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There’s not a standard and likely won’t ever be, but there is a general type most breeders aim for. They’re to be mandolin type rather than commercial, or so I’ve been told.

I use a surgical scalpel with replaceable blades for a lot of it — blades are razor sharp and cheap! I dissect joints rather than trying to power through them, and it’s sharp enough to do that easily. In my experience, it’s those initial cuts through skin and fur that dull my blades the most, so...

New Zealands and Commercial TAMUKs

I find that the occasional screamer usually quiets more quickly under the broomstick than in a hopper popper. I also struggle with using it on adult rabbits due to weak/arthritic hands — with the “broomstick” (1/4” stainless steel rod, in my case) I can roll my body weight forward and use the...

I use this, purchased on Etsy: Rabbitry Record I keep a binder with printed pages in the rabbitry so it’s handy for jotting things down as they happen. Periodically I take the binder inside and update my electronic records.

I use a “stick and poke” pen for mine. For numbing I use 4% lidocaine cream from the grocery store. Tattoo Pen

I select for mothering instinct from the very beginning, but most breeders use the “3 strikes” rule. Here’s my history and criteria: I started with unproven bucks and proven does nearing the end of their productive life. I grew out the best two doelings from each doe’s first litter with me and...

This is just what works well for me, and I’m not saying it’s the best for everyone… not everyone has the space or the cages to make it work. I have two cage sizes that I use: 24Dx36Lx18H for single rabbits and 24Dx48Lx18H for does with kits or growout groups. Each breeder rabbit has a 36”...

For me, that’s breeding back 2-4 weeks post kindling (typically 2, unless it’s a huge litter and she needs a little extra time to build back up before the next litter arrives). I wean at 4-4.5 weeks so she has a little time on her own before nursing the next group of kits. Most of my does raise...

Most bucks maintain fertility well into old age… they just get tired faster, need more recovery time, and are more prone to overheating. I typically sell “proven” does after 12-18 months of heavy production. They haven’t slowed down much —if at all — at that point, can be really helpful to...

I make wire nest boxes using 1/2x1 floor wire and j-clips. I size them to fit the cardboard tray that canned food comes in and use those (easily found and free) to line the bottoms under the nesting materials during warm weather. In cold weather I line the sides with cardboard also. If the...

I’ve never heard of any of the grass hays (fescue, orchard, bermuda, timothy, etc.) causing problems but it seems like many have a strong preference for timothy hay and don’t eat the others as well.

I’ll post a few… I needed a couple more racks so I took progress pics for you. This is the shape to cut out. This is going to be mounted on the end panel of a cage that’s 24” deep and 16” tall. You can easily alter dimensions to fit your own space. You can cover the top edge like you would...

You can also get a roll of narrow aluminum flashing and bend it around the edge, then pinch it tight. I found some on Amazon that’s 1.5” wide. They make specialty pliers for bending it called “metal brakes.”

My New Zealands are in hanging wire cages under shade trees with 3 sides of the cage protected by a shade cloth wind block. I do not provide heat in winter nor ice/fans/tiles in winter. They do fine from about 5-105 F.

I make hay racks from 1/2”x1” wire like you’d use for cage floors. They hang on the outside of the cage and the rabbits have no trouble pulling hay through the 1”x2” wire cage sides. I use the smaller spaced wire for the hay rack because less hay falls through before the rabbits get to it.

My tattoo routine is timed for weaning/separation by gender. My does kindle in a growout cage (2’x4’). At 4 weeks I remove the nestbox; at 5 weeks I remove mama into her normal cage (2’x3’). At 6 weeks, I move all of one gender into a second growout cage. On that day, everyone gets checked out...

My hubby is a big softy and can’t bring himself to help with dispatch; I’m more practically minded when it comes to livestock so I do the slaughtering, gutting, and skinning. Once it no longer looks like a bunny, he’s happy to help piece out, package, etc. No complaints — he wouldn’t have...