FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT ARE CECOTROPES?

Rabbits are hindgut fermenters Cecotropes are one of the two kinds of fecal matter produced by rabbits.  They’re passed through the intestines and subsequently re-ingested for added nutrients.  They’re slimy and stinky and packed with vitamins and minerals.  Rabbits usually eat them at night directly from the anus. Hence the nicknames nighttime feces or midnight berries.  


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WHAT IS THAT HUGE FLAP OF FAT UNDER MY RABBITS CHIN?

It’s called a Dewlap.  This is mostly fur and flabby skin.  It’s mostly found on doe’s and sometimes overweight bucks.  Doe’s pull fur from this flap to line their nests for their litters. This way their litter can stay warm.  The dewlap stores a little energy reserves as well which is used after kindling.  Once a rabbit doe kindles you’ll see the dewlap shrink and get noticeably smaller.


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WHY IS MY RABBITS PEE RED? IS THAT NORMAL?

Rabbits absorb calcium from their feed and get rid of what they don’t need in their urine. This turns their urine red.  Folks often think there’s internal bleeding or something’s wrong with their rabbit. This is completely normal.


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WHY IS MY RABBITS FUR SHEDDING AND CHANGING COLOR?

This is called “Molting” Rabbits will shed their winter coats and you’ll start to see a new vibrant colored coat.  Sometimes you’ll see a line on the rabbit where the old coat is shedding.   You can help the process by combing your rabbit with a buster comb.  Your rabbit may be ingesting a lot of fur and this will help prevent GI Stasis.  


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HOW DO I PICK UP A RABBIT?

Get a hold of the the shoulder skin(scruff) with one hand and slide your other hand under the belly of the rabbit and lift. You can also slide your hand under the chest and scoop under the rump with the other hand.  After scooping the rabbit into your arms tuck the rabbit’s face into your elbow like a football.


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WHY IS MY DOE MOUNTING MY BUCK?

Often a doe will be so ready to breed that she’ll get a little aggressive and mount the buck.  This means she’s ready and willing to lift.  She’s saying ,”MOVE IT ALREADY!” Mounting is also a sign of dominance.


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DO I HAVE TO FEED HAY/ WHY SO MUCH FIBER?

A rabbit’s digestive system is built for a high fiber diet. Hay keeps everything moving and working correctly in a rabbit’s stomach. Hay is a terrific source of fiber which prevents problems with digestion and helps prevent gas and GI Stasis.  Hay is a feed that will ensure a healthy Rabbit stomach. It helps keep the correct amount of good bacteria in the stomach rather than a source of nutrients like a pellet.


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IS A HARE THE SAME THING AS A RABBIT?

Domesticated rabbits are the same species as the European wild rabbit but they have different chromosomes so hybridization isn’t possible.  Hares are a different species all together. This includes Jack Rabbits that grow up to 2 feet tall and Arctic Hares that turn white in the winter.


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HOW DO YOU RUN A RABBITRY?

Learn how to feed & line breed for superior rabbits rather than just breeding for more rabbits to sell. Be prepared to process rabbits that don’t sell rather than give them away at a discounted price. Find your balance and don’t over breed or over feed. Don’t expect to turn a profit right away.  Purchase hay in bulk from a farmer and grow a food plot of greens. If you’re selling a lot of meat check your county clerk regulations. Learn as much as you can about the breeds you raise.  Consider taking a course when you’re ready to take your rabbitry to the next level.


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WHEN CAN I REBREED MY DOE?

Rabbits have the ability to breed immediately after kindling.  In the wild it’s not uncommon for a rabbit to be bred even between kits being born.  If you experience a false litter(pulled fur but no delivery) or lost a litter, rest assured you can rebreed immediately.  She most likely will eagerly lift for a buck. I rebreed my doe’s when the kits are 4 weeks old and wean at 6-7 weeks.


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WHEN IS IT SAFE TO WEAN(SEPARATE) THE BABY RABBITS FROM THE MAMA RABBIT?

You can separate(wean) the baby rabbits as early as 3-4 weeks but they’ll receive a stronger immune system drinking mamas milk for at least a couple more weeks.  I wean at 6-7 weeks on a regular basis.


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AT WHAT AGE CAN I START BREEDING MY RABBITS?

Small breeds 5 months. Med-Large Breeds 6 Months for does. 5 Months for Bucks. He just needs to be big enough to get the job done. Giant breeds more like 7 months.


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HOW MANY BABIES DOES A RABBIT HAVE?

Baby bunnies are most commonly referred to as kits. But they’re also called kittens.  First few litters will start small but the quantity will grow with every following litter. When breeding the offspring of rabbits that have big litters you may see an 8 or 9 kit litter right away.  The amount of rabbits in a litter will continue to rise topping out at approximately 10-14 kits once things get rolling. Not all rabbits will be able to achieve these numbers.


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WHAT KIND OF CAGE WIRE DO I BUILD MY CAGES WITH?

Use galvanized wire. 14 gauge if you can find it. 1/2″ x 1″ flooring but usually 16 gauge is all that’s available. Use 1″ x 2″ for the top and sides. You can use 1″ x 3″ for the tops as well. We have all the materials you need on our website. Click the “rabbit products” link on our menu page.


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IS THERE A REASON YOU DON’T MAKE THE BOTTOM OF YOUR KINDLING TOTES WIRE?

We don’t get a lot of rabbit urine or manure in the kindling totes. They surprisingly stay pretty clean. We easily clean our totes once a month or when needed. We wipe them out with with a soapy wet rag and dry with a bunch of paper towels and add fresh new straw and shavings. Shavings are cheap and one tote takes less than a bale of straw a year.


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WHAT IS LINE BREEDING?

Breeding related rabbits for favorable characteristics to maintain a superior quality in your herd. 


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MY RABBIT JUST HAD A LITTER. NOW WHAT?

Gather up the kits and all the fur pulled by mama and put them in a nest box with wood chips and straw. You can also use a shoe box in a pinch. Mama should take care of the rest. She’ll only nurse the litter for a few minutes twice a day. You most likely won’t see her nursing the litter or spending time in and around the box. Check on the litter morning and night and remove any kits that have expired. Clean the nest after 5-7 days.


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WHAT DOES BROKEN MEAN?

This refers to the the rabbits fur pattern. When a rabbit is one color(let’s say red for example)it’s called solid. When that rabbit has spot’s of red it’s called BROKEN. The Solid color is broken into spots. You can have broken red, blue, and black pelts.


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HOW DO YOU CATCH A RABBIT IF IT GETS OUT OF THE CAGE?

Use a telescoping net. It’s only around 15$ its in our rabbit storefront. Or a live trap works great.


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WHAT’S THE BEST BRAND OF PELLET & HOW DO I FEED MY RABBIT?

Most brands provide multiple options for different stages of a rabbits life.  So check the labeling.  Most brands recommend .5 ounces per pound of rabbit per day(about 2/3 of a cup for 9 pounds).  Non breeding senior rabbits can eat a 12-13% protein pellet. Young Rabbits and Breeding rabbits need a 16-18% protein pellet. So you’ll need to always read your feed labeling because not all pellets are created equal. Check the protein(16%) and fiber levels(20%) on the labeling.  A good pellet is a balanced diet.  In addition to pellets you can provide hay daily which is additional fiber and supplemental fats and minerals. A rabbit will benefit from a high fiber diet.  Eating hay regularly will help their stomach bacteria stay healthy.  Small amounts of fruits & vegetables are also acceptable for rabbits older than 12 weeks.  No more than a 1/4 cup at a time. 


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