Hi Susan. I do have all of the babies and mamasand daddies here. The babies and mamas are in my sunroom and thedaddies are in the garage.
I do know how many babies I have but I don't really want to post thenumber here on the board. Let's just say that it is in thedouble-digits but NOT the triple digits.
I
normally only breed 1-2 litters per month...but when preparingfor Nationals I will tend to breed every doe once or twice. Then theyhave a lot of time off and give me maybe one more litter throughout theyear. I know breeders say that does breed easier and better if they'rebred regularly but I would rather let my does have time off.
I have
waiting lists for about 1/4 of the babies that I haveright now - as pets. As they come and meet with me, we talk about thetemperament of the rabbit(s) they like and where the rabbit will live(inside or outside) and why they want a rabbit. We also talk abouttheir past history with pets...and if they have children.
I have turned down prospective owners if I felt they would not dowell with a rabbit. I have also told EVERY person that if theydecide they do not want the rabbit - I would like to have it backinstead of having them set it loose (which some people do). I also tellthem that when they get a rabbit from me - I expect them to call me atany time (day or night) if the rabbit is ill and I will try to helpthem via. the phone. I explain to them that they especially need towatch out for diaherrea and stasis (and the signs which are completelyopposite) and that I have products here or I can often recommendsomething they can get from Walmart....especially if it is the middleof the night. My closing comment is always, "I'd rather have you callme at 2 am because your rabbit is sick than to call me at 10 am to tellme your rabbit died. In those 8 hours, we might have been able to saveit. So CALL me!"
One thing that amazes me is that some of the best placements have beenwith elderly people. I get calls from them with follow-up questions andto ask if I want to see the rabbit again. I've had people bring bytheir rabbits to show me how they're developing.
Anyway - I had bred these litters mostly for Nationals but then didsome more indepth genetics study and learned that since I mostly sellto fellow breeders at Nationals, it would be best for me to pet outseveral of these litters (from a chinchilla buck) so that I don't messup the genetics of another breeders' herd....
That leaves me with starting over for Nationals . I have about 5litters that are potential litters....but between now and Jan. 15th Iplan to breed for about another 10 litters...
...then other than a litter or two every month or so - we'll be takingit easy till next October when we start again for Nationals!
Peg
P.S. A really neat thing happened. Last year at our firstshow, I gave away a couple of lionheads to this really nice couple whowanted them but they just didn't have the money. They kept coming overto see them and petting them and I could tell that they loved them.
I got an email from her this week - how they're showing them and howmuch they adore them and how grateful they are that I let them have thelionheads. She was also asking me what I had available now.
I love it when that happens because I know someone really loves the RABBIT...
SOOOSKA wrote:
Hi Peg, everyone of your Babies are adorable.
I don't know how you could give any up, I'd want to keep themall. Now saying that, how many babies do you have alltogether. Also are all the Babies and Mommies and Daddies inyour house?
Susan:bunnydance:
