My new Florida Whites!

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mountainrabbits

mountainrabbits

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Oooh I am so exited! I just picked up a free pair of Florida Whites and I am pretty sure they are perfect :D as long as they breed that is! 3 years old purebred pedigreed 4h buns she had to get rid of for moving and going to college. Anyone have an opinion on Florida Whites in a meat herd?
 
FWs are supposed to be great little meat rabbits!

Congratulations on the new bunnehs. Do you have any idea when the doe last kindled?
 
I really don't...she didn't seem super happy to get rid of them but at the same time their nails are ridiculously long so I would think she hasn't had much to do with them for a while. :oops:
The Buck


The Doe






















They seem really healthy and solid other then the extra long nails and very sweet and friendly :p The buck is in danger of being named Cupcake or Sugar :lol: He has already come up and put his head in my hand for pets and when I opened the cage door to get pictures he come and gave kisses...oh my I have rabbitosis bad...I really missed having a sweet buck.

So how soon do you think I can try breeding them? I know I won't be putting my Cali doe in until quarentine is over but they came in together even though they are now in separate cages so when should I test the waters with breeding them together?

And anyone have any better name ideas? My husband likes naming them silly things so i gotta think quick if I want any say :lol:
 
They should do just fine. I wasn't pleased with mine but I wouldn't tell anyone not to bother with them just based on my experience.
As far as breeding, they're in quarantine & from the same place. There's nothing that says You Must Wait until they're out but keep in mind that if they come up snotty or with something else you'll be getting rid of a litter as well. Most people hate doing that
Weigh the risks and see what you're comfortable with.
 
As harsh as it may be the rabbits I have gotten are free and as cute and sweet as they may be I have had to remind myself that they are dinner...and fertilizer producers :D so I will process a litter if they get snotty :( Can you still eat them if they do? Both rabbits are looking great right now (crossed fingers and toes that they stay so healthy!) I am so thrilled to have them! I really want this to go peachy keen :lol: The girl that had them just told me she successfully bred the doe but the buck has never been bred and I just asked when she was last bred, how did she do and has she been bred more then once.
Thinking about jumping right in and putting the doe in with the buck today and see what happens. He was grooming her last night when they shared the same cage for a minute but did seem clueless beyond that. Thoughts?
 
They look good! It's too bad the their previous owner didn't keep up with their nails. I think they were a good find though! Bonus that they have good temperaments!<br /><br />__________ Thu Sep 12, 2013 2:01 pm __________<br /><br />Make sure that you have a buck for sure ;) Just in case! Sometimes the sex change fairy visits unexpectedly. I have had bucks in the past that just would not breed. I even put them in a cage next to a buck to see if they would rev them up...nada. Since I couldn't get him going on multiple occasions,in different weather conditions,different seasons, with different does....he made a nice roast.
 
mountainrabbits":99xvo3up said:
I will process a litter if they get snotty :( Can you still eat them if they do?
Click to expand...

Yes. I just don't feed the heads or lungs to my dogs or cats, since they can contract "P" as well.

mountainrabbits":99xvo3up said:
Thinking about jumping right in and putting the doe in with the buck today and see what happens. He was grooming her last night when they shared the same cage for a minute but did seem clueless beyond that. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I always check the doe's vent color first. It should be dark pink or purple. If she is ready, he should figure things out pretty quickly. ;)

This thread has pictures of what to look for:

judging-a-doe-s-readiness-and-breeding-tips-t9869.html
 
That is really good to know! I had no idea cats and dogs could get it...I will have to remember that! I went and checked on them again and the doe's right eye is a bit watery-but it is watery no hinky looking stuff so I washed my hands real good and the buck is still looking great. And it is indeed a buck and a doe :p Hooray! I almost didn't get the doe actually I just wanted the buck but then I thought having both could be good and maybe them breeding and selling their kits would pay for some feed...or a cage I am using Ferret Nation cages and they are pretty pricey for a double cage compared to outdoor rabbit cages. But easy to clean and pretty roomy for them-especially the FW's! I got more information from the girl I got them from and I guess she never bred them the doe was bred last a year ago by the original breeder and the same breeder said she was a successful mother of several litters.

I am sooo hoping she just got a bit of something in her eye since it is only the one eye.
 
I was looking for florida whites for meat rabbits, but they are impossible to find in my area. I hear that you get more meat per pound because the bones are smaller, it costs less to raise them, and of course they take up less space than most other meat rabbits. I'd definately give them a try. Let us know how it goes.
 
FW's are the breed Bob Bennett highly recommends in his book "Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits", so that's gotta say somethin for them eh
 
I'm raising Florida Whites, and I'm very pleased with them. I gave them a break from breeding for the summer, but, come October when the weather cools down here, I will be putting my 2 does into PRODUCTION!! LOL!! I've raised 1 liter successfully so far, and I look forward to many more.
 
Do FW reach adult weight fast or do they still grow like the small rabbits they are??
 
To be honest I don't know yet...full grown they look like eat 'em fryer size to me (if they were young and from a bigger meat breed) but filled out really well. I jumped right in and bred them so I guess I will see if the doe took and let you know more after I get a litter :D I would really like to know growout weights if anyone has them for FW's. Mildly frustrated that now that Cupcake got him some tail now he is spraying and he didn't before :x It doesn't bother me a ton I guess my cali buck used to do the same.
 
I've had Floridas for many years, in my opinion they are the best breed for a small home producer. My son has kicked butt in Meat Pen classes, being either Champion or Reserve Champ for three years straight. They are a fast growing small breed, they are very thrifty and efficient eaters, once they put on weight it stays on, even in the coldest winter. Litters average 6-7, Does normally raise them all with no stress problems. They hit over three lbs at 10 weeks, and they are little meat bricks, with an excellant dress out percentage. Average weight at 10 weeks is about three and half, some right at three, have had 4 pounders as well. Mine were cookie cutter, as they are inbred, thats why they did so well in meat pens. I think their great rabbits, have heard some say they didn't like the temperament, I never had a temp problem with them.
 
I palpated both does this morning and Buttercream (FW doe) is very full and feels like there is movement in response to palpation! :p So exited! Trixie my Cali doe though...not so much. No movement, doesn't feel any fuller etc. so I am thinking she missed... :cry: Should I put her back in with the buck soon or wait?
 
How long has it been since you bred them? They would have to be within DAYS of kindling for you to feel movement from the kits...I think your other post said you bred them on Sept 17?
 
Buttercream was bred the 13th and Trixie the 14th :popcorn: I will take pictures this evening if I remember when I clean their cages so you can see the size/shape difference in Buttercream. Before breeding she was identical to Cupcake (just female and a different ear tattoo) and now she looks noticeably bigger then he is around the middle and such :)
 
mountainrabbits":3lan8di2 said:
Buttercream was bred the 13th and Trixie the 14th :popcorn: I will take pictures this evening if I remember when I clean their cages so you can see the size/shape difference in Buttercream. Before breeding she was identical to Cupcake (just female and a different ear tattoo) and now she looks noticeably bigger then he is around the middle and such :)
Click to expand...

So, a little over two weeks along then...the kits would be still fairly small....so I don't think it possible to feel movement from them. She may, however, be bred and be larger than she was. How exactly are you palpating? Are you grasping her abdomen between your thumb and fingers or are you just pressing against it?
 

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