Features breeding rabbits in the pits

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Breeding rabbits is interesting and exciting, but at the same time troublesome.

Since ancient times, our ancestors were engaged in raising rabbits. Having no idea about the possible fixtures to hold these pets, they Set up for them the most natural conditions: they dug a hole and placed there several families of rabbits, gave them food and water. At the same time, animals independently set up conditions for their development and reproduction. But in the process of developing this kind of occupation, the breeding of rabbits in the pits is used less and less. This article is a drawing and detailed instructions for choosing a place for the pit and its arrangement with your own hands.

Consider the pros and cons of keeping and breeding rabbits in the pits.

The positive side of this method of growing

• benefit in material terms;
• occupied territorywhich contains rabbits - small sizes (even with a large number of livestock);
• time saving and physical strength;
• increased immunity and animal resistance to disease;

• getting additional nutrients directly from the soil;
• improved and accelerated breeding process (with this type of content in the females at the highest level maternal instinct is developed);
• reduction of the amount needed stern;
• optimal approximation to natural conditions existence;
• with a large population there is an opportunity self fight rats;
• improved meat taste.

The disadvantages are

• inbreeding (related mating), which further leads to the degeneration of the offspring;
• inability to control animal diet depending on age;
• control complexity mating process;
• wildness of animals (alienation from people);
• inability to sell skins, as a result of damage in fights between rabbits;
• complexity isolation rabbit when a disease occurs;
• the inability to grow, using this method, rabbits with valuable fur or large breed rabbits.

How to choose the right place for the pit and equip it with your own hands: a drawing, detailed instructions

The place where the hole is dug should be in the shade and placed on an elevation to avoid filling the hole with water. To control breeding, it is worthwhile to equip a second pit for females.who will be selected for divorce, their kids and the male sire. From each other pits have at a distance of 20 meters or more. Do not worry if there are trees, basements or wells near the chosen place for the pit, because they will in no way harm the pets.

In form pits are different, usually use the shape of a rectangle.

Now you need to process the walls of the pit, for this you can choose any material (the best option is slate leaves), it will not be eaten by rabbits. We process three walls completely, the fourth is also fenced, but at the same time we leave a hole that will serve as the entrance to the hole. You need to dig in a little (down or straight, but not up), so that the rabbit can see where he needs to dig.

The bottom of the pit must be covered with sand. - about 20 cm. And on top of it lay a fine flat mesh. In this case, the urine will be easy to enter the soil, feces will be easily collected with a shovel, and the grid will not allow rabbits to dig additional holes. Additionally, the bottom is covered with straw, which must be changed from time to time. The best option for the required number of cleanings will be 1 cleaning in a few days or a week.

Above the pit you need to put a shed with a slope in the opposite direction from the entrance to the hole. A good option would be to protect the pit, which will protect the animals from predators and dogs.

Install the door at the entrance to the hole, feeders and drinkers (in sufficient quantities) along one wall. They are the size must be suitable for both adult rabbits, and for kids. Now we can run rabbits.

We let out rabbits in the pit

It is necessary to lodge rabbits that have reached 4-5 months of age in the pit, this is the most crucial moment. If there is a question of choosing a breed for this type of rabbits, then you can choose any breed, but it is better to keep the giants in cages.

What to do when rabbits don't dig holes

There are cases when rabbits released into a hole do not dig holes. This is due to the fact that rabbits lost, the digging instinct laid down by their ancestors. More often similar situations arise with adult rabbits (from 1 year and older). Digging instinct wakes up in femalesand by that time they are not willing to bother themselves with unnecessary worries.

When such a situation arises, you need to make it clear to the rabbits that they are in a pit. For young rabbits it is necessary to plant rabbits, who lived in similar conditions and they will push the livestock by the example to the correct actions.

After the work done, the rabbits will sniff and inspect the object, and then begin to actively develop it and settle down.

How to catch a rabbit in a hole?

To catch a rabbit with this kind of content is difficult, because rabbits become wild with time and become fearful. To catch a rabbit without any problems, it is necessary to equip the gate valves.which will be located at the entrance to the hole.

It is required that the rabbits develop an instinct for getting out of the hole during the process of distributing food. The signal that informs about the distribution of food, can serve as a whistle.. After the animal leaves, the deadbolt is closed and the rabbit is caught with a net.

What is the difference between winter content and annual

Beginners in the field of breeding rabbits have a question: is it worth it to warm the holes before the winter season?

You don't need to do anything, because the temperature in the pit is the same regardless of the time of the year and ranges around 10-15 degrees Celsius. This temperature equilibrium avoids stress and illness.

Feeding animals in burrows

The process of feeding is almost the same as with the cellular content of rabbits. In the diet include:

• barley grain and oats;
• corn;
• hay;
• branches, hanging them on the walls of the pit;
• roots.

The pits are equipped with feeders and drinkers, raised above the floor level away from the hole, in order to avoid falling asleep of the feed with earth. Meals are poured in sufficient quantity so that there are no fights between animals.. Water should be changed frequently, and ensure that it is always present. It is necessary to accustom animals to the sound signal, which will call the animals to the feeders.

Breeding rabbits in the pit

It is impossible to control the process of mating with this technique., but still, the reproduction of rabbits in the pit in most cases is a successful process.

Rabbits almost all the time in position and do not rest from a previous pregnancy, and therefore rabbits are born a lot. Being in the hole, the rabbit feels more confident and calmer, recovering faster after childbirth.

Rabbits at the same time feed on all the rabbitswhich are near, as a result of which they get the best immunity and therefore do not get sick.

With this method of breeding, it is necessary to replace producing rabbits in time, which will allow increasing the herd without losing the properties of the breed.

Useful tips

1. As experience has shown, before landing the rabbits in their pit disappear antibiotics and pierce femalesto avoid possible infection of future offspring.
2. Need to to accustom animals to yourself, feeding to watch them (in the future it will help catch the rabbits).
3. Over the pit, it is desirable to build a roofin order to prevent flooding of the burrow during heavy rain.
4. At arrangement of a hole equip the ventilation system. To do this, it is necessary to mount the pipe so that the animals do not suffocate in winter.
5. A necessary condition for arranging the pit is ensuring sunlight penetrates inside the pit (at the entrance you can put a grid that will transmit the sun's rays).
6. If the rabbits found their way to freedom, it is worth tracing where the escape paths are. And then all these Hole inlets to hammer in and make new holes for rabbits with the direction down.

After analyzing the information provided, we can conclude that not only professionals in this field, but also amateur beginners can breed rabbits. Growing rabbits is not such a difficult thing, it just needs to be responsibly treated. Of course, rabbits feel better in the pits than in the cages, so why not arrange such necessary for them living conditions close to the natural environment.