How We Got Started
This will come as no suprise, but our first two rabbits I bought at a yard sale for my daughter. They were Satins and cost $5 each. I think I loved them as much as my daughter and decided we needed more. I asked around to find a rabbit breeder. A friend directed me to Nancy Williamson, who raises a nice varity of rabbits. We popped in on her and she showed us her rabbitry. I never knew there was so many breeds of rabbits now! Before we left Nancy's, we bought a little black holland lop jr. doe, who we named Cuddles. Since then I have got online and done many searches to find information on the different breeds and breeders websites. We have got a varity of different breeds at this time, but I think I'm going to go with Jersey Woolies, Mini Lops and New Zealand. I'm thinking about getting some Flemish Giants for my dad this coming spring.
What I Knew About Rabbits
Ok, lets go back aways. When I was a kid, my parents got my brother and I a pedigreed pair of New Zealand does for us to raise and show in 4-H. It didn't take long for my father to think we should raise rabbits and the kids could take care of them before and after school. I didn't mind, I loved them. At the county fair it was interesting seeing what other kids raised. It seems funny to think back, but a dutch was the smallest rabbit there and checkered giant was the largest. All rabbits ears stood up and were long. There was no wooly or velvety fur. Rabbits were all kept outside, who ever heard of having one in the house (we have 14 cages in the house now). The 4-H rabbit exibit was under a tent. How things have changed in the last 30 to 40 years. My parents also made sure we had babies for sale at Easter. Back then people would buy there kids baby rabbits, chicks and ducklins. I would never recomend anyone do this now a day! Some of the parents would bring the rabbit they bought the year before back and get the kids another baby for Easter. My dad loved this, cause they raised the rabbit for him. My dad and brother would butcher them and mom and I would clean them. Many sundays we had rabbit for dinner and did my mom know how to fry it. Ok enough of the past. My father is raising some Satins babies to butcher for me. He is finding how hard it was for us kids to raise them knowing their fate. He is lining up some of his friends to butcher them for him. Next year our New Zealand herd will be old enough for breeding. He will be breeding and raising all of that breed. I'm sticking to my Jersey Woolies and Lops!
What We Know Now
After getting my daughter her two satins, I got online and looked up everything and anything I could find about rabbits. Wow, who would know after raising rabbits for years all the things I didn't know. I would tell anyone who gets a new rabbit to read all you can on rabbits. One big thank you to all the rabbit raiser who have web sites with information pages. You have taught me so much! We just started showing in september of this year. Of course we are now hooked. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. It's great to see all the breeds of rabbits and gather more information to help you in raising the the best quality. Really I don't think the learning will never end.
This is what happens when you mix a 7 year old with baby bunnies. We handle our babies from birth so they are lovable, but sometimes my daughter goes a little over board. The is a netherland dwarf baby she wrapped in a baby blanket and put it in a cradle. Baby's name is Miller's Flea.
We like to put all our babies together on the table to socialize them. That way they can get along with other rabbits.When the boys learn they are boys, we don't put them with the girls no more. This babies are two Jersey Woolies, one Mini Lop, two Holland Lops and a mix. I sold one of the Holland Lops and one of the Woolies together, to a real nice lady, to be friends to her angora rabbit so it wouldn't be lonely. Now all three of her "girls" get along great.