1. How many should i start with?
- How many rabbits you start with depends on how much room you have, and how many cages you have. It would probably be best to start out with at least two breeding pairs, or maybe 3 does and 1 buck. There are several different combinations, and you have to find one that is suitable for your facilities and the time you are willing to put into them.
2. What is fair for me to pay for pedigree stock?
- Different breeders ask different prices, but the most important thing is to make sure that they are pedigreed, and are very nice show/breeding stock. Usually Mini Rex will probably run from about $35 to $100+, but this depends on where you are and what breeders around you offer. Just make sure you get nice quality stock.
3. What size and kind of cages should i have?
- There are different brands of cages, but for Mini Rex you should have at least 24x24 size cages. And brood cages could be larger. For instance, I have my brood does in 30x30 cages, and are suitable for a Mini Rex doe and a small litter. The bigger the better, so look into what you're willing to spend on cages.
4. when to breed?
- The best times to breed are probably around shows, so that the babies will be 8+ weeks by the time the show rolls around and you can show them and offer them for sale there.
5. what all to bring for shows?
- Lots of things, really. Haha. Your rabbits, chairs to sit in, copies of their entries, extra entry fees $$, food and water for you and your rabbits, proper clothing for the elements, and much more!
6. how to show?
- Attending a rabbit show to watch, or even joining 4-H will help you understand how rabbits are shown. There is the prep work - grooming, clipping nails, tattoooing, etc. and then there is the showing, which is just putting your rabbit up on the table with it's correct class and variety, and then letting the judge handle the rest.
7. what to sell young for?
- You can sell young kits for show, breeding, and pets... and then there's the other one reason, but we aren't allowed to discuss it on the boards, and depending on you personally, it might not be something you'd want to sell for.
8. how old should they be before i first breed?
- Mini Rex should be at least 6 months old before you first breed.
9. what colorsare best in the shows and to produce?
- There are lots of different colours of Mini Rex. You can have solids or brokens. Just like type, it's important to pick a well-coloured rabbit. Charlies can't be shown, but are often used in breeding, and harlequins in Mini Rex aren't showable yet, so it's best to stay clear of that colour. No colour is really the "best in the shows", and the best to produce. You have to make it the best to produce, and the best in the shows.
10. should i have someone who will work with me?
- A mentor is always a good thing for new breeders. I suggest joining a 4-H club specially for rabbits. You will get lots of help from your leaders and other youth breeders in the club.
11. if you said yes to number 10, how many rabbits should we have if we live at too different locations?
- That's a co-rabbitry, and you don't have to do that in order to have someone work with you. You can have someone that will just be there to help you along the way, and answer the questions, and maybe in the future a co-rabbitry could work. As a new youth breeder, I do not suggest getting into a co-rabbitry agreement.
12. inside or out?
- I'm assuming this means inside rabbits or outside rabbits. If you mean inside a house, then that might be tricky, but if you mean inside a barn, then that would be ideal. It depends on your facilities though - do you already have a barn? Can you build a barn? If not, then maybe having cages outside is the best bet. You could put them under a portable carport to protect them from the elements, and surround it by fencing to protect them from predators. Really, it's all about what you have and what you can afford.
13. how much time and work is really involved?
- Quite a bit, especially if you show and breed, and are involved in 4-H. You have to have enough time to evaluate litters, clean cages, handle your rabbits, take time to talk to potential buyers, post up flyers/ads, etc. There is a lot of work and time involved, even stress and emotions too.
14. how much money should i set aside for starting up, like rabbits, cages, that stuff?
- Once again, really depends on how many rabbits/cages you are going to start out with. You at least need cages for the rabbits you plan to get, and then about 2 to 4 more cages for seperating kits at weaning time - and the amount of these cages will depend on how many breeding does you have. I'd set aside a good portion - about $500+ Getting started with quality equipment and rabbits is very costly. And not to mention, you should have an emergency fund set aside in case you need to take a rabbit the vet.
15. how much money should i set aside for feed per year for the recomended amount of rabbits?
- Depending on where you live and which feed you buy, prices will be different. I don't set aside any money for feed yearly, I just buy it when I need it, lol. I usually spend about $35 on feed, hay and shavings every 2-ish months for 7-10 rabbits. But just the past 7 months, I've spent $500+, even though more than $300 of it was for cages/cage stands, the majority of the rest of it was feed.
16. overall would you say it is worthwhile?
- Definitely, if you do things right and are doing well at shows, and breeding good quality animals. Plus, you get to spend time doing what you like, and you make new friends and memories along the way. I wouldn't trade it for the world, even with all the mistakes that happen along the way, it's definitely been worthwhile.
Rabbitry Name:
As for your rabbitry name, I definitely suggest you look at the rabbitries that are already registered with ARBA. They won't allow you to register a rabbitry with them if it's already taken. Then if you find that some of your choices are taken, you can cross them out and choose from the ones left.
Emily
ETA: Spelling
