A couple of years ago, I was at the Missouri State Fair and saw a beautiful brown rabbit with extremely soft fur. I've looked through the breed descriptions and I think that it might have Chocolate Satin rabbit. I came back the following year, with the intention of getting more info- and maybe buying a couple, but didn't realize that you have to go on specific days, in order to see the rabbits . I want to start raising them, but didn't see any breeders near where I live listed in an online breeder's directory that I found. Will I just have to go back to the State fair (on the right day, this time) and get more info from the breeder? Or are there other resources that I don't know about? Thanks, Maria
The National American Satin Breeders Association has a website at http://www.asrba.com/ member listings are separated by state in alphabetical order. People listed generally have also listed which variety ( fur color ) they are working on. Moreover American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) is holding the annual Convention in Kansas City the beginning of November. This gathering brings people and rabbits together from all over the country. Could be an excellent opportunity for arranging buys of foundation stock. Chocolate Havana color is my variety of Satinized rabbit. Besides the sheen which is visually appealing, the feel of Satin fur is remarkable. Shipping costs are terrible expensive. Way up here in Washington State. Many times over the number of rabbits can be purchased locally with the money it would cost to airfreight some. Besides there are heat restrictions this time of year. Have a few that orginated from Kingsbury Farms in Alabama.Their rabbits descendants are very good producers here. Good Hunting, Jim Ramey
http://www.angelfire.com/ny2/crescentvalley is the website of a breeder that raises chocolates. If you go to: http://rabbit.lyrical.net/ there is a forum there for breeders (mostly show), there are some more Satin Breeders there too that might be able to help. Chocolates sure are pretty. I raise Siamese, Red, Black, Otter and Broken Satins. Serena
Thanks for the links. What do most people do with these fancy-furred rabbits? That breeder you linked to, Skye, had a section on selling the rabbits as pets. The breeder was talking like this isn't an established breed, and that you have to keep working to get the color right. Sounds like more trouble than I'm willing to go to. I'd just kind of planned on getting rabbits, breeding them, and eating the excess and tanning the furs. Are these rabbits popular as pets, or something? Thanks for the info about the KC show, Airnip. That sounds like where I need to go this fall.
Show wise satins are a Commercial meat size rabbit with fancy fur that classifies them as a fancy breed too. Breed Standard weight(for show) is like 8 lbs for bucks and 9 lbs for does maye more. I personally dont eat mine they are raised for show, but I am willing to sell my culls for meat if thats what someone wants them for. Ithink CV Rabbitry raises Mini Satins also if I remember right, I havent actually browsed that site in a while, just know he raises chocs too. Mini Satins are not a ARBA recognized breed though I believe they are working on it. In standard size Satins some colors are harder to breed for good color, Like Chin, Copper, Red Otter etc if Iremember right. But that only really applies at "good color" for show. I amfairly new at raising Satins, am just starting my 2nd year of showing and raising and am still learning a lot.
