We started
with four New Zealand Whites (1 buck, 3 does) from Sarah Rager in Renfrew, PA.
Figure 1: New Zealand White
In the medium size breeds, the age for first mating is generally five months for does, and seven months for bucks. Does can generally be bread 35-56 days after kindling. It is important that the doe is put with the buck because does are territorial. Mating should occur almost immediately. After the buck mounts the doe and falls over on its side the mating has been completed. Because rabbits are induced ovulators the doe should be left in the buck's cage for a second mating to provide extra stimulation for ovulation. The the doe should be returned to her cage after that. You can try to check for pregnancy by palpating on the 11th and 20th day after mating, however we never succeeded.
Does will normally deliver after 31 days. The nest box should be placed with the doe 3 days earlier. It is a good idea to move the doe to a clean cage with a clean nesting box. Several days before kindling, the doe collects nesting materials, scu has hay, straw and plucked body hair and carries it into the nesting box and makes a nest.
Figure 2: Plucked Fur for Nesting
We fill the nesting box already with some pine shavings to avoid that they pull too much hair. We excahnge the wood shavings at day 14, day 21 and every three days after that. During the winter time, we add cardboard as insulating material inside the metal nesting box. We use metal boxes with perforated board floors (Nestbox #N003 10 x 19-1/2'' for $14.50 from Klubertanz Equipment). The young stay in the a nest box until day 27. Some say that a good barley straw nest can last up to six weeks without changing. It is shiny, so sheds liquids, it has a hollow core so provides constant insulation value even when wet.
We start feeding the doe 1 Tbsp of ShowBloom each day. (#M011 5lbs jug is $10.20) from Klubertanz Equipment. Any young still with the doe may be left in the doe's cage, but the doe must be moved into a clean cage, feeder, waterer, nest box. A litter of 10 is an ideal size, but do not kill the largest and smallest pups of a litter. Nursing happens only once per day. You can wean the kits over a span of four days starting at six weeks of age. Wean (stop nursing) the larger kits first, thus giving any smaller ones time to "catch up." Just keep the young with the doe as long as possible until the next kindling. The bunnies should be separated at 12 weeks before they start to fight.
Figure 3: Pup After Birth
Figure 4: Pup on First Day
Figure 5: Pup After 3 Days
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