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SnuffyBun

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Jun 9, 2011
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Location
Central, Florida, USA
I'm been working on getting a small rabbitry started for awhile now. I've driven to what feels like the ends of the earth (even out of state a few times)trying to buy the best stock availible that I can afford. I've done countless hours of research and walked away from plenty of rabbits based on faults I (think)saw in them that wouldn't mess with that "mental picture" of what I'm trying to breed and produce. Basically I've put a lot into this (my two kids and the tires on my van as well) and am trying to heed the countless warnings and common mistakes new breeders make. For the first time in my life I hope to learn from others mistakes HA!

So I have my first litters expected soon :). I was talking with a friend I've known a few years who also wants to start breedingrabbits...same breeds as me. Problem is it seems like she's just waiting for me to have kits and then expects to get them at a steal of a price to start her own lines. She's not researching, she's not trying to learn the standards, she's picking my brain bc she's knows I'm always reading new info. I mentioned the prices I was thinking of...I priced them above the backyard breeder prices but lower than the pet from ARBA shower prices (of course any with DQ's will be less). I'm pricing them like this not to fire sale them to move them but bc I'm still learning and don't want to have someone invest a small fortune in a rabbit from me for say thier kid @ the fair and have it grow to a horrible unshowable SR. I need to take some time to learn my own lines, watch them grow, etc before I feel comfortable going to the pet/brood/show pricing scale.

Anyways how do I handle this...I'm setting my HL prices right around 25-30 (brood here in FL seems to be around 50/pet 40-35/and show up fom 50. Most of my stock I got for around 50 from top showers/breeders in the state and my area. She thought my prices were high...seems she likes the 10.00-15.00 price range (not to say good things can't be found).

So how would you handle this? Not to mention I plan to keepthe ones I think are the best(at least what I think is the best lol) and watch them grow and hopefully use them in my own lineswhile I start the long process of tweaking my lines.

I want to handle this wth grace and not cause a rift but I just can't let several kits-she'll want the best ofcourse-go at that price...I feel my kids and I have put to much into this.

Am I wrong to feel this way? I guess I would never imply or expect a friend or anyone else to cut me a deal. I would never ask bc I see the work that goes into this.

Thanks Everyone


 
I would just sit her down and explain to her that you can't let the babies go at that price because you'd be losing a lot of money on them. Babies, and their families, cost a lot of money to raise, not to mention the initial cost you could have put into just buying the parents. I see no problem in charging more. Food isn't cheap, especially when feeding quality pellets/veges/fruit, and with many mouths to feed! Plus cages, bottles, bowls, ect.
 
I agree. I would just let her know how much you have put into them. She doesn't sound like she'll be a long term breeder so it may just be a phase...? If she really is serious and has a good set up and plans on investing in them (supplies and start up costs are expensive!) then sell her a pair (at a price you're comfortable with) and keep in contact with the stipulation that you'll take the bunnies back if it doesn't work out. Because I bet she'll be giving them back in a year or two when she realizes how much work, time, and money they require. ;)

Do you have a website? I'd love to see your bunnies!
 
I would state the price that they are, and if she doesn't like it, she can look elsewhere.

Next time she is rude and tells you it is too high, say alright thank you and switch the subject. Show stock and breeding stock are NOT cheap
 
Stick to what you think it a good price. You have done the research, you have bought the rabbit you want, you have bred them, you have raised the kits, bascially you have done all the work so you get to make the decisions. Your friend is not a partner in the rabbitry, she is not doing the work to help you, so she gets no say in what you sell, who you sell to or how much you sell for.

If she wants some rabbits from you, she can pay the price you set. If she doesn't want to pay it, then she can go somewhere else.

Just tell her what your prices are for show/brood stock and that you are not willing to go any lower. Also tell her that you get to choose any rabbits that you sell, and she can choose from those.
I would not compromise with her. Treat her like any other breeder who wants to buy from you.
 
I agree. You are going to make alot of friends by breeding rabbits. And you will never make ends meet if you gave everyone a discount(you already are! Your prices are GREAT!)Tell her if she is more comfortable in the 10-15 range, than go find one of good quality in that range... Otherwise, she can pay the still cheaper than most price for yours that has research and obviously a willing to learn breeder backing it and more than likely a pretty good quality vs just random bred bunnies.
I just sold a pet doe to a lady for $25. My show/breeders will be more. She is out to make a deal, and probably some quick money(haha!) - if it were only that easy!!

Good Luck and hopefully you will stick to your guns(and raise your prices!)
 
I agree rabbit breeding is a business ( not only a love of bunnies ) so take a true business approach. Tell her these are the prices and the rabbits that are going to be available. Don't give her a choice of the litter, you chose what you want separate them off and if she is willing to pay the price, these are available. We have people that come into our sign shop that think that signs we sell them should be lower in price. You learn to tell them this is the price and if it is too high then the alternative is-------------- and we make suggestions. This is the price of your rabbits and if it is too high for her to be comfortable with then the suggestions are----------. You don't have to get nasty just be firm and stand your ground.
Learn early the value of your product and price accordingly.
Sometimes people think you have an inferior animal or product is your prices are too cheap. We once went to Vancouver Island from the interior of BC which meant ferries and hotel fees to get a french lop that I really wanted.
 
I'm a little bit more lenient. A friend of mine asked me if I had any rabbits available a couple days ago. We raise a rare variety , but it's really not a problem for me to pick the "worst" of a litter and shoot the price down. Rabbits are pets, and if I think they are going to a good home I am more than willing to price them lower.

Now, if she was rude about it.. just politely say that this is what I think my rabbits are worth. I'm sorry if you don't feel the same way. IF you don't think she is too serious don't give her a discount In my opinion $30 is an extremely fair price for HL's, and it tells me that she hasn't been doing too much research as you suggested
 
I have people I will give discounts for, for a pet. A good home trumps anything else in my opinion. Of course!
But if they want to get into breeding without doing research and want a better deal than that... they are trying to mooch off of you.

Now, if she maybe wanted to work something out with you about you getting pick of the litter from one of hers, in place of a free/discounted rabbit... now something like that might be considered?
 
I think your prices are great.....tell me - will you ship rabbits? :D

I think you just need to tell her that is your price and that if she wants a rabbit for less she might want to watch Craigslist or hoobly (ha ha - I bet she'll not see them that cheap there) or go to a show.

But honestly - I think your prices are great....I wish you were closer to me!
 
I agree with the others as well. I usually price mine at, or around $30-$45 for mine, pets without peds at $20-$25, but I ALWAYS get first picks out of my own litters.
I have a sister rabbitry, that we've swapped rabbits back and forth when I lived in NY, but we are less likely now that I'm in KY, but to give someone a discount because they are a 'buddy' or 'friend' and letting them mooch it-never.
 
I think 30 dollars is a really good price.

Harley cost 45 dollars and he isn't show quality due to his colour either, granted I am in Canada and it probably costs more then the US.
 
I agree you have good prices on your HL. I know a few breeders here in FL and they charge alot more. For a good brood or show rabbit people need to put in the bigger bucks. I have Elops and I went out of state to get the pair I have spent a few hundred to get them but well worth it. My friend and I use each other's bucks and even sell each other rabbits but for the asking price we know how much money both of us have in the rabbits. I am the same way with the lady that is helping me with the English angora. To me that is respect to each other. If she don't want to pay your price just send her to Gean Styles he has awesome rabbits but for a price. Maybe then she will respect your prices.
 
SnuffyBun it seems like she's just waiting for me to have kits and then expects to get them at a steal of a price to start her own lines. She's not researching, she's not trying to learn the standards, she's picking my brain bc she's knows I'm always reading new info.
 
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As you no doubt realize by now, raising rabbits takes time, dedication, and knowledge, plus a realization that if you are doing this as a business, you have to treat it as a business. I hope you are cataloging your travels and expenses for deductions.
Your 'friend' sounds like many who think that all one needs is a coupe of bunnies that are of different gender and **voila** one has a business. Not.
I personally would not mark down the price for her, but realistically you could give her a couple of bunnies and since she has done no research or preparation, she will not be any kind of competition to you.[/i]
 
Some people are in such a desire for a bargain that they do get insulting. When we used to have a garage sale, I'd explain that my Price is my "price". Don't like it go somewhere else. Never had too many problems as I always know what things do cost and didn't fell like giving things away.
 
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