9 replies to this topic

[Amanda]

[TRDmom]

I keep rabbits too. I like my Silver Foxes the best (good dispositions). 

[Iorveth]

See, my bunnies are going to have to dislike human contact and they can never be named or else I will end up with dozens of rabbits I've grown too attached to to butcher... I already have a plan for my meat livestock, but something that needs to be kept in a cage and cared for every day is going to be different for me, I think. 

I am not really a rabbit person, but I think I could potentially end up attached to any that seek out attention. There's a reason I haven't started raising rats for meat... I love those little critters and I'd make pets out of them. It's too bad because they don't take up a lot of space and are super easy to care for. 

 

Your rabbits are all very nice looking bunnies. Except those white ones. I just can't get past the red eyes. Even the red eyed rats give me the heebie jeebies. I've had all sorts of colors and patterns, but I was never once tempted to take home a red eyed rat!

Do rabbits not suffer from bumble foot if kept on wire floors? I seem to remember hearing somewhere that they aren't.It sure would make it a heck of a lot easier to keep clean. The only reason (and I do literally mean the only reason) I no longer have pet rats is because I hated cleaning the cages that much. It was just such a pain, especially with the rescue rats that never learned to like being handled. It was like herding cats.

[Amanda]

Most of mine do not have names for a reason. I really wish I could get ahold of some silver fox but they are not very common around here.

[TRDmom]

See, my bunnies are going to have to dislike human contact and they can never be named or else I will end up with dozens of rabbits I've grown too attached to to butcher... I already have a plan for my meat livestock, but something that needs to be kept in a cage and cared for every day is going to be different for me, I think. 

I am not really a rabbit person, but I think I could potentially end up attached to any that seek out attention. There's a reason I haven't started raising rats for meat... I love those little critters and I'd make pets out of them. It's too bad because they don't take up a lot of space and are super easy to care for. 

 

Your rabbits are all very nice looking bunnies. Except those white ones. I just can't get past the red eyes. Even the red eyed rats give me the heebie jeebies. I've had all sorts of colors and patterns, but I was never once tempted to take home a red eyed rat!

Do rabbits not suffer from bumble foot if kept on wire floors? I seem to remember hearing somewhere that they aren't.It sure would make it a heck of a lot easier to keep clean. The only reason (and I do literally mean the only reason) I no longer have pet rats is because I hated cleaning the cages that much. It was just such a pain, especially with the rescue rats that never learned to like being handled. It was like herding cats.

 

You may do better with white New Zealands then, if you want meat rabbits. I have a Californian that I believe is mixed with New Zealand. She's not a bad rabbit, but nowhere near as sweet as my Silver Foxes or Flemish Giants. With an iffy personality and red eyes, I think you wouldn't mind culling them.

[Iorveth]

You may do better with white New Zealands then, if you want meat rabbits. I have a Californian that I believe is mixed with New Zealand. She's not a bad rabbit, but nowhere near as sweet as my Silver Foxes or Flemish Giants. With an iffy personality and red eyes, I think you wouldn't mind culling them.

 

Not a bad idea I've heard Flemish Giants make good pets for those who keep rabbits as companion animals instead of meat animals so I have always planned on steering clear of those. 

[TRDmom]

Not a bad idea I've heard Flemish Giants make good pets for those who keep rabbits as companion animals instead of meat animals so I have always planned on steering clear of those. 

 

Most people keep Flemish Giants as pets, but they were originally created as a meat rabbit (hence the larger size). They do take longer to mature, so are not popular commercially. My husband was impressed by FGs and so we got some. He likes showing our senior doe off to family and friends.

[Iorveth]

I think a lot of today's pets were probably developed for reasons other than companions. Haha. They are an interesting rabbit though. I like how big they get which, while an advantage for someone raising a meat rabbit, is just pretty darn cool.

[naturalfeddogs]

None of my bunch much cares for domestic rabbit, but will eat wild rabbit. Crazy.

[TRDmom]

None of my bunch much cares for domestic rabbit, but will eat wild rabbit. Crazy.

 

That is interesting. Perhaps the diet of the wild rabbits vs. the domestic ones affects the taste? Without "going on" too much about it, the typical diets of wild and "kept" rabbits differ considerably (kind of like the difference between kibble-fed and raw-fed dogs). I generally give a non-pelleted diet to mine. Even though they're "meat rabbits," I still put effort into their management--one topic of much contemplation is diet (which I believe affects their health/longevity and the health of who consumes them). Pa Gaw also likes his rabbit frozen first. Weirdo!