Selling newborns as pinkies/feeders

So... I have my original doe. I have a kit from her I'm keeping, and another doe that's being returned. My plan was to retire my original doe once I had 2 to replace her.

By retire, I mean either putting down or petting out.

I don't think she'd make a good pet. She's a very hormonal doe, quick with her feet and teeth. Seems like a liability if I rehome her. I feel badly though, thinking about putting her down.

She's sweet as pie and easily handled when she's pregnant or nursing. But I don't need three does to breed for pet quality animals, and Lily isn't the best quality doe.

I have had some people inquire as to feeding their reptiles, but by the time I sell the babies, they're too big.

Is it wrong to keep a doe pregnant and pull her litter from her to sell as pinkies? I could/would occasionally foster litters onto her from the other does, so she's not constantly popping them out and then being forced to dry up and breed again. I just wonder if it's mentally fair to her, or if she'd be better off put down. I'm going to see how she is after I've weaned this litter, and hopefully she's calmed down enough to rehome to a pet home or another beginner breeder. But if she hasn't calmed down, then I don't know what is best for her.

I think if you space it out, it would be ok. But non-stop would be too much. She is still making milk and growing the kits in her, after all...

Well, I was thinking of breeding back after 2 weeks/a month. I was also debating just pulling any harlequins out of the nest box, since they don't sell as well. I'm weaning on wednesday, though, so hopefully she'll be calm enough to think about sending to a pet home. I'm going to give her at least a month before I make a final decision, unless she's absolutely wretched.

Lion heads are too big as feeders at time of weaning? 4-5 weeks? I've thought of feeders as well.

BTW, silly question, but what is a pinkie? Kits just born as feeders?

Karen

Pinkie is a newborn, still pink with little no no fur still.

I think people prefer the pinkies because they look less like cute bunnies and more like pink aliens.

ChickiesnBunnies":39gib1bl said:

Pinkie is a newborn, still pink with little no no fur still.

I think people prefer the pinkies because they look less like cute bunnies and more like pink aliens.

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Thanks for the explanation. I think someone who's using feeders really aren't worried about the cute bunnies, but their reptile they are feeding it too. I think it's more the lack of fur. I've seen a few people discussing feeder mice at the Pet Store I go too. Reptiles got to eat too.

Karen

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Well, the main guy I was talking to breeds beardies, so size is the factor there, lol.

I think it's also easier for reptiles to digest the smaller meals? I would imagine it equals out to the same cost over time - smaller meals would have to be fed more frequently.

ChickiesnBunnies":2liw8e0k said:

I was giving a reason as to why larger meals aren't used much.
There's no way everyone only has small pets to feed. I'm sure several cold easily eat a larger rabbit, but the owner doesn't want to deal with that or an up in price.

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Thanks ChickensNBunnies. Read your reply and kind of thought the same as you about owners. I don't know if I could pull pinkies (definitely peanuts), but the rabbit feeders I've seen (where I got Willard) do request a bigger bunny. The ones they have are at least 5 weeks old or older. All comes down to owners. And there are owners of reptiles out there that want to deal with that and also don't care regarding price. It's what best for their animal.

Karen

It's a good idea as far as I can see, as long as you're giving her a beak between. As for the mentally taxing portion of your question it'll probably bother you more than her

I have started doing 1-day breed back for my meat does. Rabbits are not emotionally attached to their young and by 4 weeks they abandon the litter in the wild.

The snake guy I sell to wants big rabbits. My retired breeders and non showable jrs go to him. Thinking of the breeders I have now, I wouldn't pet any of those out.

One of the reasons I got silver fox was he wanted big rabbits, but it takes a Rex months to get the size he wanted, Silver Fox do that in weeks.

ollitos":oflzs7cg said:

I have started doing 1-day breed back for my meat does. Rabbits are not emotionally attached to their young and by 4 weeks they abandon the litter in the wild.

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Is a 1-day breed back 24 hours after she gives birth?

Maxine":21ptgwhe said:

ollitos":21ptgwhe said:

I have started doing 1-day breed back for my meat does. Rabbits are not emotionally attached to their young and by 4 weeks they abandon the litter in the wild.

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Is a 1-day breed back 24 hours after she gives birth?

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Yup it's what they're designed for

Pinkies are good for the smaller reptiles. My bearded dragon LOVES pinkies. Unfortunately she needs a few more months under her belt so she can swallow a newborn rabbit. She can do a mouse pinky no problem. She can do a fuzzy, but no more than two. While newborn rabbitst may not be great for a baby/sub-adult beardie, they would make a nice meal for ball pythons for most ages.

Rabbits can handle breeding schedules that we normally would think outrageous. I just check the overall condition before I breed back. Normally, my problem is them GAINING too much weight with the babies!

Bad Habit":1y9ur14u said:

Well, I was thinking of breeding back after 2 weeks/a month. I was also debating just pulling any harlequins out of the nest box, since they don't sell as well. .

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They don't sell as well there? Send them to meeeeeee... I LOVE HARLIES! And Harlie LH? Wow. It's amazing how things are popular in one area but not in another.

When I first got into rabbits a breeder told me she puts mismarked Dutch kits in the freezer and then bins them. A wasted opportunity. Apparently it's a nice way to die! May be she should try it! A friend breeds python and they start on young gerbils and move up very quickly. What I detest is those people who post videos on YouTube showing weanling rabbits being fed alive to their snakes much to their obvious amusement. Thankfully in the UK it is illegal to feed a live vertebrate to another animal.

I wish we had that law, but I guess unless they brag about it or put up a video on youtube, enforcement can be difficult.

you could do a couple things.

1. pull ALL the kits at birth and let her dry up
2. pull selected kits at birth and let her raise one or two
3. pull ALL kits at birth and let her be a foster mom to better quality kits, particularly if she's better at raising them than another doe is.

How much will you be selling them for? I get a couple bucks each for mine.

I also wouldn't worry about breed back time since she's not going to have demand upon her to rear her kits.