How to conduct mating?
Another way is group mating. 5-10 females and one male are placed in a large cage for 3-5 days. When the male has covered all the female rabbits, they are placed in individual cages. Pregnancy is determined on the 13-15th day by palpating the fetus in the abdominal cavity. Unfertilized females are covered again. The disadvantage is that there is no 100% guarantee of complete fertilization, since an active male tries to cover all females on the first day, and the quality of his sperm decreases significantly with each covering. This leads to false pregnancy and decreased fertility.
Basic methods of keeping rabbits
Currently, the main systems for keeping rabbits are:
- aviary;
- in pits;
- shad;
- cellular.
The first two methods are rarely used, since with such maintenance it is difficult to control the mating process of rabbits, as well as monitor the individual diet for each individual.
With pit and enclosure housing, all animals are kept together, reproduce whenever and however they want, and all eat the same food together. With these types of housing, the risk of inbreeding (inbreeding) increases significantly, which leads to degeneration of the livestock. The advantage of these methods is their simplicity and the fact that animals in free conditions are much healthier than their counterparts kept in cages and shads.
The shad method is used mainly for farms with a large number of livestock, since it significantly reduces labor costs for caring for animals, and also allows for the mechanization of the processes of watering and feed distribution.
With the shed system, one specialist can easily provide proper care for 130 females and 1,200 heads of unplanted young animals.
Another advantage of this method is the ability to mechanize the process of collecting rabbit excrement.
Cage keeping of these animals has become most popular in private households and on small rabbit farms.
Animals in cages are easy to control, random matings are excluded, each individual can be given an individual diet, depending on its physiological state and health. Another advantage of keeping rabbits in cages is that you can keep the animals outdoors year-round (climate permitting). In regions characterized by severe frosts in winter, combined housing is most often used - in extreme cold - the cages are moved indoors, the rest of the time they stand outside.
More on the topic: Why does bloating occur in rabbits?
The size of cages for rabbits depends on their breed. The larger the animals, the more living space they require.
The general requirements are:
- cages should not stand on the ground; they are usually placed on wooden supports at a height of at least 80 centimeters from the surface;
- the volume of free space in the cages must correspond to the standards determined for one animal (depending on its size);
- the cages should be divided into two sections - walking and shelter; the second section should be equipped with a manhole located two centimeters from the floor of the cage;
- the floor in the cages is made either of mesh or slats, and covered with a layer of straw bedding on top;
- the walls must also be protected from the teeth of these rodents (usually the same metal mesh is used);
- roofs can be two- or single-pitch, but they must be covered with roofing felt or other protective coating;
- the floor must be made with a slope of approximately 5 degrees (for natural drainage of liquids;
- young animals can be placed two or three individuals in one cage;
- It is better to keep adult males alone;
- cages for pregnant or already given birth rabbits should be larger, the queen cell (nest for offspring) should fit freely in them; contain lactating and pregnant females, also one individual per cage;
- All cages must be equipped with drinkers and feeders, the design of which does not allow animals to pollute and scatter food and water.
Why can’t you climb into the nest of a female that has hatched and touch the baby rabbits?
This opinion is not always true. Inspection of the nest in the first days after birth should be carried out, but in such a way as to disturb the female rabbit less, and baby rabbits can only be touched with clean hands (without the smell of perfume, soap, tobacco). The rabbit is very sensitive to foreign odors. Annoyed by the inspection, she can injure her offspring. When inspecting the nest, stillborn, sick, and weak rabbits are removed, and the development of the female’s nipples and milk production are also determined.
To prevent the female from running around the cage and injuring the offspring when inspecting the nest, she is given tasty food or temporarily removed from the cage.
After inspecting the nest, the baby rabbits are covered with nesting fluff and after a while the female is brought in, stroking her with his hands. The rabbit gets used to the smell of hands and reacts more calmly to human actions.
If everything is normal and calm in the nest, then the nest is inspected visually.
Is it possible to keep several rabbits in one cage?
Let’s say right away that it is better when each animal has its own separate home.
Of course, this is not easy to achieve on large farms, but in a private farmstead it is quite possible. If the space of your rabbitry does not allow such luxury, let's try to figure out under what conditions several individuals can coexist in one cage.
One cage – two males
Many people say that it is possible to keep two male rabbits in the same cage if they are brothers. Well, until they are two and a half to three months old, this is quite possible. But then, grab some popcorn and get ready to watch real “hand-to-hand” fights.
The male will never yield his territory to the enemy, and will fight for it even with a close relative.
Even small three-month-old rabbits fight very desperately. Often a little rabbit comes out of such a fight covered in blood. The long soft ears of these bullies are most often affected. Their rivals are very actively bashing each other so that the fur flies into clumps. And what will happen if there are two adult males in one cage - you can imagine for yourself...
More on the topic: Why does a female rabbit jump on a rabbit?
Another common misconception is that if you place two castrated males together, they will live peacefully together. It's not like that at all. Even rabbits that are not capable of reproduction will still find out who is more important, until one of them gets seriously injured.
One cage - two rabbits
Also not the most desirable, but a more realistic option. Females are more loyal to each other. This is especially true for lop-eared rabbits (for example, the French ram breed). Individuals with erect ears behave more aggressively. A fight can arise over a particularly tasty piece of food and other nonsense. Although, in fairness, it is worth saying that examples of the peaceful coexistence of two rabbits are not so rare. There are cases of downright sisterly love, and sometimes neighbors simply ignore each other.
Sisters and mother and daughter get along well.
However, during the onset of sexual heat in females, the aggressiveness of the rabbits increases sharply, and here family feelings no longer count.
It is best to keep the females separately, but you can walk them together.
Birth of a female rabbit
Female rabbits give birth mainly at night. They always do this on their own, you don’t need help, so there is absolutely no need to keep watch in the rabbitry at night. Grooming a female rabbit takes no more than 30 minutes.
They give birth to naked, blind, helpless rabbits. The baby rabbits weigh no more than 90 grams. Their weight depends on the number of newborns. The more rabbits in a litter, the smaller they are. The smallest ones. 40 grams.
Sometimes a female rabbit's birth can last an hour. Very rarely, labor lasts for 2 days and takes place in 2 stages. When newborns are born, the female rabbit licks them and places them in the nest, covering them with down. If everything went well, the mother feeds the cubs and warms them with her warmth.
- It is important to know that when a rabbit gives birth, there must be water in her cage. After giving birth, a new mother experiences severe thirst. Not finding water, the mother rabbit may eat her babies.
One or two rabbits?
I don’t have a definite answer to this question. Indeed, rabbits are social animals and live in groups in nature, but this is more likely to unite for the sake of survival.
In a group of wild rabbits there are very complex relationships, each has its own territory, the stronger ones can reproduce, occupy the best pastures, and the safest burrows. The weak are persecuted and abused by the stronger, live on the edge of the territory, in the most dangerous places and have poorer nutrition.
Such group cohabitation cannot be called an idyll, so keeping several rabbits in an apartment must be approached carefully.
SINGLES
In some cases, it is better for a rabbit to live without relatives, for example, when the rabbit has a very domineering character and does not tolerate other rabbits on its territory. If your pet has such a character, then the best friend for him is a cat or cat, they will get along great.
Another option is that the rabbit is too defenseless and weak and another rabbit will oppress it.
According to my personal observations, almost always in a litter of rabbits one baby is the weakest, he grows very poorly and languishes in a group of brothers and sisters, although at this age there is no territorial instinct and there is enough food. As soon as you place such a weak little rabbit separately, it begins to grow and develop normally. He certainly doesn’t need to help anyone, communication with you will be enough for him.
TWO RABBIT
If you are all so worried that the rabbit might get bored, then you can get a couple of rabbits. You need to get rabbits at the same time, preferably as babies, before the territorial instinct has developed. The best combination is two females or a male and a female, with mandatory castration of the male by 5-6 months.
HAREM
Another option for group keeping of decorative rabbits is a castrated male and several females. In such a group, as a rule, there are no serious clashes and the animals get along well with each other.
IT IS FORBIDDEN
I do not recommend taking two males; constant fights are inevitable, even after castration.
ADULTS
It is more difficult for adult rabbits to get along with each other, since they were formed separately from each other and cannot always get along. However, this doesn't mean you shouldn't try. It is necessary to introduce animals on neutral territory!
DEFICIENTS
Recently, dubious groups for “protecting the rights of rabbits” that have emerged insistently recommend taking abandoned rabbits from the “shelters” they organize. The overwhelming majority of these refuseniks are outbred animals with an unbalanced psyche. It is no coincidence that the owners abandoned them. Animals with such a psyche not only cannot get along with each other, but are often aggressive towards humans. Therefore, think carefully about your decision before giving in to emotions and the noble impulse to shelter several unfortunate animals with a disadvantaged fate.
Rabbits and chickens - is it possible to keep them together?
Author: Chicken Ryaba
/ 13 Jan 2021 at 09:52
Dear readers, today’s article will be unusual. Rabbits and chickens can live in the same room; how can rabbits and chickens be kept together? In our thematic reviews, we often focus on breeding and caring for birds.
Giving preference specifically to chickens, but this time there will be no prerogatives as such - we will combine a number of certain understandings about livestock and poultry farming in one perimeter. Photos and videos are attached
Rabbits and chickens - is it possible to keep them together?
It is possible to keep such diametrically opposed pets together in a dense habitat, but, as facts, experience and livestock analytics show, it is not recommended, due to the same difference in species.
There is a controversial opinion that chickens and rabbits do not have common diseases, so together they are not at risk of any infection. This is a misconception, let's look at why. Chickens can get salmonellosis, and rabbits and chickens often suffer from coccidiosis.
Rabbits and chickens - keeping them together poses a real risk that either the “fluffy” ones may become infected with various poultry diseases or vice versa, which will entail not only negative consequences for the health of the entire live population, but also, as a final result, the loss of a significant percentage of production.
And in general, the “eared” one does not feel confident and comfortable in the neighborhood of fussy and noisy laying hens.
Rabbits and chickens are kept together. Painting “Farmyard” by British animal artist Edgar Hunt.
What to do if “there are no options”
But still, if space allows, and the furry wards are provided with housing in separate cages, then placing them in the same pen with the chickens is acceptable. In this case, the owner will provide more thorough care to his charges, he will be able to provide timely veterinary care in case of illness.
We can give examples of a lot of other aspects that testify not in favor of the territorial coexistence of birds and rodents. If the family of a cabbage and carrot lover is kept in a cage, and his beak-headed neighbor is allowed free range indoors, then there is a great threat of aggression from the “feather bearers” towards young rabbits, which angry birds can peck through the net.
