do local fairs still buy baby rabbits?

[RabbitPhotoGirl]

I was talking to my parents about ideas for the baby rabbits that I can't keep (I'm gonna end up pairing up some mothers and daughters in the same cage with how many I plan to keep form my current litters since not enough money to buy cages yet) and getting a planned breeding schedule for next year for the pet rabbits that I end up with.
And 22 years ago back when my parents did raise rabbits and everything (but pigs that is), they sold to the local fair when it came around. The sick ones went to the snakes, the healthy cute ones where prizes. So with that in mind, this year when I drag my parents to the fair, I'm gonna see if my mom (she handles the business side of things more) will talk to the people who run the fair and see if they would still buy the rabbits or not if I had them.

But as that was around 22 years ago, I'm not sure if they still do that or not (aka not sure if they switched over to just goldfish/fish or not). So I'm asking if anyone here happens to sell to their local fair people either the exotic animal food or as prizes for the games.

 

[ottersatin]

It is a very BAD idea to use any animals
as prizes at a Fair or any other venue.
Doing so I feel would certainly have the AR's [Animal Rights Advocates]
breathing down your and the Fair owners necks.
try posting a Pets for sale sign in your local Laundromat
or any Bulletin boards that allow it.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[trinityoaks]

The fairs I'm familiar with all have kids (4-H, FFA, etc.) exhibiting rabbits and other animals, and selling them at auction at the end of the fair. They probably wouldn't want you competing with that.

If you don't want to market them yourself as pets, you might try your local feed store. Not so much the regional/national chains, but the local, family-owned type places. If they won't buy the rabbits for resale, they might at least let you put up flyers. I personally am not comfortable with selling to pet stores.

You might also look around your area for zoos and wildlife refuges who might need culls for reptile food. Also, some dog owners feed their animals a raw diet and might be willing to buy from you.

You could visit the fairs and find out whether the youth in the local 4-H and FFA clubs will need replacement stock, and when they typically need them (deadlines, restrictions on breed, size, and/or age of the rabbits, etc.).

 

[curlysue]

The people doing the games here stopped using rabbits they now give away goldfish.

 

[Secuono]

Too bad those goldfish can grow to be 12-20in long, live decades, need large tanks or a pond and eat/poo a lot which means they need a good person to care for them. They also can remember a long time, recognize their owners, memorize feeding times and be trained to do simple tricks.

Live animals as a prize for anything in any situation is just wrong. Most people end up killing the fish in just weeks times out of ignorance.

What's wrong with stuffed toy animals? I'd much rather that or food or a giftcard.

 

[Honorine]

Nope, they don't do it anymore. However if you show in the fair you may be able to post the rabbits for sale. The two fairs that we show at allow us to sell rabbits that we are showing, of course they can't go until the fair is over. We're allowed to post for sale signs on the cages after the show, not before. That of course means that your rabbits have to be or appear to be a certain breed, and will have to be on exhibit for the week of the fair. Also at one fair only the 4H rabbits can stay all week, not open, and at the second all the open show rabbits stay, because there isn't a 4H club in that county.

 

[fuzzy9]

I'm actually surprised they still use live goldfish as prizes.

 

[JessicaR]

our local fair last year had a game with bunnies as prizes. On the last day he was telling kids that if they didnt play, and win the bunnies were going to be killed as soon as the fair was over. There was lots of upset kids and mad parents! I bet he wont be there this year!

 

[fuzzy9]

Oh, that's terrible! How traumatizing for those kids!!

 

[Random Rabbit]

our local fair last year had a game with bunnies as prizes. On the last day he was telling kids that if they didnt play, and win the bunnies were going to be killed as soon as the fair was over. There was lots of upset kids and mad parents! I bet he wont be there this year!

Wonder if he is second cousin to the one on Craigslist selling rabbits and saying if they didn't sell they would be eaten....

people sometimes !! grrrrr

 

[Jack]

HUH
the only rabbits I saw at fairs are 4H, petting zoo and the rabbit show

I would be against what was suggested, UGH

 

[Rustina]

If you live in a small town you might try local owned grocers.Two of our Foodlands are localy owned and the Butcher will buy rabbits for consumption.Last time he contacted me he asked for them pre- killed hide off with kidneys liver and heart included he does all the quartering and separateing......*shrug* just a suggestion.

 

[RabbitPhotoGirl]

As I said, when my parents did it that was 22 years ago at the very least... they stopped or something shortly after I was like two or so since I remember some animals still up in the rabbit area, could have just been the birds (doves or pigeons some small bird like that) they were raising too. Plus it was a small farm/country town that the fair was at so that could have made a difference.

I had no problem with selling them in the past, as I do contact the extension office when I have rabbits for sell so they can put it in their newsletter (even got asked to do a rabbit related thing for the local 4-h but I don't know enough to do so) and I post on craigslist, put up signs in the MFA and all the other farm supply stores. If I ever can't sell them then I might pay to have an ad ran in the newspaper if they are just pets. My local farmers markets allow small animals to be sold at it so I can also go there and as long as I sell two I make back what I paid to set up to sell.
Plus I see tons of snakes for sell/rehoming on craigslist so I can sell for snake food if I can't get rid of the bucks that I need to sell... does can always be use for breeding. At least the ones that aren't good for meat would be snake food since meat ones would probably be sold to family or neighbors.

But I was just seeing if the fairs still did that or not, since I know things have changed in both laws and how people look at animals between the late 1980's/early 1990's compared to now.