10 Days Old

Eyes are opening on Sunshine's litter! I emptied the nestbox out today in preparation, but saved all the cozy fur. I have found that when I started to do this, there was a distinct reduction in "nestbox eye" with the kits as compared to when I waited longer. I place wood pellets at the bottom on the clean wood, then add grass hay (I shake it off before I build a "nest" with it in the box to reduce dust). Finally, I add the rest of the clean fur back in. Then I know it is sanitary like it was when it was first given to the doe.

Anyhow, here they are waiting to return to the nestbox:

My husband enjoyed visiting with them, too:

He said he thinks it will be harder to make our selections later on now that those that don't make the cut for breeding or show won't be going to pet homes. I would probably still place one in a special pet home because there have been a few over the years that were truly exceptional, but otherwise I think this is the best decision for them and for us. In the meantime, we will enjoy spoiling them rotten and loving them every chance we get. :)

Updated Breeding Plans

Just a quick rabbitry update in between chores. The kits are all doing great and should be opening their eyes soon. I'll probably plan to take new pictures of them on day 10 or so. They are so cute! I've also decided from here forward I'm going to try to weigh them every 2 weeks and see how they compare to each other and to other breeds. So I'll start at 14 days as a baseline, then 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks. Rabbit fryers are usually processed between 8-12 weeks of age (when they weigh 4-5.5lbs), though higher weights are usually for more typical commercial breeds like New Zealands or Californians. I am curious to see how Harlequins compare and whether I can improve on their growth through my selections. Hopefully I will have several keepers as replacements for older stock though.

Speaking of the older Harlies, Kari was bred to Spock today successfully at least 3 times. I also placed Valkyrie with Apollo, though I never saw completion with the pairing this time around. I'm giving them a break and will try again later tonight. I'm hoping to also breed Apollo to Kurayami, but I may end up breeding one of my chocolate bucks to her if Apollo is still preoccupied with Valkyrie. I think 2-3 litters at a time is a good number for now so the does can help each other if someone has too many kits, not enough milk, etc.

I can't believe it is almost 2015! I better start writing my goals list soon!

New Kit Pix!

Here are Tacoma's chunky-monkeys on Christmas Day:

We have fur! Isn't it amazing how rabbit kits transform from pink little sqiggly things to colorful popples in such a short time?

Here are Sunshine's lovelies:

I'm pleased with markings on some of the kits in this litter, although the rufus is particularly strong with Tacoma's. My goal by producing these is to be able to select some replacement breeding stock for some of my old guys and gals. The nice thing about Harlies for show folks is that they can pick their show-marked kits from the nestbox, just like with Dutch. While it would be great if one of the nicely marked kits had it all and I could show him or her, with these litters I am looking at factors such as growth rate and body type first and foremost. I'm also hoping they aren't all bucks or all does- which has happened to me plenty of times before, lol. Happy Saturday!

A Rabbit Lesson

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

In the meantime, I have been quite impatiently waiting on Valkyrie. I am really not too sure what she is up to as she stopped nesting days ago suddenly and has just been using her nestbox as a king size bed. I have been checking on her for days because it has been cold and humid and I worry with first time moms. She is somewhere between day 32-36 since she was with the Apollo for a few days in a row.

If you don't already know from my posts or from meeting me in person, I like to get things done and keep it moving. Rabbits have taught me that is not always possible, though. In the wise words of Yoda, I am reminded that:

Even though Valkyrie had all of the signs of being pregnant, she may not be. She may have miscarried or any other number of possibilities. She is reminding me that for all of my years of raising rabbits now, that I still know very little and that nature trumps all manner of planning. Valkyrie is essentially telling me me that I must listen to the lessons that rabbit has to teach me.

So instead of being an insane rabbit owner trying to check up on mama too frequently, I have backed off. Could she have kits on the wire? Yeah. And they will pass if that happens. But the other litters are doing fine. Valkyrie will either get it right or she won't.. or she may not even be with kits at all. So, I spent the day yesterday with my family and dogs and later today I will go check on her again only when it is time to feed. Other than that I will let nature take it's course and heed the lessons that rabbit, like Yoda, had to share. 

Merry Christmas

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season,
and a New Year filled with peace and happiness.

May your Christmas be happy and bright- from our family to yours!

Kit Updates

Today Tacoma suddenly started nesting frantically and kindled a big and beautiful singleton kit. I'm still not sure what Valkyrie is up to as she quit building a nest last night and has just been relaxing today. Sunshine's litter of 5 are looking fat and happy. Here is a pic of the group:

And Tacoma's chubster:

Proud mama:

Hopefully Valkyrie will let us know something one way or the other. I will need to move kits around so the singleton isn't alone in the nestbox, but I'd prefer to do it once I know the final head count. Either way I am thrilled to finally have some babies in the nestbox.. good job old gals!

Edit: I just found another kit in Tacoma's nestbox, so make that 2 chunks! :)

Hi From Valkyrie (Edit: And Kits!)

"Now get out of my way. I'm busy building a nest!" Okay, okay girl.. I'll give you some space. :)

I'm trying my best to let them be, but both does are first timers and it is chilly. I keep peeking in on them.. as discretely as I can, anyway. Hope everyone is having a nice weekend!

Edit: While I was posting this, Sunshine kindled 6! Unfortunately it looks like she struggled to deliver 1 (it had already passed), but the other 5 look big and healthy. Valkyrie has not pulled fur yet, but she has been arranging hay for quite some time now. Fingers crossed!

Haystache Picture

Finally was able to catch Sunshine with a face full o' hay:

She is such a cute doe. I hope everything works out well. Please ignore the torched resting mat. I may have been a little enthusiastic while cleaning, lol. A few minutes after I took this picture, Valkyrie started gathering a haystache of her own. She is my best doe and I would be thrilled beyond thrilled if she had a successful litter. Tacoma and Hikari are still not showing any signs of impending kits, but either way this has been an incredible learning experience so far with the older gals.

Haystache!

Hay + Mustache= Haystache. :)

Sunshine surprised me late last night when I checked on the gang by digging at the corners of her cage over and over. I threw some hay in again and sure enough, she immediately started gathering it up to nest with. It is a little early for a nestbox, but she was frantic and I don't care that it wasn't quite day 28 when she clearly wants a place to build. When I checked on her this morning she was still rearranging in her shiny new box and had pulled just a tiny tuft of fur that was sitting in the mountain of hay, lol.

So I am very surprised and pleased by this development! If she kindles, it defies pretty much everything I've ever read about breeding rabbits. First of all, she is almost 3 years old. Second, she has NEVER been bred before. She was born and raised here, but has been kept pretty much as a spoiled pet for all this time when I took a hiatus from breeding/exhibiting. She is a lilac Japanese, curious and sweet, with decent type all around. Her hindquarter is lacking and she could use a thicker coat with bolder markings, but Apollo (the sire of the litter) should complement her nicely. Valkyrie has also been grunty, which is unusual for her, but I haven't seen any signs of nest building in her or the other two does. Time will tell what happens as the week goes on and once things are more settled, I will plan to take some updated pics.

BunnyVac Booster Update

Today the whole herd received their BunnyVac booster (which is given 30 days after the initial vaccine is administered). To give a little background for anyone that hasn't heard of it before, this is the vaccine to prevent Pasteurella infections in rabbits. It does not treat an infection and can't cause an infection, but it would be invaluable to me if it prevented even one rabbit of mine from getting snuffles. This is always a risk when attending shows, bringing a new rabbit home, etc. Pasteurella can decimate an entire herd. It is difficult to treat and symptoms often return after long periods of expensive antibiotics. Many breeders (myself included) have a policy that as soon as a rabbit shows signs or symptoms such as sneezing, thick opaque snot, abcesses, etc., the rabbit is culled from the herd. I used to try to breed for resistance, but my research has indicated that this is not possible as Pasteurella is simply a bacterial infection similar to tuberculosis or typhoid fever that people can get.

I haven't seen any problems with the vaccinated rabbits so far and I'm hoping some of the does are pregnant. I didn't notice any extra sneezing or clear nasal drainage with the first few days and I specifically looked for sterile abscesses at the injection site. I never saw or felt any lumps or any other problems anywhere. Everyone has been eating/drinking normally and doing their own usual things. BunnyVac is approved for use on pregnant or nursing does and on kits 6 weeks or older. If any kits result from the planned breedings this month, I plan to vaccinate any keepers once they are old enough. I have been told some people are adamantly opposed to vaccinating their herds and don't want to buy any stock that has been vaccinated. All I can say is that I encourage everyone to do their own research and come to their own conclusions for what is best for them. I will continue to be very transparent about the whole process.

In hindsight now that I am thinking about it, I should have taken pictures of how to give a rabbit a subcutaneous injection. I will plan to take some photos of the vaccination process next time in case anyone is nervous about giving their rabbits a shot. The Harlies really couldn't care less. I gave them some willow and hay to much on before hand and they went back to eating/grooming/whatever right after the quick stick. Definitely not a traumatizing experience by any stretch of the imagination. Anyway, the decision to vaccinate is best for me and my herd and I'm going to continue with vaccinations on my breeding stock for the foreseeable future. My adults won't be due again until a year from now, but I will be sure to update again before then. Hope everyone is having a great December! :)

Rabbit on the Dinner Table Part I

It's long past time we talked about a topic that makes some people happy and hungry while others seize up in an animal rights rage: rabbits on American's dinner table! I admit, I am biased. I think rabbit meat is great and is very under appreciated in the United States today. This is in part to problems marketing. Do these sound familiar: Pork. The Other White Meat. Beef. It's What's For Dinner. Got Milk? All of these are advertising slogans and marketing campaigns funded by big guns in their respective industries. Did you know beef gets its own month now?

In another example, the pork slogan was created at the request of the National Pork Board and funded at least in part by a tax collected when pork is sold or even imported to the US. I'd just like to take a moment to point out that the United States Department of Agriculture does not consider pork a white meat. But the advertising worked great and pork can be found in every butcher or grocery store in my area. I can have it prepared at nearly every restaurant as well.

You know what I can't find locally in the store? Rabbit. Not anywhere. I seem to recall hearing that Whole Foods intended to sell rabbit this year in some cities. You know what happened on the internet? It exploded with posters stating that we would be eating our pets. Like someone would literally break down their door and take their rabbit so it could be sold for dinner at Whole Foods. Petitions sprang up to stop Whole Foods from selling rabbit. And (I am not making this up), protestors arrived in front of Whole Foods stores. Please bear in mind, this was not police brutality or government oppression- this was literally just a store trying to sell a product to their customers. People buy beef, pork, fish, chicken, and more without a second thought at this same grocery chain, but they aren't as cute as rabbits. A steer or a rooster also may not be the best choice in house pets. I'd doubt homeowners would like to share a bedroom with one. They may be raised in horrible feedlot conditions with disease and manure up to their hocks. They may be crammed into tiny cages pressed up against others of their kind, with their beaks cut off and their wings broken, but by god we aren't selling the American public humanely raised rabbit.

It seems to me like those are the two main issues with rabbit meat in the US. People think rabbits are cute and rabbit meat has no advertising plan that I am aware of. Most of the people I've asked have never had rabbit meat in their life. This is going to be part 1 of a several part series in which I will talk about the benefits of rabbit meat, of why we as breeders and exhibitors should promote it, and how to prepare and enjoy rabbit meat (with recipes!). I hope this is enlightening and maybe eventually we will be able to come up with a marketing campaign to help the rest of America to discover the deliciousness that is slow roasted rabbit on the dinner table. Cheers!

Hutch Design

I want to move a couple of my rabbits outside into a hutch that I've built myself. As I've mentioned before, this upcoming year will have a few different experiments going on- trying a more natural diet, trying an outdoor hutch (and maybe an indoor trayless system also if I can figure it out), and solving rabbit breed dilemma if the Harlies are too old so I can get some kits in the nestbox again.

I have been trying to look at plans for a while now and I've linked a few in other posts. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people that can look at a thing and figure out how to put it together. As far from "handy" as you can imagine. I need detailed plans with the wood measurements, type of screws, etc. all spelled out or I guarantee I will screw it up.

One frame idea I found that could be promising is utilizing modular hutch brackets. I found them for sale here (with pictures):

http://www.bunnyrancher.com/store/p41/Modular_Hutch_Brackets.html

Incidentally, the vendor above also has rabbit dispatch/processing equipment should anyone be looking. With the brackets, it looks like as long as I buy the right wood and have a drill that it would be easy to fit existing cages. I would need to place the frame on concrete blocks or something to get it off the ground outside and I would need to build a roof or place the cages inside a covered area. I'd probably also see if I can put some aluminum sheeting on the frame to protect the wood.

Another idea instead of building a roof- a friend of mine used a Walmart pop-up tent with sides for her rabbitry. She had it against the back of her house and the rabbit cages were inside. She used trays as I recall, but I think if it is a single row that I could probably place a large drilled tub under the cage to catch waste for the garden and move the tent from time to time. It actually looked really nice for an urban setup- it was tan and blended in well with her home and backyard landscaping. I doubt anyone even knew she had rabbits there. Here is an example picture for context:

I saw some other folks use carports, but I think that would be too much when I am just experimenting. What happens if I hate it and want to move everyone back in? I don't want to invest a ton of money or time in this unless I love it. I am also not certain how cold hardy the Harlies will be if move them outdoors when it is in the 20's or below at times. Seems like that might be another part of the experiment. I can easily provide them with shelter and hay to burrow into though. On an interesting note, I have found Harlequins to be surprisingly heat tolerant and have never lost one during the summer. They did better during the hottest days than even my NZ's back when I had them.

Anyone have a favorite hutch design or housing plans they'd like to share or have had good luck with?

5 Breeds (Part II)

I can't remember all of the different polls on rabbit forums over the years, but I know another favorite question was which breeds would make your top 5 list?

I am also thinking about this list quite seriously as I need a backup plan if my Harlies are too old to produce. My husband thinks I should just start over now with younger stock of a commercial breed and save myself the headache, but I am sticking with the 3-strike rule. I should know something one way or the other in a couple of weeks for round 1 with the first 4 does. I am feeling some pressure to figure all of this out because we may be looking at a move to the midwest this time next year for my husband's career. Everything is still completely up in the air, but it does put a potential timeline on getting everything sorted with the rabbitry. I also feed my dog raw and really need to have a homegrown meat source again.

For my top 5 list, I tried to pick breeds that I like, but that are also able to contribute the most to my family. In the first years of raising rabbits, I had them for my own enjoyment (which hasn't changed), but I bred them primarily for show. While there is nothing wrong with that at all, these days my interests have shifted to raising rabbits more for homestead purposes. I still ultimately aim to meet the standard for my breed and may attend a show from time to time, but exhibition is no longer in the top priority list like good health, type, growth, mothering abilities, etc.

Anyway, (aside from Harlequins obviously) here are my current top 5 breeds in alphabetical order:

1. Beveren: I've wanted to work with this breed for years. Not sure if it will ever happen due to difficulty finding/purchasing. Reportedly good meat rabbits, good mothers, and would support a heritage breed. I like the blue-eyed white variety best. I am not convinced about dress-out without seeing/touching them though. They look pretty heavy on bone and hippy in almost all of the pictures I've seen. I have to wonder about their health and growth with such a small population across the US.

2. Californian: The 2nd most popular commercial rabbit. I also think pointed whites are lovely. This is a very practical breed and their pelts are considered white, which is more desirable than colored pelts as I understand the market at this time.

3. Dutch: I've worked with them before and I would again. Easily managed size, excellent dress-out, attractive, good mothers, lots of colors, etc. Plenty of culls since getting those perfect markings are.. well, like raising Harlequins. I don't think there would really be a market for pelts like with NZW and Californians, but would be fine for homestead use. According to Bob Bennet's book, Dutch are the way to go for small family use and I can see why he thinks so.

4. Satin: A commercial body type with a particularly fancy coat. I understand rex pelts are highly desirable right now, but I like Satins better. I've only seen a handful of these over the past 5 years at any show, so not likely to happen, just like with Bevs.

5. New Zealand: The quintessential commercial rabbit. I was able to see and put my hands on the broken variety at the Conyers show recently and they are SOLID. Like meat bricks with an attractive coat. Their temperaments made them easy to work with. They had great size and were overall very nice rabbits. The New Zealand Reds I had briefly years ago were subpar in almost every way (now that I have a basis for comparison).

Honorable mentions: French Angoras are the only angora breed I'd work with. I would also consider American Chinchilla, Blanc de Hotot, Silver Fox, American Sable, Argente rabbits as they meet all of my needs and could use the population boost (they are all or were on the ALBC heritage list at one point). Off topic, but I totally don't understand why ARBA has the d'Argent breeds accepted as separate and only partially (Brun, Creme, Champagne) when they are French rabbits and they are all the same breed with different varieties in Europe (Bleu, Brun, Creme, Champagne and Noir). Seems needlessly complicated, but what do I know?

My ideal rabbit weighs between 5-12 lbs, has good health/temperament, a nice pelt, quick growth, decent dress-out, attractive. I like and prefer the topline of compact or commercial type, but I'd make an exception for Bevs only (mandolin/semi-arch type). Rollback my favorite coat. For almost every breed I'd have to make concessions somewhere, but it isn't about having the perfect rabbit. Ultimately, it is still about enjoying what we do and having a rabbit that can contribute to our family. I think if we have those two things, then everything else will fall into place.

Do you have a breed, size, fur, or type preference? I'd love to hear from others about their favorites. :)

Daydreaming (An Ideal Rabbitry)

Over the weekend after Thanksgiving, I was looking at different rabbit vendors to see if there were any sales online. I found myself daydreaming about what my rabbitry would look like if money, time, and space were unlimited. Here are some of the things I would invest in:

1. Automatic water system- So, I am pretty sick of filling bottles after 5+ years now. I realize this isn't the most expensive or complicated thing ever, but I want to have my cages and barn set-up before I pursued auto-water so I had everything just right from the start.

2. A tray-less rabbitry- I would prefer to have a set-up with single rows of cages in a building dedicated to the rabbits. I saw one I really liked in a CL ad. It was basically a modified extra-large carport. It was completely covered on top and down part of the sides, but open underneath for tons of airflow and natural light. It looked like the seller had roll-down tarps for when it was extra cold/windy/rainy. I'd probably have worm/compost beds or something underneath so I can utilize the manure for other purposes still. If it was completely indoors, I'd like a set-up with waste going into a container outside with drainage holes so I can still use it, but it doesn't stay in the building. With my current set-up indoors, I would love to have angled boards like on the KW Rabbit Tech system instead of trays, but ultimately, I am not sure it would be clog-free and frustration-free for the enormous expense, which is why I would fall back to the old-fashioned (yet practical) rows of large wire cages like meat breeders still use today.

3. A rabbit building- I'd love to have a place like Bob Bennett has in his book that is dedicated to the rabbits with good ventilation, an attractive exterior, practical. He used the side of his to store firewood with the long/low roofline and also had an idea for a plant arbor that could go around it to provide privacy and more food. While I am daydreaming, I'd love to have a little office to store my rabbit-related paperwork/books/etc., a dedicated processing area, and grazing pastures outside. After reading about multiple rabbitries having coccidia problems, I don't think a full-blown colony set-up is practical for me though. I love heritage stuff, but there is a reason even backyard rabbitries started getting their stock up and off the ground. If I could protect the area and ensure it stayed parasite-free though, I would still love the rabbits to get regular time outside.

 Wouldn't something like this be lovely with some basic modifications for rabbits?

4. A reliable quality pellet and hay source. That should be easy in this day and age, but it isn't. I've probably gone through 5+ rabbit pellet brands and types over the years due to availability or problems with the pellets themselves. I've had to special order and use oats/alfalfa to stretch out what I had when suppliers came up short. Hay is also an issue at times- I have to go to various feed stores and sometimes just get bags from PetSmart or PetCo when the quality is poor locally. Sometimes I feel like hay bales are half dust/soil when it is a bad cutting and it isn't cheap either. A bale of alfalfa at my local feed store is almost $25 for one. I literally had a spider infestation of some sort of non-venomous web species after buying one apparently good bale of timothy that had a bunch of baby spiders or spider eggs or something I didn't see inside the flakes, too. I am still clearing random spider webs from the corners of the ceiling where the rabbits are kept. I've been thinking about using a non-essential Harlequin or three for a fodder/natural feeding experiment that I will post about soon. I also would love to have some hay pastures on my next property so I can harvest my own for the animals and a larger garden with an orchard to supplement a greater portion of their diet.

I'm sure there's more, but that's what I am thinking about today. What would you change if money/time/space were no object?

5 Breeds (and Happy December!)

Can you believe how fast the time flies? It seems like yesterday when it was still summer and I was cursing the deer and squirrels that decimated my garden, lol. And now it is winter- the Christmas lights are up, the air is crisp, and the pies are abundant.

Anyway, I remember on one of my (now defunct) forums, there was a thread about what 5 breeds of rabbit you would NEVER raise. I thought it would be fun to bring it back, so here are mine:

1. American Fuzzy Lop

2. Jersey Wooly

3. Mini Rex

4. Mini Satin

5. Lionhead

Honorable mention: Himilayan, Polish, Netherland Dwarf 

Nothing personal for the folks that love those breeds! I just can't see myself working with tiny rabbits. If I wanted long fur, I'd go with larger angora breeds. If I wanted a satin coat or himi points, I'd go with the full-size breed. If i wanted lop ears, likewise. Everyone is different, but I just can do the tiny guys. And even 4lbs is pretty small to me. I thought Dutch were tiny and their max weight is 5.5lbs (I would raise them again if space/time/money was no option). Here is a link to the ARBA breed list:

https://www.arba.net/breeds.htm

I loved seeing the responses on the old forum- I'd be curious where folks stand these days since small rabbits are so popular across the US. Happy December!

Rabbit Forums

As most already know, I like talking rabbits with like-minded folks! Here are some links to rabbit forums you can join and make new friends (the top one is also a general homesteading forum with a rabbit section):

Homesteading Today

Rabbit Talk

Rabbit Addict

There used to be a bunch of Yahoo rabbit groups also, but I'm not sure if many are still active. The ones I used to be a member of were only showing new posts every few weeks or so. I wish some of the rare breeds had an active internet presence- I can barely find anything on Beverens still in 2014 just like in 2008. Anyway, I'm sure there are other rabbit forums out there that I don't know about, but a word of caution- several rabbit forums are managed by rabbit activist folks and are not welcoming to breeders/exhibitors. Join us if you haven't already and help spread the word!

And now a random internet picture that made me smile:

Happy Sunday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Good thing the rabbits know how to prepare for the big day!

Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds. ~Theodore Roosevelt

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.  

Fall Rabbit Update

As I mentioned before, I've been aiming for December kits. I worry it has been too long since any planned litters though. For the most part, the does have not been receptive to the bucks regardless of the time of day, choice of buck, cage placement, lighting, etc. Valkyrie is the exception to the rule as she has been a gem and is apparently quite fond of Apollo. I normally do not leave does with bucks in case of problems when I am not supervising, but I did end up placing Kari and Sunshine both in with Spock and Apollo respectively in the hopes that something would happen when I wasn't around. For now I am just going to plan to put nestboxes in with all four does when the time comes and hope for the best.

In the meantime, I've been trying to come up with a contingency plan. Bob Bennett in Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits (which I recommend) gives his does a 3-strike rule. Here is a pic of the cover in case any folks are wanting to read it. The IBSN # is 1603424563:

With the 3-strike rule, Mr. Bennett gives his does three attempts to raise a litter and then they are out of the breeding program. I think that is the fair option here as well. I'd be thrilled with some surprise litters though- I really need some young replacements and would like to continue with these genetics. I honestly don't think I could do Harlequins again if I had to start all over from nothing. Needless to say, I am curious to see if old does can produce after this long. After talking to some folks and doing some reading, old bucks tend not to be the culprit if kits aren't produced- hence why 4-6+ year old bucks in some breeding programs still successfully sire litters.

Another thing I am planning to do differently from here forward is (assuming I have any litters) not to part with pet quality rabbits to the general public. I've had a very small number of exceptional homes contact me over the years. More commonly though, I am contacted by folks that haven't done any research and want something cheap. Part of that is the market here, but part of it is just a different way of thinking. To me rabbits are living creatures, but some folks may view them more like objects (such as toys to entertain their kids). I have gone the route where I spend a lot of time and effort trying to educate, but honestly many people are not receptive and I think that contributed to burnout I experienced a few years ago. I would rather have rabbit dinner knowing that life was good before humane dispatch rather than consign one of my own to a fate of neglect or even abuse in a questionable home. Another bonus is that I wouldn't have to worry about the retail aspect, which I am not good at and don't care for. I knew going into rabbits 5+ years ago that this is a wonderful hobby, but not one I was planning to make any money from anyway.

Rabbit Cage Wire

Since I have been on a quest to update some of my cages, I thought I'd share what I learned in the process about housing rabbits over the years. First of all, let's talk about general housing. I know some folks have a lot of success with raising rabbits on the ground in a colony or warren set-up and I think it is a neat idea.. but I worry about internal and external parasites. Mites, worms, etc. live in the soil and come from droppings that other animals leave. This can result in rabbits that are weak, thin, in poor condition, and can even die if they have a significant infestation. Another important issue with parasites in livestock is that infected stock can be a potential vector to humans as well. Birds of prey, cats, dogs, snakes, fox, raccoons, rats can also kill your rabbits and/or their babies depending on how protected they are. Children may try to get into the enclosure to play with them and they may end up free if another human is so inclined to let them out. I also imagine they would be hard to catch at times, particularly when holed up.

I personally use wire cages. I've also used solid-bottom cages in the past with litter boxes. I don't like the litter box/solid bottom at all- some rabbits are clean and keep everything spotless, others pee and poop in their litter box, then dig it out all over the cage and take a nap in it, even when they have other clean boxes, toys, etc. Some are in-between, but I don't like that rabbits with this setup will have to step in their own waste unless you are planning to change the litter box contents several times a day. No thanks!

So, wire. Isn't it cruel to raise rabbits on metal? Well, it is for the most part self-cleaning (droppings and urine fall right through), though you still have to sanitize it from time to time and keep it free from fur that likes to stick during a molt. It also has great ventilation and rabbits have thick fur on the bottom of their feet that are perfectly suited to this kind of housing. A lot of people think rabbits develop sore hocks because of wire, but the truth is that some rabbits are lacking the thick fur (a fault) and get sore hocks even on solid flooring. Most folks also provide resting boards (myself included), but much of the time my rabbits still prefer the wire for most of their activities. Some of them are perpetually putting the resting mats up against the wall of their cage, out of the way of their toys, food, etc. :)

I've discovered through my search that there are about a zillion kinds of welded wire out there. The two most commonly used are galvanized before wire and galvanized after wire. Galvanized just means that a zinc or zinc and aluminum coating is applied to the steel to make it last longer and help keep it from rusting. Galvanized before wire is usually cheaper, but it rusts more easily because the heat from the welding damages the galvanized finish. Galvanized after usually feels thicker and stronger and the steel underneath may be of a higher quality as well. Most finishes I've seen just have zinc, but the zinc and aluminum combo is also reported to last longer than a standard galvanized finish. As a side note, you should never cut galvanized metal with power tools as breathing in the zinc fumes is dangerous (look up metal fume fever for more info).

I have both galvanized before and after wire here. I've found welded wire usually dulls in color over time and may even look powdery eventually. Galvanized before wire rusts much quicker in my experience and you should plan to replace it every few years when kept out of the elements and perhaps even more often if kept unprotected. If you order cages from vendors, check to make sure they use galvanized after wire. I was surprised that more expensive cage vendors don't specify which wire they use and unfortunately, these are the stackers I'm having to repair as the floor rusted out where the rabbits urinated most frequently.

As I am not very experienced doing cage repairs, I went with 25' of cheap galvanized before wire for $32 including shipping. That way if I screw up while cutting the wire or whatever, I am not out a significant amount of money. Galvanized after wire can be over $200 for 100' roll, to give you an idea of cost. I am going to use the extra wire after a repair to make a cage myself and see how it works over time. If all goes well with my new cage and my repairs, then next time I will go with the more expensive wire.

Another important factor in wire for rabbit cages is the size of the wire. Although it make sound backwards, a higher number gauge is a smaller/thinner wire. For example, a 14 gauge wire is thicker and stronger than a 19 gauge wire. I like 14 gauge wire for the walls and ceiling, though 16 gauge wire should work fine, too. I also like 14 gauge wire for the floor personally. I've found the 14 gauge lasts longer and helps keep bigger cages from sagging in the middle. I don't like 30" deep cages because it can be hard to clean the back and remove buns from that far back, so I tend to go for wider floorspace (such as 36" long and 24" deep). You can use 1" x 2" wire for the walls and ceiling of the cage (or you can use baby-saver wire with smaller gaps at the bottom if you are worried about kits falling out). I like 1/2" x 1" for the floor, but folks with smaller breeds may go for 1/2" x 1/2" for the floor, too. In my carriers, I noted that the droppings are too large for that size wire at times for the large breeds like English Lops, though it was fine for my Mini Lops and most of my Harlies. The best thing about do-it-yourself projects though is figuring out what works best for you. I hope this information is helpful and best of luck in your cage-building endeavors!

Random Winter Stuff

I started supplementing the herd with black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) today. Last year I stopped feeding Purina as it was over $20 per bag at the time and started with Southern States, which is local and less expensive. It looks and smells fine, though it isn't as green as what I was used to. I still feed random hay (whatever is available locally) as well. Everyone's been doing well except that I've noticed their fur/condition isn't as nice this year as compared to last. BOSS is notorious as a "hot feed" that can help with this issue and a lot of exhibitors feed it as a supplement. Think glossy coats. Word from the previous generations of rabbit breeders is that an excess of BOSS can make bucks and does fat and lazy, though. I just put a small handful (probably 6-12 seeds) per rabbit and we will see how it goes.

In other news, I'm trying to get some does bred today. This morning, Apollo was interested and Spock was not. After it warmed up some, both of the bucks were willing, but they were unsuccessful with Tacoma, Sunshine, and Valkyrie. I'm giving them a break under the assumption they are out of shape after two years off from this endeavor and will try again later today or tomorrow. I'm hoping to have them breed four does between them so I can see if I even get 1-2 litters. I'd be ecstatic with four though- think of how particular I could be when choosing the next generation!

Vaccinated Harlies!

I didn't realize this at the time, but apparently there is a lot of controversy about BunnyVac, the Pasteurella multocida vaccine. I vaccinated all of my Harlequins today, for better or worse. I have been told that some breeders and owners will not buy from vaccinated herds and that there is pressure to question the effectiveness of the vaccine and whether there are any actual benefits to the rabbits vaccinated. There is a lot of concern that we, as breeders, would be doing harm to our beloved rabbits by vaccinating. This is what I wrote on a thread about treating snuffles on Homesteading Today, in case it helps anyone out:

I know there is usually a lot of emotion when this topic starts to get going, but I think we are in an era where we can make educated decisions that may not only benefit our herd, but may benefit other rabbit breeders. Please bear with my long post, but I think a lot of rabbit breeders believe (and I thought this myself for many years) that a strong immune system prevents or can fight off snuffles. Operating under this assumption, I think the unfortunate reality is that we are breeding generation after generation of carriers. When a snotty rabbit appears- we as breeders most often don't culture it. We kill it and when there is no more snot, we think the problem is resolved. The evidence for this not being the case is that after more than 30 years of cull the sick mentality, rabbit breeders are still dealing with snot and upper respiratory symptoms regularly. There are threads upon threads about it in rabbit forums as we all know.

P. multocidais just a gram-negative bacteria, like typhoid fever. You don't have to have a weakened immune system to get an infection. It doesn't help, but bacteria are opportunistic and if they happen to get into your sinus cavity, then you can get a sinus infection even if you were otherwise strong and healthy. How many of us have had to take antibiotics because we had an infection? I know I have. The thing is that breeders (myself included again) tend to rationalize why a rabbit was having respiratory symptoms such as dust, pollen, a weather change, etc. It seems certain, though, that many if not most rabbits are colonized with this bacteria. That is why a random rabbitry may suddenly have a problem with snuffles where one didn't exist before when no new rabbits were brought in and no shows were attended. All that happened is that colonized rabbit(s) experienced stress of some sort (keeping in mind they already have the infection) and became symptomatic (such as thick nasal discharge). Typhoid fever is a good example in humans for why culling those with symptoms just doesn't work. Typhoid Mary is a pretty famous lady- she was a carrier with no symptoms that is believed to have infected 53 people until she was isolated from the public. Fortunately for all of us, a vaccine was developed. Of course there have been refinements since, but the typhoid fever vaccine is still in use today in the United States for those going to countries where typhoid fever is still a problem.

Do I think there could be more clinical trials for the vaccine? Yes. However, the data from the study that was collected did support the vaccine in a significant way, which is far superior than breeders stating they cull the sick and the problem is resolved without any actual science to back the claim. Over the past 8 months or so, several breeders have come forward stating they have had good results with the vaccine in their herd, including a breeder who had unvaccinated rabbits become ill after the county fair and her vaccinated stock remained unchanged and outwardly healthy.

As for a vaccinated rabbit developing snuffles- there are several bacterium that have been associated with this disease. The vaccine is for P. multocida and not all of the rest such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bordetella bronchiseptica to name a few that there is no protection for. In other words, just because a rabbit has BunnyVac does not mean it is protected from every form of upper respiratory infection just like how a dog can still get kennel cough even with the vaccine. I personally am going to try vaccinating my herd and any offspring produced- it is exceedingly inexpensive ($1-$2/rabbit) even by my standards and I want to support the research and development that contributes to scientific advances for rabbits.

As always, I encourage everyone to do their own homework. I don't have any affiliation with the vaccine developer. I have, however, dealt with snuffles in the past and have always culled the offender. I would love to see a day like we have with our other livestock when a shot can prevent the loss of our animals.

Tentative Breeding Plans

Oh my goodness, I have so much to do! I finally was able to get my records from Evans rabbit software transferred over to my current computer. Now I am trying to look at pedigrees, past litters, and current rabbits to decide who I should attempt to breed for my first litter in more than two years. I've decided that my first priority is to preserve genetics, so I will probably plan for Hikari and Tacoma as they are my oldest does. Spock and Apollo are my oldest bucks, so I will probably plan for them to be herdsires again (which I am sure they will be thrilled about despite age). When the new year comes and goes, I will be posting a list of my 2015 breeding goals like I used to back in the day, but I can already say for sure that I will need to cull, cull, cull. I have a lot of issues that I need to address with my own personal Harlequins to get repeated good type and health. Temperament has never been a problem (Harlies are the SWEETEST rabbits!) and, as always, markings are at the bottom of my list. How am I still working with a marked breed after all of these years? Beats me!

Cage Frustrations

So, I want to overhaul my set-up. I've wanted to for a while, but what I am finding is that technology that makes it easy to clean is still ridiculously expensive and it is still very difficult to find detailed plans for some innovative stacking cages. Unfortunately, I have concrete floors so I have to use trays or some sort of system to catch manure and urine. I also can't utilize a row of hanging cages due to lack of wall space in the area I keep the rabbits. This means that I must use cages stacking on top of one another and that I must have something underneath each one. In the past few years, I keep having to replace galvanized trays on my 36" cages as they can't survive the rabbit's urine pH and moisture. There is no local place to buy trays of that size and shipping is almost as much as the tray itself. Most of mine are Dura Trays now, but they are also pricey and expensive to ship. I've toyed with the idea of building a few hutches for outside, but honestly I worry about predators and humans, the ability to move it when needed, weather, and durability. At least I did find some plans for an outdoor option. Here is a link to one for a nice-looking and functional 2 hole hutch that protects the wood from chewing and waste:

http://www.d1rconsulting.com/industry-articles/98-winemaking-logs/rabbits/135-rabbit-hutch-plans-and-instructions.html

So what to do in the meantime? I found Bass offers a "Flush-Kleen" tray that might be an option, but they aren't very deep and I am not sure how the more rigid plastic holds up over time. I am also not sure how much is involved in PVC connections or if you need a water supply to rinse the trays. They are also expensive at more than $40/tray. I also found some plans for folks that use tin or plastic roofing, puckboard, or other kinds of scrap to create a tilting dropping board underneath cages. Some folks let the manure run onto the ground and others catch it with gutters, pipes, or buckets. I'm thinking of trying something like this on my huge and currently empty KW Cages stacker and see how it performs with just one cage. That would give me a nice grow-out area for a litter and would let me test it at the same. I was thinking of connecting the dropping board to a plastic gutter and letting the gutter run right into an empty plastic bucket that I can take out to the garden directly. This may be a disaster, but I am just sick to death of trays after more than five years of using them. I want something easy to clean that ideally gives me a neat container to use for the garden. I am also thinking of trying a concrete mixing pan on the bottom cage and see if I can create compost as it is being used since it is so much deeper than a regular tray. Probably another crazy idea, but can't hurt to try.

In other similar news, it is so hard to find decent cage wire! I need to do some repairs on a few empty cages where the potty corner has rusted out, but I can't find 14 gauge 1/2" x 1" galvanized after wire anywhere locally. The only vendor I could find online was Klubertanz, and I understand from other rabbit folks that they are taking literally months to fill orders currently. I don't need 100 feet, just maybe 12-20 or so so I have extra for next time I need to make a repair. Any ideas? I don't want 16 gauge because I think the thicker wire is more comfortable for heavier breeds and lasts longer, too.

Spock

I just wanted to post some pictures of my old man Spock taken this year:

 He will be 5 years old on February 3rd. He is still the sweetest, most lovable bun ever. I am seriously thinking about breeding him to ensure his genetics continue..and maybe get another buck with his personality.. except, well, younger. In the past he has produced much nicer type than I would have thought, too. I will need to post some pictures of Apollo at some point in the near future.  :) 

Updating Blog List

Sadly, it looks like many (most?) of my bunny friends left the hobby over the past few years. I've been removing a bunch of links from the blog the past few days to update it. If your blog was removed and you become active again, PLEASE e-mail or post a comment so I can add you back. I just didn't want the sidebar filled with blogs that hadn't been touched in years. Also, I'm looking to make new bunny friends and add more links- I'd love to add active blogs for rabbit folks or homesteaders to the sidebar. If you know of any to share, let me know and I'll get them up.

In other news, the BunnyVacs ship tomorrow (great communication from Pan American Labs- they e-mailed me to ask if it was okay to ship after the holiday). I replied to ask if it is thick like PenG or thinner and the response is that it is like water and a 25 gauge needle should work fine, just in case anyone was wondering. :)

ARBA Convention Pictures

Anyone know if someone that went posted a link to a gallery of convention pics? I used to look at them on the RH forum each year, but since it closed down I don't know where to find them anymore. I always love looking at all the different breeds and the new banners, too. Thanks!

BunnyVac

So one new thing to me in the rabbit hobby is the existence of a Pasteurella vaccine. Pasteurella infection (also known as Snuffles) can be responsible for a variety of issues including a runny, snotty nose, ear problems and other neurological symptoms like a tilted head/wry neck, pneumonia, weepy eyes, and abscesses. It can be a breeder's worst nightmare and can ultimately decimate their herd. It affects many pet owners around the world as well.

Unfortunately, Pasteurella has been a deep, dark secret in the rabbit world in year's past. People didn't like to talk about it and unfortunately this helped perpetuate the problem.You can treat the symptoms with antibiotics, but Snuffles is insidious and has been known to return after treatment the next time the animal is stressed. Rabbits can also be carriers and have no symptoms. Snuffles can be transmitted through aerosol. I have had rabbits show up with Pasteurella symptoms in the past and the only way I knew of to protect my crew was to humanely euthanize the sick rabbit. Now that people have started talking about it more, it is apparent that almost anyone with more than a few rabbits for any stretch of time has likely dealt with this illness in some way or another. 

Needless to say, I was thrilled to see the USDA had approved a vaccine for this horrible infection. I haven't brought home any new rabbits and I haven't been to any recent shows, but last night I purchased the vaccine for all of my rabbits. Why would I do that if my rabbits are as safe as they can ever be? I may at some point find a new Harlequin that want to bring home. I also regularly allow my rabbits to eat and play outdoors where we have several wild rabbits living (they have turned my garden into their personal playground). There is also no way of knowing if any of my rabbits are carriers with no symptoms. If they are, this will protect the rest of the herd should they ever become snotty infectious disasters. Additionally, I want to support the product and research that went into it. At only $2/rabbit for the first year and $1 each additional year, it hardly breaks the bank.

If you want to read about or purchase the vaccine, please see the link below:

BunnyVac- Pan American Veterinary Laboratories

Rabbit Tractor

I've been allowing my rabbits more grazing/play time slowly over the past couple of years. I have no place nor design for colony raising rabbits, but I used to think they were generally safer and healthier away from the ground where parasites, dangerous plants, and predators live. After watching rabbits binky around happily in the yard, nibble on all different green bits, and still live to face each bright new day I am much less protective of them outside. Although I have a large fenced in area, I still confine them to a smaller exercise pen or dog crate so they don't get into too much trouble and I supervise them.

With this change in philosophy, I've been looking into building my own rabbit tractors, which are similar to the pens that folks that raise poultry use. I didn't want to use wood this time around as my raised garden beds are not holding up like I had hoped (built with treated wood). Fortunately, I found a DIY guide for PVC rabbit tractors that looks perfect. Here is the link if it is helpful for anyone else like it is for me:

Building a PVC Pipe Rabbit Tractor

One of My Own

I found a picture I took in February of one of my cuddly adult homebred chocolate bucks. Isn't he adorable?

Is anyone still out there?

It has been a long time, but I still have my (now older) Harlequins and I'm still puttering around on the property. Is anyone still around? I tried to find some of my old rabbit and garden friends, but sadly it seems that many have left the hobby and some of the old forums are even gone. I hope maybe it is change of names in some cases though. I'd like to reconnect and maybe I'll even post some pictures of my grandpa and grandma buns. All the best!