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SNM

SNM

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Nov 22, 2010
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Location
, Louisiana, USA
Okay, so we just got into Mini Rex and the prices for some of the animals ranges from $20 to $200 :O Sweet golden graham crackers.

My question is how do you price your animals. We're raising red Mini Rex and they're pretty rare in the south. I've got a nice doe with 2 legs and great linesfrom a reputable breeder(Top 10)for $50 and another lady I know wantsa bunch of money for another red doe that is not at the same quality as the same doe above. It's all very confusing to me..especially with the MR. I know breeders base it off quality,age,color, rarity, etc....

Is it wrong to tell another breeder they're quality does reflect the price?

And another thing. If somebody sold you a rabbit for a certain amount.,and you use that rabbit in your program and decide to sell it for whatever reason,would youhike up the price from what you paid.(no show wins and maybe a couple of litters)?I've seen a lot of breeders do that and I can't think of one legitimate reason to do that, somebody should educate me

Thanks for your opinions
 
I would never tell another breeder that their doe isn't worth the price. I might say, "Thank you very much but I can't go higher than $X" and counteroffer with that. This way - they don't feel insulted and the ball is back in their court. If they take it - fine. If not - I can always walk away.

As far as hiking up the price - to me - a rabbit's price is based on two things...

What the breeder is willing to accept...

What the buyer is willing to pay.

My best holland lop doe was my cheapest...but her breeder saw she'd go to a great home and he was a newer breeder. A month later she beat out her dad in two shows for Best of Breed...I'm sure he regretted selling her to me for so little. But hey...I paid what he asked. (Ok - I'm going to be totally honest here - and I would never expect anyone else to do this. But after she took the two BOB in the same day (double show) - I approached him and asked him if he would like me to pay him more for her because she turned out to be so nice. He smiled and said "no" cause he could see she was spoiled rotten. I wouldn't normally do that- but I could see that he did sorta regret selling her).
 
I agree with Tinysmom, I believe you can increase the value of your animals with great knowledge of your animal and learn how to cull correctly. Go to shows and learn from the best of the best. They are all willing to teach. I have not had any rude people at a show. Stand there and ask the judge questions he or she is always willing to answer them.

We went to this show this weekend and as we were leaving we were given an animal to breed asap. So that is what we did today. And I was so honored because I spent so much time learning from the Original Lady that owned her. She could no longer raise the breed due to health reason. They were to big for her to handle.
 
I know I base my prices on more than just color, rareity, and what not. When I'm moving on broodstock, or even in the case I'm looking at right now of moving my dutch out, I go by quality of the animal, the market around my area, age of the rabbit, quality of production(if it's brood stock) and if it's still showing, how well it has been showing for me. I'd expect to pay more for a rabbit that's winning and a much higher quality in general.

For the most part, because Kentucky isn't rabbit friendly, I end up selling alot for real cheap $10-20 with pedigrees, but if I bring the same buns to a show, I don't change the price, I just make sure I know as much on my buns that I'm selling as I ask out of a seller when I'm purchasing.

I talked and talked to Larry Washburn before I bought his little Holland Lop doe. He showed me some of the rabbits in her background and showed me her strong points and he even looked at my buck (while we were showing) and gave me pointers. he is someone I'd be willing to deal with again, no problem.
 
I price my rabbits based on how useful they would be to my program. For example, I have someone on my butt about selling them one of my bucks. In order for me to sell him to them right now no ifs ands or buts they would have to pay about $80. After I have gotten babies out of him and I don't really need him anymore, the price will be cut in half. On the other hand, I sold a baby that I didn't think I would want in my herd for $30 last fall and ended up buying her back for $50 because she turned out really good. There is a saying, "every rabbit is for sale, you just have to find the right price."

In your case if you don't think the rabbit is worth the money, just don't buy it. Don't be rude, but if the breeder really is overpricing their rabbits, there are probably going to be a lot of other people who refuse to buy them too, and eventually that breeder will get the hint.
 
I price my mini-rex according to their quality. Rabbits that I sell as show quality have to be good enough for me to put on the table myself. I usually have prices for youth and for open breeders. After a few times that a youth has bought a rabbit and sold it right away for more money I insist on a buy back policy if they want to sell it. I sell them good rabbits for low prices to get them started or improve their herdnot for them to make a profit. Show rabbits to open breeders start at $75 and to youth $40. I don't sell broodstock anymore. If my broodstock produces well for me they stay and if they don't they are petted out not sold too someone else. If they aren't working in my herd I doubt if they will work in someone elses and I don't want the reputation of selling brood animals that don't produce.

If I was looking at a rabbit and it was overpriced I would just tell the people that I don't think it would work with my lines. A nicer way than telling them that the rabbit is not worth it especially if they don't know better and think that it's really nice.

I wouldn't raise the price on stock that I bought for brood purposes. I can't imagine that anyone would pay more than it was worth anyway unless it was a super producer and you don't sell the super producers, you line breed on them.


 
I also take legs into acount, and more importantly how they won the leg. Like if it was stacked against just your own rabbits, that leg means sooooo much less to me. if the rabbit is proven is another big issue. and I like to see how the kits from that rabbit turned out.

I'm debating at the moment on a Jap Harlie buck. He is blue which I would prefer black. And the lady is taking 50 dollars off him for me, which I would be paying 100 for him. I have to reallllllyyyy think about it.
 
I can understand you buying the rabbit and it gets legs and produces some really nice babies and then you put the price up for more than you paid.

I'm saying you get the rabbit.. don't show it. It maybe has a couple of mediocre litters and it acquires a DQ while you have it... It just doesn't make sense and a lot of LA breeders do it

I just got some OTTER MR from Ohio... talk about some reasonable prices . The ones we're getting all have legs and are perfect for our program. Thanks goodness for the Ohio Mini Convention. :D
 
Ohio is huge with MR. the state is flooded and over populated with MR. lol.

I like to buy from National convention. If the rabbits there, obviously no DQs and it must be pretty descent.
 
I have to wait till next month to actually get them in my hands. It'll be a nice birthday present. I was gonna buy all her otters for the prices she had. Had to stop myself
 
I have a friend in TX who's going to Nationals up there. Thanks goodness. I'm also getting some chocolate dutch :) I hit a goldmine
 
Wish I could, but its my birthday weekend and I have to study for finals too and pick up some cages in TX :(

Plus side.. I can't wait to get my new rabbits
 
SNM I'm also looking for my birthday presant even though it's nottill July so I have time on my hands to find that perfect ND buck to add to our herd.
 
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