Needing some reasurances that I am not a terrible person!

[bossynbella]

Okay so I have been a member of another forum its UK based since before my Annie had her puppies. Today I made the "mistake" of posting in their rabbit area. I got ripped a new one A. for breeding rabbits they don't think are good enough quality (even though they have pedigrees and winners in their pedigrees) B. For letting my 5 week old kits out on the grass (they say they will get bloat??) C. for letting my chickens near the rabbits (say that they will give the rabbits cocidia ?) D. for wire floors and E. for my "tiny" cages. Now I am not saying I wouldn't like bigger ones. I even stated that in the post, but my cages are not "tiny" the smallest one we use for every day housing is 2' by2' and we use it for our mini rex. We are working on building much larger cages 2' deep by 4' long by 3' high, in those we will supply some area to get off the wire (we are saving up carpet squares 18" by 2'). Even now we try to at least give them a board, but I can't keep all wood/plastic cages clean enough. I need wire floors. Until I get the big cages finished (its a slow process with only one done a month(we both work full time opposite shifts and its hard to find time to work on it) we let the rabbits run for at least a hour every other day in the exercise pen in the grass, weather permitting. We also bring them inside, usually just one or two a week, and they get the run of the house for a day. I am not saying this makes it right, but I am attempting to give them the space they need. I use to have my rabbits running with my chickens and have never had an issue. I mean other people have chickens and rabbits together right? And honestly by together- well I will just post you the picture. The rabbit is in a cage in one half of the garage (winter time) There is a chicken wire and wood wall dividing the two sides. The chickens are on the other side trying to figure out why I am not taking their pictures.

I have never had an issue with letting young kits eat grass, we always like to let the mom and litter out as soon as the kits are big enough to not fit through the sides, it lets them have more room and they love eating the green stuff. Should I be concerned about this?
I have bred much less quality rabbits over time. I felt like these are some of the best rabbits I have had. I posted to share "what I thought" was my beautiful rabbits and I got told that other then my satins, they all are poor specimins who should be sterilized and not used for breeding.
Here are the pictures. I should just learn to stick with BYC. But maybe, they are right?

Buster - R9 - Siamese satin buck

Sage -Sage - Siamese Satin doe

Buster and Sage kits

Sage and Busters 5 month old daughters from second litter last year

Alex - Mini Lop Buck

Eva - Mini lop doe

Ninja - Mini lop Doe

Alex and Ninja kits

Dew- Cedar Bluff's Dew - Mini rex buck

Jane - Smith's Nightmares - Mini rex doe

Dew and Jane's kits

 

[duck walk]

Your bunnies are beautiful and are in great condition...don't let the nit picky nay sayers get you down...when I had bunnies they were kept in wire bottom rabbit cages with baby saver wire around the base...they had a board to sit on off the wire...the cages were 36"X36" and were plenty roomy...the weaning pen was 3' X 8' and had hardware clothe on the bottom...they also had some wooden planks to sit on off the wire...I had a few purebreds and many mixes...I belonged to the ARBA for a time until I met people like you referenced in your post...nothing good to say about anything other than themselves...obnoxious and critical...you find that in every area of life...my animals are here for me and I love them...and if someone does not like the way I take care of them, which I do very well btw, those busy bodies can just leave my ground and leave me alone...SOME people get very snooty about things...I don't have time for that kind of nonsense...like I said, I have my dogs, cats, and birds for me, not to please others...your guys are really pretty and obviously well cared for...that is what matters...

 

[jettgirl24]

I have owned rabbits in the past but I am by no means a rabbit expert... I can't speak to putting the kits out on the grass as I know nothing about that. However your buns all look healthy and happy. It sounds like you put a lot of thought, time and energy into keeping them that way which is something a terrible person would not do!

 

[punk-a-doodle]

I may be able to help in one area. In England, "mini-lops" are basically our holland lops, though they can be even smaller than in England. They may be looking at the size or other qualities of your minis and comparing them to theirs, even though they are different breeds. In general, I find the standards they breed their dogs, rabbits, etc. to are different than in the states. I find AR has been having an increasingly larger presence over there as well, so something like having them on wire may no longer be acceptable to many there. Not sure, been a while since I lived there.

To me, your rabbits are beautiful, and I would definitely consider buying from you. The topline of your minis looks more to standard than many I see being bred.

I remember another thread about your mini babies, and how they may be having problems with helicopter ears. I have no idea when their ears drop, but that would be something to consider when breeding if that is the case. Your cages look clean and rabbits healthy. And that is what is most important to me. That rabbits are being bred for health.

 

[Glenmar]

They look great to me.

 

[Sword]

I'm not a rabbit expert, but they look pretty, happy and healthy to me.

 

[key west chick]

I know nothing about rabbits, but as far as cocci, its species specific. Your chickens wont give your bunnies cocci or the other way around.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Your rabbits look clean, healthy and well cared for and that's all that matters. Some forums just have a lot of those "better then thou" folks. Sometimes it's a clique of long time or charter member folks. I've run into that before. Once one gets started on something they all jump on the band wagon.

As far as youngsters getting some time on the grass... I do it all the time. The breeder I bought my rabbits from does it all the time. The bunnies have great fun running about with mom and nibbling the grass. There has never been a problem. Some people have the idea that a rabbit should never eat grass, or even greens. I think it's ridiculous. I suppose if a bun was starving and you never fed it anything else and it gobbled a huge amount of grass it may cause a problem. I don't see that being the case in your situation.

Very pretty rabbits, Satins and Mini Rex are big favorites in our house!

 

[debilorrah]

Your set up is fine. I have drop bottoms as well, and I say it is better for them to NOT sit in their waste. We do have a solid area in the cage they can lay down, however, I rarely find them using it!!!! I think those people over there are a bit too snooty for their britches. I can say that, I am of British heritage.

And I am bettin none of those people are judging for ARBA at shows state side, so I would say let THEM tell you what quality you have. Seriously! I can look at someones rabbit and think "Mine is much nicer than that one" and they have multiple championships. I am not a judge. I let them tell me what is best and why. They know what they are doing.

Your bunnies are adorable. Are your lops minis or hollands? Here, the hollands are max 4 lbs (ARBA standard) and the minis are a bit larger, I think 7 1/2 lbs.

 

[zazouse]

They look fine and health in the photos i would not worry about the comments, somebody always got something to say about nothing.
We use scrap sheetrock (unpainted)as resting boards, they are free ,disposable and if the chew on them in helps file down their teeth.