rabbit purposes other than meat or fibre?

[Cinnamon Roll]

We have only taken one to the vet, my husband’s favorite boy went to get neutered so we could keep him in with the does.

I may take our 5 keepers to the vet eventually. RHVD2 has come to our area and there is a vaccine, but it has to be imported and will probably be expensive. That is why we won’t be breeding any more rabbits, in practical terms I can’t afford to lose a lot of rabbits to disease and lose all the meat we would be depending on... we will keep our favorite and raise chickens for meat this summer instead.

 

[AAcres]

We have only taken one to the vet, my husband’s favorite boy went to get neutered so we could keep him in with the does.

I may take our 5 keepers to the vet eventually. RHVD2 has come to our area and there is a vaccine, but it has to be imported and will probably be expensive. That is why we won’t be breeding any more rabbits, in practical terms I can’t afford to lose a lot of rabbits to disease and lose all the meat we would be depending on... we will keep our favorite and raise chickens for meat this summer instead.

do you deworm rabbits? is this something that’s done if they are kept outside?

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

I have never dewormed them. I don’t know if the climate here (very dry) just doesn’t allow a lot of parasites or what but I’ve never had a problem with parasites in my rabbits, goats, dogs or cats.

I am pretty hands-off with them in general, since they are livestock to me. I treat some illnesses or injuries to give the rabbit a chance but I wouldn’t keep any of those for breeding. With a colony anything that needs treatment means I have to catch the rabbit and that causes them a lot of stress so I don’t do it often.

 

[cassie]

do you all regularly vet check your rabbits? for vaccinations/deworming? or if something is wrong with one?
I know with our ducks we don’t take them to the vet (there’s no avian vet around where I am) and we treat any injuries or sicknesses ourselves

I never vaccinated or dewormed my rabbits. My rabbits were on wire so they were not exposed to worms and I have no idea what you would need to vaccinate them for, at least in this country. They were never exposed to wild rabbits.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

If you are in the US you should be aware that RHDV2 is now here and spreading. Hopefully it is not in your area. That is a vaccine that many have been looking into for their rabbits.

Some of the information I’ve read says that it can spread by flies or contact with contaminated hay and straw, so it is very hard to keep your rabbits 100% safe even if they aren’t in direct contact with wild rabbits.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

I never worm.

 

[AAcres]

If you are in the US you should be aware that RHDV2 is now here and spreading. Hopefully it is not in your area. That is a vaccine that many have been looking into for their rabbits.

Some of the information I’ve read says that it can spread by flies or contact with contaminated hay and straw, so it is very hard to keep your rabbits 100% safe even if they aren’t in direct contact with wild rabbits.

I’m actually in Canada so I’ll have to look to see if it’s a thing here!

do you all feed timothy hay or just pellets?
if you feed just pellets what do you do to keep their teeth down?

 

[Tre3hugger]

I just got two rabbits this week. I have been feeding them 4oz pellets (18% protein) a day, with handful of timothy. I have a wooden chew toy hanging from the top of the cage, the fruit kebab style ones.

do you all feed timothy hay or just pellets?
if you feed just pellets what do you do to keep their teeth down?

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

I’m actually in Canada so I’ll have to look to see if it’s a thing here!

do you all feed timothy hay or just pellets?
if you feed just pellets what do you do to keep their teeth down?

I feed pellets, grass hay (whatever is available), tree branches, and assorted treats. They also eat whatever plants are growing in their yard: grass, weeds, lilac bushes, etc. Sometimes treats are sunflower seeds, oats, apples or carrots. Besides the tree branches they also chew the wood shelters that I built them so I haven’t seen any overgrown teeth.

 

[EverythingDucks]

Poop and pets.
As people have already mentioned, rabbit poop is great for gardens especially since you don't have to compost.
If you litter train them you can throw all the litter and everything in the garden.

If you setup an enclosed pen for them they'll eat grass and weeds outside. And pinecones make great toys.


Rabbits make great pets for people willing to provide them with a proper enclosure with plenty of space and lots of time to bond with them.
A lot of people litter train their rabbits and let them free roam around their house or in a room.