Self-sufficiency, low-cost and affordability, even for beginners - these are the main reasons why breeding rabbits at home is gaining popularity from year to year. These cute eared animals are satisfied with any food, grow quickly and gain weight, multiply rapidly, thus contributing to the continuous rejuvenation of the population. In addition, due to their high quality, their dietary meat and beautiful wool got their place on the modern market. Next, we will talk about the features of this promising activity on the scale of a private residence.
- What breed to choose
- What to look for when buying
- Home improvement for rabbits
- What do rabbits eat
- Do not forget about vaccination
- We breed
- Useful tips for breeders
What breed to choose
Before you start rabbits, you need to know everything about them: from birth to slaughter. Only then you can competently organize the care and maintenance of mammals, and as a result get a good income. 
To start answer your question: "For what purpose do you plan to do rabbit breeding?". If you are more interested in meat, then you should stop your choice on meat species. If all interest is in the skin, then it will be necessary to choose from fur-down species. Well, if you want to crown your works and those, and others, then look for a pet among the meat and animal category.
Novice breeders should not chase the rarest of exotic breeds. This is not economically feasible, since common domestic species are cheaper, they are easier to update, exchange breeding stock, and moreover, consultations of experienced specialists are more accessible. 
Also, when test breeding of these animals is not recommended to engage in crossing different species. Leave it to the professionals. In the meantime, work on the recoupment of resources spent.
What to look for when buying
For further breeding, only healthy and strong young animals are needed. Your potential will depend on its potential. Therefore, take baby rabbits very seriously.
Experts advise buy animals from small broods. They should have clean eyes and ears, a thick and shiny edge, a strong build and a moderate fatness. Avoid disheveled, sedentary and intimidated eared with a weak dull pile, swollen belly, dirty cesspool and inflamed ears. These are obvious signs of disease and improper keeping of rabbits. When buying, carefully inspect the animal you like, make sure that it contains all the signs of the breed: appropriate weight, color of fur, length and structure of the body.Deformities consider twisted legs, too long head, sagging tips of the ears, abdomen or back, protruding hips.
A healthy little rabbit is very curious and friendly. He is not frightened by sounds, does not sneeze, does not get into a corner, behaves actively in a cage and shows interest in everything new.
Home improvement for rabbits
Experienced owners build individual rabbitries for eared, street enclosures, cages or equip ordinary pits. As it is more convenient and safer to keep rabbits at home, let's look further.
Wherever the animal lived, it should not be crowded, cold and damp. Experts believe that in the winter it is advisable to grow pets in a closed and well-ventilated room, and during the warm season, street equipment is quite suitable for this. 
If we are talking about a cage, then it must clearly correspond to the existing parameters of the rabbit breeding: be bright, clean, dry and spacious. The height of such a house should allow the animal to easily climb on its hind legs.
And it is necessary to plan construction in such a way as to avoid drafts, since rabbits react to them very painfully. But at the same time, it is not necessary to put everything tightly with plywood or planks - leave one of the walls for a metal grid or grid. Such a solution will allow the house to be aired.
The next point that you need to pay attention to when setting up the rabbitcher is the floor and the tray under it. Many craftsmen prefer to do the flooring of wooden slats, leaving between them 1 cm distance. Below fix plastic or metal tray. It is desirable to cover it with some moisture-permeable material. It may be sawdust or cat litter. This solution helps to keep animals clean. 
Also, make sure that in the home of a pet, drinking bowls and feeders are available to him.In addition, you need to build a small shelter for privacy. In the house where you plan to settle the female, it is important to equip the mother liquor. It will spend the first 3-4 weeks of rabbits.
On the street, cells should be placed in a shade, away from direct sunlight and drafts.
What do rabbits eat
Productive rabbit breeding at home is only possible with a balanced daily diet. When preparing feed it is important to consider age of animals.
For example, young animals need high-protein food. These are fish, meat, dairy products, flour and protein supplements. And also a separate role should be given to the vital vitamins and microelements, which omnivorous rabbits receive with green mass and root crops. 
In the spring and summer, caring owners, in order to diversify the eared food, alternately offer them dandelions, clover, sainfoin, plantain, tansy, burdocks.
In addition, in the daily diet, both young and mature individuals, must be present roots, feed and young branches. Especially loved by rabbits aspen, maple, clear, linden.
In winter, green grass is replaced with silage and hay, and the amount of essential nutrients in the body of animals is supported by corn, oats, bran, barley, carrots, zucchini, pumpkins, cabbage. 
Of the delicacy fluffy prefer parsley and bananas, but their number should be limited, since otherwise the animal will get diarrhea and allergies.
Ensure that the water in the drinking bowl is constantly fresh water, and in the nursery - hay or grass. Without drinking a rabbit can not live more than 3 days. In winter, the water must be heated, and in the summer it should be doubled. Be prepared for the fact that drunk will be much more than eaten - such specificity kutsehvostyh.
To feed the babies, who have stopped feeding on mother's milk for a month, you need 5 times a day, and older animals - 3 times. 
Do not forget about vaccination
Regardless of the size and breeding conditions of rabbits, their vaccination is very important.The fact is that animals of all species and breeds are exposed to infections with myxomatosis and viral hemorrhagic disease (VGZ).
Veterinarians are terrified by the statistics: about 10% of these mammals get to the slaughter through the disease and another 20% are rejected. Moreover, mortality in both cases covers about 90% of the herd.
The risk of contracting myxomatosis increases during the demi-season. The carriers of the infection are mosquitoes and other sucking insects, from which the animal can only be protected with a vaccine. Recognizing the disease is easy due to tearing, difficulty breathing, weak activity, leaking from the nose, drooping ears and redness around the eyes. The sick animal is hammered into a corner and hardly touches food. Unfortunately, he has no chance to recover.
3 days after infection, lethal outcome occurs in the case of viral hemorrhagic disease, which is transmitted by airborne droplets. That's just to understand about the impending threat to the entire population can not always. The fact is that the infection is characterized by hidden symptoms.
Occasionally, in complicated cases, there is fever, difficulty breathing, spasms and bleeding from the mouth. If a similar attack happened in your rabbitry, burn the dead animals and scrupulously disinfect the room, inventory. 
To save pets, vets advise vaccinate baby rabbitsstarting at the age of one and a half months. The first vaccine is made before weaning babies from the uterus. The second - after 3 months, and in the future, the procedure is repeated every six months.
Preparations for vaccination can be found separately from each disease or complex. Injections are made only to healthy individuals. Youngsters from one cage can be injected with the same syringe, and adults - individually.
We breed
In some early breeds, puberty begins already at the age of five months. The fact that the animal is in a hunt becomes clear from its restless behavior and poor appetite. 
Before mating male and female need to inspect. To continue the race unsuitable copies with a shortage or excess weight, as well as having recovered from mastitis or born from such parents. The pairing process takes no more than half a minute. Male can cover 4 females per day.
Check the mating arrange in 7 days. In the case of fertilization, the rabbit shows aggression. Now it needs to be transplanted into a separate enclosure with a queen cell.
The most important time comes with the advent of rabbits. To ensure a long lactation period, the rabbit breeders carefully monitor the feed and drink of the mother. Decreased milkiness occurs within 40-45 days after caustic. During this period, the babies are taken from the mother into separate cells, at the rate of 6-7 individuals each. After some time, the female and male individuals are separated, planting 2 same-sex animals in one dwelling.
Gradually, young animals are taught to feed new, adding them in small portions to the traditional diet. At first, the greens limit. Grass small rabbits can be given only from three weeks of age. In winter, it will replace hay. 
Also in the cold season in the daily diet of animals should be oats, cereals and carrots. Do not forget to monitor the condition of the drinkers and the water in them.
Useful tips for breeders
For the breeding of rabbits to become profitable, it is important to provide fluffy pets appropriate care:
- Every week, examine the eyes and ears of animals. They must be clean, without any discharge and signs of inflammatory processes.
- Regular examination of the skin is important. On the epidermis should not be any redness, acne, scratching, scabs and other damage. If you notice any of the above, review the diet and conditions of the animals. The presence of such wounds indicates liver dysfunction, hormonal failure, and severe stress.
- Weekly, trim the rabbit's claws and remove the mats. If possible, brush the animal with a natural bristle brush.
- Every day, clean the cages and drinkers, and before each feeding, clean the feeders.
- Once a decade, disinfect the equipment and all equipment in the rabbit.
- More often air the abode of animals.
Now breeding rabbits, including raising young stock, feeding and vaccination, is easy for you. Following our recommendations, you will be able at home to competently organize cost-effective rabbit breeding.
