Inherited Rabbitry

[AShelBunny]

So we have some friends and fellow rabbiteers. They were offering us this doe that they were going to cull and bury. We were like why? But we will take her.

So conversation continued to get the rabbit over to us and we discover they just want out of the rabbit business. They don't have the time anymore and they just want to be done. So we said we would take in the rabbitry. They are bringing cages and rabbits and all this weekend.

Tips on taking over an entire rabbitry from a burned out rabbiteer?

Quarantine 30 ft and 30 days away from my rabbitry is obviously step one.

Probably a time I'm overthinking as I often do and then I just figure it out lol

 

[eco2pia]

Check all for obvious health issues and get absolutely every record possible, take pics and add numbers/names to the cages immediately and video the things they say if they will let you, or write it down as fast as you can if they won't--"oh this doe wont take to that buck, this doe has the biggest litters" that kind of info is really useful and hard to capture in your brain all at once, and if they are burned out they probably stopped keeping accurate records a while ago. Be sure to ask about ages/birthdates and whether anyone is already bred.

 

[eco2pia]

Oh, and how long since each doe had a litter!

 

[Her Farmstead Rabbitry]

Be prepared for a surge in feed costs.

 

[TKT]

Do you know how many you're getting?

Congratulations!

I'm a little bit jelly!

 

[AShelBunny]

Do you know how many you're getting?

Congratulations!

I'm a little bit jelly!

Thank you!

I'm a little nervous now that I got a good look at them.

The cages had holes in them so they kind of took over colony style. They could go between each other's cages.

I think one female is deformed because she's the product of siblings?

One buck had some weird red spots around his scent glands. Couldn't get a clear picture. I might go back out there to get another. It's hard to see but they are perfect round red/brown spots or scabs?

I put them in new cages. So the buck is away.

They seem healthy enough. Their coats are dull and not as smooth as my rabbits. No sneezing snot or ear mites.

There was a day old kit on the wire.

They were papered silver Marten. They kept the original buck for a pet. I have the original doe and seems like three different ages of litters?

I'm getting more information tonight.

 

[TKT]

Yes keep them well away from yours!

Maybe others can weigh in on any prophylactics they should have.

I see some promise! Feed them up and see what happens.

 

[Alaska Satin]

Thank you!

I'm a little nervous now that I got a good look at them.

The cages had holes in them so they kind of took over colony style. They could go between each other's cages.

I think one female is deformed because she's the product of siblings?

One buck had some weird red spots around his scent glands. Couldn't get a clear picture. I might go back out there to get another. It's hard to see but they are perfect round red/brown spots or scabs?

I put them in new cages. So the buck is away.

They seem healthy enough. Their coats are dull and not as smooth as my rabbits. No sneezing snot or ear mites.

There was a day old kit on the wire.

They were papered silver Marten. They kept the original buck for a pet. I have the original doe and seems like three different ages of litters?

I'm getting more information tonight.

I don't think the doe is deformed - she just looks like she got bit and it healed poorly. Nosy rabbits sometimes get bit there when their neighbor doesn't want them to butt in.

The reddish gunk on the buck looks like scent glands that maybe he could use a little help cleaning out.

I'm not sure about the "papered Silver Marten"...the doe in the box and those babies have way more silvering than I've ever seen on a Silver Marten. Silver Martens have ticking up their sides due to the tan gene a(t), but should not be silvered like Silver Fox or Champagnes, which are silvered all over due to the silvering gene si.

 

[AShelBunny]

I don't think the doe is deformed - she just looks like she got bit and it healed poorly. Nosy rabbits sometimes get bit there when their neighbor doesn't want them to bud in.

The reddish gunk on the buck looks like scent glands that maybe he could use a little help cleaning out.

I'm not sure about the "papered Silver Marten"...the doe in the box and those babies have way more silvering than I've ever seen on a Silver Marten. Silver Martens they have ticking up their sides due to the tan gene a(t), but should not be silvered like Silver Fox or Champagnes, which are silvered all over due to the silvering gene si.

Well that's interesting.

I was thinking of waiting the 30 days and culling all but one doe.

What would you do?

I have new Zealand and one Tamuk buck

 

[TKT]

I am pretty darn new but I would wait, feed them well, reassess. And of course do a good quarantine.