What I have Learned from the Rabbit Business.

If you don't know already, I love breeding and selling rabbits. It has been super fun and in today's post, I will be talking about some of the things I have learned from the rabbit business!

1. Pick the breed

If you plan on breeding, raising, and selling rabbits, you first start off by picking which breed you want. Do loads of research to find the breed that best's fit your area, cage space and colors. I chose Holland lops. They are relatively smaller and are the most docile rabbit breed out there. There is a good market in North Florida and they work for my set-up.

2. Buy Supplies

Next go to your local Rural King and buy all the rabbit supplies. You want to find a bag of grain, timothy hay and a pet water bottle. Also think about buying food dishes, brush, and treats. You can find cages on Facebook Marketplace or just buy a wire cage at the store. I have connected wire cages that are hanged from the roof using heavy-duty wire. You also want to figure out whether you are keeping them inside or outside. Mine are kept outside in an open shelter with fans.

3. Buying the Rabbit

This can be pretty tricky to do. First do research on color genetics. This is super fun to research and it helps educate you. When buying the rabbit, make sure it is the right gender. Never assume the seller is telling the truth. Check for yourself. Next feel its back and make sure it is meaty and filled-out. you do not want to clearly feel the backbone. Lastly check its eyes nose and feet to make sure it has no defects or diseases.

4. Have a Plan

Lastly, get a plan. Figure out how many rabbits your going to get, when you are going to breed them, and who is taking care of them.

My plan when I first started was to have 2 females and 1 male. 2 years later, I have 10 females and 3 males. But anyway have a plan for success and believe in the plan.

Breeding:

When breeding, do research and watch videos to help you best prepare. Other videos could help best educate you on this topic.

1. Put the female in the Male's cage.

Do not mess this up. Females are very territorial and if you put the male in their cage, things will get heated quickly and the female becomes aggressive. Instead put the female in the male's cage and watch from a distance.

3. Breed in the fall.

Especially in Florida, wait till the fall. it is to hard on a momma to have bunnies in the Florida heat. Secondly, the female will sometimes refuse to breed if she is overheated.

 Kitting:

The rabbit's gestation is 30-32 days. About 3 or 4 days before birth, the mom will gather hay and anything else in the cage and  make a nest preparing for birth. A couple hours before birth, the mom will pull fur from her dewlap. This does not hurt her but rather God gave rabbits a special layer of fur on their neck for this. When giving birth, give the mom privacy and do not mess with her. Keep the mom as chill as possible. Around a hour later come out. Grab gloves and begin to rub fur to get the momma's scent on the gloves and inspect the nest. If their are any dead ones, remove them from the nest. Usually, Holland lops have about 4-5 bunnies. Check every day the nest for dead bunnies. If all goes well, the bunnies will be energetic and bouncy. 

Raising Bunnies and selling them.

This is the fun part. Around 3 weeks, they open their eyes. They will become adorable. So, so cute! They will already be nibbling on hay and grain by a month old. When selling them, wait till their 8 weeks old. When advertising, take pictures of them on the grass or on furniture or something like that. Make sure the pictures show off their adorableness. I sell my un-pedigreed bunnies for 50 dollars. They sell pretty quickly. At another time, I will post a deep-dive about selling them and all that goes with it. Make sure the bunnies are healthy and in good condition. Be professional and honest when selling them. Find a good price that works for you area.

Growing a following.

Selling rabbits is so much easier when you have been posting on them and people are aware of the bunny. On Facebook, I have a page for our farm. On there, I will do all sorts of fun cute posts. I have done everything from bunny races to super bowl bunny pics. Pick a social media platform and grow an audience. This will help you sell your bunnies easier.

All-in all, rabbits are are super fun to have. Whether you want to make money, or have cute furry bunnies, I would recommend rabbits!