Starting with Rabbits...Lionheads. First show this weekend!

[NellaBean]

I normally build everything 2 feet deep, precisely for that reason.....I thought 30" might be workable. I'll have to check when I am outside. I have 24" deep cages, and 42" deep cages....those are ridiculous to catch in....obviously I did not build those!

My own dogs are very rabbit aggressive unfortunately. My current plan is to build a pen around the big panel of cages. That way they can't even get next to the cages. My dogs do not stay outside unattended and my yard has a perimeter fence so other dogs should not be an issue.

Also, I do plan on making solid floors....I had considered making the bottom level mesh with catch bins underneath, but I think I will stick with solid floors. My current bunny has impeccable litter box manners......hopefully the others will be at least decent.

Pix once its built, of course.

 

[NellaBean]

Here are the newest 2 does. These are both pedigreed girls....Siamese Sable is 1 year old and the blue pointed doe is about 4 months.

They are just gorgeous.

I have everyone in the house tonight and then will be moving both of these girls out to a pair of chicken brooders I have outside, tomorrow. The babies will stay inside a few weeks so they can be handled more often.

 

[mom2jedi]

Quote:
If you don't mind the advice, I would stick with the wire floor idea. I had DH build me a hutch for my two rabbits and I had him make the back foot of the floor wood with the rest of it wire. I wish I'd had him make the entire bottom wire and just give them a piece of wood to stand on. Even though my doe is litter box trained she still goes on the wood sometimes. It is a pain in the butt to clean. My buck (I thought he was box trained) sometimes goes in his box but most of the time just moves it out of the way and pees on the wood anyway (little snot). You can still give them litter boxes on a wire floor cage to use and if they do great, but it saves you having to scrub and sanitize wood that can't be moved.

ETA Your new additions are super cute! Have fun with them!

 

[hillbillycitygirl]

we have new zealands and californians, they all have been heavily handled by myself and my kids and husband and are so super lovey. We just got two new little ladies the other day, its fun to have babies around...I love spring babies!

 

[hillbillycitygirl]

@ Nellabean, your bunnies are adorable. We used to raise angoras when I was little and I just loved it, they remind me of my little ladies! ): Miss them

 

[Sachasmom]

I second the wire floor. Its easier to clean, and far more sanitary then wood floors which can harbour mites or Coccidia.

You could give them one of those plastic matts with the holes so the poops fall thru. Lionheads shouldn't have an issue with sore hocks though on wire like some larger breeds or Standard Rex do.

Just make sure you get FLOOR wire and not mesh/hardwire cloth. (Even tho LH poops would fall thru the mesh wire!) The hardwire cloth will rip up their feet. I use 1/2 by 1 for my floors, I forget what gauge they are tho.

 

[NellaBean]

Just an update to this.

I decided to sit and take a good look at my goals. I don't want to create tons of pet quality bunnies and perpetuate that problem....I want to work on improving the breed and keeping, showing and breeding quality stock.

Therefore, I sold all 3 of the original lionheads. 2 boys went to a pet home together, the doe went to a nice lady I met at the show I got her from.

Obviously I kept the Siamese Sable.

The Blue pointed young doe.

For a bit of a project, I found a sibling pair of Harlequin looking Lionheads. They are young and are just going to sit around for a few months and grow up. I REALLY like the little buck though. He is the one in the grass, the doe is bigger and darker (and standing up in pic)

I made a huge road trip yesterday to pick up some good stock to start with.

Another young Siamese Sable doe

A Frosted Pearl doe

A Sable Point doe

Another Sable Point doe

Sable Point buck

I also "rescued" a broken chestnut doe. She was a bit overbred (like every 4 weeks for months on end) and needs a few months at the spa before she is even re-evaluated. She is actually a very well bred and EXPENSIVE girl, but she is just going to be a pet until she is well recovered. I don't have a picture of her.

and the very last piece of the puzzle? this Lionhead Buck that I am to pick up this coming weekend.

I think these guys will give me a GREAT start. The sable points do not have pedigrees, as don't the harlequin. Everybody else does.

 

[NellaBean]

Finally got new pictures of the Siamese Sable doe.

And the "rescued" broken chestnut doe. She is a funny girl. She was given a bad haircut, so she looks a bit weird.

Finally going to build cages Monday morning.....the new bunnies are in the house in their travel cages still. Going to build some hutches with 24x30 cages.....all wire bottoms (yes, I took your advice), wire front but plywood walls (back and sides). Undecided if I will do 2 high or 3 high. Going to make 4 foot cages split in half with removable dividers. If I can make 6-8 individual sections (so either 1 6 hole or 2 4 holes) I will be good to go for now. I am also going to make dividers for my existing cages.

 

[Chickencoop1996]

Nice rabbits I started breeding lionheads las year and just love them I currently only have 2 does and 3 bucks I need to get rid of some bucks to make room for does.

 

[NellaBean]

First show this weekend!

Bringing my siamese sable senior doe.

Siamese sable junior doe

2 young girls
#1

#2

considering bringing the blue pointed white doe....she would probably be a senior as she is borderline and a bit big...could not get her to cooperate today

Also got new pix of a few others

Miss Fancy

Tiffany and her bad hairdo....slowly growing back