[breezynosacek]

What is it with all of these miniature rabbits for sale? Doesn't anybody raise a normal sized Rex or Lop or any of the other large breeds besides the Californias and the New Zealands?

I've been searching for rabbits in my local area and there seems to be a glut of mini rabbits but the suckers aren't big enough to bother butchering.

What gives?

I've tried checking some of the local shelters and they are all 'no kill', 'no breeding' shelters.

 

[Meg Z]

there seems to be a glut of mini rabbits but the suckers aren't big enough to bother butchering.

What gives?

LOL...that's because them ain't eatin' rabbits, them's petting rabbits! :haha: :haha: There are a few folks out there who haven't learned the true purpose of rabbits!

Meg

 

[Kris in MI]

maybe small, cute, and fuzzy sells better than a ten pound monster bunny lol.

I think you are right. My parents just got both my daughters rabbits for their birthdays. When they asked if it was OK, I said "sure", thinking about rabbit dinners in my future, lol.

What the girls got was a mini-rex and a dutch dwarf/rex cross. Darn. Not much meat on them and they are both bucks (my mom had heard does get grouchy and hard to handle and she didn't want my girls to "have to deal with that"). Cute little buggers though, and will get the girls started on a 4-H project.

I told my mom if she wants to get ME a bunny for my birthday (coming up yet this year), I'd like a BIG DOE of a meat variety!

Seriously, what would a meat-type doe crossed with those little guys produce? anything big enough to be more than an appetizer?

 

[pointer_hunter]

I bred a NZW doe to a Mini-Rex buck and got a decent sized litter. They took a little longer to get butchering size so it isn't as economical as staying large. But, if that's all you have, I'd say give it a whirl. You will get some wild colors sometimes.

 

[Reauxman]

LOL...that's because them ain't eatin' rabbits, them's petting rabbits! :haha: :haha: There are a few folks out there who haven't learned the true purpose of rabbits!

Meg

You tell me, I think there's nothing better than a good day of showing(espeically a double show)... :haha:

 

[TheBlueOne]

We've got Lilacs and English Lops but the mini's are where the money's at. When you can sell a single mini-rex (or Holland Lop) for $75 (usually) to as much as $200, that's where the concentration (for us anyway) is going to be.
We keep toying with serious M/R production but have other things going on right now.

 

[Meg Z]

My first post was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but apparently didn't come across well.

Just for the record, I raise French Angoras. Dual purpose rabbit. It's got the cute part down, always are bred for good temperment as well as conformation, but they're also a meat rabbit. Pretty ones get a shot at being sold. (Unless I want the pelt) Ugly ones are dinner. Works for me.

Meg

 

[cowboy joe]

I've been raising full size Rex for more than a year. There doesn't seem to be much of a market for them. Works for me, though, as those that don't get sold keep the freezer full.

 

[Kumi_Ori]

I raise Rex also. There is not much of a market for them but I love them anyway, great personalities and awesome fur. I breed for show rabbits, but out of a good size litter I may only get 1 or 2 real good keepers. I always try to sell the others or trade the feed store for the rest but what doesn't sell goes in the freezer. Works for me.

 

[breezynosacek]

I bred a NZW doe to a Mini-Rex buck and got a decent sized litter. They took a little longer to get butchering size so it isn't as economical as staying large. But, if that's all you have, I'd say give it a whirl. You will get some wild colors sometimes.

Wow, and what quality was the fur on that little sucker? More like the rex or more like the NZ?

I love rex furs, they are soooo soft!

 

[breezynosacek]

LOL...that's because them ain't eatin' rabbits, them's petting rabbits! :haha: :haha: There are a few folks out there who haven't learned the true purpose of rabbits!

Meg

Hmm, wonder if you skinned them and sewed the furs together if they would make a petting jacket?

 

[breezynosacek]

We've got Lilacs and English Lops but the mini's are where the money's at. When you can sell a single mini-rex (or Holland Lop) for $75 (usually) to as much as $200, that's where the concentration (for us anyway) is going to be.
We keep toying with serious M/R production but have other things going on right now.

You've got to be kidding me! If I could sell just a few kits per year at that rate, I could raise all of my meat for free!

But you are talking pedigreed with papers and a cage, right?

 

[breezynosacek]

I raise Rex also. There is not much of a market for them but I love them anyway, great personalities and awesome fur. I breed for show rabbits, but out of a good size litter I may only get 1 or 2 real good keepers. I always try to sell the others or trade the feed store for the rest but what doesn't sell goes in the freezer. Works for me.

what neck of the woods do you live in? I can't afford to have rabbits shipped and I know people don't like to anyway.

Also, how much will the feed stores give on em? Will SS stores deal?

I just thought of something. There are two stores where we used to live that we bought our chicks from. They had these small bunnies that I thought had been caught in the wild. I'll bet they would be willing to take some rabbits if I had them.

 

[Pat Lamar]

You've got to be kidding me! If I could sell just a few kits per year at that rate, I could raise all of my meat for free!

But you are talking pedigreed with papers and a cage, right?

A word of caution, here... those prices can be commanded for top quality show rabbits from *winning* lines. That means you have to prove those rabbits by entering in lots of rabbit shows... and which costs a lot of money for entry fees, travel, accommodations, food, etc.... and they have to WIN. Many try for years and never win.

I used to raise Mini Rex for my pet trade and sold them anywhere from $5.00 to $25.00 with pedigrees. Just because they were Mini Rex doesn't mean they'll automatically bring higher prices. The same with the Holland Lops.

Pat Lamar
President
Professional Rabbit Meat Association
http://www.prma.org/

 

[breezynosacek]

A word of caution, here... those prices can be commanded for top quality show rabbits from *winning* lines. That means you have to prove those rabbits by entering in lots of rabbit shows... and which costs a lot of money for entry fees, travel, accommodations, food, etc.... and they have to WIN. Many try for years and never win.

I used to raise Mini Rex for my pet trade and sold them anywhere from $5.00 to $25.00 with pedigrees. Just because they were Mini Rex doesn't mean they'll automatically bring higher prices. The same with the Holland Lops.

Pat Lamar
President
Professional Rabbit Meat Association
http://www.prma.org/

Thank you I appreciate the differentiation on that. I used to go to shows and stuff when I was half my present age. Yes, it takes a while and working the circuit is expensive especially if you go to a variety of shows.

 

[cowboy joe]

My Rex have pedigrees but I don't show due to time constraints. Without proven winners, most of the them sell for $5 or 3/$10. That pays the feed bill and leaves me with a few for the freezer. It's a good day if I break even on the financial end.

 

[TheBlueOne]

You've got to be kidding me! If I could sell just a few kits per year at that rate, I could raise all of my meat for free!

But you are talking pedigreed with papers and a cage, right?

The prices is for the rabbit with ARBA papers only, no cage, that is usually a "grand champion"(and that we're willing to part with). We keep our really awsome rabbits. "Grand Champion" status can be attained in as little as three shows for about $30 or so (show entry fees + registration fee). The higher prices commanded for these rabbits are influenced by the quality/condition of the rabbit, the rabbit's linage, the reputation of the breeder, as well as the demand for the breed that you're raising. Currently quality examples of the mini breeds are in demand. To be a sucessful breeder of quality show rabbits it is MUCH easier to start with the best breeding stock you can afford, hence the higher prices for the good animals.

 

[Kumi_Ori]

what neck of the woods do you live in? I can't afford to have rabbits shipped and I know people don't like to anyway.

Also, how much will the feed stores give on em? Will SS stores deal?

I just thought of something. There are two stores where we used to live that we bought our chicks from. They had these small bunnies that I thought had been caught in the wild. I'll bet they would be willing to take some rabbits if I had them.

I live out in NW Montana. A little out of the way from you I think!

The feed stores give me $8-$10 per rabbit at 10 weeks. At 6 weeks they only give about half that. It's not bad when you're ready to butcher and you have way more rabbits than what you want to eat!! Right before butcher I'll take almost anything just to get them gone. I really do like to eat beef ya know? If I didn't get rid of some of the surplus I would have to eat nothing but rabbit.

Kristi

 

[Pops2]

hey breezy
why not work w/ the lil bunnies, at least until you locate what you really want. think of it this way, how many times have you cleaned a mess of bream, spot, quail, dove, squirrel or cottontail? how about shelling walnuts, pecans, peanuts or pistachios?
i have never killed a wild rabbit that was significantly bigger than a mini. even when i want to save the pelt for my daughter to put in barbies house cleaning only takes a few minutes. when i don't care to save anything it takes about 60 seconds.
just something to think about.

 

[Lilandra]

What is it with all of these miniature rabbits for sale? Doesn't anybody raise a normal sized Rex or Lop or any of the other large breeds besides the Californias and the New Zealands?

I've been searching for rabbits in my local area and there seems to be a glut of mini rabbits but the suckers aren't big enough to bother butchering.

What gives?

I've tried checking some of the local shelters and they are all 'no kill', 'no breeding' shelters.

I raise Flemish Giants and the kids show the kits for 4H...
they are more than a 10 pound monster bunny... my daughter's reserve champion rabbit is over 20 pounds and still lean and growing...
if you like large... I strongly recomend these, BUT find a good breeder... the lesser rabbits don't get as big and can have health and personality troubles.