The Good

My next three posts will be about the good, the bad, and the ugly in raising rabbits. I know when I first became involved, it was really a lot of sunshine and rainbows. I didn't have any health issues in my herd, I was doing reasonably well in my first shows, and was harvesting angora for spinning left and right. Life was good. Then I started planning litters, kits were born, things started popping up that I had never dealt with before, and I ended up with some rough lessons in the truth of raising any animal, big or small.

Today we are going to focus on the good parts of breeding rabbits though. There are a lot of positives, there is no doubt about it. First and foremost, it can be very rewarding when everything goes right. Producing homebred stock of quality can generate feelings of accomplishment. Winning on the show tables can plaster a big grin on anyone's face. Having adorable baby bunny faces greet you in the morning first thing that you helped bring into the world is an amazing experience, too.

Other wonderful things about rabbits: they don't take up acres of space, they don't smell, they don't typically vocalize at all. They are relatively low-maintenance for a small set-up. They don't cost even half of what some larger animals do to take care of. Most of their equipment can be attained at the local feed store or online for fairly reasonable prices. They can be affectionate, playful, and fun. Their binkies are a joy to behold. They come in almost every color, size, and pattern that one could dream up. The main American club (ARBA) is very organized and helpful. There are also plenty of folks out there that love to help newbies get going.

Some other great things: rabbits can make fantastic pets. They can also produce meat for the family, be fun to show for kids and adults alike. Certain breeds produce wool for spinning/crafts, and other breeds can be harvested for their full coats. They are a very multi-purpose utilitarian animal. Their diets are relatively simple and low-cost. They produce manure that is gold to anyone's garden.

There are so many good things to say. Do you have any you would like to add?