Highly recommended breeds for kids (Youth)
1. When buying a child a rabbit, make sure they are ready for the responsibility of owning and properly caring for that animal (s).
- Feeding and watering that rabbit 1-2 times daily.
- Cleaning the cage out weekly.
- Making sure the rabbit gets attention daily, or at least every other day. (This includes holding, petting, grooming, spending time with the animal or animals.)
- Cutting the toenails when needed. (Mine are every 2-3 weeks)
- If you get a long haired rabbit grooming that rabbit daily to weekly.
- Willing to learn about your rabbit's health, and ensuring that you are feeding it the correct feed, treats, hay the animal may require.
2. Before buying consider what purpose would you like to have the animal for (Meat, Spinning, Duel, or just for pet, or show)
- If you are interested in a meat breed, depending if you are just interested in a larger breed or for the purpose of raising them for meat to feed your family, and others.
Consider this: They require more feed then other breeds, some meat breeds have long fur, and may need grooming, those would be consider Duel purpose. Meat Breeds are built to be meatier and larger than other breeds, they are generally harder, and can also be processed for their pelt. They are normally gentle, and calm breeds. Because of their size, they are normally more lazy, and require less care than the other breeds, unless you get a wool breed. I have seen a 6 year old girl carry around a 15 pound rabbit and was yanking on her ear, without the rabbit moving one bit.
Break Down of Breeds for meat:
Californian: The prices for this breed range. Show quality ones can be from $20 - $150 dollars. These normally come will pedigrees (rabbit's lineage). Ones for meat productions normally are $10 - $30 dollars, these are not required to have a pedigree. However non show quality rabbits CAN produce show quality offspring. These are okay for kids, many kids do not like the red eyes. However just because a rabbit has red eyes doesn't mean they are evil. Many of the rabbits with red eyes are actually the sweetest.
- Growth: Slower growth, they normally butcher out at 10-13 weeks, sometimes older, and after processing only get 2-3 1/2 pounds of meat.
- Meat to Bone Ratio: They are thinner fore arm, Hip bones are larger. Good meat to Bone ratio.
- Mothering: Average (Some lines are better than others)
- Average Litter Size: 6 - 9 Kits. (However larger litters tend to be smaller in size.)
- Full Grown Weights: Maximum weight 10 1/2. Smallest buck I have weighs 9 1/4 pound he is full grown.
- Daily Feeding amount: 3/4 - 1 cup daily, you must understand this is for does who are not pregnant, and that are not nursing. And for full grown Californians. Growing Californians under 5 months of age should be given free food, and unlimited hay and water at all times, along with nursing does, and Pregnant does should get 1 1/4 cup for feed daily with unlimited hay and water.
New Zealands: This breed comes in more variety options than some of the others. Reds, White (With red eyes), Black, Blue, Broken Black, Broken Blue, Broken Red I have even heard of Steel (Black, and ticking of gold, or light brown) However some of these are not recognized and may not be able to be shown. Steel, Broken Blue, Broken Red and Blue is not recognized for showing. However if the purpose is meat, who cares about the color! This breed is generally very good for youth. They are very friendly, and sweet. I have raised these in the pass, and many young 4Hers have picked them up without them moving or caring.
- Growth:They are Medium growers. I have found different varieties grow quicker, the red variety is a fast grower. After being processed normally get 3-5 1/2 pounds. Most breeders butcher them out at 10-12 weeks, sometimes 13-14 weeks.
- Bone to Meat ratio: Average, they have medium size bones. Fore arms are thick, and hip bones are average.
- Mothering: Average (Some lines are different) Black & White variety very strong mothering skills.
- Average Litter Size: 5 - 8 Kits (Larger litters mean smaller size offspring full grown)
- Full Grown Weight(s): Maximum weight 12 pounds, many of the ones I have had in the past or have seen been very close to 12 pounds in their full grown weight.
- Daily Feeding Amount: 1 cup - 1 1/2, nursing does get unlimited feed, water, and hay. Pregnant does get 1/4 cup more. Bucks always get the same amount.
Flemish Giants: This is the largest breed in ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association) and does not have a Maximum weight, I have seen them at 18 pounds - 26 pounds Full grown. Very Mellow rabbits, generally very gentle and sweet. These rabbits need special care, since they are larger in size, they need solid flooring, or what many breeders do is set them up in pen on the dirt out in their backyard or acres. They are pretty intelligent, and require lots of handling, feed, water, and hay. They are very lazy rabbits, and most lounge around, suitable for children, but because of their large size, not recommend for small children if are not watched.
- Growth: Very Slow, most of these rabbits do not meet adult weight or full grown until a year old, sometimes longer. Recommended butchering 14+ weeks.
- Meat to Bone Ratio: They have large bone structure to help support their large body. They are probably not the best for meat.
- Mothering: Average, some can be great, but heard other breeders say some will stomp on their young, or not take care of them.
- Average Litter Size: 5-7 Kits. (Larger the litter smaller the offspring will be)
Lilacs:
French Lops:
Satins:
Mini Satins:
Beverens:
Americans:
American Sables:
American Chinchilla:
Standard Chinchilla:
Blanc D' Hotot:
Champagne D' Argent:
Cinnamon:
Creme D' Argent:
Giant Chinchilla:
Palamino:
Rex:
Silver Fox:
Silver Martin:
Thrianta: