Caring For Rabbits

More and more people are turning toward raising rabbits as both a hobby and a business endeavor. This is because there are still a large number of people who enjoy raising rabbits as pets and still others who enjoy rabbit meat. Regardless of why you are interested in raising rabbits, there is some pertinent information you should understand before embarking on a rabbit raising business.

Before bringing your rabbits home, you need to take the proper amount of time and effort necessary to construct an adequate rabbit barn or rabbit hutch. Technically, the area where you house your rabbits is known as a rabbit warren but the general idea is to provide a place where your rabbit can be warm and dry. The number of rabbits you intend to raise will determine the size of the rabbit hutch that you will need. If you do not already have a suitable structure in existence on your property, you can either purchase a ready made hutch or purchase rabbit hutch plans that can give you detailed instructions on how to construct this for your rabbits.

The rabbit warren is the overall housing unit for your rabbits. Each individual rabbit; however, should have its own individual pen. Generally, each rabbit should have at least six square feet of space with two feet of height. Therefore, the pen might be configured as 2x3x2 or even better; 2x4x2.

You should also have a plan in mind that will provide for easy watering and feeding as you embark on your rabbit raising business. You can purchase commercial automatic feeders and waterers that will allow the rabbits to feed themselves, but some breeders have found that this creates a problem in which your rabbits may eat too much.

Now that you have your housing set up, you'll need to give some serious consideration to obtaining breeding stock for your rabbit raising business. The purpose for which you are raising rabbits will determine which factors you need to concentrate on when selecting your initial rabbits.

For example, if you are going to concentrate on raising rabbits for the purpose of show or for pets, then you will need to spend some time on obtaining rabbits that come from a good bloodline. This is especially true in regards to show rabbits.

On the other hand, if you are raising rabbits strictly for the purpose of meat, then you won't need to pay any attention to bloodlines. In this regard, the most important factors will be related to the type and quantity of meat the rabbits will produce. So, look for rabbits with large feet and heavy bones.

When you select your rabbits, it's a good idea to go ahead and get started with one male and two or three females, if you have enough adequate space. Of course, the price that you will ultimately pay per rabbit for your initial breeding stock will depend on whether you're buying meat rabbits or show rabbits. If you're buying rabbits with an eye toward bloodline then be prepared to pay more per rabbit.

Raising rabbits is a relatively easy livestock endeavor because the tend to be relatively disease free; however, there are a couple of hours that you should be on the lookout for in order to maintain healthy and disease free rabbits. First, be aware of the fact that rabbits tend to be harassed a lot in the summer by flies. It is important to control this problem, but be aware that rabbits have sensitive digestive and respiratory systems, so never use any sprays around your rabbits. Instead, look for special products that can be purchased to eliminate this problem without harming your rabbits.

When cared for properly, raising rabbits can be a great investment.