Rabbit Information!!! Bunnies!!!

[awesomefowl]

Hello BYCers,
I am writing a book, "The Encyclopedia of Micro-Farming" about farming in your suburban backyard, and am making animal and poultry breed profiles.
However, not being greatly interested in them (and rather allergic), I don't really know a ton about rabbits, but know that they are great animals for small spaces, tasty, fluffy, etc.
So this is the format for the breed profile:

Use to the farm:
Life span:
Husbandry ease:
Space requirements:
Housing requirements:
Temperament:
Noise:
Pros:
Cons:

Can I have some information about them please? Thank you! I am posting this query on BYC as well.

 

[awesomefowl]

I am NOT in a hurry....

TIA! (thanks in advance)

 

[awesomefowl]

well, i will stop posting

 

[Alicia G]

Well I have had rabbits for 6 years as 4-h animals so I know a little ablout them
Use at farm:Meat/Fur/Pet
Lifespan:not sure but Ive had rabbits live 6 years, friend had one live for 9 1/2
Husbandry ease:?
Space requirements:small rabbits(holland lops/ netherland dwarfs etc)2x2x3 minimum, large rabbits(rex/new zeland/calafornia etc) 2x2x4 1/2 minimum
house requirements:Need shelter from elements/predators;secure fenced in area to keep them from escaping, need to have warm secure area in winter;cool shade in summer(they can over heat easy)
Tempurementepends on the breed, but in general friendly and dosile when handled enough
Noise:little to none;rabbits are very quite though they may growl when threatened. Oh and if there hurt theyll tell ya! sounds like a baby screaming!
Pros:There very clean;they tend to have one spot were they choose to use the bathroom making them fairly easy to litter train. There also quiet(as I mentioned above) and are an easy and afordable pet to keep. I spend about 25$ a month for my rabbit
Cons:They are a soliatary animal so you cant keep rabbits togeather(they will attack each other) unless you are planning to breed them and even then if a doe is not in heat shell be agressive towards other rabbits. As well as being solitary they are a 'prey' animal so dogs and cats should not be aloud to be around your rabbbit unsupervised.They are also not the best animals for spay because they do have a higher risk of complications to seditives.

 

[awesomefowl]

Just what I needed to know! Thanks a lot!

 

[awesomefowl]

Anyone else?

 

[Lifesong Farm]

Other than adding a rabbits gestation is 31 days and a good meat rabbit should be up to weight and ready to process by 12 weeks of age.

 

[BBK]

rabbit poo, is one of those poos that can go directly into your garden, the rewards are great...

on the solitary thing... most of the time that's correct, but i have 2 males that chewed into each other pens(homemade cage) and now are together...they get along fine. They jump back and forth to each side. one side to eat and bathroom, the other side to sleep.
we have 3 Netherland Dwarf and 3 Lionheads...

Melinda

 

[Mattemma]

I got a black rabbit (8 weeks old) from a lady that breeds them for meat for her dogs.Some sort of ridgeback dog breed. The rabbit was nice until she hit her teens and became hormonal.Now she bites.She is about 2 or 3 now. Atleast her poo is useful for the garden.

I have not had any health issues with the rabbit.Besides biting she chews through plastic and wood like there is no tomorrow.When I had her cage in the living room I noticed too late that she was chewing the window trim next to her cage!

She likes various dried grasses and fresh fruit and veggies.

I had an uncle in Hungary that raised rabbits. I was quite young when we visited,but I do recall eating rabbit.The meat is quite good for people,so the market might increase demand.Honestly I don't know what method is used to kill the rabbits,but as with other animals we eat I find the killing to be the hard part.Prepping the meat for sale is easier than chickens!

I have my rabbit in a large dog crate,and added a shelf for her to hop up on.

 

[percyj]

To get rid of the hormonal issue, spaying/neutering works wonders, along with preventing many health issues.