Ok, I'm not really in the rabbit selling business. I occasionally list on Craig's List, but I mostly just raise meat rabbits for my family. On Tuesday night I sold 3 older Rex (15 weeks old) for $50 and was very happy. I also found out that I was out of rabbit food so Wednesday morning I went to the feed store. They had a sign out that said they had rabbits so I inquired and let them know I had some rabbits that I could sell to them. The lady said too bad I hadn't come in a couple days earlier, they were desperate for rabbits so they took these. They had 4 and two of them look too young to be away from mom. I left my information for future reference and left, bummed that I hadn't come in sooner.

About a 1/2 hr after I got home they called and asked about my rabbits and asked me to bring in 10 and they pay $5 each, so I did. I had 3 litters of 9 each that were just over 6 weeks old that I was in the process of separating out into grow out cages. One of the litters was Rex. I took mostly Rex and 1 of my female torts. They were very happy. They called back on Friday at 4:30pm because they only had 1 rabbit left. I took them 7 more. They called back this morning at 9:30am because they only had 4 left and asked for 12 more, but I only had 10 so I took them over. Total sold was 27 @ $5 each for a total of $135 which paid for the 10 bags of feed I bought on Wednesday. But now I have no rabbits to grow out! That's ok though, because the freezer is full, I have 4 NZW ready to butcher and my NZW had 10 last night and my Angora (who was bred to my Rex) had 8 this morning.

I think I did good at $5 each selling them at 6 1/2 to 7 weeks, don't you think? There is a little nag in the back of my mind wondering if they will be showing up on Craig's list in a couple months because people don't want them, or worse, going to shelters. I would hate to think of that. That's a fate far worse than freezer camp in my opinion. But DH thinks if I didn't supply them with rabbits, they would have found someone else.

It was pure dumb luck that I had so many rabbits at just the right age. I had a breeding schedule planned out ahead of time, breeding every 10 weeks and these three litters happened at just the right time.

Kat

depends on where you live if $5 is good or not. Pet stores in canada pay $10-15 each, but consider the differences in our dollar shouldn't be too far off the mark.

BUT i would suggest watching craig's list ads in 3-6 months and watch for rabbits popping up. If they do. Freezer camp them. (after a two week wait period).

You mean watch to see if people are trying to get rid of the rabbits (my rabbits) offer to take them off their hands and then freezer camp them?

The feed store only pays $5 because they see them for $9. They make their money off the food, bottles etc...

I'm sorry to say this (and please understand I don't mean it personally) but to me selling that kind of rate of rabbit for the pet market at easter is not ethical ... I cannot imagine that most of the homes who walked out of the store with a bunny will have it in 6 months let alone a year
The store probably did no screening at all and most buyers were impulse

I hope your rabbits charm the pants off everyone adn get to stay in their homes but it alarms me
good for your pocket book though ...

precisely, september/october is the time to watch for "free" bunny ads. Take the bunny off their hands, and then keep it for two weeks. YOU GET the cage (sell it with a bunny), and also free food for your dogs or your freezer.

I understand your feelings Brody, since I had them myself. I never planned to do this, it just sort of happened. I was shocked at the volume this place could go thru. She did say people were buying two at a time. At a lot of the first ones were Rex. But this place was a hatchery. A little hole in the wall place with chicks and chicken supplies. They also carry rabbit feed, cages, crocks & bottles. Hay & Straw. That's it. You would never think that many people would even come in Wednesday thru Saturday, never mind buy a rabbit!

I will keep my eyes open to see if they end up as "free bunny" ads.

yah I agree Katduck - the number of sales is amazing - let's hope it's cause people liked your babies so well they sent other people to the store

__________ Mon Apr 05, 2010 9:26 am __________

yah I agree Katduck - the number of sales is amazing - let's hope it's cause people liked your babies so well they sent other people to the store

People buy rabbits at Easter for their kids just like they used to buy chicks dyed purple, red and green. Yes, the chance of them having a great life is slim, but what difference does it make if the feed store sells them for $8 or the pet store sells them for $25. The problems here is parents, not kids, not feed stores, and not rabbit breeders. I stopped selling rabbits for pets, but I occasionally sell a bunch to individuals that will fatten them out in dirty, too small pens, and then butcher them.

It is time we get past the "victim" mentality both with people and animals, and place the blame where it lay.... that is with people and parents that have no integrity. If everybody in the world stopped selling stuff because the buyer might make poor or cruel use of it, nothing would get sold from cars to cucumbers. Saying that someone is "enabling" murder, because they sell a gun, needs to stop.

Sorry, everyone, it is my rant of the week..

I think it is great when someone who just tries to raise meat rabbits, gets to sell a bunch of kits to help cover their expenses.

and you and I are entitled to feel the way we do

I actually got way past trying to lay blame anywhere a LONG time ago - and yes ultimately it is the idiots who buy on a whim without reseach or on the presumption someone else will care for the animals who are the problem but if there weren't mass numbers available people would have to think and research prior to purchase - and that's a good thing ...
millers take some responsibility for the fact there are hundreds of designer dogs out there surely ?


I am pretty sure I was careful not to be judgemental ..especially as I don't judge anybody who makes different choices than me ...

I have NO issue with people who use animals in different ways than I do .. NONE .. in fact I help whoever needs help if I can as long as they are humane ..

I don't think it's great when somebody sells animals and then worries about them - although that's a sign of a caring compassionate person ..

Hey Brody, I was not slamming you in any way.

I admire your willingness to help rescue these animals. I could be called a popple mill because I raise hundreds of bunnies, that are going to be processed for food in a few months. All the animals in my care are well treated, clean, well fed and healthy. I know you were not pointing blame... You are obviously a sweet person.

I AM pointing blame. I am pointing it at anybody who lets animals in their charge being treated cruelly because of a lack of reasonable human concern. This includes letting their kids get by with a similar lack of concern. What I am saying, is the when a rabbit starves to death out in a filthy cage in the corner of a yard, it is most certainly some ones fault, and it is neither the breeder, nor the seller, nor the teacher, nor the county health department... It lays solely in the arms of that person.

Now, as far as worrying about them (the rabbits), I worry about it ever time I process rabbits. I don't like to kill things that are not causing someone harm. But unless I am willing to give up wearing leather, and eating meat or fish, I would be pretty much of a hypocrite, if I wasn't willing to become involved in the "entire" process myself.

What I don't understand is why people suddenly want a rabbit at Easter but don't think about them the other 364 days? How can people be so stupid as to not stop and think WHY they suddenly want said rabbit when its never occured to them before???? GAHHHHH!!

AD... I am so with you - I have no issue with people raising meat for consumption and following through humanely

DML - all I can say is people is STUPIT!

Marketing, DML, it's all about marketing. You see the cute bunnies on the screen with all the Easter candy...you see the cute baby chicks, all fluffy and yellow, in the Easter Basket...and suddenly "oh wow..wouldn't it be FUN!!" "Little Johnny will think that's so CUTE!!" So little thought about the future...just about the NOW. Same with puppies and kittens, often. Little Johnny wants a puppy. Okay. we'll go get a puppy. "what do you MEAN it needs vaccinations? and worming? and neutering is HOW MUCH? are you KIDDING ME?"

oh goodness...I almost got up on my soapbox about dogs tied outside or in a tiny kennel outside all their lives while the family is inside all warm and snug and they just go out to play with the dog once every couple of days.

ARGHGHGH.

Maybe Rent-A-Bunny is a good idea...

Families could opt for 1 week, 2 weeks, a month. Cage and feed provided. Major deposit to cover the costs if they choose to adopt it.

One the other hand... it might just open a whole new can of worms.

I also find the "buy a bunny at Easter" perplexing. I think they are the ones that put the bunnies out at Easter for people to buy, but maybe people would have bought them at other times if they were available. They just condensed the entire years sales into 1 week.