Hey everyone I hope some of you find the time to message me back, this is my first year showing and was wanting some advice and tips,
Such as how to keep your rabbit in the same pose? Any grooming tips? Thank you for your time
I am new to showing rabbits as well, I have yet to go to my first show. Or even give mine their number. But here is what I know from showing poultry last year. Make sure to be in control of your rabbit. If something unexpected happens, don’t react, they judge you on how to react to it. You should calmly get your animal to calm down. I can not say this enough Don’t panic. Don’t do anything to disrespect the judge. Or yourself.
Read up on anything and everything you can. Go to the library and check out showmanship books if you can. Watch youtube videos on it. And test yourself, have a friend or family mender act like the judge while you go though the steps of showmanship.
Groom your rex at least twice a week. Trim their nails the day before the show. Clean their ears make sure they are mite free. Do a health check. Make sure they do not have any matting on their fur at all. And make sure they are ready to go though the stress of the fair. Change their feeding time to the fairs feeding time. Get them used to being handled by other people. Slowly get them used to people yelling, and loud noices.
Here is a routine that you could follow for rabbit care-
3 weeks before the fair:
Days 1-4 showly expose them to the loud noices. Keep them groomed and clean. And slowly change their feeding time.
Days 5-7: keep it up but do a health check and treat anything they may have. Do a full grooming this day, nails, ears, fur. And number them if you have not already.
2 weeks before the fair.
1-4: the feeding time should be at the fairs feeding schedule at this time. And they should be used to some loud noices continue the noice training make sure to give treats during and afterwards. Start exposing the rabbit to being handled by strangers. Have friends or family menders who dont see the rabbit often to handle them. Make sure to clean the numbering place daily.
5-7: continue above but add more noices to the training. EX: loud music, crowd noices, and anything else they could be exposed to. Continue the grooming routine and everything.
1 week before the fair.
1-6: at this point the noice training should be allmost completely done. Just brush the fur at this point. Do one last health check. Make sure there is no matting on the fur. Make sure to check for sore hocks,mites and anything else.
The day before the fair:
Clip their nails, check for mites and matting, do one last health check. Wipe the rabbit down with pet wipes to clean any dirt or hay. And get your carriers ready. And injoy the fair.
