What do you do re: pet homes for your culls?

[crimson]

I started this thread and maybe I shouldn't have used the word culls. Most of the babies I have found homes for can be shown. I do have some VM that wouldn't be able to because of their coloring, but I have found pet homes for them. So far I have found homes by advertising or going to chicken swaps. I have also sold to a pet store. I have a small rabbitry and do not breed excessively, but was wondering what other options are out there and what other people do. Thanks for giving me other ideas.

 

[SpotLover]

Our first litters are due in October. Our culls will be going as pets WITH a spay/neuter contract that they must sign before purchasing the rabbit. I cannot stand irresponsible people breeding rabbits!

 

[Alek]

>>I will 100% not sell a fuzzy as a pet. People just do NOT take care of the hair properly. <<
I was sold my angora as a pet and he is groomed daily and well kept. I think it depends more on the individual. I've met breeders who don't upkeep there non-showing angoras and the rabbit is a matted mess, and then there are people like me who have angoras as pets who are obsessive about hair care.

As someone who bred hamsters, even with only two litters per female a year (8 litters) you still have to deal with culling. It's something that all breeders regardless of the species they care for, have to deal with. I think it is important for breeders to have reasonability for what they are putting out there and whether the animals find homes or not. For animals that aren't show quality, adopting them as pets is a great thing and that's how I got my rabbit. However, some animals don't have the health or temperament to be a pet or the risk of someone breeding it and causing a line of sickly, bad tempered animals is to big a problem that having a 3rd option is important.

 

[MiniLopHop]

SpotLover wrote:

Our first litters are due in October. Our culls will be going as pets WITH a spay/neuter contract that they must sign before purchasing the rabbit. I cannot stand irresponsible people breeding rabbits!

I'm curious, how do you enforce the contract? Would you know if they signed it and then bred their rabbit?

To me, the only way you can really enforce the neuter is to have it done before they go home.

 

[Pipp]

I edited out the last part of Alek's post because we avoid inflammatory references like meat, snake food, etc. on this forum, the Rabbitry included.

Discussion about 'retirement' options and facilities as a third option would, however, be welcome.

I'd personally love to see breeders with a program to provide facilities to keep their retired or non-showable rabbits in low-maintenance colonies (with the males neutered of course).

sas

 

[Blaze_Amita]

I usually try to sell mine on the pet market or I have gotten to a point at this point where I welcome the free advertising, i put buisness cards(I made them myself with Avery and Microsoft word) in 3 different TSC and I've got word of mouth out among my co-workers and neighbors, plus wih Facebook I have them in a county trading post as well.
Even taking the buns to the store with me as gotten a few sold for me. if they don't sell- at least with my holland and velveteen Lops, I hang onto them until they do. Having done rabbit rescue on the side of my rabbitry before it is SEVERALLY hard in my area to rehome pet bunnies, but I try to do some every easter no matter what.
I do raise New Zealands for show and other and it has still taught me quite a bit about animal husbandry and raising the babies, what to look for etc. Just with the Hollands, I still get the few select babies that need to be 'culled' since they don't conform to breed standard, my first buck, Blaze didnt' conform, but I kept him, he was bred out once, before I had really gotten into showing much- and really before I learned type- and then I kept him, unfixed as a pet until he died. I've got one rabbit right now that I took on in a trade to get rid of the mini rex to a breeder for a Holland Lop doe, and I'll keep her until the day she dies as well, because she has horrible teeth, her bottoms over grow her top, her top teeth are curving backwards. I keep her comfortable. If someone comes along and is a breeder that is willing to take on the added responsibility sure, i'll let her go, but I made the trade without checking her teeth first so i made her my problem. I won't cull her out, she may get spayed and live out her life with my 5 year old retired doe.

But I have no reason and no means to even sell to a pet shop and with so many backyard mix breeders around me I don't even try to compete with them.

Just yesterday I gave one Holland Lop baby away. She wasn't show quality, brood if anything, and I spent 2 hours walking around Tractor Supply with them helping them chose what they needed and answering any questions. I gave her my cell number and she had my email address and I told her if for any reason you can not keep her, I will take her back. She made the promise to get her fixed, she didn't want 100's of bunnies either, just the one for her daughter to do homework with and play and love. The girl did all the research before deciding on Mini Rex or Holland Lop. I happened to only have HOllands (I have New Zealands and Velveteen Lops as well) that were her list. I don't mind at all.

Second story, I was contacted, earlier this year, by a women that has wanted Dutch from me for over a year. My gut was telling me no, but I went ahead anyway, I was getting out of them. I sold her my tort doe and my sweetheart steel doe- as pets. Well she calls me up 2 weeks later saying the tort doe died and she didn't know why. I didn't either and asked what had happened. She didn't know. Okay but the steel was fine. I made the offer to buy the steel doe back, but she said she was okay with just the steel doe. I found a person to sell my blue and gray dutch to, western side of the state, the youth was super interested and he couldn't find any near him, and he could recite the standard to me for body type, so I knew he had done his homework. Come to find out, they already had a steel doe, and when he got the pedigree for my gray and my blues, he was like that's the same breeder as my steel doe! I'm getting said steel doe back later this summer, and she's no where near the sweetheart she used to be, something happened to her at this other ladies place and she's aggressive, and not so friendly anymore. They got a litter out of her and once it's weaned, they're going to return her to me so I can get her spayed and she'll live out the last of her years back with her breeder(me). I worry about selling to pet homes more so, so I'm moving to more "other" use breeds so I don't have to think or worry on pet homes, but I'll always have my hollands to worry about.

 

[jeanluc_pippen_merry]

I'm not a breeder but would like to sometime when i think i am ready for it. I have actually been thinking a lot about what i would do with the bunnies that i couldn't keep myself, and thought about having permanent housing with me until they find someone to adopt them. Kind of like a refuge except they would be ones that i bred myself. But for the type of rabbits i would be breeding, it's pretty rare for them not to find homes here, even the ones that end up at rescues are homed. In fact i looked at a couple of rabbit rescues in my area to give a home but there were none left!

Gumtree is such a great tool, and advertising is FREE! I always see bunnies on there and i often contact older adverts to see whether the bunnies are still available and have yet to come across someone who was unable to home them. Though i can imagine that for the "less popular" breeds, finding homes would be much harder. I guess that is something to think about when breeding.

I can't wait to start though, it seems like so much fun, but i am sure it's very much like my gaming life, it's loads of fun but quickly becomes like a part time (and for some even full time) job rather than a hobby. Still looking forward to it though. ^.^

 

[bunnychild]

i am confused is culling getting rid of non show quality offspring or removing a sir or dam from ur breeding stock.:?:?:?

 

[HappyFarmBunnies]

Culling is the process of removing animals that will not or no longer work in your breeding program: i.e. nonshowable or incompatible (to your color program) kits.

 

[bunnychild]

HappyFarmBunnies wrote:

Culling is the process of removing animals that will not or no longer work in your breeding program: i.e. nonshowable or incompatible (to your color program) kits.

thx that helps alot:biggrin:

 

[sickbunny]

here's another great idea for selling rabbits-

there's a store in a nearby city that has been there for 18 years. they sell deluxe car stereo systems. with the economy, they must be great sellers to stay in biz with that kind of a store. the sign out front advertised a remote start sale, and underneath it said baby bunnies for sale?!

i went in and talked to them. they were this super nice couple. they gave me their card with their rabbitry info. they said they had 70 rabbits. unfortunately, they did not breed the breed i was looking for, jerseys. they had dutch, polish, mini lop, and dwarf.

in the center of the room was a huge glass aquarium with 5 baby rabbits. they were adorable. and i thought what a great way to sell rabbits, you got the kids here stuck with nothing to look at or touch, and dad there with his wallet open!

so think about where you work...

or if its not possible, someone you know who does have a store like that (not if they sell food tho). you could make a deal- they only have to give the customer your number, you come in at an arranged time for the sale, you stop by after work and care for the cage and food, etc so that it is no work at all for your friend.

it doesnt have to be a traditional store to sell pets, remember they had car stereo systems and rabbits!

 

[GorbyJobRabbits]

See some of the ideas you guys pose as pets is what lands them in rescues. A family who has no inkling of buying a rabbit walks into an unsuspecting store and has to deal with whiney children about getting a rabbit. Buy said rabbit and have NO clue on how to take care of it.

Yes you get some people who truely want something and put the effort into learning....but many of the great ideas that have been listed do nothing but land the rabbit in a rescue or on Craigslist looking for another home. I could sell every rabbit on my property on easter... but will find it for sale again later because the kids don't want it anymore.

Just my two sense on why it really isn't so great selling as pets.

 

[mistyjr]

GorbyJobRabbits wrote:

See some of the ideas you guys pose as pets is what lands them in rescues. A family who has no inkling of buying a rabbit walks into an unsuspecting store and has to deal with whiney children about getting a rabbit. Buy said rabbit and have NO clue on how to take care of it.

Yes you get some people who truely want something and put the effort into learning....but many of the great ideas that have been listed do nothing but land the rabbit in a rescue or on Craigslist looking for another home. I could sell every rabbit on my property on easter... but will find it for sale again later because the kids don't want it anymore.

Just my two sense on why it really isn't so great selling as pets.

I agree... I have took in a rabbit in before because their children did not want the bunny anymore. And we took in a group of rabbits that their children will not feed or taken care of it, So they gave them away or trying to sell them, (And the bunnies were gross) , And their excuses where not take care of them, So I have to get rid of it! Ugh!

 

[SNM]

We raise mini rex, my sister has ventured into chocolate. The chocolate is bred to a black , all the blacks in the litter will automatically be up for sale as we do not work with that color.

Personally, I don't like selling to pet stores because
1. The employess don't know a thing about rabbits. I rescued a rabbits from a pet shop. She was living in a fish tank , and they thought she was a he. I had to inform them that she was a girl and was pregnant!! Not only was she pregnant, but she had a bad case of earmites.
2. the conditions are usually horrible(in my area)

I have a form you fill out on my website, I pretty much ask you to tell me about yourself and why you would like a rabbit. Irresponsible people who want a novelty are the main problem, this is why I don't sell at easter or christmas.

I like the retirement program. Obviously, an older doe who has sentimental value is never going to leave my house. My buns are like my kids. I know for a fact I will never sell or cull two of my buns, my future residents of the retired barn

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

The breeder I got Tesla and Kraken offers rabbits as pets for free. These rabbits are older (not babies) and have pretty much severed their purpose with her. They could be done breeding and are usually done showing (tans have a short show career). While I think they could go to other breeders if someone needed them, but they also are good pets. They are not given with pedigrees and not supposed to be bred or shown in the new home. I do think that the choice may be limited as she would possibly give a couple choices based on what you want and you can then choose which one. I was lucky as I did get the pedigrees and registration with both rabbits. I am not sure if that is because I don't really intend to breed or what. I do know that part of the deal for me was to promote tans up here as well.

This could be a good option for some breeders for older rabbits who are done breeding. You can put that you offer pets but don't have to list the rabbits on your website. It would be possible to have people tell you what they want (buck, doe, colour, age range etc) and you can give them some choices if needed.

I think the some of it comes down to what you as a breeder as working for. If a rabbit is not the colour you want or have some fault that doesn't fit your program, it could still be used by another breeder. Some breeders only work with certain colours, but because of genetics get stuff they can't use, other breeders work with these colours. So these rabbits could be considered 'culls' as they don't fit your program but can be wonderful additions to someone elses. I would be good to give the rabbits a chance to find a new home if one is available somewhere.

 

[rabbitgeek]

I sold a number pets through pet stores. One store I provided pedigrees because many 4H youth would purchase rabbits there. A couple of times I heard from the pet store owner that rabbits we sent there had won blue ribbons at the fair!

Have a good day!