NC State fair...

I looked up the NC State fair and they will have two days of rabbit showing - one for youth and one for open. One is a Thursday, one is Friday. It's about an hour and a half drive so doable, but a little bit of a trek. I plan on taking the kids at least one day. ODS is asking to do a show, but it doesn't seem like there are too many options (or maybe I am not looking in the right place?). I would like to go just to check it all out, but maybe it would be fun to enter one rabbit? My hesitation is that they have to stay for about 10 days... that means a lot of exposure to who-knows-what. There is an attendant that feeds and waters them (you have a choice of 3 feeds so they suggest switching them over at least 2 weeks before hand), and a vet available at all times. I'm just not sure it would be a good idea to take his favorite rabbit to something like that... or maybe that's semi the norm? I really have no idea. Just curious how it compared to a "normal" show? Do you all do fairs at all?

__________ Wed Aug 19, 2015 2:20 pm __________

They do have a jumping competition that's new this year... I might have to see what that involves - might be something he's interested in! (Nevermind, even with it they have to be there the full 10 days).

I will not show any of my rabbits at the county fair for reasons like you have listed and a few more.
The stress of having to be on public display always seems to coincide with the hottest temps of the summer.
The cages at mine are physically accessible to the public, so kids cans and will walk down the rows poking their fingers into each and every pen (and they DO). So if ONE rabbit has something.. *shudder*
While there may be a vet on hand at the county fair, what are the chances that vet will be any good with rabbits??


At the ARBA shows I've been to you stay on location with your rabbits the entire time and take them home with you.
I've never seen anyone poking their fingers into cages, and most everyone there has at least a basic understanding of rabbit specific diseases and care.

Zass":3h6yz5ur said:

I will not show any of my rabbits at the county fair for reasons like you have listed and a few more.
The stress of having to be on public display always seems to coincide with the hottest temps of the summer.
The cages at mine are physically accessible to the public, so kids cans and will walk down the rows poking their fingers into each and every pen (and they DO). So if ONE rabbit has something.. *shudder*
While there may be a vet on hand at the county fair, what are the chances that vet will be any good with rabbits??


At the ARBA shows I've been to you stay on location with your rabbits the entire time and take them home with you.
I've never seen anyone poking their fingers into cages, and most everyone there has at least a basic understanding of rabbit specific diseases and care.

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OK, so all the "red flags" I was getting as I was reading through are pretty legit. I wasn't sure if I was being overly paranoid . I still want to go and check things out, but definitely not taking any of my own with me!

I was thinking about heading to the state fair myself.

Well, I went to the county fair free on senior day to look at the rabbits.

I won't show at our fair. The rabbits are open for all to see and the cages don't have locks so anyone could take their rabbit. Our fair also have a rule that the animals must be on display for the whole fair - I will take my animals home when I want to.

As for the on-hand caregiver, I wouldn't put much stock into that. My friend in VA showed some of her Creme d'Argents at their fair. Although she goes daily to feed her bunnies, the caregiver fails to keep water out for the rabbits. She ends up watering for everyone's rabbits just so they don't die. She also said someone continues to remove the shade screens put out of the rabbits. Not a situation I want to put my rabbits through, personally. :\