How do breeders manage...

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

irishbunny wrote:

...with 100+ rabbits? I know some of you probably have that many or more rabbits, how the heck do you manage it? Especially if it's just you and your family running it? Like how do you manage to keep all the cages clean? Pay for feed? Pay for vets bills? Make sure their all handled? Make sure they get out time? Make surethey areall healthy? Why do you feel you need to keep that many rabbits?Basically I want to know how you manage all that stuff, I know if I get into breeding properly I'd never be able to keep all them unless I was a millionaire. The most I'd keep is like, 12. What's your secret?

I only have 10 rabbits at the moment, but babies will be here soon.

How we manage our rabbitry is, we clean cages about 1x a week fully, but we scoop pooh and old hay daily as well as cleaning litterboxes out when needed. This really helps us to keep the rabbits cages cleaner longer. We will take out all the soaked bedding an add in fresh and that really helps as well. We do this daily.

For feed, it doesn't really cost us that much. We usually go through about 3 or 4 bags of feed a month, but a hay bale can last us about 2 or 3 months, sometimes longer. In the summer time we dry our own grass and make it hay for the winter monthsand for hay at fairs

Thankfully, we've never had to take our rabbits to vet yet (knocks on wood). It's come really close, but with help from members on RO we were able to treat the illness and stuff. We usually take the baby bunnies in for gender-check and a little vet-check-up, and I think we're going to be doing that a lot more often now.

We dont really handle all the rabbits as much as we should, but we're getting better. We usually handle the bunnies we use for Fitting & Showing (in 4-H) the most, although I've been slacking, heh. We try to handle them when we put them out to exercise though.

For exercise, they get out any day that it's nice pretty much. We dont put them out when it's rainy or anything. They usually will get about 1 to 2 hours of playtime when ever they're out. Sometimes when we clean cages, we'll let some of them come out and take turns running around. Usually it's Sippi, cuz his cage is right on the floor.

We keep a lot of bunnies because we breed & show them. You need to have different does for different bucks, etc.

Emily

 

[gentle giants]

irishbunny wrote:

Hmmm well I can't say it's impossible for a breeder to never let their rabbits out, if they really felt they wanted their rabbits to have outdoor time they could easily work something out. For instance, say a breeder has 100 rabbits in their rabbitry. If the breeder built 5, big runs that are secure and put a rabbit into each one for two hours and then switched it around to 5 other rabbits for two hours.

While I fully understand the way you feel about rabbits being cooped up all the time, with the scenario you have painted here-well, I hope you don't have any kids. Or a house to clean, ora part time job, LOL. I don't have nearly that many rabbits-andI hope I never do-but it would be totally impossible for me to be running out to the barn every two hours every day. If my husband weren't home, that would mean leaving my 5 year olds and my nine month old alone in the house while I wrangle bunnies. Plus what Starlight said about disease and the like, too.

 

[irishbunny]

Ya but if a breeder has 100+ rabbits they are going to be out in the rabbitry most of the time anyway since I'm sure there is plenty of chores to be done.

 

[TinysMom]

I just want to point out that there are some rabbits that don't like to be out of their cage (does in particular) and they will sometimes freak out a bit if brought to a new place to get some "playtime".

I have one doe that loves to play in her cage - but take her out and she sits there and literally shakes - not just for 5 or 10 minutes - but I've seen her sit and almost shake for over an hour. (I kept waiting for her to want to play). Now she gets to stay in the security of her cage - just like she wants - but she has toys and she loves supper time and she jumps around in her cage in the mornings and does "mini-binkies".

 

[Flashy]

^Funnily enough I have a couple of agoraphobic buns who don't like to be too far away from home, can't tolerate outside, and can barely tolerate being out in my room for a run (which is where they live). so that is most definitely the case for some buns.

 

[irishbunny]

Flashy wrote:

^Funnily enough I have a couple of agoraphobic buns who don't like to be too far away from home, can't tolerate outside, and can barely tolerate being out in my room for a run (which is where they live). so that is most definitely the case for some buns.

Is it because they were never let out and aren't used to it?

 

[TinysMom]

irishbunny wrote:

Flashy wrote:

^Funnily enough I have a couple of agoraphobic buns who don't like to be too far away from home, can't tolerate outside, and can barely tolerate being out in my room for a run (which is where they live). so that is most definitely the case for some buns.

Is it because they were never let out and aren't used to it?

Some of mine were let out from a young age - but they would just sit still and not want to play.....and they were happiest when they went back to the security of their cage.

It isn't a large amount of them - but some of them.

 

[slavetoabunny]

I suppose being a fosterer is akin to having a rabbitry - lots of bunnies. I only foster on a small scale. Two fosters plus my own two. I enjoy giving one-on-one attention to all of my buns, and couldn't imagine having to deal with more. I guess it's nice to recognize your limits. Having bunnies is supposed to be enjoyable, not a chore.

 

[minirexmama]

irishbunny wrote:

Ya but if a breeder has 100+ rabbits they are going to be out in the rabbitry most of the time anyway since I'm sure there is plenty of chores to be done.

I wouldn't say so. When I had the most rabbits I was in high school full time and worked after school and in the summer. I went to the barn before school and after. About 1/2 hour in the morning and 1/2-1hr at night.

I think that the main difference here is pets vs show animals. When you are breeding to show, it's very competitive, and you have to make a name for your rabbitry in order to raise the prices of your stock (which helps cover food, shows, ect).

It is important to recognise your limits as slavetoabunny said, but some people absolutely love showing and have 100+ rabbits. I just bought some brood stock from a family who raise and show rabbits together. They spend most of the day Sundays doing chores, and alternate feeding and watering, ect. during the week. They have a large rabbitry-maybe 200+. Everything there was clean, and their bunnies were well taken care of.

To me, if a rabbit is fed, watered, kept out of the elements, and provided with hay, snacks, ect., they are well taken care of. Not every rabbit is going to have a good pet home with a large run, but that doesn't mean they have an awful life. There are plenty of pet bunnies who are treated far worse than breeding/show rabbits who do not get outside time. JMO.

 

[irishbunny]

Your right minirexmama, I'm just too soft lol, I think about it too much.

 

[Pet_Bunny]

minirexmama wrote:

To me, if a rabbit is fed, watered, kept out of the elements, and provided with hay, snacks, ect., they are well taken care of.

You nailed it Minirexmama.

I was at a breeders house yesterday. She has 300 rabbits! :shock: She is developing the Canadian Plush Lop, preserving the rare Astrex rabbit line, maintaining the tort, chocolate, and sablepoint as well as the broken in the Mini Rex. She also keeps Americans and Sable Silver Martens.

All her rabbits are friendly as they are handled quite often. On top of her breeding, I believe she has a Ph.d and teaches out of town.

I took this picture last night which is one of her rare Astrex rabbit that has a curly coatthat feels like a mini rex.

 

[RAL Rabbitry]

I have 90 holes and usually 8-10 litters of various ages at a time. I clean cages completely every Sunday. It takes me about 4-5 hours and during the week I empty pans of does with litters. Every rabbit has toys and wooden blocks to chew on. They also get cardboard rolls to play with and hay cubes every so often. Everybody gets hay in the morning and the does with litters get pellets and I water everyone. At night they get pellets and their water crocks dumped and refilled. I also wash their water crocks on cleaning day. Morning chores take about an hour and night chores take about 1 1/2 hours. I enjoy working with the bunnies so it's not work for me. I love to go out at night after a tough day from work and destress. The rabbits that enjoy being out do have out time. I built two playpens for them and they take turns.

I don't drink, gamble, play golf or buy fancy toys so I figure the money that I spend on the bunnies is my entertainment budget. I do sell enough show quality rabbits and pets to help with the $70 a week that I spend not them not counting equipemnt.

Roger

 

[irishbunny]

Oh don't get me wrong I don't mean to say that your a bad breeder if your rabbits don't get out!

 

[minirexmama]

Not soft at all You seem to be a very resposible, thoughtful bunny person. I think you are one of those homes that a pet bunny would be lucky to go to.

 

[irishbunny]

minirexmama wrote:

Not soft at all You seem to be a very resposible, thoughtful bunny person. I think you are one of those homes that a pet bunny would be lucky to go to.

Aw thanks lol

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

irishbunny wrote:

Ya but if a breeder has 100+ rabbits they are going to be out in the rabbitry most of the time anyway since I'm sure there is plenty of chores to be done.

But they'll be so busy with doing other things, they may not have time to put rabbits out in pens.

Sure, they could put them out before they begin doing whatever it is they're doing, and then switch them every hour or so, but when you have 100+ rabbits there's so much things to be done, and switching them every hour or so could take quite a while.

I may only have 10 rabbits, but even I find it hard to make sure everyone gets outdoors time. I try to get them out at least 2x a month, if not more, but sometimes that doesn't even happen. I do feel really bad that I can't take them out, but usually it's due to the weather, etc. On some days, I'll only put out 5 or 6 rabbits, and keep the others indoors to hang with us while we clean cages. That gives some of them exercise and the others get one-on-one time. In the mornings, though, usually Mississippi gets out to run around while we feed, and either him or Minnie gets out to run while we clean cages; They need lots of exercise since they're the biggest and all.

Emily

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Oh Stan! I've always wanted an astrex! I don't know what it is, I guess just the fact they are so unique and rare and mini-rex fur that's curly is just too much for me to ignore!

Maybe one day I'll get Bo a little girlfriend with curls?..

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Bo B Bunny wrote:

Maybe one day I'll get Bo a little girlfriend with curls?..

The white Astrex doe (in the above post) gave birth to a new litter that promises even more curls.

Here is some Astrex that the breeder is sending to the U.S. in the morning. They won't show their realcurls until they go through their first adult moult.

 

[Flashy]

irishbunny wrote:

Flashy wrote:

^Funnily enough I have a couple of agoraphobic buns who don't like to be too far away from home, can't tolerate outside, and can barely tolerate being out in my room for a run (which is where they live). so that is most definitely the case for some buns.

Is it because they were never let out and aren't used to it?

No, the two in particular I'm thinking of, one used to have fully run of the house, and the other was also born with me and so every day gets a lot of exercise. IT's just as they grew up and got older, and more attached to me, they just want to be either with me, or in their cage. Both were born here so I know everything that has happened to them.

When I let Star out for a run around my room and the landing, he will often sit and look up at his cage. If I take him out of that zone he will leg it straight back to the upstairs without looking back.

Sky used to live outside , and used to love it. He was at various points a fully indoor rabbit and a fully outdoor rabbit. He always had a load of run time and thoroughly enjoyed being out. He has since been moved back inside, again, and being outside is not something he is comfortable with. He sits in the corner and, like Peg said, shakes. He just hates it. Inside, if he has the choice of being out of his cage or being in his cage, he will stay in his cage (but normally the door is open, so if he does want a run he can have one).

Both bunnies are just home birds, and like their routine and safe place.

I do have an excessive amount of buns (for a non breeder), but let me just explain that that number does not mean they are not well cared for, do not have enough exercise, etc. Outside I have 10 buns. I have my foster trio in a 5ft by 5ft enclosure (I would prefer bigger, but due to Roger and his panics, they need something that is not massive). The other hutches I have, bar one, are hutch/run combos. The one that is not is a Thistle Hall which meets all the RWA standards. I have four hutch/run combos. Two are four ft by four ft runs with a hutch on top, and the other two are triple deckers (and both house only one rabbit). The runs are, again, 4ft by 4 ft, and the hutches on top are 4ft by 2ft. The inside buns all have between 5ft and 6ft NIC cages, and they get a lot of out time too (normally 5 hours a day, or so). I felt the need to explain that because of what you said, or maybe it's defend myself. My bunnies get everything they could possibly want in life, including lots of time to run and play, and human interaction too


ETA that my buns are tiny, and so whilst those measurements may not be huge, they are large in proportion to what other peoples bunnies get, what larger bunnies have, etc. My buns can get up to a full run, can binky, can bunny 500, etc, all their respective space.

 

[irishbunny]

Ya Flashy if I was to breed I'd make sure they'd have large cages like yours.