Culling 1lb rabbits for feeder food?

[ellie ember]

Hi! I have some customers who want to buy 1 lb feeder rabbits from us for their reptiles. Just want to know if anyone has done this before and what method they use for culling their rabbits? I have a freezer to put the whole rabbit it once it's dead, so that part is easy.

Thanks!!!

 

[Alaska Satin]

Hi! I have some customers who want to buy 1 lb feeder rabbits from us for their reptiles. Just want to know if anyone has done this before and what method they use for culling their rabbits? I have a freezer to put the whole rabbit it once it's dead, so that part is easy.

Thanks!!!

Rabbits that size are relatively easy to dispatch. My daughter's preferred method is a "hopper popper," which is a pretty simple device to allow quick cervical dislocation. You can find videos demonstrating the technique.


I've also used the "broomstick" method: the rabbit sits on the floor, a broomstick or other long rod is placed across the rabbit at the base of the neck with your feet holding it down on either side, and the body is pulled up quickly by the hind legs. It sounds awful, but our rabbits are tame and used to being handled, so they are usually just nibbling away at hay or grass when I step on the broomstick and gently collect the feet and pull; the rabbits never act distressed, just kick in the death throes.

I usually check for a heartbeat, and if I find one I whack the rabbit on the head to make sure it's not conscious, but I've never found a small rabbit that still had a heartbeat after this method. With larger rabbits, I whack them first so that they are unconscious before cervical dislocation, because it sometimes takes longer and can be a much harder pull to be sure they're dead, not just languishing. With rabbits of about a pound, it's over quickly. Death is never nice, but it can be quick.