# Breeding Age



## Luken Messy (Nov 3, 2009)

I have to Mini Rex does and one is four months and one is three months. I've heard some people breed as early as four months (too young, IMO), but most say six to eight months to breed. I've so far only breed rabbits over a year old, so what do you prefer? My one, Abby, will be five months this month. Cutie will be four months this month. All advice is appreciated. 

Meg


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## Korr_and_Sophie (Nov 3, 2009)

Some of the smaller breeds do need to be bred before they are fully mature because the pelvic bones will fuse. If they have the first litter after the, she can have trouble delivering the kits which could lead to death of the litter and the doe. Larger breeds can wait longer, but should still be have the first litter around the age of 1 year old. 

While I am not a breed (and one will probably come along to give a better answer soon), I would say that they could be safely bred about about 6-8 months old. You really want them to be healthy and physically able to carry a litter and care for them after birth.


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## bunnybunbunb (Nov 3, 2009)

It depends on the rabbit. If the line has a history of hard to breed does trying as early as 5 months is fine if the doe is of proper size and health. If you do not breed a rabbit from a harder line then you are asking for trouble, a rabbit that may not want to breed until after a year or never. If you feel good about them being easy to breed wait until 6 months. At 6 months the rabbit *should* be plently mature enough in size, mind, and sexually. The sooner they are bred after hitting proper size and age the better. I have heard from a few breeders of smaller breeds that if they wait until 8 months does are not as ready to breed and have more birthing probles. 5-6 months for a breed such as the Mini Rex is good. Never over a year if one can help it.

Remember, the first litter is usually hit and miss. It is a trial litter, the doe trying the first time and probably failing. My kind of Mentor in bunny breeding told me to never expect the doe to raise her first litter. He said in his herd the biggest portion of them lost their first litter. He also used the "Three strikes and your out" method. All rabbits I got from him where the finest moms and breeders, he only kept the productively best rabbits and his line was better for it - breeding wise.


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## pamnock (Nov 3, 2009)

Age to breed:

Small breeds: 4 months

medium breeds: 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 months

Giant breeds: 6-7 months

Fat build up around the reproductive organs of a doe is the primary reason that breeding should not be delayed. We try to get our junior does of small breeds bred before 6 months of age.



Pam


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## pamnock (Nov 3, 2009)

*Korr_and_Sophie wrote: *


> Some of the smaller breeds do need to be bred before they are fully mature because the pelvic bones will fuse.



Pelvic bones fuse together in every vertebrae. It is a myth that this has an adverse effect on rabbit/cavy breeding. 

Pam


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Nov 3, 2009)

I have Hollands (a small breed) and wait to breed until 6 months. I seem to have success with this. It seems that if you breed much younger, a lot of does don't have the natural instinct to take care of their young. JMPO.


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## Riverpines (Nov 3, 2009)

IMO, I like a rabbit to be physically done growing. I just cant see getting a rabbit PG if she is still growing herself and then her body has to supply care to kits inside too?
No, thats not for me.

I go by the age the rabbit is done growing physically. For my rabbits thats close to 1 yr. The earliest is 7 months for my more English crosses. My English are grown faster than my French. The French take a little longer to fill out.

I also like a nice break inbetween pregnancies. After weaning, which I let happen natural when mom does it, then I wait at least 3 more months before I attempt another breeding. Thats the soonest I will rebreed.

If a litter is lost, same thing no sooner than 3 months after the teats are totally dry.

I personally see no reason for fast breeding unless its for production and I dont do production raised rabbits as I dont raise them to make any money.


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## Blaze_Amita (Nov 3, 2009)

I've usually bred between 5 adn 6 months of age, with my dutch, hollands and mini rex. Though I've only ever had two mommy's lose their first litter. One dutch and one holland, all the other have all raised their first litters(Kitty raised them until they were 3 weeks and then killed one, so i removed the other and the foster died). I try not to breed more than 3 times a year per doe. while some i've culled, some to pet homes, others i have sold into show/brood. 
My mini rex doe, i bred her at 6 months and she can have one litter a year and still produce the following year at once a year, she usually will take care of young kids if i have to remove them from mommy early even though she has no milk(kits are bottle fed milk but munching on pellets) but her sister was waited until she was almost a year to bred and still, at 3 years of age will not produce live kits, she kills them after a few days if she does produce.


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## Luken Messy (Nov 14, 2009)

I will wait until Abby is 5 months then. She is a Mini Rex. Thanks for the information!


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## BlueCamasRabbitry (Nov 15, 2009)

I breed my Mini Rex does at 6 months... although I know of a breeder who breeds her does at 5 months. 

Emily


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## Luken Messy (Nov 15, 2009)

I might wait until 6 months. I'm not entirely sure. I'm not doing it to make quick cash, so I am not going to rush her.


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## GorbyJobRabbits (Nov 18, 2009)

I think all of ours the dwarfs we waited until 6 months becuase they're generally done growing. 

I thought the only rabbit breed that there were major issues with was the Flemish Giants and that was because of fatty buildup or something along those lines.


I've never had ANY problems breeding my rabbits at different ages, whatever felt old enough for that particular rabbit. I want to feel the rabbit is mature enough in every way to care for a litter so its not a waste on her body or my time. Depending on size the age goes up.

Though where some people are saying a rabbit shouldnt be sold until 8 weeks old.... how then is it old enough to breed 4 weeks later?


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## BlueCamasRabbitry (Nov 18, 2009)

*AndersonsRabbits wrote: *


> Though where some people are saying a rabbit shouldnt be sold until 8 weeks old.... how then is it old enough to breed 4 weeks later?



4 weeks later would make the rabbit 3 months old, which is quite young for any rabbit to be bred.  

Emily


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## GorbyJobRabbits (Nov 18, 2009)

BlueSkyAcresRabbitry wrote:


> *AndersonsRabbits wrote: *
> 
> 
> > Though where some people are saying a rabbit shouldnt be sold until 8 weeks old.... how then is it old enough to breed 4 weeks later?
> ...



I know thats what I was meaning.I def agree 3 months is too young


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