep the dust down in your barn (if your rabbit is kicking around in substrate, they are breathing in more dust particles). It should be noted that safe wire mesh for the bottom of a rabbit cage is 1/2 x 1 inch and this is the largest you can use, which will allow for safe walking and space for poop to fall through the bottom.

This may sound like a weird side-note, but if you use wire bottom cages, it is especially important to make sure your rabbit does not get overweight. While it is great to have all the urine and feces fall through the wire and be away from your rabbit, they do have to eat their poop, which they tend to do straight from the source, and if they cannot reach the source (their butt) because they are too fat, then there isn't much they can do to stay healthy in a wire cage, since they wont be able to reach it if it goes through the wire.

SOLID BOTTOM CAGES: Any solid bottom cage means the use of substrate. See my blog about substrate for more info about this https://realmoflapinerabbitry.godaddysites.com/bunny-blog/f/substrate The big thing about using solid bottom-cages (or housing on the ground) is that moisture can accumulate and cause harm to your rabbit. Rabbit urine is caustic and if it sits on their skin it can cause pretty severe chemical burns (frequently called urine scald). Any moisture in your rabbits cage can make it an appealing place for certain species of insect to breed as well, making fly strike much more likely than in rabbits housed on wire. It is very important to keep your rabbit's area clean and dry.

PLAYPENS: I love playpens and feel they are necessary. Sometimes on cage cleaning days, I just take every baby I have and stick them in playpens and lie to myself that there is any chance that I will be working on cages while these happy little babies are hopping around the yard doing binkies. A lot of people actually use these for full-time habitats for their rabbits though. While outside use should be supervised as these tend to not have covers, (and if they do they don't do much to protect from predators), these are frequently used in houses as a safe space for bunnies when people cannot fully bunny-proof and/or supervise every second. Most people who choose this option do so for a litter trained rabbit.

WIRE SHELVING CUBES: People typically use these for indoor playpens. When these shelving units originally came out they were an incredibly inexpensive option for both shelving and small animal housing. Although the price has gone up significantly over the years, people seem to still enjoy using them since it allows them to customize the size and shape of their rabbit enclosure. This is another option that is typically used for already litter trained rabbits, since this option leaves the rabbit on the floor.

FREE ROAM: Most people who have free roam rabbits are very passionate about their belief that all rabbits should be free roam. As somebody who has free roam rabbits, I want to say that this option is NOT for everybody (or every bunny). First off, you have to decide between indoor free roam and outdoor free roam. For rabbits who will be free roaming indoors, people tend to want them litter box trained (for obvious reasons). One of the most important things I feel is important for indoor free roam rabbits is to give them more space gradually to ensure they remain litter box trained as they get more territory. This serves another purpose as well; it teaches you how to bunny-proof your house in increments because even when you think you thought of everything, pets have a way of finding the thing you missed that could harm them or damage your property. More about bunny-proofing for free-roam rabbits below. I have a pair of continental giants who are outdoor free roam. I had bought a large predator-proof dog run for my older girl, which is in the middle of one of my yards. I used to just let her out during the day so that she could run and play in the yard (which for the record is not only fenced, but has concrete barriers under the fences). I used to put her away in the predator-proof dog run at night and bring her in to the kitchen with a litterbox during bad weather, but at some point she decided that she was big enough to make her own life decisions and started hiding when it was time to be put away for the night or in badd weather. So I just left her run open with her covered house, food, hay feeder and water all accessible and she did just fine. For a long time I was worried that a predator would get her, but since the yards next to her yard have dogs in them throughout the day, it seems to deter predators from my property (or at least that is my theory). She has lived like this for years, and has done great, and now that my presence no longer means that she has to be put away for the night, our relationship is better than ever and she comes running when I come in the yard. I now have a second Conti girl who lives with her and my older girl has taught her how to be a fantastic free roam vegan puppy just like her.

BUNNY PROOFING FOR SAFETY: Bunny proofing is going to be trial and error regardless of how thoroughly you try to get it done. The whole point is to remove anything that injure your rabbit or that you don't want your pet chewing on. All the things a puppy would chew on, I have seen a rabbit chew on. I once had a Polish try to eat my shoe. The first thing I recommend before you allow your rabbit to roam your house (whether it is free roam, or just out for play time) is to invest in those wall clips that keep your cords off the floor (and if you want to splurge, they have great covers that make it blend into the wall and not look like cords). Even if you get everything up off the floor that you reasonably can, you may end up with a rabbit who likes to chew your furniture, carpet, baseboards, so I personally believe supervision is important and your rabbit will show you where the deficits are in your rabbit-proofing. Basically anything shorter than your rabbit is fair game to it, and for a few rabbits, higher things can also be their territory. I have known rabbits to jump on couches and other furniture.

COMMUNAL (COLONY) HOUSING: A lot of people are able to successfully house their rabbits together without issue, but often it doesn't work out. You will probably hear that you should only house 2 neutered males together, but then you will also hear that you should only house a neutered male and spayed female together, and then other people will tell you that you can only house siblings together and only if they have been together their whole lives. While I am sure all of these pairings have been successful for some, that does not mean that it is the magic formula to being able to house rabbits together. Siblings can fight, especially when they reach puberty. Even neutered/spayed rabbits can fight. One of the biggest things I have seen fail in people trying to house 2 rabbits together is not giving them enough space. Rabbit colonies have a surprising amount of territory in the wild and they still can fight over it, so it makes sense that putting 2 rabbits in a single cage could be an issue. There is not ONE right way to house 2 rabbits together and even rabbits who have been together for years can still fight and hurt each other seemingly randomly. All I can do here is give helpful tips. So here is what I know and have learned over the years;

-the more space, the more likely it will succeed

-hormonal rabbits are more likely to fight (both males and females during puberty are the worst)

-social distancing matters for disease prevention

-positive associations matter (ie getting treats together when they are introduced)

-separating genders doesn't always prevent fights, but can reduce the occurrences of them.

-colony/communal rabbits need to be physically assessed thoroughly much more often because you know the food is getting eaten, but you don't know by who. If a rabbit goes off feed, early intervention is essential.

Rabbit Diet

HAY: Your rabbit should eat hay as his primary diet. Rabbits cannot overeat hay. This is a very important point, since rabbits can and will overeat anything else, which can lead to not just obesity, but serious GI issues. Rabbits should have hay and fresh water at all times.

TYPES OF HAY:

The following are the most common types of hay you can buy at most pet shops and feed stores.

ALFALFA: high in calories (can lead to digestive issues) and high in calcium (can lead to kidney issues), but good for younger dwarf rabbits up to 6 months. Also lower in fiber than is ideal.

TIMOTHY: Best overall hay. Good fiber and protein content, better calcium content than alfalfa. Best for dental health because it is a harder hay and keeps teeth in shape.

ORCHARD: Good overall, similar to Timothy Hay in nutrition, minus the dental benefit. If you use this hay, ensure your rabbits have something to chew on like applewood sticks.

PELLETS: Dwarf breeds are more susceptible to kidney issues, so lower protein foods are used to help prevent this. Holland Lops are a dwarf breed and therefore 12-16% protein is recommended. Pellets available to you are going to vary by your region, but try to find a quality pellet with at least 16% fiber. Pellets generally are best in limited quantities, especially in a breeding program as they can lead to obesity which makes it difficult (if not impossible) for a doe to get pregnant. For adult Holland Lops, 1/4 cup of pellets/day is usually plenty, but check the reccomendation on your feed.

SUPPLEMENTS FOR SHOW RABBITS: If you show your rabbits you already know how hard it can be to keep them in show condition. While you can't control everything leading up to a show, you can supplement to help keep your rabbit in the best possible condition.

BLACK OIL SUNFLOWER SEEDS: I use BOSS to keep my rabbits' coats in condition. Black oil sunflower seeds have shells that are considered safe to eat and a higher nutritional content than other sunflower seeds. These are great to keep coats shiny and healthy, especially in the winter.

RACEHORSE OATS: I use racehorse oats to help my rabbits maintain muscle mass. This is something that humans use for body building and is considered safe for rabbits in small quantities.

My rabbits get a tsp/day of BOSS/Oat combo.

CALF MANNA: Calf Manna is helpful for weight gain. If your rabbit has never had Calf Manna before, I recommend giving probios with it because it is higher in sugar, which could cause a fora imbalance in the intestines and lead to mushy poop, so I recommend being proactive in this. A small amount (1tsp or less) of calf manna daily should help your underweight rabbit to get back in condition. It is important to note that many breeders report the coat never seems to finish when their rabbits use calf manna as a supplement.

CRITICAL CARE: Critical Care is a wonderful product if your rabbit is sick in any way. It is an Oxbow brand product that is primarily hay and soy with a ton of nutrition that is ground up and you mix it with water. Some versions are made to be fragrant so that rabbits with respiratory issues who have lost their appetite will be able to smell it and want to eat. If your rabbit is unable to eat out of a bowl, you can use a syringe to ensure your rabbit eats in time of crisis. This is a product I think everyone should just have on hand in case of emergency

POOP EATING: Is totally normal and necessary. Rabbits are hind-gut fermenters, which means a lot of the food breakdown (fermentation) happens after the area of nutrient absorption in the digestive tract. This means eating their food a second time allows for maximum nutrient absorption. This is one of the most important reasons to keep your rabbit at a healthy weight, because if they cannot reach their rear to eat their poop, they cannot stay optimally healthy.

FRUITS AND VEGGIES: Many fruits and vegetables are safe for rabbits, but all should only be given in small quantities for the safety of your rabbit.

As much as I would like to include a list of all of the safe and unsafe vegetable and fruits, there is just so much mixed information out there. For example, it is widely accepted to allow rabbits to have parsley which is known to be incredibly high in oxalic acid, however it is not recommended for rabbits to eat rhubarb because of the oxalic acid in it, which causes toxic symptoms. Parsley has more than double the oxalic acid content of rhubarb. So the bottom line seems to be that no one really knows what is best for rabbits, or at least that is what I have gotten from it. (also parsley can cause miscarriage in pregnant rabbits)

NEVER FEED TO A RABBIT: Some of the things I know you should not feed your rabbits is avocados, onions (all species), mushrooms, iceberg lettuce, high starch veggies like potatoes.

any food high in starch or sugars, grains (with extreme caution) and legumes and pretty much any processed foods.

WHAT I AM COMFORTABLE FEEDING MY RABBITS:

-apple (cyanide in seeds)

-arugula

-asparagus

-banana

-basil

-bell peppers

-blueberries

-broccoli stems

-brussels sprouts

-cabbage

-carrots and tops

-cauliflower

-celery

-cilantro

-collard greens

-dandelion leaves (NO weedkiller, know your source!)

-kale

-melon

-mint

-mustard greens (oxalic acid warning)

-parsley (oxalic acid warning)

-peach

-pineapple

-pumpkin

-radish and tops (oxalic acid warning)

-raspberry leaves (can induce labor, never give to pregnant does, cause miscarriage)

-squash

-spinach (oxilic acid warning)

-strawberries with leaves

-swiss chard (oxalic acid warning)

-tomato (solanine warning)

-turnip greens

-zucchini (probably the most common veggie I give my rabbits)

***It is essential to remember that fresh fruits and vegetables can be given as treats, but should not be considered a part of your rabbit's every day diet. Fruits are high in sugar and can cause major GI issues if given in excess.

Just because your rabbit will eat meat or sugar cookies does not mean it should. Due to their unique digestive system eating these things can make them very sick, so it is best to avoid all table scraps for your rabbit.

Temperature

Rabbits are definitely cold weather critters. They are made for the snow. Look at their super furry paws and their big back feet to act as snow shoes. They have water resistant fur that lets water just slide off the surface without penetrating the thick, warm undercoat. Rabbits seem to thrive in low temps down to about 40 degrees. A healthy rabbit will survive much lower temps (below freezing), but they seem to be happiest between 40 and 50 degrees in my experience. The one caution that I have, is a wet rabbit cannot survive in the cold. If your rabbit somehow gets wet to the undercoat, they cannot regulate their temperature and could die in cold weather. Do not leave a wet rabbit outside or in a drafty area of your house.
A lot of people don't realize that rabbits do not do so well in the heat. It is very important that your rabbit has ways to get out of the heat, so if you house your rabbit outside, consider how they would cool down if they were wild rabbits. The main answer is they would dig. So if your rabbit has no way to dig to get to the nice cool lower dirt/soil, then they will overheat at temps over 90 and can die. Heat stroke in rabbits can happen very fast and they can go from just kind of panting to seizing and death very quickly. Your rabbit should always have clean water and shade.

Are Rabbits Mogwai?

HOLY COW! The arguments I see on social media about getting rabbits wet are INSANE! Why can people not be nice to each other when it comes to this subject?

You have probably already heard something like "you should never bathe your rabbit" or "you should never get your rabbit wet." There is an important caution here, but I have to be honest; when someone comes at me saying you should never get your rabbit wet, I assume they are just extremists that I need to avoid in the future.

You CAN get your rabbit wet, but it should be under the right circumstances and safety needs to be considered. Generally your rabbit will groom itself and could honestly go his/her entire life never needing a bath, but it could go the other way too and your rabbit may require some care that means they need to get wet.

If your rabbit is out of sorts for whatever reason (ate the wrong thing, stressed, etc) they could get diarrhea. I have discussed before why this is so dangerous, but the focus here, is that they can get sticky, wet, poop butts. If your rabbit has poops caked to his butt, this needs to be addressed. You are at risk of blocking the GI track (because this sticky poop hardens VERY hard) or you risk infections in the perineal region. E.coli is natural in the GI tract, but very bad in the urinary tract. In this case, your best bet is to give your bunny a butt-bath. My rabbits actually enjoy this usually. I fill the tub with a few inches of lukewarm (not hot) water (enough to cover the feet and rear end, but not enough to inhibit hopping), and just let them hang out for a while. Most rabbits will clean themselves on their own at this point, but if yours does not, let the feces soak for a while (i usually give 15-20 minutes) and then help your bunny to clean it off. It is not necessary to use any soap for this. Every time I have done this, the mess works out with just water and gentle rubbing. Some people use unscented baby shampoo and report that it has been safe for their rabbits, but in these instances I would urge you to be very careful that you do not allow your rabbit to ingest any soap and rinse very thoroughly to ensure there is none left on them, because they will lick themselves to dry off.

Urine scald is another reason to give a butt-bath. Sometimes after kindling (giving birth), your rabbit may have issues with urine getting in their fur on the inside of their back legs. For rabbits, this is a VERY bad thing. Their urine is very alkaline and alkaline burns tend to be worse than acid burns. Your rabbit should soak for a while if they have urine scald, especially if it is bad enough that they are already experiencing hair loss. If your rabbit has urine directly on skin, this is very painful. (Also, note this can be a sign of vent disease or other issues. It is not normal for a rabbit to urinate on itself). I soak my rabbits in lukewarm water for 30 minutes to an hour in for urine, and it is a good idea to change the water a few times during this, partly to maintain temp, but also to get that ammonia away from your rabbit and down the drain.

Now here is the most important part of a butt-bath (or getting your rabbit wet for any reason), your rabbit needs to be completely dry. While rabbits love the cold, a rabbit who is wet in the cold can easily die. They take a long time to dry, so I tend to put a towel down under them and have a towel on top to dry them and lay in bed with them and watch a movie until they are totally dry. I assume they need the extra love after all that.

The other thing I want to say is, only get as much of the rabbit wet as appropriate, because they are seriously really hard to dry, plus they have oils on their fur that help to make water bead off of them (like a duck) and this is protective for them and it is not safe for them to have these oils stripped from their coat (that's another reason why it is best to avoid soap). I have never come across a circumstance in which a rabbit has needed a full bath, but it is always possible.

the most important thing to remember here is this;

warm, wet rabbit = okay, cold, wet rabbit = dead.

What is my Rabbit Doing?

While dogs can tell you how they feel simply by wagging or tucking their tail, rabbits tend to be a bit harder to understand. I am going to try to cover the things my buns do on a regular basis that made me wonder what they were doing the first time I saw them do it.

Marking: Chinning and spraying are common behavior in rabbits. Like dogs, rabbits (especially males) may urinate on things to mark their territory. Most people are familiar with this behavior and ensuring your rabbit has enough territory and sometimes neutering can help reduce or stop this. People tend to be less familiar with chinning, which is literally rubbing their chin against things to mark them with their scent. They have scent glands on their chin which contain pheromones and other chemicals for scent marking which helps other bunnies know more about them. Their glands can cause a greasy or waxy buildup on their chin, which can easily be wiped off for hygeine.

Dead Bunny Flop: Have you ever walked up to your rabbit and were absolutely certain it was dead right before he jumped up acting like nothing happened and it is time for treats? This is the "dead bunny flop." It is hilarious to watch it when they go from standing to a lifeless lump on their side with a flop and a huff (this truly does make a distinct sound when they do it), but when you walk up on it, it is nearly impossible to see them breathing and it is a terrible feeling (in my opinion at least).

The Binky: This is the bunny equivalent to a dog getting "the zoomies." It is my favorite because it lets me know my rabbit is happy. Has your rabbit ever jumped up and hopped in all directions really quickly? I swear they even click their heels when they do it. This is the sign of a happy bunny who feels safe in his environment.

Stomping/Thumping: This is a major way rabbits communicate. Your rabbit may stomp because he is grumpy, or maybe he is just trying to get your attention. In the wild, rabbits stomp to warn the colony of predators. Once you spend some time with your rabbit, you will start to learn what he is saying to you.

It is important to note that if your rabbit stomps when you stick your hand in their cage, they are telling you that they feel insecure or unsafe.

Eating Poop: I did cover this in more detail above, but I doubt anyone is actually reading this in its entirety. Rabbits eat their poop. This is normal and necessary for them to get all of the nutrients they need to remain healthy. Unless your rabbit is obese, they frequently do this as it comes out, but may just eat it off the ground.

Biting: It is not normal for a rabbit to bite. It is important to first determine the type of bite. did it leave a mark or did they just nibble your fingers? Sometimes when people hand feed their rabbits they don't think about that when they have their fingers near their rabbit's face and may get nibbled. This is just the rabbit testing the food it thinks you have for it. If your rabbit is truly biting you and leaving marks or drawing blood, this could be a sign they are in pain. The other circumstance in which some rabbits may bite is that it is being territorial. Hormones from puberty or pregnancy can increase their natural need to protect their territory, but typically they still don't bite (stomp and box maybe, but not usually bite). If your rabbit is biting it is a good idea to assess health.

Boxing: You may see your rabbit rear up on its back feet and scratch quickly with both paws either at you or another animal in your household. It looks like a boxer working a speed bag. This is the rabbit's first line of defense. If your rabbit does this, it means that it feels threatened. Sometimes rabbits will do this when you reach into their area, I have found that talking them through what I am doing in their space typically helps them feel more secure with my intrusion.

Digging: Bunnies love to dig. It is what they do in nature to build their homes and evade predators. digging also helps them to regulate their body temperature by opening up cooler ground on a hot day. This instinct doesn't go away if they live indoors so you may see your bunny digging at your carpet. Some people give dig boxes to their bunnies so they can indulge this instinct without doing damage.

This section is always a work in progress and if you have questions feel free to email so I can know what needs to be added here.

Potentially Helpful Products

This is mostly just going to be me talking about what I like and feel I need in my rabbitry after years of trial and error.

Metal Hay Balls: I freaking love my metal hay balls! I tried using the common plastic hay feeders and wooden ones, but I could not believe how quickly my rabbits destroyed them. I now have metal hay balls that hang from the top or side of the cage and I absolutely love them. I highly recommend them as it helps to minimize the hay mess and keeps them from peeing in their hay since it is off the ground. The one issue I have had is that some rabbits like to yank them until the chain connector breaks off. I have just started reinforcing these in advance and they work great now. Hay Ball, Assorted Colors - 00713 - Ware Pet Products

Apple Wood: I now have apple trees because I have never met a rabbit who does not enjoy chewing on apple wood sticks. I have heard pear is great too, but I have not personally tried it with my rabbits. Apple wood is definitely the more common chew toy for rabbits and it is available at all pet stores now days. It is great to help keep your rabbit's teeth in good condition and prevent overgrowth.

Stall Dry: This is a sandy kind of substance that they use to sprinkle in horse stalls to keep it dry and reduce the odor. This is considered safe and has only 2 ingredients, a type of clay and diatomaceous earth. I like to sprinkle this under my substrate in my cages because it help to neutralize the ammonia smell, reduce moisture and because of the DE, it kills the freaking flies in my barn! https://king-brand.com/product/stall-dry/#

Oxbow Critical Care: This product allows you to syringe feed your very sick rabbits and can be used as a boost for underweight or high-risk animals (Such as after surgery). I feel safer always having some on hand. https://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/our-products/professional-line/critical-care

Medihoney: Medihoney is a manuka honey antimicrobial product known to be especially effective in preventing overgrowth of Staph which is said to be the most common cause of abscess in rabbits. MEDIHONEY® with Active Leptospermum Honey

Silvasorb: Silver containing products inhibit growth of bacteria. SilvaSorb Silver Antimicrobial Wound Gel | Medline Industries, Inc.

Absorbine Silver Honey: Silver honey spray is essentially a combination of the above 2 with both manuka honey and microsilver. Using silver honey on wounds has proven to be very effective in facilitating healing without complications. Silver Honey Natural Wound and Skin Care – Silver Honey Products

Terramycin Ophthalmic Ointment: This is my most used medication for my herd. A few times a year we get nest box eye in a baby. It is pretty much inevitable that it will happen from time to time. Sometimes it happens because mom pees in the nest, but it can just happen. The babies don't leave the nest in the beginning so they are eating, sleeping and excreting in the same place. The eyes open usually between day 10-14 and they are very delicate and can easily get infected. You want to make sure any eye infection gets treated ASAP to prevent them from getting cloudy eyes and losing their vision. Terramycin ophthalmic ointment | Zoetis US

This section is still a work in progress, I am actively working on it still and will continue to add more here as I think of it.

How to Breed Holland Lops

RABBIT MATING: If you have never bred your rabbit, you are in for a treat because watching a rabbit mate is probably one the funniest gifts nature has given us. It happens really fast and starts out the same as other species, but when a male rabbit completes his task, he locks up with his whole body (pulls his front and back legs in and curls into a ball) and freezes for several seconds, and because of this he will either roll backwards off the female or fall sideways. Strange and hilarious sounds may or may not accompany this, but thee fact that the male literally falls off of the female is why you will hear this referred to sometimes as just "falls," but I personally tend to refer to it as a "tie."

You can breed your rabbits in a few different ways. In my experience they tend to enjoy playing in the yard in a playpen and taking their time to court in the summer. This is enjoyable to watch them play and frolic and there doesn't usually need to be any human intervention. You can also breed your rabbits in the buck's cage (NEVER the does cage), and just remove the doe after they are done. Does are more territorial in this situation and while a male's hormones will take over and he will want to mate, a doe will not typically feel the same way when a buck invades her territory and bucks have been injured or died from being placed in doe cages for breeding. You can also table breed, which is the most hands-on method as you will need to be present at all times and be ready to catch your buck so he does not get injured when he ties and falls off.

Don't forget to do health checks on your buck and doe prior to breeding. See above for details.

CONCEPTION: My favorite part about breeding rabbits, is that you can work it around your own schedule. A dog, for example, will go into heat every 6-12 months and you need to breed her at the right time during her heat cycle to have a chance at puppies. Rabbits, on the other hand, are induced ovulators. This means that the act of mating, actually causes the rabbit to release the eggs to be fertilized on demand, which allows the magic of baby-making whenever it makes sense for you to do it.

PREGNANCY: Pregnancy lasts about 30 days in rabbits. If your rabbit has gone more than 33 days after mating without kits, it probably was not pregnant, or at some point reabsorbed the kits. In rare cases, I have heard of does delivering at 35 days, but I have not heard of live babies at that time.

Palpation (feeling the belly to see if your doe is pregnant) is best at 10-14 days to feel the tiny little marbles (baby butts and heads) in your rabbit's belly. I highly recommend you have a more experience breeder teach you how to do this properly before trying it yourself.

AGE TO BREED: Most breeders I know stick to the general rule of not breeding a rabbit for the first time before 6 months of age or after 12 months of age (some say 18 months, but we will come back to pros and cons on that). For your females to have larger and healthier litters, you do not want to breed before 6 months. They can typically get pregnant before 4 months of age, but in allowing them to do so, you actually can be jeopardizing their entire breeding career. You can stunt their growth and cause smaller future litters, and since they have not developed hormonally at this time they may not care for their kits, either never making a nest and allowing the babies to freeze to death, or not feeding them. Some does never really come back from that to be good moms. If you allow your doe to grow to their adult size at 6 months, it is safer and better long-term for the mom and babies. The reason most breeders will not breed a doe for the first time over a year is because around this time, their pelvis will fuse (the hyaline cartilage of the pelvis will have fully ossified). This just means that their pelvis may not be able to shift properly to allow the babies to pass through and you have a significantly higher likelihood of stuck kits for all future pregnancies, and if you do not already know, a stuck kit does not only kill the stuck baby, but the babies behind it waiting to come out, and in some cases can be fatal to mom if not caught in time.

Bucks can be bred very early, I have heard of bucks impregnating does by the age of 12 weeks old, but it is not ideal to breed your bucks at this age. Their sperm count has not reached it's peak and you will get larger litters from a buck who is 6 months or older. I have heard of younger bucks ending up with injuries, but that seems to be rare, typically what you get is an enthusiastic breeder who has no idea what he is doing and can't figure it out anyways. I just prefer to wait for the sperm count and motility to hit peak before I breed my boys, and that is right about 6 months.

KINDLING: If you have not heard the term yet, kindling is just the rabbit term for giving birth. Sometime in the days leading up to delivery, your doe should start making a nest of her fur (she literally plucks herself) and hay or whatever else she can find that she feels like using. In some cases, a doe may make the nest after giving birth, but in my experience it is usually first time moms. I love to watch my rabbits make nests because even though you cannot even imagine how they have gotten so much fur and/or hay in their mouth in the first place, they always find a way to fit more before they take it to the pile. If your does has good instincts and/or knows what she is doing, she will have her babies in the nest, clean them, eat the placenta, possibly feed them at this time and then wander off and ignore them for the next 12-24 hours. This typically happens early in the morning right before sunrise, but can happen any time if your doe is a rebel. Your main job as the breeder is to make sure those kits are in the nest and warm. If they don't have full bellies yet, this is totally ok, don't pressure mom into feeding them or she may destroy her nest and you will lose the babies to exposure anyways.

DAY 1: This is the day after they were born. At some point when you were not looking, your doe should have fed the babies, so their bellies should be a bit more round than the day before. Check the nest and the babies. Count the babies and make sure the number is the same as day 0 (day of birth). If you are missing a baby, find it. if it is dead, dispose of it, if it is cold, warm it. Using your body heat is the best way to ensure a safe temperature for the baby to warm up to. The other thing you want to be checking for (and this is rare to find) is urine from mom in the nest. If there is wet nest, you have to remove it for the health and safety of the babies. If there is not enough nesting material at any point for these naked little pink things to stay warm, you will have to shelf the kits.

SHELVING KITS: If for any reason you cannot trust your mom to leave the babies in a warm, fluffy nest, you need to remove the babies from mom's cage. The good news is, rabbits only feed their babies every 12-24 hours, so this is very easily done and allows for the babies to stay warm in cases where mom did not build a nest, likes to randomly destroy her nest, or urinates in it. Take a bit of time to gently groom momma rabbit to get what fur you can from her to build up the nest in the nest box (if you need to you can use hair from your other rabbits as well, and they also sell nest fluff for these occasions), and then remove the nest box from mom's cage. Make sure the babies are warm before you put them in the nest. They really can't generate much body heat before they have fur. Find somewhere safe to leave your nest box. I put it on a shelf in my bedroom, and importantly, my cats are not allowed in my bedroom when I am not in there or when I am sleeping. Really think about where you are putting this nest box and if you have to put it inside a cage to keep it safe from your other furry friends who happen to be predators, do it. Then all you have to do is bring mom in twice a day to feed the babies. I trust some of my moms just to hop in the nest box and do their thing, but other moms will just dig and be destructive. In this case, I fold up a towel and place it on my lap and put the babies down and then mom on top of them and pet mom and calm her, and feed her snacks (carrots usually do the trick, but if that doesn't work, a doe who just had babies really loves calf manna (you just have to give a very limited amount). Your goal is to get as close to 15 minutes as you can in keeping mom calm. These are prey animals and they have adapted to be anxious when they feed so they can lead predators away from their nest in case of an emergency, but the babies also fill up faster than other species like dogs and cats. Just make sure their bellies are more round than when they started. Also, after mom's part is done, make sure to take a baby wipe (unscented, unmedicated) and wipe the peri/anal area gently for a moment to stimulate urination and/or defecation. The first few days the urine will just dribble, but after a while they get a stream, so be mindful of where it is aiming. Then the kits go back to their nest and you are done. Usually by the time they are moving freely in and out of the nest box, they can go back with mom and stay warm be ok (unless mom is aggressive toward the babies).

DAY 2-7ish: Same deal as day 1 through this time (as far as mom's part and your part), but they will be developing fur throughout this time. Their eyes will be closed, ears will be closed and do not typically open during the first week. They are basically popcorn at this age and when you go to check on them in the nest, they will likely pop and hop in random directions as soon as they feel the air (this is normal and important for muscle and bone development), just make sure that when you are done, they are back in the nest and warm.

DAY 7-14: This is when the fur really starts coming in and they get to a point where they can regulate their temperature better. Eyes will open and ears too and it is really important (in my opinion anyway) to handle them daily at this time. The last thing you want is a show rabbit who tries to fly when a judge touches him, and this is the time they can learn to kind of trust people. They can be out of the nest some especially later in the week and will be learning to hop effectively and with purpose. Once they eyes are open you will want to check eyes daily to ensure they do not get infected. Nest box eye is common due to them peeing where they sleep at this age.

DAY 15-21: At some point in this week, you will notice them eating hay, this is the time to really start checking butts daily. With the diet change they can get wet/sticky poops that need to be cleaned up as soon as possible to avoid infection or other issues). Also, if your baby has sticky poops, a bit of probios could be helpful. The babies are at an age where they just do what they want, chase mom down to eat whenever they want and if they can, sneak out of the cage and explore, so be aware of that and watch your step. This is an easy age because your only daily task is to check their eyes and butts and clean/treat as needed.

DAY 22-28: Same thing as the week before for the most part, but believe it or not, by the end of this week, they can be just fine without mom. They are considered fully weaned at 4 weeks old. Most breeders like to leave babies in with mom for 6-8 weeks for maximizing health, but if you have a mom who starts getting aggressive towards her babies after 4 weeks, if they are healthy babies, they will be able to survive without her.

FALSE PREGNANCIES: False pregnancies can happen, and it is just hormonal confusion for the doe after an unsuccessful mating. If your rabbit starts making a nest about 20 days or less after a mating, she is almost certainly having a false pregnancy. Just let her make her nest and get it out of her system and she will go back to normal shortly after. You can breed her again any time after her nesting behavior stops.

PEANUTS: In any and all dwarf breeds, peanuts happen. This is not something breeders of non-dwarf breeds deal with at all but since Holland Lops who are showable have one copy of the dwarf gene, it does impact their breeding. There are 3 types of babies born in dwarf breeds; False Dwarf (or "Normals"), True Dwarf Rabbits (showable Holland Lops) or peanuts (Lethal Dwarf). If you breed 2 false dwarf Holland Lops together, or one showable Holland Lop to a false dwarf you will never get a peanut, however, breeding 2 showable (true dwarf) Holland Lops together will lead to about 25% peanuts which will ALL die, typically within the first few days after birth. My understanding is that the organs cannot be formed properly in a lethal dwarf, making them incompatible with life. Peanuts are very noticeably different from a true dwarf for a false dwarf newborn, with very tiny ears and a much smaller overall size. It is important to decide what you plan to do with any peanuts prior to working on a breeding program with a dwarf breed. Here, they are used as snake food for a snake we rescued many years ago. Some breeders donate to reptile rescues (usually frozen).

CULLING: Another thing you need to consider before ever breeding any animal, is what you will do with any offspring you cannot sell. The market for any pet flexes often and there are times where there is just not enough demand for the amount of animals out there, so it is important to consider what you will do in those instances. Will you keep all of the babies? If the answer is anything but a resounding YES, then you need to consider culling. Some breeders cull their own rabbits and use the meat for themselves or their dogs, but if you are like me and unable to do it yourself, you have a few options. You can sell to a cull buyer, a reptile store or rescue or (what we do here), Donate to a zoo or bird of prey rescue. I would encourage anyone to not waste the meat of your culls, as so many places could use it.

I am really hoping to one day get a day to day photo album showing how a litter grows from birth to at least 4 weeks old, but so far I have not had that kind of commitment to pictures.

What is Line Breeding?

Line breeding is the practice of selectively breeding closely related rabbits together in order to set type and ensure desired features will true breed in a line. Line breeding includes, parent/offspring and sibling breedings, as well as first cousin, half siblings, etc.

To put it simply, Line Breeding is inbreeding, so why is it practiced regularly in rabbits when it is frowned upon in other mammals? Rabbits are community animals in the wild. They live together in family groups and frequently breed with other rabbits that are closely related. This frequency of inbreeding in the wild has made rabbits very resistant to the detrimental effects of inbreeding seen in other species. Rabbits are unique in their ability to be inbred for several generations without increased incidence of detrimental malformations or other health issues.

Breeders most frequently use parent/offspring line breeding to set desired traits in their herd. If you have a rabbit that has an exaggerated feature that is desirable (for example, very thick bone) then in order to maximize that feature in your herd, you want to breed back to that rabbit. With even 1-2 times line breeding you can set that type, which means the offspring of that line breeding will produce that feature consistently, very likely even when outcrossing to another line.

The flip side is that you can accidentally set an undesirable trait such as long ears or even something like pinched HQ. It is crucial to never line breed a rabbit with any severe fault. Consult the SOP before you decide what faults are forgivable in your line breeding rabbits, because it is important to have a very clear idea of what you want before you start in order to avoid creating an undesirable trait that becomes very hard to breed out.

SIBLING LINE BREEDINGS: Some breeders are 100% against sibiling line breedings, but will do every other possible kind so I think this is a good thing to address here as well. The biggest reason that I have come across is that this type of breeding is the most likely to cause malocclusion. This seems to be the most apparent deleterious effect so if you choose to breed siblings together, you need to be prepared to cull. I also read a study on how this type of pairing can create an inhospitable environment in the uterus of offspring leading to rabbits that cannot reproduce.

In my herd, I use parent/offspring but most frequently use grandparent/offspring line breeding as this has yielded the best results for our herd. Breeding to Aunt or Uncle has worked for us as well. I do not like to do this type of tight inbreeding more than twice in a row, but I know a lot of breeders who do it more successfully.

Realm of Lapine Rabbitry

Dedicated to raising high-quality show rabbits, especially of color.

Rabbit Care

Rabbit Care Page Content

General Care

Health Checklist

Housing

Diet

Temperature

Are Rabbits Mogwai?

WTF is my Rabbit Doing?

Potentially Helpful Products

How to Breed Your Holland Lops

What is Line Breeding?

General Care

Health Checklist

Housing Your Rabbit

Rabbit Diet

Temperature

Are Rabbits Mogwai?

What is my Rabbit Doing?

Potentially Helpful Products

How to Breed Holland Lops

What is Line Breeding?

Under Construction

Realm of Lapine Rabbitry

Dedicated to raising high-quality show rabbits, especially of color.

Rabbit Care

Rabbit Care Page Content

General Care

Health Checklist

Housing

Diet

Temperature

Are Rabbits Mogwai?

WTF is my Rabbit Doing?

Potentially Helpful Products

How to Breed Your Holland Lops

What is Line Breeding?

General Care

Health Checklist

Housing Your Rabbit

Rabbit Diet

Temperature

Are Rabbits Mogwai?

What is my Rabbit Doing?

Potentially Helpful Products

How to Breed Holland Lops

What is Line Breeding?

Under Construction

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