The decision to breed rabbits is not one to be taken lightly by casual rabbit-guardians. Like other animals, rabbits require adequate space, exercise, attention, food and shelter. If you do decide that you want to breed rabbits, it is imperative that you make sure you have a good amount of space for accommodating each of your breeders and any kits you may have.
Here are some things to consider regarding housing for your breeding rabbits.
1. Separate males and females. House-rabbits are great, but you should not have any free-roaming males around your females unless the males are neutered. Rabbits will breed indescriminately, even when the does are too young to safely carry a pregnancy. If your doe is already pregnant, she can conceive a second pregnancy if a buck mates with her. This can cause the second litter to be pre-term or the first to result in stillbirth. Additionally, if you don't provide separate housing for males and females, you can't be sure of the kits' pedigrees.
2. Separate males from other males. My rabbit Nimbus, who is neutered, gets along fine with my breeding male. This is because a neutered or prepubescent rabbit will always submit to an unaltered buck. Otherwise, however, you need to separate your males from one another. After puberty, unaltered males will become extremely aggressive toward one another. These heated battles can lead to ripped testicles, broken bones and death. Don't allow it.
3. Socialize your bunnies. Although you need to separate unaltered males from females and one another, your breeding rabbits need and deserve to be socialized regularly. Provide communal housing for your females. Take each of your rabbits out every day-- remembering that they are pets, not livestock-- and spend some time with them. Allow your breeding rabbits to become familiar with your voice, smell and appearance. Your rabbits need to trust you and one another; they are social creatures and do not deserve to live in isolation.
4. Remember play time. Rabbits are naturally playful, breeding rabbits included. At my house, I have a large, predator-proof, outdoor "play yard" that I made as a home for my neutered male. I allow my females to run around in it a few times per day, then I allow males to play in it one at a time. I also allow each of my rabbits to come into the house for a few minutes every day explore and to spend time with humans.
5. Provide enough space. Your rabbits' cage or hutch should be at least four times the length of the rabbit's body. If you are housing multiple rabbits in a single cage or hutch, you need to double, triple or quadruple this number to provide a sufficient amount of space. Your breeding rabbits' housing requirements are identical to those associated with non-breeding pet rabbits.
6. Protect them from the elements. If you live in a mild climate and your rabbits are able to get out of their cages several times a day, it can be okay to keep your pet breeding rabbits in an outdoor hutch. However, make sure to provide housing that protects your rabbits from heat, cold and wetness. Your rabbits should have an area, such as a blanket or a nest-box, that provides warmth on cool nights. Provide limitless water year-round, and bring them into a temperature-controlled environment if the temperature falls below 35 degrees or exceeds 90 degrees. These tempeatures can lead to hypothermia or heat stroke even in healthy rabbits with proper housing.
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