So you are discovering that "breeding like rabbits" is considered something of an ironic phrase among rabbit breeders, eh?
Don't give up - eventually you'll probably be overrun with bunnies, there's just sometimes a bit of a shaking out to go through.
Good to hear he's not obviously sick or injured. Maybe he is just young and inexperienced?
All of our rabbits are on wire and that's where I breed the majority of them... I do know someone who put rabbits in a cage that had chicken wire as flooring, which
did very much tear up the buck's hind feet. But the 1" x 1/2" heavy-gauge galvanized steel normally used for rabbit cages should be fine. Also, if the wire is bothering your buck, you'd probably see evidence on his hind feet (raw and/or bloody spots, or callouses), and he would try to mount but then pull back as his feet started to hurt.
Moving them to a different situation is an idea that I have also used, and it sometimes works. However, my suggestion would be to put the buck in the cool romantic area first and let him explore and get settled in, then bring the doe. When I've put them together in a new place in the past, the bucks tend to be curious and may spend a long time investigating their surroundings rather than mating. If your buck is inexperienced that may be doubly the case, and if the doe is at all aggressive it may put him off breeding for a long time. (In fact, if your buck was attacked by a doe during his first experiences, that may be his problem.)
You might try different times of day as well. Different rabbits can have different preferences for their romantic interludes, although that is more a doe thing - most bucks are usually ready most of the time.
Normally I take the doe to the buck's cage, and usually it's a done deal within a few minutes,unless the doe is uncooperative (which is a problem I have much more often than bucks not being interested). I watch for 2-3 fall-offs, then remove the doe. Sometimes I bring her back in an hour, which some study (so far I have not been able to find it published anywhere) suggested was the best way to increase conception rates and litter sizes, but I don't tend to have any problems with either so I don't always bother. One thing I do is stay right with the rabbits the whole time they're together; that way I can be sure to know if there was a mating (it can take just seconds, literally), and also break up any fights that happen if the doe objects strongly to the buck's attention.
Again, I'd encourage you to borrow a buck if necessary to get your does into production. Not only do meat breed does tend to stay healthier when they're kept in production, but if they get too old (2 years+) without having a litter they can have a harder time kindling, and they also tend to get fat, which causes even more problems with conception and kindling. And, the normal breeding season for rabbits is early to late spring; as the fall approaches and the light dwindles, does' hormones naturally drop off and getting them bred gets harder, and they're not always as good about caring for the litter. You can breed rabbits all year with some effort and artificial light, but winter litters seem to have more problems all round.
One thing to think about is that eventually you'll get what you breed, so if you have an animal that is problematic in some way, down the road you may end up with more animals with the same issue. My first guess is that there is something specific going on with your buck and once he gets past it he'll be fine, but you might think about finding a different buck. There are enough potential problems on the side of the doe and babies that dealing with an uninterested buck seems like wasted angst.
Maybe St. Martin de Porres will intercede on your behalf.
. Please let me know how you breed; I could really use your experience and appreciate your help… all praying and hoping that our rabbits can be a reliable source of food in these uncertain times…
