by: Dr. Safwat Kamal — Egypt 

The article provides a practical overview of reproductive management in rabbits, covering breeding, pregnancy diagnosis, kindling, fostering, and care of newborn kits.

Rabbits generally reach sexual maturity at around four months, with full reproductive maturity by approximately six months. For mating, the female is examined for signs of receptivity and then introduced to the male. Successful mating is identified by characteristic behavior of the male, and the mating is repeated after about 15 minutes and recorded.
Pregnancy is checked by palpation 10–12 days after mating, allowing the breeder to detect developing embryos. The gestation period is typically 30–32 days. As birth approaches, the doe should be handled gently and provided with a clean, prepared nesting area.
After birth, the litter is examined and the nesting box cleaned. The article also discusses fostering, whereby kits are transferred between does to balance litter sizes—ideally keeping around eight kits per mother. Finally, regular monitoring of the kits, cleanliness of the nesting area, and proper bedding are emphasized until weaning.