The Bunny Chat Thread - For Bunny Owners

[ChocolateMouse]

The multi-faceted aspect to Rex led me to them too. Plus they have such amazing colors... NZWs are just so boring to look at after a while. I started by crossing rex and NZW after I had to get rid of a baby-eating Californian and replaced her with a rex and I never looked back. They're just so much sweeter and more fun.

 

[LapisLazuli]

New Zealand Whites are the best for meat if you are selling meat for a profit because they have the best Feed Conversion Ratio. People often breed them with other rabbits for more hybrid vigor but I suggest waiting until you know exactly what you are doing before you get that far unless its just convenient to buy a California Male after you bought a New Zealand female. Since Meat is likely not your top concern here and you want to sell some as pets, New Zealand Whites are not the best breed for selling pet rabbits because they eat a lot and pets do not need to be so meaty. People actually will not pay a lot for New Zealand Whites as pets because meat rabbit folks sell them for $10 a rabbit around here. I am in your boat and I choose Rex Rabbits because they have pet value, meat value and fur value. If one area fails me I have others to fall back on. However Rex Rabbits have their downfall, I really can not raise a standard rex on wire flooring because sore hocks are more likely although many people do raise them on wire floor with no problems. I just want to play it safe because sore hocks in a rabbit will depress me.
If I liked spinning Yarn I would get Angora Rabbits, I actually wish I knew someone who wanted rabbit wool to spin into yarn because I like the idea of combing rabbits for their fur than killing them for fur.

Actually I have a French Angora right now for fiber and a pet (not for meat) I do spin her fiber its very soft and warm! I use a hand spindle to spin her fiber you can learn more about hand spindles here. I'll have to check out Rex Rabbits!

 

[Compost King]

Actually I have a French Angora right now for fiber and a pet (not for meat) I do spin her fiber its very soft and warm! I use a hand spindle to spin her fiber you can learn more about hand spindles here. I'll have to check out Rex Rabbits!

that's so cool, they are made from meat and I believe could easily be sold as pets so you already have a decent rabbit but you already know all that so likely you are looking for another breed. Rex are like the opposite of Angora rabbits. Their plush fur is super short and every fur is the exact same length. It's like petting velvet when I pet my rabbits.

 

[Compost King]

Funny Rabbit story, I was out back doing some work and I stumbled across a wild rabbit in my path. I always stop and let them go where they want to go and observe what they eat when this happens. This wild rabbit started hoping towards me and I noticed that its color was off, its fur looked different as it hopped up to my feet and sniffed them just like my ... IT WAS MY CASTER FEMALE! I looked over to her pen and it was open. She had escaped. So I bent down to pick her up without startling her. She hopped before I could pick her up. I have had rabbits before so I have been through this before. I slowly followed her for about 10 minutes before she eventually let me pick her up and put her back in her pen. Previous times it took much longer. I forgot to lock the pen and she pushed the door open. I am about to put on a new lock that is easier to remember to lock.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

I've been enjoying reading everyone's posts recently about meat rabbits! I've thought about raising animals for meat at some point down the road...it may be tough because I'm such a big animal lover, but I've been learning to toughen up, particularly through my duck flock. Either way, there's no better way to learn more about rabbits than through experienced people! That's why I love this thread.

Funny Rabbit story, I was out back doing some work and I stumbled across a wild rabbit in my path. I always stop and let them go where they want to go and observe what they eat when this happens. This wild rabbit started hoping towards me and I noticed that its color was off, its fur looked different as it hopped up to my feet and sniffed them just like my ... IT WAS MY CASTER FEMALE! I looked over to her pen and it was open. She had escaped. So I bent down to pick her up without startling her. She hopped before I could pick her up. I have had rabbits before so I have been through this before. I slowly followed her for about 10 minutes before she eventually let me pick her up and put her back in her pen. Previous times it took much longer. I forgot to lock the pen and she pushed the door open. I am about to put on a new lock that is easier to remember to lock.

Oh wow! That must have been startling. My rabbits have gotten out once or twice, although I always caught them before they went more than a hop or two away from the cage. I just know given the chance, my one lion head would bolt no matter the fact he's lived with me 8 years...

 

[Teneniel]

I was just telling my daughter today that the best part of meat rabbit farming is having babies around all the time. And when they start to become pests it’s dinner time

I do Silver Foxes! They’re sweet, good mamas, and dual purpose. I’ve been eying Rexes hard though.

As for mites etc, I do a quarterly dusting and a monthly mineral oil ear prevention. We’ve been lucky so far with internal parasites. I do put ACV in the water and keep them in the elevated hutches on wet days. For a while I used that UK herbal supplement for deworming but it’s way too expensive to keep up

 

[A Peacock called Penelope]

I got him on 3rd September and I see no poop I'm getting worried I let him out today and he was exploring and moving around fine hes eating grass and peeing but I see no poop!
@EverythingDucks he was lying down in a resting position when I checked him and I didn't hear any grinding of teeth

 

[A Peacock called Penelope]

I put him in wire bottom so he can't eat it and I can know if hes pooping ill update at night after his dinner

 

[Fishychix]

I got him on 3rd September and I see no poop I'm getting worried I let him out today and he was exploring and moving around fine hes eating grass and peeing but I see no poop!
@EverythingDucks he was lying down in a resting position when I checked him and I didn't hear any grinding of teeth

Rabbits mostly poop at night. During the day they “redigest” their poops. I don’t remember the terminology, but hamsters do the same thing. When you see him cleaning his belly he’s actually gathering the soft day poops and “redigesting” it. You will see poos during the day, just not much.

 

[A Peacock called Penelope]

Rabbits mostly poop at night. During the day they “redigest” their poops. I don’t remember the terminology, but hamsters do the same thing. When you see him cleaning his belly he’s actually gathering the soft day poops and “redigesting” it. You will see poos during the day, just not much.

Let's see he will be staying in the wire bottom tonight I need to know