In The Beginning...

In this segment, we will try to answer most of your questions
about getting started with Rabbits.

The most important thing is selecting your breeding stock.
Number one is to buy only healthy stock from a reputable breeder.
Start with the best you can afford. Don't buy lesser quality just because it is cheaper.
Contact several breeders and get an idea of what is available, and the going prices.
If you don't have any breeders in your area, contact others as many will be more than willing to ship you stock.
Ask these people if they have any kind of guarentee on the animals.
I always recommend starting with a junior pair and a senior pair, with the senior doe bred to a different buck. This gives you a wider gene pool to start with.
As you get going, this becomes very important. You want to breed rabbits that are somewhat related, but not too closely. This is called line breeding.

When planning for your rabbits, you need to consider housing. If they are a larger breed, you need to think about cage size. I recommend a 30x36 inch cage 18 inches high. This gives the does enough room to raise a litter, and bucks room to exercise. They are a very hardy animal, and will do well in any weather conditions, from the severe cold here in the Minnesota winters, to the extreme heat of the summers in New Mexico. No matter the conditions, rabbits seem to thrive with just a little help!

This article was written and copyrighted by Susan Origer 2000

For more detailed information on owning , and raising rabbits, I have provided several pages to answer most questions. I hope you will find these helpful. If you need additional information you can contact me, at the following address:

havafox@uslink.net

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