Reproduction in rabbits begins at puberty. If you want to mate your rabbit, it is necessary to be well prepared beforehand in order to promote the smooth running of the process and to know its peculiarities. In any case, a visit to your veterinarian is essential so that he can give you personalized advice according to your animal. Discover all our tips.

Mating is possible from the onset of puberty. In rabbits, the age of puberty depends on the size of the animal. Thus, the larger the rabbit, the later the onset of puberty. As a result, puberty appears as early as 3,5 to 4 months in small rabbits (dwarf rabbit), 4 to 4,5 months in medium to large rabbits and 6 to 10 months in very large rabbits. format. From this point on, rabbits are fertile and can reproduce.

As in the cat, it is the coitus which will trigger ovulation in the rabbit. Without mating, the female will not ovulate, that is to say, release her oocytes. The breeding season is from February to May for wild rabbits. The onset of the onset of the first heat will therefore depend on the time of year when the doe was born. Therefore, if she was born in autumn, the first mating will be from the age of 5 months. If the doe was born in the spring, the first mating will take place later, from the age of 8 months. On the other hand, in domestic rabbits, mating can be made possible throughout the year if the conditions are right (light, food, etc.). The doe is receptive to mating about 14 days out of 16.

Namely, as is also the case in cats, there is no bleeding in rabbits during the heat period. Reproduction is possible up to the age of 3 to 4 years in small rabbits and up to 5 to 6 years in large rabbits.

The gestation period is approximately 1 month (28 to 35 days). If the rabbit does not give birth beyond 35 days of gestation, you should go to your veterinarian. It is important to know that the doe can get pregnant again very quickly, 24 hours after giving birth.

The gestation of the rabbit can be confirmed by abdominal palpation. It can be performed from 10 to 12 days by your veterinarian who will palpate the presence or not of embryos. Be careful not to palpate the mother’s abdomen yourself if you are not experienced as this may injure the embryos or even the rabbit.

From 25 to 27 days of gestation, you will have to prepare a nest for the birth of the young. You can use a box with straw that can be closed to make the doe think of it as a burrow. The female will then prepare it by pulling out her hairs to dispose of them. This is normal behavior and so do not worry about the rabbit pulling its coat.

Moreover, if the doe is not pregnant, a pseudogestation can take place. Ovulation did take place but fertilization did not. This is also called a nervous pregnancy. The doe will then show signs of gestation without having babies. In this case, you should consult your veterinarian as some complications may arise. Pseudogestation remains quite common in rabbits.

The doe can give birth from a litter of 4 to 12 rabbits. They are born hairless. They also cannot hear or see. The coat will start to grow in the days following birth and the eyes will start to open on the 10th day. Namely, the mother is not going to spend a lot of time with them like a bitch or a cat would. Indeed, the rabbit will feed them 1 to 2 times a day for only 3 to 5 minutes. It is therefore normal not to see the mother all the time with her young. The weaning of the young rabbits takes place around 6 weeks of age.

Practical advice

It is also important not to touch the baby rabbits. Indeed, it would leave your scent on them and the mother may no longer take care of it. It should also be remembered that the rabbit can eat her young, especially if she is young. This cannibalism can have several origins such as neglect, nervousness or a feeling of insecurity for its young. This is a natural instinct in rabbits and this behavior is normal.