Help! Convincing Parents to Start a Rabbitry!

[Me and Bun-uccino]

Hello! I need some help figuring out how to let my parents start breeding. I haven't told them yet as I don't really know how to bring up the conversation to them as I am a very self conscious person. I have no idea how to bring up the subject and show that my parents that I am really interested into doing that sort of thing. Just to know I want to breed mainly for the reason to show and for the purpose to improve the breed. I have been researching for almost a year and I would like to get a summer job and get the rabbits in the fall. That's also when my birthday is so I can ask my parents to pay for a few things to count it as my birthday gifts. Any suggestions would help!

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

I'm not all too sure how to convince your parents, because all parents are different. And it's the kid's job to figure out how to annoy them enough to get their way . I would think of all the reasons that your parents would say no, and then counteract them with ways to get them to say yes.

1. They don't have enough money to care for kits all the time? Offer to get a job and pay for most of the things.
2. Not enough space? Find space (but still keep everything ethical, large insulated outdoor hutches if you are going to do it outside, and large indoor enclosures if you are going to do it inside. BlueCloverRabbitry has a really nice indoor set-up.
3. They don't deem you responsible enough? You will just have to deal with it and help them realised that you are responsible.

Breeding rabbits, isn't exactly easy, although they do breed like rabbits. @zuppa breeds, I think.

 

[Me and Bun-uccino]

I'm not all too sure how to convince your parents, because all parents are different. And it's the kid's job to figure out how to annoy them enough to get their way . I would think of all the reasons that your parents would say no, and then counteract them with ways to get them to say yes.

1. They don't have enough money to care for kits all the time? Offer to get a job and pay for most of the things.
2. Not enough space? Find space (but still keep everything ethical, large insulated outdoor hutches if you are going to do it outside, and large indoor enclosures if you are going to do it inside. BlueCloverRabbitry has a really nice indoor set-up.
3. They don't deem you responsible enough? You will just have to deal with it and help them realised that you are responsible.

Breeding rabbits, isn't exactly easy, although they do breed like rabbits. @zuppa breeds, I think.

Thank you! I will think about that! But I haven't really figured out what they will not like about it and I think I will have to come up with a list of possible objections and my counter claims as you said. I will probably house them in our small shed. And thank you again!

 

[Preitler]

Any way to get into 4H or anything like that?

 

[SableSteel]

Do you already have rabbits? Are they (or it) a show quality rabbit?
Definitely look into 4H or FFA if those are options around you. Those are youth programs that help teach kids how to show & breed rabbits.
You might also want to start slowly; convince them you want to show rabbits, then buy a show rabbit without plans to breed yet. Visit all the shows you can and talk to all the breeders you can. Make sure that it's really something you're interested in as well. You can learn 100x better hands on at shows, talking to breeders, finding a breeder-mentor near you, than you can from any research online.
And work on plans & responsibilities with them. When I was 13 I really, really wanted to breed pigeons... I wrote a 10 page essay with a budget, and all the 'what if's' I could think of, and my family caved. A budget it a big one; also what you are going to do with the baby rabbits if they don't sell.

 

[majorv]

My daughter got into rabbits while she was in FFA, and she liked it so much that after high school she continued showing, and even got me into it also. It was a fun mother-daughter activity. Maybe once you get started you’ll find one of your parents will want to show also!

 

[Me and Bun-uccino]

Do you already have rabbits? Are they (or it) a show quality rabbit?
Definitely look into 4H or FFA if those are options around you. Those are youth programs that help teach kids how to show & breed rabbits.
You might also want to start slowly; convince them you want to show rabbits, then buy a show rabbit without plans to breed yet. Visit all the shows you can and talk to all the breeders you can. Make sure that it's really something you're interested in as well. You can learn 100x better hands on at shows, talking to breeders, finding a breeder-mentor near you, than you can from any research online.
And work on plans & responsibilities with them. When I was 13 I really, really wanted to breed pigeons... I wrote a 10 page essay with a budget, and all the 'what if's' I could think of, and my family caved. A budget it a big one; also what you are going to do with the baby rabbits if they don't sell.

Yes I have a rabbit but she isn't show quality. I think getting a show rabbit at first is a very good idea so I will think into trying that. I found a mentor on youtube on accident and he/she has been very helpful! I have figured out a good plan for that as well. Thanks!

 

[Me and Bun-uccino]

My daughter got into rabbits while she was in FFA, and she liked it so much that after high school she continued showing, and even got me into it also. It was a fun mother-daughter activity. Maybe once you get started you’ll find one of your parents will want to show also!

I could never imagine my parents doing anything like that, but I could definitely see my brother wanting to do it!

 

[Me and Bun-uccino]

Any way to get into 4H or anything like that?

Well I wasn't REALLY planning on getting into 4-h, but if it helps I will probably join!

 

[Button]

Tell your parents how they benifit people with mental health or special needs and just in general. Tell them that you want to help others and this is a way you can do that!

 

[Me and Bun-uccino]

Tell your parents how they benifit people with mental health or special needs and just in general. Tell them that you want to help others and this is a way you can do that!

Sounds good thanks!

 

[Hoppy Land]

Make alot of research and show your parents that are really serious into that
I personally made research and price calculations and stuff like that at least 1year before getting my first rabbit!
Now my parents knew that I am a really serious person and when I want to do or get something I get it lol

So yeah, show them your interest and prove them that you will not just let go after few months

 

[Me and Bun-uccino]

Make alot of research and show your parents that are really serious into that
I personally made research and price calculations and stuff like that at least 1year before getting my first rabbit!
Now my parents knew that I am a really serious person and when I want to do or get something I get it lol

So yeah, show them your interest and prove them that you will not just let go after few months

Thanks! I have a spreadsheet in the works that I have been adding onto to see how my expenses are going to go!

 

[Hollandblaze03]

One thing to keep in mind is make sure that you really want to commit to this. There are a lot of very hard things that you have to do. I started breeding in November of 2019. This was a very expensive project to start. I don’t know what breed of rabbits you want to raise but I raise holland lops and My breeding does and bucks cost about $200/$300 each . Another thing to think about is WHY you want to breed. Please don’t breed just to have cute baby bunnies or just so that you can sell them and make money. There are so many rabbits in shelters right now so if you breed, you should either breed for meat, or breed to improve the rabbits. It’s good that you are doing research on cost but also do research on diseases and what can go wrong. Learn to expect the unexpected. In my first litter, the doe and 4 babies and only 2 survived. 2 dies because of a unknown disease. It was very very sad but I had to keep moving to take care of the last 2 babies. I had to convince my parents to let me start this project. I don’t know how old you are or what you parents are like but mine were pretty hard to convince. They thought it was a joke when I first mentioned it. My biggest tip to you is actually sit them down and have a long conversation about it. Give them all the information and ask them to think about it and do their own research. Other than that, good luck.

 

[Happy Hollands]

I'm not going to lie, this is a tough subject to break to them! coming from me, a teenager who started my own rabbitry in September 2019!!

I actually have some advice for you, not so much your parents. if you currently own a rabbit, then you clearly know the responsibility and amount of work that a rabbit is. now imagine 10x that. baby bunnies are a LOT of work, and owning a rabbitry can be quite emotional. you have to be prepared for losing baby rabbits unexpectedly, valuable mothers dying in labor, and many other health problems. with school (and afternoon part-time job if you're like me) it can be a lot to balance. Rabbits need constant attention, and I'll be the first to admit I couldn't do it without my parents. my mom still helps check in on the babies and make sure they all have food / water when I'm at school. so keep that in mind - are your parents animal people? I feel like the bad does balance out with the good, but it still can be very stressful and emotional at times.

after much time and research, this is the way I started my rabbitry and I hope that you will consider doing the same. Don't go straight in and buy multiple does and a stud or two. I recommend getting one doe to start, and borrow a stud from a local breeder. expect to pay a fee of around $20 to $40 for the breeding or the breeding in exchange for pick of the litter. I recommend paying them a fee over a baby bunny because babies tend to be a lot more valuable than $50. at least for me - with purebred holland lops, I get around $200 to $300 dollars each, with the occasional $350. this is not always the case, especially if the bunnies are not in demand or not pedigreed. as mentioned earlier, always have a backup plan on what to do if your baby bunnies do not sell. mine is to reach out to people I've seen on craigslist who are wanting a special needs baby bunny, and give for free if it has special needs / something wrong and this person is willing to give it a good home. if a rabbit has seriously something wrong, the humane society can always help but be prepared for them to take it away once three+ months old, and for you to never hear about them again unfortunately. my most common method, is to use my empty cage that I have designated for baby rabbits. sometimes mom needs a break, so once the babies are over 8/9 weeks that's where they go. thankfully, my rabbits have been in high demand so far, and I have never had any NOT reserved by the time they're meant to go home.

anyways, my most valuable advice is to always go with PEDIGREED stock, quality over quantity, and start small. be prepared to invest into quality proven (had successful litters in the past) does / bucks that are somewhere in age of 10 months, to 3 years - preferably no older than that, as they tend to slow down at around 4 years. you should start with a big budget on buying stock, around $250 to $300 per rabbit. I got lucky starting out my rabbitry, doing a "borrow out" with a local rabbitry's doe. if you're not familiar with this, basically you pay them a flat fee of $100-$200 and a returnable deposit of what the rabbit is worth (i.e. $250) That is returned upon the doe in good health condition. this deposit includes stud service and the backup one if she didn't take on her first litter, and constant support from the breeder on any questions you may have.

hopefully this helps! I wish I could go back in time until my younger self all of this, but since I can't the best I can do is help you if you have any questions, or are confused of any of this, please reach out to me and privately message me! I would love to help, and see updates of your babies once you decide to start a rabbitry in the fall!

 

[Happy Hollands]

I'm not all too sure how to convince your parents, because all parents are different. And it's the kid's job to figure out how to annoy them enough to get their way . I would think of all the reasons that your parents would say no, and then counteract them with ways to get them to say yes.

1. They don't have enough money to care for kits all the time? Offer to get a job and pay for most of the things.
2. Not enough space? Find space (but still keep everything ethical, large insulated outdoor hutches if you are going to do it outside, and large indoor enclosures if you are going to do it inside. BlueCloverRabbitry has a really nice indoor set-up.
3. They don't deem you responsible enough? You will just have to deal with it and help them realised that you are responsible.

Breeding rabbits, isn't exactly easy, although they do breed like rabbits. @zuppa breeds, I think.

I totally agree. Make sure your rabbits have humane conditions - please no small wire cages! Even though you are starting a breeding business, still consider these animals pets, and not just your source of income!!! I am local with blue clover rabbitry, and I totally agree that they have the perfect indoor setups! I can provide pictures if you would like, or check out their Instagram. many people do not know this, but she started out with outside wire cages, and once her business grew she moved the bunnies inside and built them hard floor cages. I actually copied their idea for cages, and made mine 24 sq ft - theirs are 5 x 3 ft big, which is fine for a breeding business, but I had more room, hence the bigger cages which are 4 x 6 ft big. the best flooring is vinyl, but another flooring option is the well-loved foam puzzle piece mats (if your bunny is not a chewer). vinyl is the easiest to clean, especially with many baby bunnies running around! pee stains and poops come up very easily, and takes no time to clean!

I recommend having your rabbitry set up in a garage, or some covered area because this will prevent loss of baby bunnies due to freezing. if a litter is very valuable to me, once babies are a few days old, and it is winter, I will take the nesting box away from her and give it to her twice a day for feedings. this eliminates the chance of the baby's freezing. It's worth it, and saves the cost of a heat lamp!

 

[Me and Bun-uccino]

One thing to keep in mind is make sure that you really want to commit to this. There are a lot of very hard things that you have to do. I started breeding in November of 2019. This was a very expensive project to start. I don’t know what breed of rabbits you want to raise but I raise holland lops and My breeding does and bucks cost about $200/$300 each . Another thing to think about is WHY you want to breed. Please don’t breed just to have cute baby bunnies or just so that you can sell them and make money. There are so many rabbits in shelters right now so if you breed, you should either breed for meat, or breed to improve the rabbits. It’s good that you are doing research on cost but also do research on diseases and what can go wrong. Learn to expect the unexpected. In my first litter, the doe and 4 babies and only 2 survived. 2 dies because of a unknown disease. It was very very sad but I had to keep moving to take care of the last 2 babies. I had to convince my parents to let me start this project. I don’t know how old you are or what you parents are like but mine were pretty hard to convince. They thought it was a joke when I first mentioned it. My biggest tip to you is actually sit them down and have a long conversation about it. Give them all the information and ask them to think about it and do their own research. Other than that, good luck.

Yes I am ready and committed for the rabbits that I will be bringing into the world. I appreciate the information that you provided!

 

[Me and Bun-uccino]

I'm not going to lie, this is a tough subject to break to them! coming from me, a teenager who started my own rabbitry in September 2019!!

I actually have some advice for you, not so much your parents. if you currently own a rabbit, then you clearly know the responsibility and amount of work that a rabbit is. now imagine 10x that. baby bunnies are a LOT of work, and owning a rabbitry can be quite emotional. you have to be prepared for losing baby rabbits unexpectedly, valuable mothers dying in labor, and many other health problems. with school (and afternoon part-time job if you're like me) it can be a lot to balance. Rabbits need constant attention, and I'll be the first to admit I couldn't do it without my parents. my mom still helps check in on the babies and make sure they all have food / water when I'm at school. so keep that in mind - are your parents animal people? I feel like the bad does balance out with the good, but it still can be very stressful and emotional at times.

after much time and research, this is the way I started my rabbitry and I hope that you will consider doing the same. Don't go straight in and buy multiple does and a stud or two. I recommend getting one doe to start, and borrow a stud from a local breeder. expect to pay a fee of around $20 to $40 for the breeding or the breeding in exchange for pick of the litter. I recommend paying them a fee over a baby bunny because babies tend to be a lot more valuable than $50. at least for me - with purebred holland lops, I get around $200 to $300 dollars each, with the occasional $350. this is not always the case, especially if the bunnies are not in demand or not pedigreed. as mentioned earlier, always have a backup plan on what to do if your baby bunnies do not sell. mine is to reach out to people I've seen on craigslist who are wanting a special needs baby bunny, and give for free if it has special needs / something wrong and this person is willing to give it a good home. if a rabbit has seriously something wrong, the humane society can always help but be prepared for them to take it away once three+ months old, and for you to never hear about them again unfortunately. my most common method, is to use my empty cage that I have designated for baby rabbits. sometimes mom needs a break, so once the babies are over 8/9 weeks that's where they go. thankfully, my rabbits have been in high demand so far, and I have never had any NOT reserved by the time they're meant to go home.

anyways, my most valuable advice is to always go with PEDIGREED stock, quality over quantity, and start small. be prepared to invest into quality proven (had successful litters in the past) does / bucks that are somewhere in age of 10 months, to 3 years - preferably no older than that, as they tend to slow down at around 4 years. you should start with a big budget on buying stock, around $250 to $300 per rabbit. I got lucky starting out my rabbitry, doing a "borrow out" with a local rabbitry's doe. if you're not familiar with this, basically you pay them a flat fee of $100-$200 and a returnable deposit of what the rabbit is worth (i.e. $250) That is returned upon the doe in good health condition. this deposit includes stud service and the backup one if she didn't take on her first litter, and constant support from the breeder on any questions you may have.

hopefully this helps! I wish I could go back in time until my younger self all of this, but since I can't the best I can do is help you ☺ if you have any questions, or are confused of any of this, please reach out to me and privately message me! I would love to help, and see updates of your babies once you decide to start a rabbitry in the fall!

Thank you so much! Though I think I will start out with perhaps 2 does and 1 buck since I will be able to transfer the kits, but at the same time have a small amount of rabbits. I also looked into the stud service option but the breeders around my area don't do it. Thanks again!

 

[SableSteel]

By the way, I am an ARBA judge so if you ever have questions about breeding show rabbits, feel free to message me I am always happy to talk rabbits.

 

[Me and Bun-uccino]

By the way, I am an ARBA judge so if you ever have questions about breeding show rabbits, feel free to message me I am always happy to talk rabbits.

I'd love to! I'm not all full of questions, but there is still room for learning!