Rabbits are very social creatures who are happier and healthier, and live longer, if they have a mate. In nature, the wild European rabbit (from which all of our domestic rabbits are descended) bonds for life.
In groups with more than one female and more than one male, rabbits are not monogamous. Lower ranking rabbits may be forced to breed in single entrance breeding "stops" away from the main burrows where they and their young are more vulnerable to predators.
Not only can he impregnate the mother rabbit; he will also impregnate the female offspring as soon as they mature.
SEPARATING THE FATHER Most male rabbits are gentle with their offspring. The main reason to separate off the male is that the female can become pregnant again WITHIN HOURS of kindling! He should be housed where he can still see and contact her as separation is stressful.
At the completion of the mating act, the buck will usually fall over backwards or on his side. Some rabbit raisers allow the buck to mate with the doe twice before returning the doe to her cage. Others prefer to take the doe back to the same buck for a second mating 8 to 12 hours after the first mating.
Their babies are often in a fairly shallow depression or hole, possibly near or under shrubs but often where there are no shrubs or tall plants. They often will bury themselves with soil and grass.
Specifically, don't propagate with your family. So in the most strictest sense of this, you would never mate a rabbit with another rabbit that has a known relative. However, most standards say with rabbits (and other animal terms) that it's ok as long as the relatives at least 4 generations out.
It is recommended however, that not more than one mating be performed per day for each male as usually, the second ejaculation often contains much more sperm. It is also important to observe a time delay of one day between two mating acts.
Rabbit pairings
Rabbits can live happily in male/female, female/female, male/male pairings and larger mixed groups. However, the most natural and therefore easiest pairing is male/female. In the wild, rabbits tend to live in male/female pairs and will sometimes remain partnered for life.
Having two bonded rabbits can provide them with years of joy and fun. First, you'll want to make sure that both rabbits are spayed/ neutered prior to bonding as it will make the process easier. While female – male bonding tends to be easier, you can certainly bond two females or two males together.
Keeping rabbits together
Rabbits can live happily together as: a neutered male and a neutered female – often the most successful combination. two litter brothers or two litter sisters – although there is no risk of pregnancy, it's important to still neuter as hormones will cause them to fight as they get older.
Rabbits are social animals, so a single rabbit is likely to feel lonely and depressed. Rabbits can live alone, but you'll need to provide your pet with the attention (company, petting, grooming, exercise, playing, and enrichment) that a bonded rabbit partner would provide.
Rabbits enjoy being around people and can usually recognise their owners by sight and sound.
Rabbits are social and intelligent creatures. They'll know that you love them; you just have to learn how to say “I love you!” in a way they'll understand. You can show your rabbit you love them by giving them gifts such as toys and yummy treats.
You may worry that your rabbit will be lonely. If you spend a lot of time with your rabbit, they will undoubtedly miss you when you're away, the same way you miss them. The two of you have developed a bond and friendship that your pet rabbit also understands.
They have babies mid-February into September, having four to five litters each breeding season. Rabbits can give birth to up to 12 babies per litter.
The average litter size for rabbits is five, though mothers may give birth to as few as one and as many as 12! Since young rabbits grow up quite quickly, “doe” rabbits may have three or four litters in a season.
Cottontails mate from February to September and have shallow ground nests lined with grass and fur. They can breed up to three to four times a year with three to eight young in a litter. The young are called kits or kittens and are born naked, blind, and completely helpless.
Baby rabbits need to stay with their mother until they are about 8 weeks old. Baby rabbits start nibbling on hay and pellets at about 2 weeks old. However, just because they start eating on their own does not mean they can be taken away from their mother.
Other related pairs are ok
It may seem a bit odd for us humans, but breeding a mother rabbit to a son, or a father rabbit to a daughter is perfectly acceptable. It happens naturally in the wild, so is fine to be replicated in a forced breeding situation. Cousins can also be bred together.
Do rabbits remember their siblings? The straight answer to this question is – yes! The rabbits are very much able to recognize their sibling. Rabbits being a sociable animal, they love to be together and love to spend time with another rabbit.
If you touch a baby rabbit, its mother will not usually abandon it. Rabbits are excellent moms. All they want is their baby back. If you feel the nest is in a spot where you can't possibly leave the babies until they're big enough to leave on their own, contact a wildlife rehabilitator for advice.
Renesting babies
If the nest has been disturbed, the caller should: Remove injured/dead rabbits. Refer injured rabbits to the Helpline. Keep dogs and cats inside until the rabbits have left the nest on their own.
Young rabbits disperse from the nest at 15-20 days old. By three weeks of age, they are on their own in the wild and no longer require a mother's care. This means that young rabbits found on the ground may be completely healthy. Even though they look small, they are not orphans and do not need any human intervention.