HelloHow big should a...

Question
Hello

How big should a cage be for a dwarf cross rabbit?

What is the best bedding to use?

How much should a dwarf cross rabbit be fed daily?

At what age should a dwarf cross rabbit be bred?

Does the mother need any different care during or after pregnancy?

When can the babys be weaned?

How many babys are normaly in dwarf cross litters?

Answer
Greetings,

For a dwarf cross rabbit, I would suggest at least an 18" by 18" cage, though bigger is fine, especially if it has any larger breeds in it's mixture!
Probably any pet bedding you could find at a pet store is fine, except cedar, as it is toxic to rabbits.
The littler breeds, at least among the ones I know, are generally fed amout 1/2 cup of rabbit pellets per day, and a handful of timothy or grass hay when possible. The occational treat such as a carrot or part of a banana is okay when the rabbit is full grown--about six months old.
The smaller breeds usually mature faster than the large breeds, and can be bred at about six months old, or when you think they are done growing.
Just be extra careful not to stress the mother out, or disturb her much during pregnancy and kit-rearing, as this is a generally stressing time for her as it is. You can still pick her up and hold her up until the time she is due, just do not carry her around alot, or do anything particularly stressful. She should not need any extra food until after the kits are born. At that point, give her all she wants until the kits are weaned.
The kits can be weaned between six and eight weeks old. Try to wait as long as you can, but have them out of the mother's cage and separated into cages of bucks and cages of does by eight weeks, then each to his/her own cage by three months, as they might start chewing each other and such. When it is time to wean, do it two at a time if possible, so the mother's milk can dry up gradually, and it is not as big a deal as them all going out at once. Again, expose the mother and babies to the least stress possible!
Dwarf litters, I would guess, are usually about three to five kits, though it varies. I have only ever bred one Netherland Dwarf doe, and each time she had four. My sister has bred Holland Lops, which are dwarfs, and they had between four and six. Then again, since the rabbit is a cross, this may be different. It really varies. For instance, three to five kits are common in Holland Lop litters, but I have heard of does having eight or nine or even ten in one litter!

I hope this helps.
God Bless
AEJ