J Feeder or Bowls?

Question: What kind of feeder? J feeder or bowls?

Answer: We used J feeders a lot. These hang the outside of the cage and you cut a hole so you can put the lip into the cage. You can feed without opening the cage. We also used ceramic dog crocks because the rabbits cannot fling them around easily.

I did want to mention that no matter what feeder you get for the rabbits, don't forget to OPEN THE DOOR and touch the rabbits every day.

I found the J feeders made it more likely to pour feed and run down the row without really looking at the rabbits. Having to open the door with bowls made it necessary for me to interact a little bit with the rabbits, especially the hostile ones that wanted to fight over turf. So I had to pay attention to which cage I was opening.

Anyway, just thought I'd mention.
Have a good day!

Outlets

Outlets for extra rabbits
*rabbitgeek ramblings 12/2010*

One of things I was always looking for was outlets for our
extra rabbits. How do we get them out of our rabbitry?
That is "where" would the extra rabbits go?

For a while we had access to a rabbit runner who was buying
for a processor so we could send our culls to be processed
for meat and get a few dollars. I think they were paying a
dollar per pound live weight. After that ended we didn't
sell any more to a processor because there are no processors
close to us in Sacramento.

Other outlets were selling breeding and show stock, so
conformance to Standard Of Perfection was vital. We sold a
lot of rabbit to 4H kids and our goal was "No DQs" which means
no disqualifications (DQ) for show. Having been burned by some
sellers as 4H parents we wanted to be sure we did not do the
same to other people.

This also meant we could sell rabbits at good showbunny prices,
which meant $20 to $40 each for breeding stock from registered
parents, instead of $5 to $10 for meat rabbits. Non-meat breeds
like Dutch, Netherlands, Hollands, Angoras and others could also
be sold for $20 up to $100 or more.

Yes, angoras can be sold for meat but you have to shear them for
the processor. So you can get some junior wool off of them before
sending to the processor, which might be worth a dollar or two.
Usually we tried to sell as angoras first, because $40 is better
than $5 for meat.

Then there was a buyer who would take any rabbit for $3 each.
These rabbits would be euthanized (CO2) than frozen to be used
as food for zoo animals. Minimum weight required was like 3 lbs.
If you could set up a deal with a zoo (or two), you could have a
constant source of income.

Finally, we had a willing taker at the wildlife care association
who would take carcasses for free to feed to their animals for
rehabilitation. I would bonk the rabbits and freeze them whole.
When I had more than a few I would meet the associate who would
take my donation.

You want to be sure any rabbits for the zoo or animal rehab have
not been given antibiotics because it could cause serious reaction
in the animals.

Just some ideas for outlets.

Have a good day!

Genetic Color Help

Genetic Color Help
*from rabbitgeek notes oct 27 2007
There are a couple of genetic calculators online

Here is Welsh's site for the genotype calculator.
You can use it to get familiar with genetics.
http://www.welshrabbitry.com/matrix.php

Here is another calculator
http://www.mammarabbit.com/rabbit_genetics.htm
It has most of the basics down but not all of the genetics are
included such as dutch, steel, and others but may be helpful.

Computer genetic calculators are handy, including the Evans
program, but they are not perfect. Understanding color genetics
will help guide you through the maze.

Color genetics is a lot like the dice game Yahtzee. You try to get
sets of numbers to fill your scorecard. Sometimes you can "hold"
or "fix" some of the variables by holding some dice before the
next roll.

This is the similar in genetics. You can hold some of the variables
by using certain rabbits with known color genetic traits, and the
rest is a roll of the dice to see what you actually get in the litters.
Some people compare it to playing poker with two decks of cards.

Some of our French Angoras were very good at throwing
multi-colored litters that we called "party packs." Very exciting
to see what kind of colors developed. The skin color when born
can often turn into something unexpected and all we could do
was wait for the kits to grow into their coats.

I can recommend a little book called "Color Genetics of the
Netherland Dwarf Rabbit" by Bobby Schott. This little book takes
you through many of the basic color genetic principles in easy to
understand language with lots of good examples and some simple
pictures.

Although the book is written for Netherland Dwarfs, the color
genetics are the same for most breeds of rabbits. There are
variations in color names in different breeds.

Pam Nock has a website with lots of color charts
to help get used to the color genetic codes used.
http://nockrabbits.com

Here is a yahoo group where color geeks hangout
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/rabbit_genetics

That should keep you busy for a few hours.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios

Shearing

from rabbitgeek notes Jan 2009:
Yes, we call it shearing and is a preferred method of wool harvest for
many angora rabbit owners. The coat comes off and the rabbit grows a
new one. Just like sheep are sheared for their wool.

There is a file in the group files area
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/AngoraRabbitList/files/

Look for "How To Shear An Angora" by Germaine Pidgeon. Its a good
tutorial for visualizing how it should be done.

Shearing a good skill to have, even if you decide to be a plucker.
Because if rabbit comes down with symptoms of wool block, you'll want
to get that coat off ASAP! Also, many breeders will shear a doe before
breeding to prevent that coat from becoming nest material.

I usually put the rabbit on a grooming table, and starting along the
back along the spine I clip off little "ponytails" of wool. I set this
aside as the "good stuff" because along the back and sides is the best
length. Wool from the front or shorter length goes to a second pile
for blending or felting.

I leave about 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch long. Don't worry if it is not
perfectly even in length because after it grows out you won't see the
difference.

Best time to shear is when they start to molt, to remove the old
growth coat so the new one can come in. The loose wool from molting is
a big factor in developing wool block so removing at the molt is good.

The rabbits generally like the shearing afterward and will jump around
doing spins and kicks (binkies) in their now lightweight condition.

For scissors we used the Fiskars School scissors with the rounded tips.
Or whatever happened to be on sale for school kids in the fall.

I hope that info helps.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios

Shop vac notes

From Rabbitgeek notes
**Apr 4 2005, cross posted by Franco**

Use the Shop Vac with the hose plugged in the the "blower" outlet so
it blows air out instead of vacuuming in. Do this outside because when
you start blowing out the rabbit, dust and wool will fly everywhere!
Set the rabbit up on a grooming stand or on a table.

Set the shopvac on a nearby table or shelf because the hose is
relatively short. Start the shopvac but don't blow the air toward the
rabbit yet, let it get used to the sound first. Then you can direct
the air toward the rabbit for a moment then away, giving it a chance
to get used to it.

Then it is just like a blower. Use the stream of air to blow away the
dust in the wool. The stream of air will also untangle some of the
matts and will fluff the wool to an incredible "poofiness."

Using this air blower to groom avoids the wool fiber breakage that
occurs with combing and brushing.

Others on the list can give you the fine points of air blowing, since
I'm only a novice at the fluffy rabbit bit. But I'm an expert at
shopvac. :)

**P.S. When you go looking, you want to see the words "blower output"
or "blower port" on the box of the shop vac. The blower is feature you
want and not all shop vacs have this. In 2005 it cost about $40 for a
2 horspower shop vac with blower feature. 1.5 or 2 hp is adequate.

Avoid using compressed air since there is a lot of moisture and dirt
in the compressed air. At work we used filters and driers to treat the
air before using in air tools. **

Have a good day!
Franco Rios

Tray cleaning

*from the rabbitgeek notes*
The best tip for keeping rabbits in the garage came from Barbi Brown. Usually keeping rabbits in the garage means trays under the floor wire to catch the droppings.

For years we carried trays to the waste can and dumped them there. Barbi suggested we get a bucket and use a dust pan to scoop the poop out of the tray and into the bucket. Then take the bucket to the waste can.

This is so much easier than carrying trays around. Even if you plan to power wash the trays it is easier to move them when they are empty.

We put one or two handfuls of pine shavings in the tray to collect moisture and hold down odor.

If you sell manure you can put plastic bags in the bucket first (8 or 13 gallon trash bags) and tie them off before removing from the bucket. Tied off plastic bags are also good for fly control.

If you use five gallon buckets to move manure for sales, put a plastic bag in it first then tie it off. Will keep the buckets cleaner and reduce the smell. You can put the lids on the buckets and stack them for transport to sale. You sell the bag of manure to the customer, not the pail.

Then when customer takes the bags of manure, you can stack buckets one inside the other for transport home to be filled again.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios

Radioactive rabbit

News article about radioactive rabbit found, Richland, WA
near the Hanford nuclear power plant
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/11/05/1238751/radioactive-rabbit-trapped-near.html

Have a good day!