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If I recall all my details correctly, these three boys headed off to Glencoe, to join a family with guinea pigs. They used to raised meat rabbits so they are quite familiar with how bunnies behave.    Brothers three, from Cookie and Calypso, Feb 24 born. They will live together until they decide they no longer wish to do so.
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 This little boy off TipTop and Pete born Feb 24 is going to a home with two excited parents, a middle schooler and a highschool freshman if I remember everything correctly. A sweet mite, he should make an excellent pet for his new people.
The debate comes up every single year. Should people sell bunnies at Easter, or close up shop until Easter is over. In the past I've been on the fence, but now... I say do whatever works for you. If you want to sell bunnies, do that. If you don't think it's a good idea, then don't. In today's post I thought I'd give you the pros and cons of selling Bunnies at Easter.  The ConsThe biggest con of selling bunnies at Easter 1. Impulse shoppers, the people who go, "OH!! It's Easter, I'd better get a bunny for the kids!" These folks are usually pretty easy to spot as they want the cheapest bunny, doesn't matter the colour OR they want the flashiest bunny for the lowest price they can bargain for. They usually ONLY want babies, no adults need apply and they ask questions like "does it bite", "they do okay on carrots right?" "is it friendly with kids?" Think it through if you want to sell to these folks, I've seen the good and the bad come out of this... more good than bad to be honest. In 15 years of raising rabbits I've had less than 15 returned, about 40 rehomed by six months, but many (if not most) live out their lives in the homes they went to. All in all that's less than 5% of rabbits sold. 2. For my two year old. I have to admit that this in particular one drives me crazy. Who buys a pet for their two year old? A toddler can't take care of themselves much less a rabbit. I've actually talked people OUT of getting a bunny because they honestly thought a two year could care for a bunny on their own. It still boggles my mind. 3. HRS agenda; The house rabbit society would happily tell you not to buy a bunny at Easter because they are the third most abandoned rabbit in the US. They fail to tell you this is a meaningless statistic. Rabbits are lumped together with ANY OTHER small animal abandoned in the states so of course they are going to come in third. Seriously, any group of animals that is all be lumped together would come in third after cats and dogs. Lizards are the third most abandoned pets, birds are the third most abandoned pet etc etc. ...  The Pros1. Spring time babies: People like to say that rabbits will breed all year round. NUTS TO THAT! There are three months in the later fall where it is difficult to get your does bred. Come mid-January and the does are like "HEY!! We want to be mommas!" Seasonal challenges are real, but breed in January/February and you'll have babies ready to leave homes at ... Easter. That's just how the math goes. So selling bunnies at Easter is more like selling bunnies when they are old enough to leave home and Easter just happens to be there. The sheer number of people who tell me "I've been waiting and waiting for baby bunnies, I'm so glad you have them, we've been planning on adding a bunny, and this way I can make it an Easter present". What parents doesn't like to kill two birds with one stone?
2. Adding a pet: Just because it happens to be Easter, why shouldn't we allow people to add a pet to their household? What does the time of year have to do with anything? A bunny is a bunny at Easter, the same way it is in July. 3. Smiles. Don't you think smiles are worth something? An excited child who has been waiting all year and proven herself, allowed to pick out the bunny she's been working so hard toward? 4. Education. Since people are buying bunnies with a purpose (to be a child or family pet) you have more time at Easter to properly educate people on the care and needs of bunnies. Once people know the basics, they are enabled to give the bunny a good start and as they become more comfortable decide how they want to raise their bunny.  This little fellow off Webb and Band, born on Feb 15 is on his way to his new home. Practicing social distancing I've discovered is really easy when sending bunnies off to their new homes. A lovely little loppy.
 These two girls from Pond and Calypso born on Feb 6 left to go to their new homes today. They are good girls who should do well in their new home. Apparently they'll be sharing a large horse stall.
 This darker nosed girlie from Pond and Calypso found herself into a new home today. A Mid-February girlie she'll enjoy a pet home.
 Every year I have to go through my herd and decide who I am keeping or who I am replacing. Every person who runs a rabbitry needs to make these decisions. So just how does one do this? Decide on your goalsFirst you need to decide on your goals for your rabbitry. Meat, fur, pets, or show. Whatever your purpose is for raising rabbits needs to be your priority when choosing replacement animals. A person who raises rabbits for to be companion animals should be focusing on temperament and health. A person raising for the show circuit wants an animal that has sound conformation and good colour and so forth. Focus first on your main priority. Secondary goalsJust because you are focused on one goal doesn't mean that your other goals don't matter. For instance just because you want good meat rabbits, doesn't mean you can't have pretty colours and rabbits that are friendly. Just because you raise companion animals doesn't mean you can't aspire to raise show animals. Early Choices this Spring This spring I am holding back these four. One boy (dark nose on the end) and three girls. I raise companion animals so temperament is important, but one of my goals is to breed chocolate tricolours. Three of these bunnies either are chocolate or carry chocolate and all have tricolour in their background. The buck I'm keeping because he's got a decent head and I sold mamma a bit ago and want to carry on something from her line. I am hopeful that the one sitting up pretty on the end will have decent conformation and... that if covid ever lifts that I can show her in the fall. She's a little fine-boned bone but she has good colour, sits up pretty. Time will tell Sometimes the Best Laid PlansSometimes you keep a bunny back and by the time they hit 5-6 months you realize they are not turning out the way you thought they would. These bunnies often go to the homes of other breeders or get leave as a companion animal. It's part of keeping bunnies... how bunnies grow out doesn't always make sense.
Five Kits in a well made nest. A mix of light and dark kits. Watch Me Grow This Jan 29 lad off Tangle and Play has such a sweet temperament that I was delighted to send him off to his new home today.  A Feb 15 lad off Webb and Band, this lad has a calm inquisitive outlook on the world.  Pond and Calypso provided this lad on Feb 6, a happy go lucky boy.
 This Feb 15 boy off Trebel and Pete found his way into a Toronto home today. The family that took him is well experienced with rabbits.
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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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