Now what? (delicate issue)

[EnglishSpot]

Much better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Susie570]

LOL You folks are too funny

 

[fhjmom]

"I've posted ads to introduce my 'upcoming' Rabbitry and gotten a good bit of excitement from the local Pet market. I'm advertising 'Superior Designer Pet Rabbits, bred especially for Personality, Color and Health' as well as Purebred Mini Lops with potential Show Quality in the near future."

I am saying this as gently as possible, and in the spirit of education, but if you came to me with this ad and wanted to purchase stock to create "designer pet bunnies", I would not think you are a serious breeder. I would also be skeptical of the "purebred show stock". The reason I say this is that anyone who has been showing very long knows that the by-product of trying to create good show-quality rabbits is a surplus of non-showable/not-show-quality buns. We do sell pets, but we don't breed for them. We sell the ones that don't make it to the show table or brood pen as pets, and there have been way more pet quality than show/brood quality. It is the nature of the game if you are seriously breeding for improvement. If you want breeders in your area to take you seriously, then you may want to consider your goal as improvement and high-quality show stock (if that is your goal), and sell culls as pets - instead of appearing that "designer pets" is the goal. Of course you are free to take my thoughts or leave them. I just wanted to put another spin on why the breeders may be giving you some push back, and it isn't because of the fear of competition.

 

[akane]

The designer bunnies statement does bother me. It may appeal to pet people but personally even if I were looking for a pet I would put you at the bottom of my list for that right there. "Designer" animals are usually a negative word to talk about breeding incompatible animals to make something odd and charge a ton of money for them when they have not been bred to a predictable outcome.

 

[Susie570]

I actually have backed off on the 'designer' thing, but still stressing the aspect of being bred for high quality pets, because that's what I'm in it for.

We truly don't have enough breeders in our area to worry about it. If I'm able to continue selling rabbits, it will be to the pet market, with all of its ups and downs, so I am breeding for 'pretty rabbits' who are excellent pets. They are not all purebred rabbits and I'm upfront about that. I do hope to breed for quality as well, but that will take some time. I have a very nice doe to work with and I will be getting a very nice buck when I find the right one. If they produce the occasional kit who looks nice enough, and I don't want to keep it as a breeder, I will offer it for sale to the show community and they can take it or leave it.

I do appreciate the feedback.

 

[funnies50]

Lol!! Good one, MSD :lol:

 

[Miss M]

"All rabbits will have a home with me until I find them their proper placemat. I mean placement. *Ahem!* Darn autocorrect!"

:rotfl:

 

[Zinnia]

You are all so clever!

I raise French Angora and cull a LOT of rabbits. My culls are our food. I have no problem culling hard and breeding for the best, healthiest stock while responsibly feeding my family. IMO, it is far less responsible to buy your meat from commercial sources.

I need to write down some of these clever comments so I can use them if need be. :lol:

 

[funnies50]

Good point, English Spot!

Hmm... :thinking:

"All rabbits will have a home with me until I find them their proper placemat. I mean placement. *Ahem!* Darn autocorrect!"

 

[skysthelimit]

I am breeding for 'pretty rabbits' who are excellent pets. They are not all purebred rabbits and I'm upfront about that. I do hope to breed for quality as well, but that will take some time.
If they produce the occasional kit who looks nice enough, and I don't want to keep it as a breeder, I will offer it for sale to the show community and they can take it or leave it.

I like what you just said here. As a show breeder, I find that acceptable. You are breeding because you enjoy it, with a goal of temperament, and then beauty, but you also plan to be mindful of breed conformation. You have a plan for those you don't keep as well.

to be honest, as a show, fur/fiber, then meat breeder, temperament is not #1 on my list. It's reason #2 why I rarely sell pets, my rabbits aren't pet material. Some one has to fill the need. Mostly it's by show breeders and their culls, but also by people who aren't directly interested in showing that responsibly breed whatever they breed.

 

[Susie570]

I am breeding for 'pretty rabbits' who are excellent pets. They are not all purebred rabbits and I'm upfront about that. I do hope to breed for quality as well, but that will take some time.
If they produce the occasional kit who looks nice enough, and I don't want to keep it as a breeder, I will offer it for sale to the show community and they can take it or leave it.

I like what you just said here. As a show breeder, I find that acceptable. You are breeding because you enjoy it, with a goal of temperament, and then beauty, but you also plan to be mindful of breed conformation. You have a plan for those you don't keep as well.

to be honest, as a show, fur/fiber, then meat breeder, temperament is not #1 on my list. It's reason #2 why I rarely sell pets, my rabbits aren't pet material. Some one has to fill the need. Mostly it's by show breeders and their culls, but also by people who aren't directly interested in showing that responsibly breed whatever they breed.

Thanks, I appreciate that.
My two purebred Mini Lop does, who I bought specifically for breeding, leave something to be desired as far as personality goes. If I had met them before I purchased them, I would have waited for friendlier rabbits. They're not MEAN rabbits, and they are easy enough to handle, once you pick them up, but they're not FRIENDLY rabbits. One of them is fairly relaxed now, the other one is still fearful of people. Neither one enjoys being handled.

I honestly don't know how much of that is genetic and how much of that is simply because they both come from show stock, rather large breeders who don't spend a lot of time socializing the kits they breed to sell. I guess I'll find out. If the kits are not friendly, we're going to end up with a lot of meat in the freezer and I'll be looking for new does.

 

[imajpm]

Oddly enough, raising the price often causes more demand, especially in an area with a good market. I guess people think that a 25 dollar rabbit is "better" than a 15 dollar rabbit. I'd not worry about people who price lower than you. They can complain all they like or raise their prices.

I like the "they are all spoken for" answer, for what your doing with the extras

 

[skysthelimit]

Temperament is hereditary and environmental. I spent a lot of time with my kits, I pull nest boxes and handle them from birth. Still, many are not particularly interested in me, and some are down right mean. Almost all of them allow me to handle and groom them, I cull ones that don't, but I can tell they would rather be left alone.

On the flip side, a friend I sold rabbits to, her kits were extremely interested in me. The herd sire was an extremely friendly buck, and he has bee gone more than a year, but when I saw him, he greeted me at he door. (I sell the friendly ones and keep the uglies for myself). I am making some progress, but type trumps temperament, so I don't go too far.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I am making some progress, but type trumps temperament, so I don't go too far.

Yep- you can only focus on certain things at the same time, so you have to pick what is most important to you and work on that first.

My Rex are very sweet, their type is improving as I cull out long and/or low shoulders, and now I am working on improving fur density.

My Satins are demon rabbits but have excellent type and fur.

 

[funnies50]

Demon rabbits?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Demon rabbits?

Yes.

My Satins are evil.

If I get scratched by an older junior or a senior rabbit, I can guarantee it was Satin that did it.

My Satin lines are very high strung, while my Rex are super sweet.

Temperament in breeds varies according to the lines though- some people have psycho Rex and sweet Satins, so it depends on where you are and what the local breeders are selecting for.

 

[skysthelimit]

I have pyscho Rex and adorable Jersey Woolies. The Hollands were so sweet I could taste the love :lovers:

Mini Rex were evil :twisted:

The Silver Fox were extremely skiddish ( but not psycho).

The Angoras are grouchy. Too grouchy for such a large rabbit that needs to be groomed frequently. The worst part is just getting them out of the cage, then they complain about the trip to the table, about the noise of the blower, about the weather... they bang on feeders and rattle cage doors. They sit still the whole process, even while I'm clipping, but they complain.

 

[funnies50]

Evil Mini Rex? I'm sorry, that just doesn't sound right. :lol:

 

[skysthelimit]

Evil Mini Rex? I'm sorry, that just doesn't sound right. :lol:

Like little nightmares. Like the the beautiful geisha ladies who were secretly assassins.

 

[funnies50]

Like little nightmares. Like the the beautiful geisha ladies who were secretly assassins.