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What To Look For When Buying A Rabbit
Topics covered
Pre-Find: Establish a Goal
Pre-Find: Establish a Goal
Ever wonder about the following:
● How to find a rabbit
● What to ask when buying
● Bringing a rabbit home
Buying a new rabbit is an exciting experience. There are several items to consider when making the decision. This page breaks up the steps of getting a rabbit into pre-find, finding and post find.
Pre-Find: Establish a Goal
Pre-Find: Establish a Goal
Pre-Find: Establish a Goal
One of the most important things to do when breeding rabbits is to know your goal(s). With a vision in mind, you can create a plan to achieve those goals. Whether breeding for pets, show, or meat, a breeder must know what they will need to get desired results. After creating a plan, stay with it. Do not set new priorities without evaluating the whole plan.
Are you looking for a specific breed or variety/color? There are currently 52 breeds of rabbits recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA), the governing body of rabbits in the United States. There are small rabbits and large rabbits, too. Some breeds have short ears, while some have long ears. Some ears are lopped, while others stand upright. Then, there are varieties. Some breeds have as many as 49 varieties, while others come in a standard (1) color. Check out the colors page to find a color that you like. Not every breed comes in every color so check with your breed standard to see if it does.
Narrowing the search
Pre-Find: Establish a Goal
How to Find a Breeder:
Narrowing the search
What are you looking to find? To help narrow the search, answer the questions below:
What breed are you looking for?
What variety are you looking for?
Do you prefer a buck or doe?
What age rabbit are you looking for?
What will the rabbit be used for? (ie. showing, breeding, pet)
Does it need to be free from DQ’s?
Are you looking for particular genetics?
What traits would you like the rabbit to have to improve your breeding line?
If breeding, are the colors compatible with your
herd?
How much are you willing to spend on this rabbit?
How to Find a Breeder:
How to Find a Breeder:
How to Find a Breeder:
Rabbit shows are a great place to find new stock. Local shows offer the benefit of local breeders. With a breeder close to home, you will possibly have the chance to visit their rabbitry. You will have the potential to view parents of the animals you are looking to purchase, as well as other animals in the herd. Viewing the rest of the herd (siblings, cousins, descendants, etc.) will allow you to gain a perspective on what to expect in offspring. You will probably also see animals at different stages of growth, so you will gain an understanding of how the new offspring will grow when crossed with the animals in your barn.
How to find shows:
How to Find a Breeder:
How to find shows:
Contact your local Land Grant University Extension office; they could recommend a local breeder or other 4-H members that show.
Go to www.arba.net webpage and use the search function to look for sanctioned shows in your area.
National ARBA shows (breed specific and the ARBA Convention) also offer many benefits. For one, there are more breeders. There is also a wider range of genetics. At local shows, the rabbits may be more closely related because of distance between breeders. At national shows, however, exhibitors travel from all across the country, sometimes even the world!
Another benefit of attending national shows is you will have the opportunity to view the best of the best. Many breeders breed specifically so their animals will mature in time for the national show. National shows are a determining factor in how a breeder is doing compared to other breeders of a certain breed, so everyone brings out their best rabbits.
Internet Search
How to Find a Breeder:
How to find shows:
An internet search will locate breeders, too. A search engine can be used, but a more effective means would be a local, state, or national specialty club’s webpage. These typically have breeder listings and links to personal rabbitry webpages. These clubs can be breed specific (such as New Zealand), area specific (such as state or region club), or both (such as a state New Zealand club). The printed publications (newsletter or magazine) should also provide a way to find a breeder.
Go to a web search engine and type in the breed with the words “rabbit breeders association” at the end of it. This will typically bring up a national breed club webpage. Within their website look for “links” or “breeders” pages. Then click on the state that you are looking to purchase rabbits from. This will give you contact information for a breeder.
Find
Buying Process
“Can I see the pedigree?”
Buying Process
Now that you have determined what you are looking for and possible leads, here is part of the buying process:
What to ask?
“Can I see the pedigree?”
Buying Process
Do you have any (breed) for sale? I am looking for a (variety) (buck/doe) .
For example: “Do you have any Dutch for sale? I am looking for a black doe.”
Or
If looking at a show and you see a “for sale board” with a rabbit you would be interested in, approach the breeder and say, “I am interested in looking at the (variety) (breed) (buck/doe).”
For example: “I am interested in looking at the black Dutch doe.”
“Can I see the pedigree?”
“Can I see the pedigree?”
“Can I see the pedigree?”
A pedigree is an important aspect of a rabbit used for breeding. Pedigrees show a lot of important information about an animal. They show the background, including the date of birth and (at least) the parents, grand parents, and great grandparents of the rabbit. Pedigrees also show awards the rabbit has won or its ancestry has won.
Varieties and weights of the ancestry are on a pedigree, too. This is important in planning what to expect when breeding.
Pedigrees do not guarantee a healthy rabbit, though. Nor do pedigrees mean the rabbit will be a winner on the show table.
Previous Problems?
What do you mean when you say brood, show quality or pet quality?
“Can I see the pedigree?”
“Any previous problems with: teeth, eye color, nail color, etc.?”
These are problems that affect the health or showing ability of future offspring. They are genetic disqualifications and problems that the rabbit may not show, but can pass on to offspring.
Example: A blue eye on a blue Dutch is a disqualification. It is the wrong color per breed standard.
What do you mean when you say brood, show quality or pet quality?
What do you mean when you say brood, show quality or pet quality?
What do you mean when you say brood, show quality or pet quality?
Show quality: Typically means the rabbit is free of disqualifications and can be shown at shows.
Brood quality: This rabbit is large and may be overweight. This rabbit may have a very good trait but is not a quality show rabbit.
Pet quality: Means the rabbit is not meant to be shown. It may have a breed disqualification.
How much is this one?
What do you mean when you say brood, show quality or pet quality?
What do you mean when you say brood, show quality or pet quality?
“How much is this one?”
The amount a seller is asking for the animal may determine how much you really want the rabbit. Before you absolutely fall in love with a rabbit, you should know if it is in your price range or budget.
“If I bought a pair or a trio, could I get a discount? “ Common terminology:
Pair = buck and doe
Trio = buck and two does
Some breeders will offer discounts for multiple rabbits purchased at the same time.
Getting a transition bag of feed
Getting a transition bag of feed
Getting a transition bag of feed
"What brand of feed do you feed? Can I get a bag of feed to transition to mine."
Switching the feed is a very important step to purchasing rabbits. There is a major risk that the rabbit goes off feed and it is not a successful transition.
Day 1: A method that works well is letting the rabbit eat their normal pellets the 1st night. Day 2-4: 50/50 mix with yours
Day 5-8: 75% your feed and 25% previous feed
Day 9: 100% your feed
Inspecting the rabbit
You will want to inspect the rabbit to verify its health and quality.
You will want to inspect the rabbit to verify its health and quality.
You will want to inspect the rabbit to verify its health and quality.
If you know your showmanship steps, they are useful.
First, make sure the rabbit is healthy. Never purchase a sick rabbit or a rabbit showing signs of sickness.
Second, make sure the rabbit you are looking at fits your goal(s). Whether the goal is a certain color or a stronger hindquarter, you want to be certain the new rabbit you are bringing into your herd satisfies your personal goal. It may take more than one animal to achieve your goal, so make sure each and every animal introduced into the herd is an improvement or a step towards reaching a certain goal.
What to look for? Eyes
You will want to inspect the rabbit to verify its health and quality.
You will want to inspect the rabbit to verify its health and quality.
Should be bright and free from discharge.
Ears
You will want to inspect the rabbit to verify its health and quality.
Ears
Should be free from wax and there should be a tattoo in the left ear.
Nose
Quality
Ears
Should be free from discharge.
Look at the inside front legs. If there is matting, it could indicate that the rabbit has snuffles.
If the rabbit has any nasal discharge, it likely has snuffles, and you should avoid purchasing.
Check the genitals to verify the gender and make sure it is free from disease.
Teeth
Quality
Quality
Should be straight with the top overlapping the bottom.
Quality
Quality
Quality
Does the rabbit's quality fit your goals?