New Breeder Mistakes

[TinysMom]

I'm still a fairly new breeder...but I thought it would be good to share lessons I've learned so that other new breeders or people considering breeding can learn from them and not make them. (Trust me...you'll make your own mistakes).

a. Don't start with too many. I love all my rabbits- don't take me wrong. But this tiny project grew too large too fast. I'm doing ok...but if I had it to do over again -I'd remind myself that "quantity does not equal quality".

b. Buy the BEST bucks you can. Does need to be good quality too - but your herd buck's traits will be passed down to all his babies. If he mates with three does for example - each doe will pass down her traits to her babies - but he passes down his traits to ALL the babies.

c. Go to shows and watch them judge the rabbits you want to breed. If you haven't done this before you start breeding -get thee to a show ASAP with some of your rabbits to see how they measure up to the standards of perfection ARBA judges use. I learned so much at my first two shows that I'm kicking myself I didn't attend shows before breeding.

d. Find one or two colors you want to work in at first. Don't try to do every color that the breed can have.

Ok other breeders - more tips?

Peg

 

[gentle giants]

Well, I think I've probably made about every mistake you listed, LOL. My bunnies multiplied really fast too, and I haven't even done that many breedings! Seems like every time I go to as how, I see someone I can't possibly go without. I have one exellent chin Mini Rex buck, though, that I got purely by luck. I logged onto a classified ad site just at the right time to be the first to reply to it. He has three BOV under his belt already, and I haven't even shown him under my name yet! I will be February 19, though, and I am really looking forward to it! We'll be in Peoria, IL, on that day, if anyone would like to come see the show.

 

[SunnieBunnie Rabbitry]

Realize that you cannot keep every rabbit you produce.

Have a fall back plan in case you can't sell what you need to. Realize that rabbits are a multi-purpose animal and if the only sale you can get is meat or feeder... at least it's money coming in to go back into the rabbits!

The BIGGIE... There will come a time when you MUST put down a rabbit. Learn how to do it quickly and painlessly before it's ever needed. (I had a rabbit w/a badly broken leg... vet cos twas a $350 quote - or $60 for euthanization... did it myself for free since that money could be better used to feed the other healthy, non-injured rabbits.

You can't save peanuts! It will just break your heart even more... try not to get attached.

Breed at least 2 does at the same time so if something happens to one doe (like stops producing milk or dies)... you can foster the kits to the other doe and won't have to attempt hand raising.

Always keep your goals in mind when deciding what to keep and what to sell. Always question whether or not any two rabbits SHOULD be bred: Do they compliment each other in type or fur? Are they a compatible variety? Why exactly do you want to do that cross? Will this crossing get you closer to your goals orpossibly set you back?

 

[TinysMom]

Bumping now that Pam is back to see if she has anything to add.



Other breeders - please feel free to add to this!

 

[bojay]

Here's one I'm experiencing right now.Do not use cages with doors that swing in for your breeding does and kits.

 

[gentle giants]

I agree with that totally. I never use doors that swing in at all, though, they're such a pain. I used one or two cages like that years ago when I raised rabbits for 4-H, and hated them so much then I have refused to use them ever since.

 

[Kez-bunniemom]

For first timers- Don't keep the doe and buck together when she is expecting bunnies! She will have the babies and then get pregnant from the buck straight away!
(Happened to me the first time i ever bred, she had a litter of 4 then a litter of 6 when the 4 were 4 weeks old :shock

 

[~BYNDI~]

Dont use a humongous cage where you cant reach the doe or the babies if they are at the back, Right now I have a big cage and a mom with a baby (over two months) And the mom is usually at the back so its hard to reach her.

 

[gentle giants]

Yeah, it's also a lot harder to clean those, too! I have one great big wire cage with two Flemish does in it, and the bottom got blocked with hay and got dirty. I had to literally climb in there to get it clean! Then I had to go in and shower, 'cause I was so dirty!
:shock:

 

[lov2hop]

EWwwww:foreheadsmack:he he

 

[redestarrosa]

what do you do to put your own animal down?
im curious cause i raises rats, my hairless female rat had litters the past two times and they didn't live, her first litter did but the last two didn't, most of them looks kinda sqashed and a couple was deformed... so i had the father neutered cause i didn't want anymore babies, it is harder than i thought to find home for the rats, even if i am living in college town

but mainly another reason why i am curious cause one of my male rat, the one i had neutered, got a big lump in his abdomen area, he is doing alright right now... im going to take him to the vet soon to get it checked out to see if it is a tumor

Evenstar

SunnieBunnie Rabbitry wrote:

Realize that you cannot keep every rabbit you produce.

Have a fall back plan in case you can't sell what you need to. Realize that rabbits are a multi-purpose animal and if the only sale you can get is meat or feeder... at least it's money coming in to go back into the rabbits!

The BIGGIE... There will come a time when you MUST put down a rabbit. Learn how to do it quickly and painlessly before it's ever needed. (I had a rabbit w/a badly broken leg... vet cost was a $350 quote - or $60 for euthanization... did it myself for free since that money could be better used to feed the other healthy, non-injured rabbits.

You can't save peanuts! It will just break your heart even more... try not to get attached.

Breed at least 2 does at the same time so if something happens to one doe (like stops producing milk or dies)... you can foster the kits to the other doe and won't have to attempt hand raising.

Always keep your goals in mind when deciding what to keep and what to sell. Always question whether or not any two rabbits SHOULD be bred: Do they compliment each other in type or fur? Are they a compatible variety? Why exactly do you want to do that cross? Will this crossing get you closer to your goals or possibly set you back?

 

[SunnieBunnie Rabbitry]

redestarrosa wrote:

what do you do to put your own animal down?

Evenstar

You have a PM



~Sunshine

 

[lov2hop]

So what do you use to put an rabbit down humanly? (cant spell it) sorry

 

[bojay]

lov2hop wrote:

So what do you use to put an rabbit down humanly? (cant spell it) sorry

A veterinarian.

 

[pamnock]

lov2hop wrote:

So what do you use to put an rabbit down humanly? (cant spell it) sorry

Excellent question! I know of many cases of inhumane methods used, so it is important to research options before deciding to breed rabbits. Generally, the cost for a vet to put a rabbit down runs $40 and up. Certainly not cost effective for the average breeder.

In accordance with the guidelines set forth by the AVMA, we use cervical dislocation or gunshot depending on the size of the rabbit.

Here is a listing of both acceptable and unacceptable methods from the American Veterinary Medical Association:

http://www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/euthanasia.pdf



Pam

 

[lov2hop]

Thanks I currently dont have any rabbits that need to be put down but I just asked for future use Thanks again

 

[flemishr2cool]

Some of these I haven't experienced personally but through talking to others and seeing other breeders have a rough start.

1.) Focus on one breed, and once you have a line started and you feel confident about your line add another. The reason for this is you may need all the cage space, feed, finances for new bucks and does, etc. you can get, you really want to get your line started so that you can exhaust these sources on the next breed when you choose to get another.

2.) Pay the $100-$300 yes it can be that much for your herd buck and starting does. You get what you pay for when it comes to genetics and good lines, a 2 - $5 dollar rabbit will not produce a $300 BIS offspring. (assuming those $5 parents are of poor show quality and really are only worth 5 lol)

3.) always get the pedigree, if they are selling the rabbit but forgot the pedigree, don't buy it, you may get burned, and don't breed a rabbit unless you have the pedigree, many people willnot buya rabbit without a pedigreeand it won't help your line if you don't know whats in it!

4.) Before you breed the rabbit, have extra cages, dishes, feed, and nest boxes, you will need it, so buy it.

5.) Getall the information you can geton color genetics, and again try to only focus one a few colors so you can establish a line.

thats all I can think of right now...I know there is so much more...

 

[Jenniferinny]

Set a limit and stick to it..

Show as often as possible

Make it a goal to finish out a championship with any bunny you keep

Start small with the best, rather then large with the cheapest

If it's free, chances are you don't want it

My biggest mistakes were starting out mid range. I won for awhile, but then someone else ordered in $500 rabbits. Instead of getting frustrated, I should've improved my own herd with a fresh line.Hollands were ridiculously common, there'd be over 100 in a little local show. So, there was some real competition. On the other extreme,I was the only one with English Angoras. Can't finish a grand champion like that either.