Rabbit Housing Question

[Bigfishbobby]

I have a 2’x7’ total hardware cloth pen. In the middle of that is an enclosed coop area that is roughly 3’ and it has a divider to separate the ends of the pen and offer shelter to segregated animals. So, imagine 2’x7’ that is 2.5’ open with 1.5’ enclosed, and the other end is 1.5’ open with 1.5’ enclosed. The idea when I built it was to have one end a little bigger for a doe to have kits, and once they weaned remove them.

My question is this…am I better off with a buck in the small end and a doe in the larger end, or am I better off just removing the divider and having a 2’x7’ pen that they share with no division? Is 2’x7’ big enough for both and allow for breeding without having them fight? If so, would two does and a buck fit?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The doe has no interest in the buck except for breeding and will fight. It's best to keep them separated. A stressed doe will sometimes abandon or even eat her kits, so you want her to feel safe and secure. Bucks also will spray urine. You don't want him spraying into the does side of the cage. I recommend separate cages. It's okay for them to see each other, but I would put a bit of distance between them.

 

[Bigfishbobby]

Thank you. I’ll leave it as-is then. Currently they will be next to each other with a plywood divider. The only gap is about 4” at the top of the divider that I left open just to allow air flow between them. Otherwise they will only be together or even see each other when I take that divider out.

 

[NatJ]

My question is this…am I better off with a buck in the small end and a doe in the larger end, or am I better off just removing the divider and having a 2’x7’ pen that they share with no division? Is 2’x7’ big enough for both and allow for breeding without having them fight? If so, would two does and a buck fit?

I would probably keep them separated. Obviously that prevents fighting.

It also lets you control when they mate, so you know when to expect bunnies, and so you can control how often she gets pregnant. If you gave the buck a choice, he would like to breed her as soon as she has given birth, which would mean she's pregnant while nursing a litter, and would give birth again when the previous litter is only a month old. That tends to be hard on her, hard on the litter she's trying to nurse, and hard on the new litter she's carrying.

Thank you. I’ll leave it as-is then. Currently they will be next to each other with a plywood divider. The only gap is about 4” at the top of the divider that I left open just to allow air flow between them. Otherwise they will only be together or even see each other when I take that divider out.

I would make sure that gap is covered with a piece of wire mesh. Rabbits can get through surprisingly small spaces, at surprising heights, when they decide to try.