A question on housing

[Happy]

Alright, I went looking at different setups today. The best option, it seems, is to simply buy a framed cage and go from there. The setup I'm looking at here is to put the cage in a back room, where I eventually plan to have 4-6 cages. I have to do this one at a time, because making cages requires me to invest more in tools to get started than simply buying a prefabriacated one. This still leaves me to buy one every few weeks.

Now my question. What should I expect from housing multiple bunns in a single cage? I understand different situations for the bunns will effect when it is appropriate to house them together and so forth. Any suggestions on how I should go about purchasing rabbits? One otion I've thought about (but am not terribly thrilled with) is catching wild ones and using them. If I do go the wild route, what extra problems should I look for?

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

when i was a kid i imagined myself a little island place like robinson crusoe. set up fences and caught and tamed wild goats.... then later i added my own rabbit colony on a smaller island that was bare. built housing for them and brought over wild trapped ones from my island to the smaller one.
wish i still had that...

but anyways... i'm pretty sure that its illegal to actually trap wild rabbits and raise them. also from people who rehabilitate nests of wild baby rabbits i've read that they are very hard to keep alive in a modern rabbit keeping setup and on our feeds, etc.

 

[Happy]

I will still probably catch them for eating in any event.

 

[Dood]

North American wild 'rabbits' are not rabbits at all but cotton tails and trying to keep them in captivity in a colony is not going to be a successful venture.

Pet rabbits are from Europe and have been domesticated for a millennium and a half and we have bred them to live in cages and handle the mental stress of captivity.

If you do have a feral population of the European rabbit in your neck of the woods then the kits could probably be tamed up but I doubt the parents would relax enough to breed, carry a pregnancy and not cannibalize the young. They will also be full of parasites and would not have a good meat to bone ratio as beefy rabbits are slow and the first to be eaten by predators.

 

[AmysMacdog]

Check local classified ads, Craig's List or even livestock auctions. Around here you can expect to pay anywhere from five to 25. per rabbit depending where you find them.

Do you have any farm or livestock newspapers like a state market bulletin? You can often find rabbits and used cages at very good prices in there. Also ask at your local feed store if they know somebody who raises rabbits.

 

[Happy]

I don't need farm newspapers, I only need to drive around slowly on a weekend. I'm really more interested in how to start small and build up.

I've eaten wild rabbit, I know how lean and stringy they are. It was just a thought that I had and I've had my suspicions about it reiterated by others, so I'll probably stick to catch-and-eat as far as they go.

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

I've eaten wild rabbit, I know how lean and stringy they are.

well i can say that raised rabbit is nothing like that.
wild rabbit is lean and stringy and all dark meat. while raised rabbit is tender and all white meat. but no matter the animal it always helps to butcher right and let the meat rest several days before cooking. ya do that wrong and no matter how ya cook it, it wont be the same.

 

[Happy]

I've also had raised rabbit. I do know the difference. I also know enough about Mendelian inheritance to get what I want over time.

 

[Dood]

What should I expect from housing multiple bunns in a single cage?

most people keep rabbits in individual cages because does can get aggressive with age and babies to protect and it is easier to meet individual needs or limit spread of disease.

In my experience with breeding colonies, some does would kill, scatter or assist in raising the kits, it just depended on the girls temperament.

If two does wanted the same nest box then I could loose both litters as the does dragged out their competitions kits.

I had the best results with mothers, daughters and sisters, eventually all my girls were related as I got rid of trouble making does.

As my girls aged I had problems with keeping the old ones at a good weight and the young ones from getting too fat but I was not as ruthless with culling back then.

I often had nest box eye problems and if there were other litters at the time it would spread to all the kits.

I no longer keep a breeding colony and have my does in individual cages but I grow out my weaned rabbits in a colony and have had very few problems in this bunny 'play pen'

 

[Happy]

So I can mix them, but should separate them when they're having babies? I do plan to move on to separate cages, I'm just trying to get by for now.

 

[Miss M]

It mainly depends on the rabbits themselves. You'd be least likely to have problems if you get sisters or mother/daughter that have always been together. Some does can be together forever no problems at all, others want to kill each other, or at least each other's kits.

I have two does that were raised together. They were given to us together, and we've kept them together. I wondered what would happen when the NZW had her first litter of kits. I thought the black dwarf might kill them.

Nope... she's their overprotective aunt! :roll:

 

[MaggieJ]

Housing does together can be difficult, unless they were raised together. Better to wait a bit until you can afford three cages and then get two does and a buck from the same rabbitry. This will cut the risk of the rabbits getting sick because they will share the same "family germs". Build up your rabbitry from there, keeping only the very best offspring for future breeders. "Keep the best and eat the rest."

 

[Mickey328]

What is it you're trying to achieve? Are you wanting to raise meat rabbits, show rabbits, rabbits for sale for pets? Guess I just don't understand, sorry. You talk about catching and keeping wild ones, but then say you don't like the way they taste? We might be able to offer more pertinent advice if we knew where you're going with your rabbits

 

[MamaSheepdog]

The best option, it seems, is to simply buy a framed cage and go from there.

What do you mean by a "framed" cage? Framed with wood? I would discourage this because wood is impossible to keep sanitary, the rabbits will chew on it if they can, and they will also pee on it. If you plan on keeping them inside in your back room, it will always smell of urine.

I have to do this one at a time, because making cages requires me to invest more in tools to get started than simply buying a prefabriacated one.

If you use all wire cages, the only tools you need are dikes or some type of heavy duty wire cutters to cut the wire and J-clip or C-ring pliers.

I like to use a reciprocating saw when cutting lengths of cage wire, and I just bought a grinding wheel attachment for a drill and am going to try that method to see how well it works, but non-powered hand tools work though they are more labor intensive.

Since you are only planning on having a few cages, the pre-cut cages that you assemble are probably more cost effective than buying rolls of wire, but would best be ordered at the same time to save on shipping costs. Better yet, if there is a show in your area, look at the show catalog to see what vendors are attending and have the order brought to the show.

Used cages would be even less expensive, but you may have cages of varying depths which will not necessarily work well in your available space.

What should I expect from housing multiple bunns in a single cage?

Young rabbits that have not reached sexual maturity do quite well together. Once they reach breeding age it is a gamble. I have some animals in growout pens that are mature (I was a bit too zealous in breeding and the butchering is way past due), and they have occasional scuffles, but usually no real damage.

Any suggestions on how I should go about purchasing rabbits?

You can sometimes find good rabbits on Craigslist, and can almost always find affordable mutts. You could post a "rabbits wanted" ad also. If there are any shows in your area you can often find very affordable or free rabbits there. Often times people also have used cages available.

One option I've thought about (but am not terribly thrilled with) is catching wild ones and using them. If I do go the wild route, what extra problems should I look for?

As others have mentioned, this is not a good idea. Even hand raised cottontails do not calm down and make good pets. I would simple harvest them from the wild.

What is it you're trying to achieve? Are you wanting to raise meat rabbits, show rabbits, rabbits for sale for pets?

I believe Happy is looking for an affordable meat source for family consumption.