Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Do you know what your routines are for caring for your animals? Do others know? Do you know who to ask for help if you need it? Do others know what to do should you take ill? Here's a list of things to think about. 1. post a list of what you do daily. Feed, water, clean etc. Have name tags for your animals.
2. if living in an Animal rights dominated area.. DO NOT TALK about your livestock. Simply make it a point to not talk about them. 3. keep your livestock clean. 4. know the law, stick within it. Seriously.. saves you a whole heap of grief if you do this. 5. stay on friendly terms with your neighbours if you can. 6. if the law is against you... MOVE! Seriously folks, I hear about some the locales that people are in and how they skirt the laws and it's like I just want to scream at them.. "MOVE". Tell people loudly about WHY you are moving and taking your legitimate business elsewhere. Some areas are punitive to folks and very nanny state-ish.. and it's like just get up and move somewhere less dangerous to you and yours. 7. be nice, be courteous, be respectful. 8. Don't let people on to your property if threatened. So if served with a warrant, keep them out on your porch. Close the door. Don't let them in. Call a lawyer. 9. If selling pet stock be alert. Don't let people into your animal habitat if you have any concern about them. Site animal husbandry issues if you must. Anyone else have ideas that should be added to this list? There's been a story on the rabbit boards lately about a fellow who had his rabbits stolen, and then returned with the hold out of one rabbit named Roger.
Well it seems the person holding on to Roger fell in love with him immediately and didn't want him returned for fear of what might happen to him. But they were able to work things out and thusly Roger was returned home. Now theft is theft. And the folks who stole the rabbits should be punished for it EVEN THOUGH they returned them. The lady holding on to Roger should have returned him immediately once she knew he was stolen property.. but animals being animals she got attached and therefore tried to purchase him (which would be an understandable action). Me personally... someone steals my rabbit I'd get my back up...but if they offered me good money for him it's be like okay...He's ALL YOURS. But that's me, and my breeding program hasn't quite gotten to where I want it be yet so it's not the end of the world for me if a rabbit is sold. I DON"T like theft. I do not like people thinking that because they are "animal liberators" or "animal rights" or "animal rescue" types that it is OKAY to steal. It is NOT okay to steal regardless of how you coach it. But the query is: how does one who breeds livestock and sells it or eats it deal with animal rights folks. 1. Know if how you keep your animals is in keeping with standard cares of practice for your species. 2. Do you treat your animals well? Do other folks know you treat them well? 3. Do you know your rights when it comes to keeping animals where you are? Do you skirt the law? 4. Do you treat your opponents with respect and care? Do you mind your language and your thoughts (as your thoughts will colour how you write)? 5. Know your stuff.
If you know your animal that you breed and you know your reasons for doing what you do it goes a long way. If you treat people respectfully, that too goes a long way in getting both sides of an issue to simply listen to each other. This is from a post I wrote 1.5 years ago on my old rabbittalk blog and have run into twice since then. Still makes me angry.
Today I killed a rabbit that never should have been allowed to live past 6-8 weeks of age. It's a rabbit that the breeder of it should have made the best, albeit a difficult, decision to simply euthanize. This poor rabbit had upper teeth curling in, lower teeth pushing her upper jaw up. the teeth that sit just behind the front teeth were twisted and thick. She was Skin and bone. Given by a rabbit knowledgeable vet to a soft-hearted rabbit rescue person who called and asked for my opinion. It took ALL I had when I was there NOT to show my extreme anger at the vet for not simply euthanizing this animal. The VET should know better. Like really should have known better but instead they pass the problem along to someone else? Someone who if she'd didn't have me to turn to would be stuck with a vet bill to euthanize at a later date. (and the really skeptical angry part of me wonders if the bottom line was really what that decision was all about). Folks: if you breed rabbits and those kits turn out to have bad teeth. Do the right thing.. KILL THEM. Turn them into dog/cat/snake/ferret food. Don't consign them to a life of teeth trims once a month and slow starvation. JUST DON"T DO IT! Do not let them live out a live of starvation for three weeks, eat for one week. Starve again for three weeks, eat for one week. As the recommendation from the vets is to trim teeth once a month. This poor rabbit had one more week to go before a tooth trim and she couldn't eat! It burns me up. How is allowing that not harming the animal? How is it "better" to let an animal starve and become skin and bone than to simply end it's life? HOW? Do know that I wrote this late at night, after I culled this poor unfortunate animal, and not after having a good nights sleep. I know my morning that MOST of my anger will have passed. But you know what? Sometimes being REALLY angry is not a bad thing. People SHOULD NOT do this to an animal. They simply shouldn't. in the morning I'll be more rational probably and think well.. perhaps the breeder didn't know any better or perhaps the vet clinic has a no kill policy or perhaps ...... The end result was a poor animal who was basically left to starve because of her teeth and I can't for the life of me see how letting her live was the "better" option to simple euthanasia. I just can't see it. There had to be a better way than foisting her on a rabbit rescue who then had to make a very very difficult decision to ask for help and then to make a even more difficult decision to simply let her go. There just has to be.... This post spurred me to actually write a bit about what I think.
The whole situation with Debe Bell and her confiscated rabbits and the pictures posted both by her as well as by those who are against her have spawned all sorts of conversation across the rabbit world. Those who are horrified at how her animals were kept, those who are not horrified at how they were kept and wondering why people would be. Personally...I'm withholding judgement. I disliked what I saw because I know that things can be better. I also know that the build up I saw on some of those cages takes time to develop. I also know that sometimes life gets beyond a person sometimes and things can slip drastically. I know these things and I do not know all the particularities of her exact situation. Therefore I withhold judgement on her. BUT many people are not. They are all over the place for, against, indifferent, angry, disgusted and much more (and much less). But what we are is DIVIDED. And everyone knows that people who are divided are much more easily defeated. So for those who say she deserves whatever she gets ... consider this... 1. does she really? Do you know ALL the facts? 2. what if the situation were turned around...would YOU deserve it? 3. Does one deserve to lose their hobby without being proven guilty of wrongdoing? For that IS what has happened here. And if she does deserve losing her animals...are you aware of how much ammunition and power that gives the Animal Rights people to come after YOU next? Seriously think about this for a moment. Every time the animal rights people win, they gain power. 1. They gain power because they divide us, they make us think...ah...just another bad breeder, not realizing that painting one bad breeder means so many other people (bad or not) are branded with same paintbrush. 2. They gain power with the uneducated who link puppy mills, factory chickens, and rabbit breeders all with the same brush. We are all breeding our animals ERGO we must be horrid people. Dog breeders fight it, Cat breeders fight it and so forth. You raise cattle...well.. you must be one of those horrid feed lot people. And that's exactly how we are painted. 3. Look at all the free publicity their "good" cause on behalf of the animals is getting them. and people don't stop to think... if the dog/cat/rabbit/snake people are put out of business, where exactly is our next pet coming from? 4. and here's the answer ... Adopt from a shelter. you know..those shelters that written laws give permissions to that joe average isn't allowed to have. There are thousands upon thousands of animals out there. adopt from them. but where do those shelter animals come from? Ask yourself that. If the breeders are put out of business where exactly will those shelter animals come from? and thence...where will your child's next pet come from? or your agility partner or ????? If we are divided and thinking that people deserve whatever they get, then we are easy prey. Just institute bill after bill after bill making it illegal to breed, sell, own, work or whatever. Anything to do with animals...tough luck! I will defend the right of anyone to raise and feed and breed their animals. EVEN the spider people (as much as I HATE spiders) I'll defend your right to breed them because if I don't... we are divided and therefore easy prey to those who brand us as horrid despicable people. I WILL NOT defend your right to do so if you deliberately mistreat your animals. I'll tell you to sell or kill 'em or give them away to someone who is knowledgeable. But unless you are being neglectful or cruel... don't knock on my door asking me to help put them out of business. Who's knocking on your door? news article found here.
Breeding rabbits for food is a great way to increase your freezer meat without spending a lot of money. The meat is extremely nutritious and easy to prepare. In fact, you can make most of the same dishes with rabbit that you would with chicken, and a few extra special ones like rabbit stew will delight your entire family. The care and housing of rabbits that you will breed for food is the same as any rabbit care, although slightly larger cages for the females is a good idea since they will also have to be big enough to hold the babies until they are ready to be weaned. There are only a few rules you should be aware of before you start out to avoid some common pitfalls: Never—I repeat never—take the buck (male rabbit) to the doe’s (female rabbit) cage! ....... Always take the female to the male. She won’t be aggressive in a strange cage, and he will know exactly what to do. Do stay and watch when you leave the doe in the buck’s cage. It is not a long term process. ....... Grab her out of the cage as soon as the buck has done his duty. ........ One thing you should always watch for as the doe’s due date draws near is whether or not she is building a nest. She should start pulling her belly hair out and using it to line the nesting box. If she doesn’t, or hasn’t pulled enough hair for a deep warm nest, you can add straw to the box to make sure there is plenty of insulation even in the summer months. One of the most common problems encountered in rabbit breeding is the doe having the kits outside of the nest box. ...... That’s another very important reason to always watch and carefully plan your breeding dates by taking the doe to the buck and taking her out immediately afterwards. If you don’t know when the doe is due, you can’t watch for problems. ......Breeding rabbits is very easy and takes little extra work beyond the normal care and feeding, and with just a few extra precautions you can end up with quite a bit of extra meat in your freezer. This is an article. It can be found here.
Some quotes from it: For the average person’s 1919 budget, an American Blue doe could still command a price of $25, which adjusts for inflation to about $300 today. An advertisement in an issue of Hares and Rabbits that year has an advertiser seeking all or part of five million rabbit pelts. Edward H. Stahl, developer of the American Chinchilla rabbit, became the first person to make a million dollars with rabbits, in 1938. Highly useful, rabbits were not only a significant economic product, but also a standard feature on many small farms. Times change. Why Rabbit the article asks and answers: For the health conscious, rabbit meat contains very little fat and cholesterol. It contains the highest value of protein per calorie of meat. For the environmentally conscious, a rabbit leaves a smaller environmental footprint, and great organic fertilizer. A doe weaning four litters in a year can produce 1,000 percent of her body weight, compared with a cow that can make 40 percent for her 400-pound calf. And for those who want the ultimate accountability for their food, a small backyard rabbitry can provide a hands-on lesson in the real circle of life. Being relatively prolific, properly managed rabbits can produce a steady, consistent supply of meat. The article goes on to talk about breeding, housing and more. It's a good primer for those wanting to get into raising rabbits and worth checking out. :) The renaissance rabbits are experiencing is a boon for the several heritage breeds only recently on the verge of extinction, and also benefits the small farmer or urbanite backyard farmer. Thanks to the efforts of the handful of dedicated breeders keeping those heritage breeds alive, they are returning to their original niche, and a new generation of rabbit breeders can experience the joys of rabbit raising. Welcome to the Renaissance. Read more: http://www.grit.com/animals/livestock/raising-rabbits-for-meat.aspx?page=5#ixzz1K5ym2Qkn Lucky Foot's Hare ware :
The Computer Solution for your Rabbitry and Caviary Kintraks: this is the program that I use. Kintraks is an animal record system which is useful for any breeder or animal enthusiast. Simply enter the species and breed to customise it to any animal of your choice. Use a variety of storage options and functions to enhance and simplify your animal breeding and record keeping. Evans Software for Rabbit Breeders. The Register program is the most widely used Windows rabbit pedigree software in the world. My Animal Manager My Animal Manager is an animal management system that is designed to assist with the organizing and record keeping of all or your animals. Sit Stay has an on-line pedigree generator. Thoroughbred has one as well. This is a dog resource one. And that's all I have for now. If you know of one I don't know about, let me know and I'll add it to the list. Here are the results of a non-professional study done on bedding materials for rabbits.
quoted from the article: TESTING AND RETESTING In order to check out our suspicions, we removed the pine shavings for a period of time and did the blood tests again. Nothing else in the rabbits’ environment was changed. Results were consistent when we began retesting a month later. Liver enzymes were back in the normal range. Meanwhile, opportunity allowed us to conduct an informal survey. As HRS members in various parts of the country reported deaths of their rabbits due to liver disease, we asked what type of litter was being used. It has been invariably some kind of softwood shavings. Although our data do not qualify as a truly scientific experiment, there is enough evidence to suggest using caution. Documented scientific research has already shown that aromatic softwood beddings are potent enough to alter biological functions of the liver.* What is it in the wood that’s doing damage? Apparently it’s not a result of ingesting but rather inhaling the fumes, which contain phenols, or toxins which pass in the fumes from the lungs to the blood and are finally filtered through the liver. The fact that a large number of indoor house rabbits live in an environment of pine or cedar may account for the large number of deaths due to liver damage and anesthesia fatalities. A CAUTIOUS APPROACH For a safer use of shavings, keep them in large, open, ventilated areas only, and get your bunny’s blood checked every few months. Blood panels are now inexpensive since basic lab work is done in most veterinary offices. New organic litters have been developed by several companies, and include CareFresh, Cat Country, Critter Country and Yesterday's News. Here are a few that we have tried: Carefresh - is dust free, lightweight, super-absorbent, non abrasive, and non-toxic, this is currently in use in many foster homes. Cat Country - an organic grass-based pellet. Straw alone can be used as litter in a large litterbox on the floor. It’s too untidy to use in small boxes inside the cage. Absorbency is similar to rice hulls, and the boxes must be rinsed with every litter change. Peat moss - interesting, if you don’t mind having your house smell like a freshly plowed field. I find it a little too "dirty" for litterboxes, but it's fine for trays under cages. The manure/peat moss mixture is gold for your own garden, or you might sell it to a local rose grower. Shredded paper popular with veterinarians and animal shelters where animals are kept in kennels with solid (sterile). However, we found that it tempted some of our rabbits to excessive chewing. Aspen pellets - inexpensive, highly absorbent litters used in many foster homes.They are made from hardwood and they are not toxic because the phenolic compoundsare removed during their manufacture. Their wood composition helps control bacterial growth and odors. Wood stove fuel pellets and Feline Pine are two examples of this product. They included a chart in the article that showed a good comparison between types of bedding. Go check it out. It was worth the read. Care for your bunnies well! Miss Q x Rustic - Dec 5, 2013, Polish.
This kit has gone off to her new home. She'll join Oliver. :) |
AuthorI have been breeding rabbits for a quite a few years. I thoroughly enjoy them as animals and think they make great pets. I also like to take some of them to rabbit shows to see how they measure up to the standards. For the BEST rabbit forum I've ever found. Go to Rabbittalk.com. Good for the pet rabbit owner as well as the breeder for meat or show.
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