Rabbit wringer looking for tips!

[Twinkletoes]

Just ordered!! Says 4-6 week before shipping. I've been watching a lot of videos and reading as much as I can find on how to properly use the wringer. I actually got the rabbit poultry combo as we are also raising chickens and ducks. I have never butchered anything in my life. In high school biology I could barley being myself to dissect anything(including earthworms!). I'm going to make myself do this though since I want to give my children and hubby(I am vegan) the best food I can give them. Plus I want to be sure the animals they eat were raised humanely and killed humanely. So with all that said, I'm looking for tips on how to use the wringer properly. I am so nervous to make a mistake and cause pain to the animal being slaughtered. I need to work on building my confidence!

 

[DanaYares]

When I ordered my Wringer, I felt the same way... I watched the slaughter video on the Wringer site about 1,000 times before I attempted to do it myself. My biggest fear was that I wouldn't pull hard enough and would end up injuring the rabbits instead of killing them.

At first I vowed to pull as hard as I could, and ended up pulling their heads right off. That was a quick death, but a little messy. I quickly learned the correct amount of strength to use to get a complete cervical separation without decapitation.

Another important aspect is to for me is to make the time between getting the rabbit out of the dark box (soothing) to the Wringer very short, a few seconds at most. The rabbit doesn't have time to get scared.

When removing the rabbit from the box, pin it's front legs back with you index fingers, head into Wringer and POP.

I hang the rabbit upside down and cut the head off a.s.a.p. in case there are still some sensations going on. From there on you can take you time in skinning and gutting. You will get very fast over time. I can do a whole rabbit in about 5 mins.

Good luck!

 

[mystang89]

I've never used the rabbit wringer but just wanted to commend you on taking the time and effort to do this for your loved ones even though you're a vegan.

 

[CWD]

I have a homemade wringer, it works great. the trick for me is to pull the rabbit at a slight
angle backwards and downwards at the same time. I also give a short little tug at the end just to make sure the rabbit
is dispatched quickly.

I wish you the best of luck with doing this. This is the worst part of raising rabbits for some people.
but it has to be done.

 

[Twinkletoes]

I've never used the rabbit wringer but just wanted to commend you on taking the time and effort to do this for your loved ones even though you're a vegan.

Thanks! I am not one to push my beliefs on anyone. I'm mostly vegan because I simply don't like meat and the way it makes me feel. I don't eat fake meats either and I never miss or crave meats. For me, I feel better as a vegan. I have more energy. But like my hubby, he needs meat in his diet and I'm happy to cook meat for him! My boys get the option of eating my vegan dish or the meat dish. They usually pick the meat dish and I'm more than ok with that.<br /><br />__________ Wed May 01, 2013 7:12 pm __________<br /><br />Thanks for the tips DanaYares and CWD!! Really appreciate it and will keep it in mind come butcher time!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Hi Twinkletoes,

I was a vegetarian for almost ten years when I was a young adult, and handling meat just "grossed me out"... I overcame the aversion when my dog had cancer and was put on an organic, homemade diet, but I still didn't eat meat myself for years thereafter.


I haven't ever used the Wringer either, but I wanted to share the recent experience of a friend and rabbit meat.

She hasn't been able to eat meat for almost ten years- it just "sits there"- but like you, she has a family of meat eaters. Recently she helped me slaughter a bunch of rabbits, and I sent her home with a ready to cook carcass that I had processed a few days before.

She roasted it in the oven, and very carefully took a small bite, swallowed, and monitored how it felt. She felt okay, so she ended up eating a bit more that evening. She felt great the following morning, and made soup out of the leftovers, and had that for dinner. :dinner:

She told me that she felt so much better getting a little meat into her system, and she was so happy and excited!

So, as part of my eternal mission to spread "Rabbitosis" far and wide, I have since set her up with a trio of Rex which she is breeding for meat.

If you are ever tempted to sample some of your humanely raised rabbits, I would be interested to know if you also find it easily digestible.

 

[mystang89]

haha MSD, I don't know whether to call you an evil temptress with all your yummy rabbit food and enabling of rabbitosis or to call you a savior to those who don't have rabbits....

 

[MamaSheepdog]

:lol:

I'm an :angel: , of course!

 

[CWD]

MSD for Sainthood !!!!!

 

[Secuono]

Isn't a wringer like a broomstick, just up on a wall instead?

 

[Twinkletoes]

Hi Twinkletoes,

I was a vegetarian for almost ten years when I was a young adult, and handling meat just "grossed me out"... I overcame the aversion when my dog had cancer and was put on an organic, homemade diet, but I still didn't eat meat myself for years thereafter.


I haven't ever used the Wringer either, but I wanted to share the recent experience of a friend and rabbit meat.

She hasn't been able to eat meat for almost ten years- it just "sits there"- but like you, she has a family of meat eaters. Recently she helped me slaughter a bunch of rabbits, and I sent her home with a ready to cook carcass that I had processed a few days before.

She roasted it in the oven, and very carefully took a small bite, swallowed, and monitored how it felt. She felt okay, so she ended up eating a bit more that evening. She felt great the following morning, and made soup out of the leftovers, and had that for dinner. :dinner:

She told me that she felt so much better getting a little meat into her system, and she was so happy and excited!

So, as part of my eternal mission to spread "Rabbitosis" far and wide, I have since set her up with a trio of Rex which she is breeding for meat.

If you are ever tempted to sample some of your humanely raised rabbits, I would be interested to know if you also find it easily digestible.

LOL! Thanks for sharing! You almost have me convinced to give it a try! Maybe the smell of it cooking will give me the final push I really would be ok with introducing meat back in my diet so long as I still felt good(or better!). Gosh, it's hard to cook 2 seperate meals every night. I'll be sure to let you know if I do give it a try. The rabbit jerky may do me in!<br /><br />__________ Thu May 02, 2013 12:52 pm __________<br /><br />

Isn't a wringer like a broomstick, just up on a wall instead?

I suppose so. At least same principal. Both use cervical dislocation
http://rabbitwringer.com/index.html

 

[OneAcreFarm]

What I do is this:

Hang the Wringer at waist high. Slide the rabbit in and turn so the nose faces the wall. Slide hands down to feet, grasp firmly, extending your arms straight in front of you and "fall" backward...allowing your body weight to do the pulling. Don't pull with just your arms. It's a sharp pull, and the head should separate from the neck inside the skin. I have a video if you want to see it.

 

[Twinkletoes]

What I do is this:

Hang the Wringer at waist high. Slide the rabbit in and turn so the nose faces the wall. Slide hands down to feet, grasp firmly, extending your arms straight in front of you and "fall" backward...allowing your body weight to do the pulling. Don't pull with just your arms. It's a sharp pull, and the head should separate from the neck inside the skin. I have a video if you want to see it.

Thanks! During a search on this forum I think it was your videos I watched. It was videos demonstrating on older rabbits. Was that you? I was pretty impressed with how quick and humane it went for the rabbit. I can imagine it being even smoother for a younger rabbit and I'm relieved to know it works well for older rabbits.

 

[Secuono]

I like the idea of it, hate the price of it. I'm quite sure I'd be able to make something similar for a fraction of the price, maybe that should be on my to do list... =D

I like that captive bolt gun they have, too. But at $3-400, it's way too pricey... =(

 

[Twinkletoes]

I like the idea of it, hate the price of it. I'm quite sure I'd be able to make something similar for a fraction of the price, maybe that should be on my to do list... =D

I like that captive bolt gun they have, too. But at $3-400, it's way too pricey... =(

We aren't too handy so making something similar would worry me. I wish we could have bought the bolt gun but yeah, I didn't want to spend that kind of money!

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I like the idea of it, hate the price of it. I'm quite sure I'd be able to make something similar for a fraction of the price, maybe that should be on my to do list... =D

I like that captive bolt gun they have, too. But at $3-400, it's way too pricey... =(

We aren't too handy so making something similar would worry me. I wish we could have bought the bolt gun but yeah, I didn't want to spend that kind of money!

Unless you know how to weld and have the tools/materials, or know someone that does, just buying it is easier. I will tell you this...it was the best money I EVER spent!

 

[3mina]

I like the idea of it, hate the price of it. I'm quite sure I'd be able to make something similar for a fraction of the price, maybe that should be on my to do list... =D

I like that captive bolt gun they have, too. But at $3-400, it's way too pricey... =(

We aren't too handy so making something similar would worry me. I wish we could have bought the bolt gun but yeah, I didn't want to spend that kind of money!

I believe I just saw on the Wringer sticky that the website has a less expensive version that needs a sealer.
I've been drooling over that bolt gun since I first saw it, I am determined to get it eventually then I can harvest when and where I wish

 

[PANEWZEALAND]

Just to give a heads up, I ordered a wringer and butcher station back on February 20th with a "4 week" wait time. Saddly I'm still waiting for them - even after emails and phone calls. Hope it goes better for you, but be prepared to be patient.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Just to give a heads up, I ordered a wringer and butcher station back on February 20th with a "4 week" wait time. Saddly I'm still waiting for them - even after emails and phone calls. Hope it goes better for you, but be prepared to be patient.

Yikes! Thanks for the heads up! I knew I should have ordered back in December! Oh well, I'm a pretty patient person, thankfully! I appreciate you letting me know though! Hope yours comes really soon

 

[ArtPick]

I order my Rabbit Wringer 15-Mar-13 and still waiting ¦ (
I hope this is not some scam just to get your money.

Update just received an e-mail that my Rabbit Wringer is shipping today
Life is good! lol