If you are new to breeding Angora rabbits then this hopefully will help provide a few answers and provide details on what to expect. If you are breeding from an experienced older doe then the process should be more straight forward, although this is not always the case.
Young or 1st time Angora rabbit Doe
A young Doe or first time Doe can sometimes be less organised when having their first litter and may not pull their own wool to create a nest or even start making a nest until the babies are born. Often having them in various locations across the hutch space as opposed to in one location. They also may be more jumpy or wary and easily spooked which could lead to the loss of the litter if she tramples on them or leaves them out of a nest to get cold and in some instances die so try to ensure the area she is being kept is calm and quiet.
So be prepared and have some of her wool pre cut in case you need to help with the nest building process. If she chooses to set up a nest in the wrong part of the hutch then try not to move it but provide additional cover or protection if it is for example in a draft or an exposed location like at the front of the cage. They will also need supplementary food as breeding takes a lot of energy and nutrients from the Doe.
- Provide her with additional resources in the form of fresh straw for bedding and nesting material
- Provide her with additional food and variety of food to supplement her diet
- Provide an additional water bottle or bowl if she shows to be thirsty
- If necessary switch the cage to a more suitable one for breeding with more space and an enclosed area a few weeks prior to her due date
Try to ensure that she has a reasonable coat length in preparation for her to pluck her own wool to form a nest. If she does this you will notice the bald patches from underneath where she has plucked her own wool. This also enable to the teats to be more visible and accessible to the new born baby rabbits to feed from. You can clearly see in the image below of the Doe that her underneath is quite pink and visible from where she has self plucked her own wool to form a nest.
For more information click on this link- breeding Angora rabbits