Baby bunnies

Latest Articles

Baby bunnies
Page Previous 1, 2

Downsizer Forum Index -> Livestock and Pets

Author

Message

2steps

Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 5349
Location: Surrey

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 6:05 pm Post subject:
awwe cuties simon, are they for eating or as pets?

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 6:15 pm Post subject:
They are lovely cuties at the mo but I'm sorry to say that eventually they will be eaten. We keep "mummy and daddy" as pets. Too many rabbits cost too many pennies.

Penny Outskirts

Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 6:22 pm Post subject:
Ahhh - they're lovely

pricey

Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Posts: 6444

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 7:38 pm Post subject:
What do you feed them Simon?, we are going to have them in Portugal as there arn't to many wild one's around, and we love Bunnies.

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 7:43 pm Post subject:

Pricey, a couple of issues ago in CS magazine there was an article about a family in France breeding bunnies for the table. Not sure how much it will tell you but if you don't take that magazine already I'll try to dig it out for you if you like.

Wondered why TD suddenly suggested that we could keep rabbits if we needed to...I hugely admire you for doing it Simon, but not sure I could manage it, they are sooooo damn cute. I used to have a spotted rabbit for a pet

Pointless pets though. Maybe I could do it after all

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 7:45 pm Post subject:
compressed grass pellets mainly (with added nutrients no doubt) from the local Gamm Vert. We also give them all the greens we can pick from our garden and surrounding country pathways. Mainly dandelion leaves but sometimes we find clover and other stuff that they love. Plenty of fresh water aswell .... they drink loads.

2steps

Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 5349
Location: Surrey

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 8:16 pm Post subject:

simon wrote:

They are lovely cuties at the mo but I'm sorry to say that eventually they will be eaten.

We keep "mummy and daddy" as pets. Too many rabbits cost too many pennies.

Fair enough

I have 2 pet rabbits and have thought about breeding from them for meat but we've only had rabbit a few times and did'nt think it was that great. We're, or rather I am going to raise some chickens for eating. OH says he's too much of a wimp for the killing/preparing part though more than enthusiastic about the eating part

Leonie

Joined: 13 Sep 2005
Posts: 731
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 05 9:14 pm Post subject:
They're lovely Simon

hils

Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 568
Location: Nottingham

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 10:41 am Post subject:
I went to a greek restaurant last night and they had rabbit on the menu which surprised me. I haven't had rabbit for years so Rabbit kleftico it was! I had forgotten what a distinctive flavour it has. Mmm I don't think I could eat these cuties tho!

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 11:31 am Post subject:
Cute AND tasty. Ideal.

jamsam

Joined: 21 Oct 2005
Posts: 2560
Location: erm....i dont know, its dark.

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 4:14 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

Should be ready for Easter.

thats what you need in surrey, more rabbits!!!

Caplan

Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 90

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 9:56 pm Post subject:

Warning - RANT!

Knowing how rabbits can destroy grass, dig under fencing and generally make the 'Great Escape' look like a toddler with a trowel in a patio tub i don't think 'Eating' rabbits as a back garden venture is a good idea.

2 lovely bunnies - great. A little 'jiggy jiggy' and 2 become a potential 10! Then you need separation while they grow to a decent size and prevent further breeding.

Your separate enclosures for just two now has to accommodate a lot more bunnies.

Keep them on concrete - stops them digging. Feed them pellets - ensures they grow to a decent size before you neck them. I guess you could always just keep them individually in little cages - i'm sure battery chicken cages will do the job. NOT!!!!

At this point i ask anyone with a calculator to do the maths on materials/upkeep/land rent on this idea and compare pricing to just spending a few quid on a 'wild' shot rabbit once or twice a year from a reputable source - better qualilty of life for the bunny - better flavour.

Rant over.

ahh.... and relax..........

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 05 7:08 am Post subject:

Having a few bunnies for the pot is a way of life in France and not all contries have a glut of wild bunnies. Even in Surrey if the stories of the latest strain of mixie killing 90% of the little grass cutters are true then well soon not have many. Again this will be a problem for people keeping their own breeding stock outside.

When my family kept pot-bunnies when I was a lad they were looked after far, far better than any form of battery farming I've seen.

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 05 7:59 am Post subject:

Hi Caplan, don't worry we are not battery farmers and nor would we tolerate anybody that is. Our bunnies are kept in concrete housing overnight - safe from the foxes etc. and during the day we put them in a moveable run. This way the damage to grassland is avoided and I rarely have to cut the grass

With regards to the work involved, I hardly think we could call it work when it is an enjoyable way of life (as Treacodactyl said "quite the norm in France"). The grass pellets cost us 5 euros a sac which (with 2 rabbits) has lasted for at least two months at a time. Not expensive either then. In addition to this they get to eat fresh grass and dandies whilst in the run.

I've nowt against eating wild rabbit, it's just that we don't seem to see any around here. We only intend to breed ours once or twice a year as this will be easily sufficient rabbit meat for the family.

The concrete sheds were here when we moved in. They had been used to keep pigeons in. A bit of patching up on my part and they make sturdy, weather proof hutches.

Criticism always welcome

Simon

Caplan

Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 90

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 05 2:17 pm Post subject:

Sorry Simon - it wasn't meant as a personal rant against you.
I know you have put the thought and energy into your 'bunny project' and you have the space and time to ensure it's success.

My rant (and i should have made this clearer - sorry

) is that most people on here live in the UK in modest sized properties - Some one i know tried to raise them in a smiliar way as food for his pedigree dog breeding kennel. The dogs wouldn't eat rabbit meat and he ended up in a mess with more rabbits than he knew what to do with in his backyard!

Even with mixy wild rabbits are still abundant in the UK and they'll bounce back (no pun meant) after it fades away.

In the UK I'd stick with wild shot ones - unless you are prepared to offer them the same level of care as Simon does

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Livestock and Pets	All times are GMT Page Previous 1, 2
Page 2 of 2

View Latest Posts