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Kits from Spice x Calypso, born on Mar 15 left to go to their new homes today. Male 1 to I think...the London area, and male 2 off to Stratford.
 This Spice x Calypso boy went to his new home. Destined to be a breeding buck, he'll be able to see his future bride. He was born March 15.
8 kits born to this duo in a decently made nest. I did need to top up the straw a bit, but overall she did a great job. seven light coloured kits, one dark. Watch me Grow Two little boys happy in their new homes. Rather a neat wheel for them to run on eh? An orangish coloured long hair, and a pale beige short hair.
 My misfortune proved someone else fortune. I kept back four kits for my herd, Separated them last week because they were fighting. Everyone looked to be who they should be. Pulled them out yesterday for pictures and discovered that Heart is now a Hart (a girl now a boy). Since I didn't need three young bucks one of them had to go. Dragon is the one I chose to have leave.  Dragon is off Trebel and Pete, born Feb 15.
 Cookie is my last girl from Sunshine x SplashHawk pairing. she was born May 12. 2018. She is off to a pet home.
 I somehow managed to miss writing about this little girl. She went off to her new home on Saturday. Sorry J! Speck and Play are the parents of this lass from a March 1 birthing.
These two boys left at separate times yesterday, one to London, the other I don't know. :) They are March 1 boys off Speck and Play. The broken black is a curious lad who likes to have his nose into everything, the broken orange more laid back.
Today I had a text conversation with a gal. Turns out that a bunny I was going to sell as a pet and got talked into selling as a breeder was flipped on me without the new person being told of the bunnies issues. I was angry to hear about this. Angry too to hear about badly the person I sold this bunny to, took advantage of the new owner. I have decided that if I think a bunny should be sold as a PET animal and not a breeder, I won't let someone talk me out of that decision. It got me thinking about other decisions I have made over the years.  Have a goalWhen I started breeding rabbits I had the privilege of talking with some old meat rabbit breeders. It was so good to chat with them. One thing they kept repeating, each in their own way, was breed for what you want. If you want a good meat animal, breed for it. If you want strong healthy animals never breed from anything less. Have your focus and walk at it. Breed for healthNever breed anything that gets sick EVER. Doesn't matter the cause. I don't care if it's allergies, nestbox eyes, poor feet, lousy teeth, eating too fast to cause choking, broken leg or whatever. Sick or stupid animals breed sick or stupid animals and I won't do it. Everyone has goals in their rabbitry.... and I want first and foremost to breed healthy animals with good immune systems. Your Goals are your ownDon't compare your goals to anyone else's. They are YOUR goals and as equally valid as anyone else's as long as the goal is to serve well the animals that you have. So having a goal of keeping meat rabbits in squalid, ill-kept conditions is something to fight against. But you don't need to fight against someone who breeds mutts, sells a few as pets and eats the rest. Keep your rabbits in good conditions, fed, watered, and treated kindly. And let others do the same even if their end goal varies from yours. What does it matter to you, me or anyone else?  Cull HardCull hard and cull often. Cull for reasons that suit your goals. Strong meat rabbits... cull the smaller or scrawny. Pet buns... cull the nervous, biting, neurotic, sick animals dead. Sell the rest. Get a reputation for selling steady calm animals. Show animals... snippy noses, bad ears, narrow rear, cull them all. Culling doesn't need to be killing animals, it could mean sending them off to a new home instead. Keep only what furthers your end goals Share your KnowledgeShare your knowledge. Sometimes that means having a child over for a day so they can "earn a rabbit". You talk bunnies all day, teach them how to care for them, feed them, and things to be watchful for. It's a good thing to do. Another time it might mean joining a facebook group, or a rabbit forum and when someone says "help", offering your help. I have learned that what I say on a meat rabbit forum can be phrased fairly bluntly, but saying the same thing on a pet rabbit forum sometimes means careful rewording. It is often a different lingo AND mindset and you need to respect the person you are talking to. Protect YourselfOver the years I've had to deal with a whole variety of people. Some of them turned out to be animal activists.
ERGO: I don't sell animals from my property. When people send me letters after buying a rabbit condemning everything about me and my house and lifestyle choices, I don't need to have you on my property to buy a young rabbit. Don't overshare about your life. Stick to the topic at hand. Talk bunnies, or mice, or the weather if you must. But keep your personal life out of the conversation. Encourage folks to join a rabbit club, or come to a show, be helpful and supportive and encourage them to broaden their horizons. :) Have a fairly clear sale policy. Just so people know what your policies are. Don't lock yourself into a long-term commitment beyond providing email support. State whether or not you take animals back, or if you provide a guarantee (or don't), and be honest about the animals you have. I sold a little broken black boy to a gal with twins. She was just the kind of person I love to serve. Asking good questions, and getting a good idea about the rabbits I have available. Then she, after letting me know what her children were like let me choose.  Two delightful children. But look who this little fellow chose to sleep with?  It's just simply too adorable.
This little bunny was first out his box, first to come for pets, first to eat alongside momma. I knew he was a boy from the get go, just part of how he acted. He's a precocious fellow and I think he will do well for them. |
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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