breeding a Lionhead and a Dwarf

Question
when are my rabbits adults? also, i have a female dwarf and a male lionhead, what kind of babies would they have, and can they mate? I also want to know can i keep some of the offspring and mate them with the parents?

Answer
Dear Monica,

Rabbits reach sexual maturity at about the age of 3-4 months if male (when the testicles descend) and at about 5-8 months if female, depending on breed and individual genetics.

Before you consider breeding them, please be sure to read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/breeding.html

Breeding siblings to each other or to their parents is known as "inbreeding"--the mating of close relatives.  This is done by breeders who wish to perpetuation a particular trait or traits in a breed of animal, but this carries major genetic risks in the form of harmful traits being *much* more likely to show up in the offspring of an inbreeding mating.

If you're breeding two already really inbred strains of rabbits (Lionheads are the WORST in this regard, and they tend to have multiple congenital health problems because of it), I would really not even remotely consider breeding siblings or parents.

I hope this information helps.  Please be SURE to read the article above.

Good luck,

Dana