Being a lifelong animal lover, I have always had more "pets" than was logical from an economic standpoint. Rabbits, on the other hand, are a whole new ballgame, because
we eat them!
Never before have I enjoyed the freedom to bring home yet another critter without at least some raised eyebrows- but now, all that has changed! Yes indeedy!
No more censure from the masses for
me! :mrgreen:
And you can bet I take full advantage of the situation, too!
Bunnies, bunnies, and MORE bunnies! Mwa-ha-ha! :twisted:
*Ahem!*
Bunny hoarding aside, they just have so many fine attributes.
They are clean, quiet, lovely to look at and pet, have adorable babies with great regularity, endearing nesting behavior (the "haystache" always brings a smile to my face!), and they produce copious amounts of organic time-release fertilizer in a convenient round package that looks lovely as mulch in the garden.
And, of course, they are very tasty, too. :dinner: Rabbit meat itself is pretty amazing when compared to other meats. It has the highest protein- 22%, I believe- and the lowest cholesterol, fat, and calories of any meat... and unlike large livestock, they are uniquely suited to a TEOTWAKI situation in that they are small enough to feed a few people a couple of meals so don't require refrigeration or other storage methods.
Knowing that my rabbits had a good life free from harassment from predators, in clean surroundings with plenty of healthy food and fresh water, and, yes, even entertaining toys- that they have been handled gently and with respect throughout their entire lives, however long or short that might be- gives me a sense of quiet satisfaction.
They are also among the easiest of animals to process and one person can easily do the job in just a few minutes with a little practice.
Unlike chickens, they don't smell terribly offensive when butchered, and there are no feathers to deal with. I can't imagine trying to process a pig or steer on my own, but rabbits are almost laughably simple and quick.
Rabbits are, hands down, my absolute favorite livestock animal. I can't imagine life without them. Thankfully, no matter your circumstance, rabbits can be raised just about anywhere.