# New rabbits!!!



## tripp (Apr 25, 2011)

My children got a pair of rabbits for Easter!! They are mini rex in breed, and the female is pregnant I a not totally new to rabbits but have never bred any. She is due to have them on may the 6th so since this is my first time having baby rabbits on my place what should I do?


Tripp


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## smalltimer (Apr 25, 2011)

if she is due on the 6th put a nest box with nesting material in on the 3rd and she will do the rest just keep an eye on her to make shore all goes well 
                                                good luck


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## Hop N'Tail (Apr 26, 2011)

Good luck!


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## tripp (Apr 27, 2011)

ok here is the set up i got it is a pen with a box built on the side is it ok for her to have access to the box on the side of it all of the time and around the third I could put the nesting materials in there and what do i need for nesting materials???


thanks and please let me know tripp


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## Legacy (Apr 27, 2011)

It's kind of hard to make out your comment with no punctuation but I hope I am understanding what you are asking.

If she has access to the box all of the time, she may use it as a litter box. Some do and some don't. If she does, you need to either clean it everyday or restrict her access to it until the 3rd. If she doesn't use it for a litter box, it is ok for her to have access to it all of the time.

Some people use hay, some use rabbit bedding or wood shavings(not cedar or pine).


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## Legacy (Apr 27, 2011)

Oh, and when you say she is due to have them on the third would that be 28 days? Rabbits gestation time is 28-31 days but usually around the 31 day mark.


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## tripp (Apr 27, 2011)

LOL sorry about the no puncuation! That is a super run on sentence isn't it ?

Anyhow you understood right and she is using it as a litter box. 
So I will restrict her from it until the third, and she is due to kindle 
on the 6th.  So I will reopen the box on the third and offer for her to start a nest 
with does that sound good. 

We (my children and I) got our first rabbit 5 years ago
however we never bred her. So we are new to this in just 
about every way possible. The first doe we got was pregnant
and we didn't know the breeder forgot to mention that so that morning
when we all went out to feed we had to bury 8 little pink hairless 
bunnies!! I was furious so I made sure the pair we got this time 
came from a reputable breeder that knew his animals.

Anyways thank you so much for all the info! We are 
going to build a small rabbitry and hopefully set a successful
breeding program and if the girls show enough intrest, I will let them 
show their bunnies!  So wish me luck... If you have anyother advice 
you think I should know please post it. I have been reading and 
watching and trying to take in all the knowledge I can, but I am 
affraid most of it will come with experience.


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## Legacy (Apr 27, 2011)

Yep, you are right about it coming from experience.  There is a pretty big learning curve. My first attempts at raising rabbits were not successful partly due to my impatience and interference but eventually, I figured things out and have been having good results since.

I hope you have good luck on you rabbitry. That is pretty much what I am doing. Hoping to get 2 of my girls into 4-H to show rabbits in the fall.


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