Rabbit evaluation help please

[Frecs]

Okay, this is a difficult question to ask but ask I must. I am beginning to consider the fate of one of my bucks – Skipp. Ya’ll have read about him as the buck who has had performance problems and as the buck with reoccurring sores on his back leg.

Skipp appears to be eating fine, though he has gotten to tossing his pellets out of his feeder (which the ducks clean up) so it is somewhat difficult to know exactly how much he is eating. He eats hay and treats and drinks water just fine. Today is the last possible day for Country Mile to deliver to show that he “performed” with her last month, otherwise, he is 0 for 2. In an evaluation of his physical condition he has a nice thick coat in good condition. He is well filled out through the front end but his back end is thin..his hips are bony…

I’ve been treating his latest sore with Cut Heal and it is healing nicely and the fur is growing back.

As much as I don’t like to consider it because he is a sweet rabbit, I’m wondering if or when to cull him either because of his lack of performance or due to a systemic health issue that the above mentioned conditions are pointing to… I could use some advise from more experienced breeders.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

If you have a re placement buck. I would go ahead with it.

 

[Frecs]

I have Hopp, who is performing quite well, and Hopp's son, Biscuitt, with County Mile who has just returned from his foster home. He is a big boy for his young age and showing promise.

I hate the idea of culling Skipp but I don't have the luxury of keeping non-performing and potentially unhealthy bucks around.

 

[Lizardslaps]

pet him out then someone would probably like him

I dont like culling a perfectly good rabbit if I can find them a good home first

 

[ladysown]

due to his reoccuring health problems I would simply cull and dispose of the body. I would not use him for food for any domesticated animal.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I hate the idea of culling Skipp but I don't have the luxury of keeping non-performing and potentially unhealthy bucks around.

I would cull him (terminally) since you have the others. If he did father a litter, and you keep any young from it, watch them carefully for any signs of weakness. Since he has had several health issues, rehoming him is not a responsible option in my opinion. There is too great a risk that his future owner will tire of treating him and he will suffer needlessly.

 

[skysthelimit]

Or that he might get the chance to perform, pass on something into the gene pool. I cull anything I won't breed or show, because pets have a way of finding new owners, and making a reappearance in the breeding scene. If I don't want it bred, it doesn't leave here alive.

 

[3mina]

I have to agree, I don't like letting nonproductive, possibly unhealthy animals loose to possibly reproduce.

 

[Frecs]

due to his reoccuring health problems I would simply cull and dispose of the body. I would not use him for food for any domesticated animal.

I hate the idea of culling Skipp but I don't have the luxury of keeping non-performing and potentially unhealthy bucks around.

I would cull him (terminally) since you have the others. If he did father a litter, and you keep any young from it, watch them carefully for any signs of weakness. Since he has had several health issues, rehoming him is not a responsible option in my opinion. There is too great a risk that his future owner will tire of treating him and he will suffer needlessly.

Or that he might get the chance to perform, pass on something into the gene pool. I cull anything I won't breed or show, because pets have a way of finding new owners, and making a reappearance in the breeding scene. If I don't want it bred, it doesn't leave here alive.

Ya'll are right. I don't like the thought but ya'll have confirmed what I was thinking. He has not fathered any litters (unless Country Mile kindles tonight) so whatever is going on will end with him. I could keep telling myself that the sores were just an odd annoyance but with the loss of muscle in the hips it begins to suggest there is something more systemic going on and it may well be genetic. Mother will be off visiting friends on Saturday so that will be a better day to deal with this unpleasantness.

 

[jollysrabbits]

I just wanna add if you were to keep him and use his litter any does he sired would probably have trouble kindling due to the narrow hips (if he passes the trait along) I agree cull and move on.

 

[ZRabbits]

If he's losing muscle in his hips, there is something truly going on instead of odd sores. Maybe it's best to let him go (not as pet). Definitely something you don't want to pass on to future kits.

He's sweet and your most compassionate act would be to let him go. Sad but something we all must do for any animal (meat, pet, show).

Karen

 

[Frecs]

If he's losing muscle in his hips, there is something truly going on instead of odd sores. Maybe it's best to let him go (not as pet). Definitely something you don't want to pass on to future kits.

He's sweet and your most compassionate act would be to let him go. Sad but something we all must do for any animal (meat, pet, show).

Karen

yep, something definitely going on under the skin, so to speak. The sore I've been treating had originally had swelling around it which I figured was infection or immune response to the sore itself. The swelling went down with treatment so I thought I was right on that score. Wrong. The "swelling" is coming back in little pockets around the sore which has me now thinking that it isn't "just" infection but an abscess which from reading this forum I'm learning can mean there are abscesses elsewhere in the body that evident from the outside.

This weekend..Saturday most likely...I'll do the compassionate thing and then bury him in the rose garden.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

This weekend..Saturday most likely...I'll do the compassionate thing and then bury him in the rose garden.

Before you bury him, I would strongly suggest doing a necropsy. If you post pics of your findings, someone may be able to give you an idea of what caused his problems.

 

[Frecs]

Before you bury him, I would strongly suggest doing a necropsy. If you post pics of your findings, someone may be able to give you an idea of what caused his problems.

Okay...I...what would I need to do? Why type of pictures exactly?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Well, I would skin him, at least that one leg, so we can see what the muscle looks like. You will also want to open up his chest and abdominal cavity so we can see the lungs, heart, liver, and other organs. Take pictures of everything as you go along. I would take several of each view in case some are out of focus.

If you haven't ever butchered an animal before or performed a necropsy, it isn't going to be an easy thing to do. It feels like you are desecrating their body. But it is for the good of the rest of your herd, and once the animal is dead, you of course can't hurt him in any way. Try to think of it as his final service to you and your other rabbits. ((Hugs))

 

[Frecs]

I have not yet butchered an animal or done a necropsy. The thought is not easy... but it would be a good learning process if I can pull it off....

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I understand. I bought two bucks and two does to start my herd, and one of the bucks, Ammo, died shortly thereafter (3 months)... I wanted his skin, but I couldn't bring myself do it. I had never butchered a mammal, only poultry, so I would not have known what to look for and I hadn't yet found RabbitTalk, so I ended up burying him. But it felt wasteful to not gain anything from his death.

Skipp can provide valuable information not only to you, but to everyone here. Do you know any hunters that would be willing to assist? Even another inexperienced person just being there with you will help, even if they don't help in any hands on way.

If you can't do it, don't feel bad. It takes a while to wrap your head around it, and there is no shame in not being able to bring yourself to it yet.

 

[Frecs]

I just emailed my friend who also has a rabbitry to see if her husband can/will help me. By Saturday, I can work my mindset around to it, I hope. His short life should count for something.

 

[Demamma]

killing and butchering is never easy. It had been about 7 years until recently since I butchered a rabbit. Since I pet and cuddle all my rabbits it was hard to do my 3 meats. I cried the whole way through but that is OK to cry. A beautiful animal has made it so I can feed my family and in your case protect other rabbits. It is hard but can be done. I also pray just before and thank God for a chance to raise my own meat, for the life of the rabbit and for a quick death. It helps.

 

[Frecs]

My friend and her husband are coming over Saturday. He is going to help me with the necropsy and use it as a teaching op to teach me how to butcher rabbits. At least I won't be alone...