Features of the birth of a rabbit at home and possible problems
Animals of the order Lagomorphs reproduce very quickly. In order to obtain offspring several times a year, to avoid undesirable consequences and at the same time not to harm the uterus, the breeder must have an idea of \ u200b \ u200bthe birth of a rabbit, about the number of offspring. The qualitative characteristics of the litter are influenced by the age of the female, the diet, the conditions of detention and the breed.
How rabbits give birth
Babies are born 28-34 days after mating. The more babies, the shorter the gestation period. The breeder will understand that the okrol is approaching by the restless state of the female. In the mother liquor of straw and wool, the rabbit begins to make a nest.
Lambing time is early morning or night. The owner's help is extremely rare for the expectant mother. Its main task is not to interfere, to control the process imperceptibly. The rabbit's maternal instinct is extremely developed, she herself knows what to do. After the birth of the last baby, the rabbit bites the umbilical cord, licks the children, and eats the afterbirth.
On average, okrol lasts 20 to 30 minutes. If the female cannot give birth for more than 1 hour, it is necessary to seek help from a veterinarian.
How many rabbits are born to a rabbit
For one lambing, the rabbit brings from 4 to 12 babies. The number of children depends on the tribe, age, conditions of the female and the diet. Representatives of decorative breeds at a time give birth to up to 6 rabbits, mammals of the middle weight category breed 8-12 specimens, giants can have up to 16 specimens.
The female, which becomes a mother for the first time, has a small offspring (3-5 babies). Also, low lambing rates in obese animals. Their sexual desire weakens, the rhythm of reproduction is disturbed, and the birth itself is complicated.
How often they bring offspring
Animals of the order Lagomorphs can produce up to 70 rabbits per year. Theoretically, a female rabbit can bring 11-12 offspring per year, but lambing is a debilitating process for a rabbit. Both the body and the nervous system of the female need rest.
3 okrol technologies:
- Industrial. After successful lambing, breeders re-mate after 21 days. Such a schedule makes it possible to get 7 okrols per year.
- Compacted lamb. The animal already on the second day after birth enters a state of hunting, mating is carried out on the 3rd day after birth.The rabbit can simultaneously feed babies and bear a new offspring. Then on the 28th day, the children should be weaned from the mother so that she prepares for the new birth. The schedule of compacted litters leads to the rapid depletion of females, which negatively affects the health of the offspring.
- Standard. The female is placed with the male on the 30th day after lambing. After 2 weeks, the children are removed from her, the expectant mother has 14 days to prepare for the new birth.
Preference should be given to the 3rd method, as it is the most gentle.
What to do after giving birth
After the female has rolled, it is forbidden to touch the droppings with your hands. The uterus eats the afterbirth, licks the rabbits, covers them in the nest with the fluff pulled in advance. Smelling a foreign smell, she may refuse to feed the offspring. To examine the children, the rabbit is temporarily isolated from the babies, and inanimate and sick individuals are removed.
A rabbit with children should be provided with peace, therefore, access to domestic animals and people is limited to the cage, sources of loud noise are excluded. These animals easily fall into a state of stress, which is fraught with the refusal of the uterus from feeding the children. Any changes in the rabbit's behavior must be recorded. Timely measures taken will eliminate the problem of what to do next.
Milk production requires the mother to consume a lot of fluids. It is necessary to provide the rabbit with sufficient fresh water. Another condition for the safe feeding of the offspring is a balanced diet. In addition to hay and water, the diet should include root crops, chalk, fish and meat and bone meal, mineral and vitamin supplements.
If lambing occurs in winter, the breeder should insulate the floor in the mother liquor by adding sawdust, and cover it with straw on top. In severe frosts, the cells are brought into the barn. Preferred temperature regime: +18 ˚С. Water or food should also not be frozen and too cold.
In summer, animals should not be overheated. In hot weather, the cage is rearranged in the shade, providing good ventilation (no drafts), protecting it from direct sunlight.
The temperature should not exceed +23 ˚С. In the heat, the female should have access to water around the clock. Dandelions increase lactation. They should be included in the summer diet of a nursing mother.
Possible problems
A female that kittens for the first time can give birth to 1-2 dead rabbits. Sometimes a young mother throws her litter, does not want to feed him. Reasons for abandoning offspring:
- Hunting - the female scatters the babies, tramples them. This behavior indicates that it must be transferred to the cage for the rabbit overnight, and the offspring should be warmed at this time. After mating, the mother returns to her children.
- Lack of milk - the female does not fit the children, does not feed them. The droppings are planted with another rabbit who will take care of them. When the rabbits move, all the fluff of the uterus is removed from them, and in a new nest they are covered with wool so that they are saturated with the smell of the individual that will replace their mother.
- Inexperience of the female. Bunnies who kitten for the first time may keep babies away from the nipples. It is necessary to calm the young mother and bring the offspring again. Soon she will understand what to do.
- The instinct of protection of rabbits - the female leaves the children and the nest. So, in the wild, rabbits confuse predators in order to ward off danger from droppings.
It is necessary to look after the rabbit, as she can eat her children. There are several reasons: poor diet, lack of sodium in food, unintentionally (confuses live offspring with dead).
