What do people want?

[yankee'n'moxie]

Hello everyone!

I bought a doe about a month or so ago. She is my first rabbit in a long time, and I have some questions. I was considering breeding her (when she is old enough, currently 2 1/2 months). But I wanted to know if you thought that people would want mixed breeds or only purebreds? She is a Mini-lop X Flemish. And I was thinking of breeding her back to a lop. What do you think? I was hoping to sell the kits as pets, but I could sell them as meat rabbits as well, because of the Flemish side. I would like everybody opinion, because I don't want to end up with a box full of kits that I can't sell. Thanks!!

 

[MaggieJ]

You need to research your marketplace. There is no way for us to guess what the demand may be in your area. If you are prepared to eat the rabbits if you can't sell them, then I would say to give it a try.

 

[yankee'n'moxie]

Well, thank you for your input, but (1) I don't have the housing to separate them until harvest and (2) I don't think that I could eat them after raising them from babies. I am a weakling, I know!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

You came to the wrong forum if lack of cage space is what's stopping you- buy more! Long live Raging Rabbitosis! :twisted:

Would you be willing to sell to pet stores as opposed to finding "just the right home" yourself? If you are willing to sell them as meat rabbits, are you willing to sell them for reptile food?

 

[Peach]

reptile food?

I'm not big into mixing just because there are so many rabbits brought into the world each day. Very much into sticking to strictly pure showing rabbits since a rescue is no more than 10 minutes from my house that is very hardcore about what they do. I wouldn't want some unwanted visitors with all the stories of rabbits being taken recently. Be prepared to not sell them (have a buck that just won't sell and I really need him to be but everyone wants babies My retic python is looking like a option for him if I just don't have the space after a while...) I also like to talk to potential pet owners cause let me tell you..... Pet stores don't know crap about rabbits or care about them for that matter. Boyfriend worked at petland and it was the most frustrating time for me to visit him for lunch (he felt with reptiles) and seethe there employees just tell customers what they want to hear.<br /><br />__________ Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:37 pm __________<br /><br />Basically I keep in on down low with the rabbit breedings and just do the best I can to hav quality animals that won't die and get sick like at the pet store. I charge a little more, but they go to awesome pet home that visit often to see the babies grow I wouldn't want anyone pointin fingers at me for the 4-5 week old dying kits at the petstore.

 

[trinityoaks]

Lots of options here.

You could market them as pets yourself, or sell to your local feed store (I don't know that I would do pet stores, but that's just me). Crossbreeds would be ok.

You could market them for show rabbits (it would be a good idea for you to show, as well, or at least know the standard for your your breed REALLY WELL). You will need purebreeds for this.

You could sell to reptile owners and people who raw-feed their dogs. Crossbreeds would work fine.

Is there a commercial meat processor similar to Pel-Freez where you are? You will have to raise what they want to buy, which is usually NZW or Californian.

You might be able to find restaurants who offer rabbit on their menu (I would try to sell live to them so that you can avoid the licensing/certification to sell meats). I would guess that crossbreeds would work, but they may want white rabbits instead, similar to the commercial processors.

 

[Legacy]

I am kind of confused about why you want to breed her. If you aren't wanting to raise them for meat to butcher your self and you are aren't showing them obviously, and you aren't raising them for snake food, what are you raising them for? Just for the fun of it? You need to have a plan for the babies besides just making them. There are too many mixed rabbits mutts out there that no body wants already.

Flemish/lop crosses are worthless for raising for meat. Way too boney, not nearly enough meat. I mean, yea they are made of meat like every rabbit but they are not efficient enough for someone that is serious about meat rabbits. They could be used for pets but you need to face the fact that very few of them will have long term homes and most will wind up dying or getting dumped into a shelter. Can you live with that?

I think it is wonderful that you want to breed a rabbit because it is a great, cool, exciting thing to do but if you do it with no plan as to where the babies will end up and you aren't willing to butcher them yourself, it is rather irresponsible to breed them.

 

[ladysown]

but you need to face the fact that very few of them will have long term homes and most will wind up dying or getting dumped into a shelter. Can you live with that?

this is something oft said and I'm wondering on the proof of such statement.

I've been selling rabbits for about 6-7 years now, and most of them go to pet homes. I randomly follow up with people and have learned that a good 65-70% still have their rabbit. I consider that fairly good odds. Of the remainder...some of have moved on to other pet homes, about 2% were abandoned (for which I gave them fits), and the rest went to various options: auction, given away, rescue, died or were returned to me.

But the fact is.. crossbred rabbits do NOT sell as well as purebreds. you get less dollars for them as well, less dollars generally equates less personal responsibility for said rabbit.

You'd have to consider if you'd offer a permanent take back policy.

Breeding back mini lop might work as long as you were up front with people as to exactly what they were getting and the flemmish part of them might make for some BIG rabbits and not everyone wants a BIG rabbit.

If you can't cull, and you aren't sure about homing them, I would seriously take a good look at what sells around where you are living and carefully assess if you could sell the resultant offspring easily. AND you have to ask yourself...what will you do if you can't sell them? THAT you need to answer first and foremost.

 

[curlysue]

Most of my sales go for 4H or ARBA shows.soo yes they must be purebred.

 

[The Thicket]

You say you don't want to butcher them so personally if you want to breed, get involved in the rabbit show world. Most people are super friendly and welcoming. Get you a nice pair of purebred brood/show quality rabbits, depending on the breed you would be surprised at how cheap you can get quality stock for. Breed the pair, pick out the best in the litter to replace one of its parents and sell the rest. If none of the babies are better than its parents, sell them all and repeat the breeding. That is an idea to keep your numbers down.

I don't quite fancy people who breed mixed up rabbits just to sell to the pet store for $5. Have a goal. Pick out a breed that would best suit you. Learn its Standard. If you breed mixed up rabbits, you are looking at only getting $5 for each. If you have purebreds and they are decent quality, you could get much more. That's my advice, but it's all up to you what to do.

 

[grumpy]

Flemish/Mini-Lop cross?? That's an odd combination. My question is: Why would anyone make this type of cross? To what purpose would this cross serve?

Pet sales? Maybe a few, but at a very reduced price. Less than the costs of feed to raise them.

Reptile breeders? Yes, there is a strong demand in this area. But, this cross wouldn't be one that would offer a good product at a reasonable cost. Reptile breeders are after "meat" in good quantity. Personally, I've got several breeders that depend solely upon my product because of the "non-medication" regimen I produce my fryers with. One, in particular, wants 100 head a month during his reptile breeding season which last 4-6 months.

Processing for personal consumption? Yes. But again, this cross wouldn't be one that is the "best" for that purpose. Flemish are "big" rabbits. But not necessarily very good meat rabbits. Too much bone to meat ratio coupled with a slow growth rate make them an unthrifty candidate for the dinner table. Just my thoughts on the subject.

Grumpy.

 

[curlysue]

Most pet buyers want small rabbits.<br /><br />__________ Fri May 04, 2012 7:59 am __________<br /><br />

 

[AngelsGirl]

As for pets they just want something 'cute' everybody has their own opinions. If i were some kid in a pet store looking for a bunny i would find one that looked unique.
example:
They have 7 rabbits. 6 of them are black, and one is white. I would choose the white one bc it is unique.
So if it were me and in i were in your shoes, i would say go mixed. If you can't sell them then give them away to a pet store.

 

[bunei0426]

Actually I would just consider selling as pets because the Flemish Giand isn't such a great meat rabbit.

 

[Bad Habit]

I would enjoy the doe you have now, and purchase purebred stock if you want to breed. I don't really have anything else to add that hasn't already been said, but you will do MUCH better selling purebred rabbits than selling a mix, especially a large breed mix. Also, remember that there is a lot of competition out there for pet homes - you have to make your rabbits a better purchase than anyone else's - that usually means purebred, as well as social, happy stock, and making a buying experience with you better than with someone else.