What to do, what to do

[Maleficent]

I didn't know where else to put this, it didn't really fit any of the other categories and its not really a rant more of a musing/question of sorts I guess, lol.

So recently I have been considering removing one of my does from my herd, I need the space she is taking up in the two level hutch which I could convert into two separate holes to separate the brother and sister I am keeping from this past litter. And currently there is no way for her to earn her keep (hips are pinched so can't be bred, age is unknown or uncertain), if she was a breed in which I could harvest the wool and sell it I would keep her around despite the hip pinching as that is a way for her to earn her keep. Otherwise she is just another mouth on the food bill with no income being earned from her keep.

Now I should have known better then to post on Facebook this question, "What should I do with her?" I mentioned possibly rehoming her but due to her pinched hips I can't control if someone tries to breed/kill her once she is in their hands. And offhandedly mentioned considering other means of freeing up the space she is taking up. You can bet I was hit hard by the pet crowd "Why not spay her and then rehome her if you are concerned about that?" Um, spaying her would be a lot out of my pocket I could use otherwise on my other rabbits and I would earn less then a percentage of the cost of the spay back after rehoming her.

"Why not turn her over to your local spca like place?" I have a no kill shelter nearby but outside of my area code so it costs a pretty penny to surrender her since I am outside their jurisdiction, and a city shelter. Both take animals like rabbits on a very limited bases as they are hard to place in homes. Plus what would I tell them? I have no reason to keep this rabbit because it can't reproduce and can't make me money? Yeah that will make me popular with the shelters. :-x

Then I had another lady who wanted her, but tried to weasel her way into me lowering the price or giving the rabbit to her for free as "Since I do rescue work I save my money for things like emergency vet visits. Could I possibly talk you into lowering your theoretical price?"

But yeah that is my crazy adventure in that facecbook group, I should have just asked you guys your opinions from the get go. :lol:

 

[MaggieJ]

In this difficult case, I'd have let the "rescue lady" have her for free. You'd get what you want and giving her away sounds cheaper than your other options.

I take it you don't eat rabbit?

 

[Homer]

...

I take it you don't eat rabbit?

My thoughts exactly. Don't mean to sound like a (well never mind) but...part of raising rabbits is knowing what YOU are going to do with the culls, the ONES that doesn't fit your needs etc. Tough question for many but, think about it or don't keep them. :x

 

[Maleficent]

...

I take it you don't eat rabbit?

My thoughts exactly. Don't mean to sound like a (well never mind) but...part of raising rabbits is knowing what YOU are going to do with the culls, the ONES that doesn't fit your needs etc. Tough question for many but, think about it or don't keep them. :x

More like never had the chance do to inhibitions when I was younger, as I am getting more and more serious about rabbit keeping though the thought has crossed my mind. How would I know if rabbit meat is or isn't for me if I don't try it? In the end if eating rabbits isn't for me I do have a lady I know who has a dog that will only eat raw food skinned while the other will eat them pelt and all. So I will have an outlet for culls that I feel won't make decent pets or I can't sell. We have bantered over this kind of thing before (as she knows I would like to keep any nice looking pelts since I want to get into tanning) and any that are to boney for even raw feeding her dogs she will happily take the organs (kidney and livers) while the rest goes into her compost bin to be reincorporated into her garden and other plants.

 

[Homer]

Well, if you want to give eating your own rabbits a try Grumpy made a processing video if you want to learn how to dress them. http://rabbittalk.com/learning-aid-for-usda-protocol-processing-video-t18360.html

We have a recipe section on the forum with tons of good meals members have posted once to have something to cook with. :chef:
http://rabbittalk.com/rabbit-recipes-f32.html

What does it taste like? Well...it tastes like rabbit! It's a light meat similar to chicken but a bit more fibrous. It can be used as a substitute in many dishes for chicken but I don't think it taste like it.

 

[Maleficent]

I've actually skimmed through the cooking section and some of those recipes look pretty good.

 

[akane]

I'm not sure there is another rabbit specific group it's safe to mention a "hard cull". Everything you produce is to be cared for the rest of its life even at $100s or filling up rescues. Then the same people complain of overpopulation. I do know a few general feeder or meat groups but anything that doesn't protect and separate the rescue and pet only keeping is a bad idea to mention nothing less than finding perfect homes or keeping unstable/unhealthy animals forever. On fb with your name and location it's a good way to get targeted and doesn't even go on my page set to friends only viewing. Luckily crazy AR groups aren't common here when someone partially lied to send animal control to my door. They weren't thrilled with animal numbers but I broke no laws and there were no sick animals. (I made sure of that before they came back again even if it would have recovered without vet care). With no one to encourage them breaking the law and shelters full instead of people already trying to remove animals there was not much they could do but start criticizing my lifestyle including about extra wood furniture sitting in the entryway being a city code fire hazard (? You guys can't even get all the animal codes right) and how dirty wood floors are over carpet. That guy has some outdated info from his generation....

At least they finally gave up when all rabies vaccination on my cats and dogs was confirmed up to date. It's actually easier to find such discussions online these days as more homesteading and farming has forums or social media groups but you have to remember these are still limited places and if you take the same views to the wrong people it can go worse.

 

[Maleficent]

I guess good news is regardless of some of the crazy people I met I did meet some like minded people! :bunnyhop:

I guess the odd part is that the group is to support people who breed to butcher as well. It must just be full of more of the pet/rescue crowd.