How do I know when my doe is pregnant?
     Palpating the doe would be the only sure way of detecting pregnancy prior to the actual delivery of a litter. This is a process of "feeling" the embryos inside the doe. It takes practice, and can be harmful to the doe and litter if done incorrectly.
     For the novice, it is sometimes just better to just wait the duration of the gestation period and hope the doe kindles a live and healthy litter. the gestation period of a rabbit is 28 - 32 days.  

What should I do when it is time to have the babies?
     You should be sure to mark down the date when your doe was bred. As the gestation period is 28 - 32 days, a nesting box should be provided to the doe about 25 or 26 days after the date she was bred. The box should be filled with a nesting material, such as straw or another material that she can use to build a nest. In most cases, the doe will also pull some of her fur to include with the nesting materials, and act as a blanket for the new born kits.
     The nesting box should be about 2 - 4 inches longer and wider than the doe herself. Larger boxes may encourage her to use it as a resting place, and she may foul the box.
     After you believe the doe has had her litter (if any signs indicate such), it is good to try and check the box. Remember, the doe may be protective of her newly born kits, so be careful. Remove any afterbirth or dead babies from the box, as they will decay and the doe may abandon the remaining live kits due to the unpleasant smell.
     Mother nature should take her course and the doe should raise the kits with no problem. If you encounter something that does not seem ordinary, contact us and we will try to be of assistance to you.

Should I separate the doe and buck when she has the babies?
     Actually, a mature doe and buck should not be kept in the same pen at any time. It can result in an unplanned pregnancy, and possible fighting which could result in injury to one of the animals.
     If you feel the two animals need to be together for companionship, it is best to have them in separate pens which are located so they can see each other.       

When can I breed/rebreed my rabbit?
     Does can be rebred as little as 2 weeks after kindling in intensive commercial situations, but more commonly, they are rebred when their litter is 6 weeks old or even after weaning depending on how fast they recover from the previous litter. With show rabbits, breeding schedules may be for only 2 litters a year, one in the spring and the other in the fall, but reduced fertility will occur with this schedule.

Can I bathe my rabbit?
     If your rabbit has a soiled rear end, rinsing it off with clear water is clearly needed, but bathing the entire rabbit with shampoo is generally not advised. Rabbit fur will take several days to dry, resulting in a very uncomfortable rabbit when the entire rabbit is shampooed. Angora breeders will blow their show rabbits by using a hair dryer on cold or warm which blows out dirt and loose hair.

How do I worm my rabbit, and how often should this be done?
     The only worms rabbits get are pin worms which are thread sized, 1 inch long worms which can be seen protruding from the droppings. The common wormers used in dogs and cats, such as Pyrantal Pamoate (Nemex or Strongid), can be used at the dog dose, or in herd situations, Piperazine, a product sold for livestock which can be mixed in the water at livestock dosages, could be used. When pin worms are seen in one rabbit in a herd, treat the entire herd as the worm quickly spreads through the rabbitry. Worming once a week for 3 weeks is indicated to be sure all the immature forms are killed. Watch droppings closely as this proves that the worms are gone and have not come back.

What do I use for bedding?
     In solid bottomed cages, most use pine shavings. Cedar shavings have a resin which may be toxic. For wire bottomed cages, many rabbits will soil bedding, making more of a mess and creating more problems than it is worth. However where bedding is needed, straw especially in front of the feeder is best, leaving the back of the cage with bare wire flooring so urine and droppings can fall through. Plastic floor pieces ("Mighty Mat") are also useful for rabbits with feet problems.

What vaccinations does my rabbit need?
     Currently there are no approved vaccines for rabbits. There is no licensed rabies vaccine for rabbits so they should not be vaccinated for this even though this have been required by some fair shows, which has been associated with the death of the rabbits.

Can I catch a cold from my rabbit or vice versa?
     Although viral diseases usually do not spread between species, rarely this can happen; however bacterial diseases do cross from people to rabbits and back. Strep throat is one such example. You should wash your hands after you blow your nose before touching your rabbits, other animal pets or people. Likewise, you should wash your hands after handling rabbits or other animals, or shaking the hands of other people.

Can I catch any diseases from my rabbit or vice versa?
     Rabbits are considered fairly clean, but washing your hands after handling rabbits or any other animal is a good practice. You can give your rabbit strep throat, and possible other bacterial diseases so wash your hands after blowing your nose.

My doe just had babies and isn’t feeding them. What should I do?
     Does only nurse their litters once or twice a day, and only for about 5 minutes, so it is possible she is feeding the litter and you haven't seen her. Litters which are being nursed have bellies at least as large as the rib cage, if not larger. These litters are warm and covered with hair, and the babies seem comfortable. When the litter is not being fed, the abdomens are smaller than the rib cage, the litters may seem the same temperature or cooler than your hand, and are very active when you touch the nest as they know they only have a couple of minutes to nurse. If truly the doe is not nursing, holding her on her back to let the babies find a teat is the most common practice. Milk letdown can be improved with shots of oxytocin which is a prescription drug. Bottle feeding baby rabbits carries a 90% mortality and is not recommended.

My doe just had babies and they are dying. What did I do wrong?
     Chilling or hypothermia is the most common cause of new born babies dying. Be sure the doe has a nest box which is bedded with hay, straw,  or other soft bedding and she has pulled fur from her body to serve as a blanket. Does often loose their first litters. Rebreeding 5 days later often produces better results. Having rabbits kindle when the temperature is below 60 degrees requires frequent checking on the does. Heat lamps and nest box warmers can cook a litter so require often checks. Insulation under nest boxes improves warmth of the nest in cold winter, but over-heating of a litter is still possible. Waiting for late spring or summer will make kindling easier, but the hot summer will bring new problems with over-heating. Raising live litters can be more challenging that what common folk lore would lean one to believe.  

How long will my rabbit live?
     The "average" life expectancy of a rabbit is between 7 - 10 years, given the proper diet and kept in good sanitary conditions. Naturally there are exceptions, and many rabbits may not live up to 7 years, however there are those that will live past 10. 
     Again, insuring your rabbit is kept in good clean sanitary conditions, with a well balanced diet and not overfed, will insure it has a long healthy life. 
     Rabbits may suffer some health problems the same as humans, such as heart attacks, strokes, etc. If your animal dies with no signs which may indicate what the cause was, do not feel that it must have died because of something you did, or did not do.