Rabbits As Pets, Table Meat And Profit – 2013 – part2

NO not yet. Don’t rush out and buy your first rabbit(s) just yet. First things first. The first thing you need is a cage or hutch for each rabbit you plan on keeping. After a rabbit reaches 3 months of age they need their own cage or hutch. The ones of the same sex are territorial and will fight. The ones of opposite sex will attempt to breed and this can lead to unexpected / unwanted results.

For the DIY people search University websites. Many have blue prints for hutches with plans, and construction information, all available for free down-loading.
Hutches and Housing your New Rabbit
Rabbit Hutches and Rabbit Cages
Bass, rabbit cage kits

Note Unless you have a lot of hutch materials on hand, you may find in the long run, it is cheaper and easier to buy a cage or hutch than build it yourself from store bought materials.

Do the math first. if you want to make your own cages, allow 0.75 square feet of space for each pound of adult weight. For instance, if a rabbit’s adult weight is 10 pounds, multiply 0.75 by 10. This gives 7.5 sq ft. This can be attained by building a cage 3 ft x 2.5 ft (3 x 2.5 = 7.5). The height should be 18 inches. If the adult’s weight is 3 pounds, multiply 0.75 by 3. This gives 2.25 sq ft. You can build the cage 1.5 ft x 1.5 ft (18″ x 18″). Its height, because it is a small rabbit, can be 15″. Never make the hutch more than 3 ft deep or the sides more than 3 feet from your grasp. Otherwise, you’ll have trouble getting the rabbit out when you need to.

Water and feeders are best attached to the outside of the cage/hutch so you can feed and water your rabbit(s) without the need to open the cage/hutch to access your water and feeds. This apply’s to hay feeders as well.

You should use nutritionally balanced rabbit pellets from a reputable source that has been supplying rabbit feed for many years. Each day, a rabbit will eat approximately one fluid ounce of feed per pound of weight. There are 8 fl oz in one cup. So a four pound rabbit will eat about 4 oz or 1/2 cup of feed. An eight pound rabbit, about 1 cup. Do not feed a rabbit more than one day’s supply of feed at a time unless you will be gone the weekend. If you allow your rabbit to get fat, it will not breed very well, the show judge will disqualify it in shows, and the rabbit will have a much higher risk of dying.

Every now and then supplement the rabbit’s diet with alfalfa hay. This will supply it with good roughage. You can also use the hay to line the nest boxes when they are ready to give birth.
Make sure your rabbits have fresh water in front of them at all times. Never feed your rabbits lettuce or cole family vegetables such as cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, or broccoli. They can get enteritis and possibly die. Never feed them meat. The safest thing to do is to just stick to rabbit pellets and alfalfa hay.

Yes it is OK to give your pet rabbit a carrot from time to time.

Other things to consider. Only purchase rabbits from an established breeder who will stand behind the sale. Any other way invites problems such as genetic defects, disease, and bad specimens of the breed. You also must have a pedigree to show a rabbit or to sell pedigreed offspring.
Select a breed that you want to become an expert in. You should love that breed. Strive to attain the perfect standard. When others know you have high quality rabbits, they will beat a path to your door.
Your cages should give you easy access, be self cleaning, and provide good protection for your rabbits. They should not be too small.
Feed rabbits the correct amount of rabbit pellets for their size and occasionally supplement their diet with alfalfa hay. Do not feed them too much. A fat rabbit has lost stamina and doesn’t breed well.
Do not put rabbits together after they are 3 months old until you are ready to breed them at 6 months.
As a side note Always be vigilant for diseases in your rabbitry.
Protect your rabbits from other animals, dogs, cats, coyotes, fox, skunks, hawks, owls, and raccoons. They’ll do a number on your rabbits if given the chance.

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