# Breeding Rabbits (Brother to Sister)



## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

I have some young Californians and some older Mixed breed rabbits. I wanted to get to the point that I just raise Californians and New Zealands. How close can you breed in the family or should I ask----should stay away from breeding in the family? I am having a hard time finding other Cal/NZ in my area for breeding. I just hate to drive 2 hours to get a rabbit. Can you breed siblins from another litter with the same parents in both litters? Please give me some do's and do not's. Thanks


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

For meat - certainly, because if you DON'T like the cross you just don't do it again. With inbreeding, you can exhemplify bad traits as well as good. You may get very consistent fast growing meaty kids - or if you breed two siblings with hollow loins, you might get scrawny babies. It's also a quick way for any defects hiding in the line to pop up.

For show - depends. I plan on doing it with half siblings and know of people who have done it sucessfully. You may get exactly the kit you want and you may not - of course with a meat breed that's fine, because you can just eat the ones that are 'bad' and sell the 'okay' ones, keeping the best for yourself. 

There was a study someone once posted that showed inbreeding rabbits brother-sister for 19 generations before issues began to crop up in the line. 

I don't think there's anything at all WRONG with it. IF it doesn't work, don't do it again is all.


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## Honorine (Feb 27, 2006)

Do it all the time, not a big deal. But you have to cull hard, I've found with full sibling crosses their either very good or very bad, seldom an in between. I have got to find a copy of that inbreeding study, I'm always talking about it but haven't been able to find it.


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