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French lop breeding

bunnygal

New Kit
I can fully understand what you are saying,
And in most cases i would fully agree with you.So let me tell you all about myself .
I am a fifty year old female,Idont work because my husband is disabled
So i am at home 24/7 I breed budgerigars and chihuahua dogs,
I have a large garden which contains my three avirarys and financially i am well off.
So i would have no problem with food or vet bills.
I have a 14 wk old opal buck and have been offered a young doe in early feb 06.
There is a shortage of french lops in this area so i know finding new homes wouldn,t be a problem.
Thanks for youre concerns.
GILL.
 
I can understand some of what you say but if you are already breeding dogs and birds, would it not be better just to stick to those? There are vast numbers of rabbits in rescue and so many in pet shops.
As a nation I think it would do us all the world of good if all breeding was stopped for a few years - we have too many animals in rescue and too many cruelty cases ongoing.
Have you thought about what you would do with babies that don't come up to scratch?
What about breeding pairs that have reached their sell by dates?
What if any became ill or disabled?
What would you do if one of the buns was diagnosed with Pasturella or Ec?
What would you do with a doe that didn't get pregnant after a few tries?
Where would you sell your rabbits?
What would happen if supply outweighed demand?
Please think very carefully about this, for the rabbits sakes.
 
Hi Gill and welcome to the Forum :D

While I know you have the very best of intentions with the bunnies and breeding I would ask that you have a really hard think about what you are letting yourself in for and respectfully ask that you reconsider breeding bunnies. :D

Each year 33,000 bunnies are abandoned in Britain and many of them are pure bred buns or even unsuccessful show bunnies or show buns that have passed their "breed" date. I know because my bunny Aggie was a dumped show rabbit.

While I have no doubts at all that you would look after your bunnies and endeavour to find good homes for them I think you may have to realise that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find good bunny homes. And would you be prepared to keep track of where your bunnies lived and also take them back if things don't work out with their new owners. :? Also I know that breeding can be very harrowing with some mums even eating/killing their babies :( Also I would ask why you want to breed as tehere are french lops in rescues needing homes and also the financial side is pants :wink:

I appreciate that you are a grown woman and are obviously highly responsible. However I think it sounds like you have a lot on your plate and if I were you I would just concerntrate on the bunny I have - you could always get the female bunny but have her neutered which will prevent her getting unterine cancer which affects 8/10 female buns. You would obviously have to have her "done" before putting them together.

All in all if I were you I would stick to budgies, doggies and your one bun :D

lol Pam
 
We rehomed a fench lop and when we chose him another had been bought in on christmas day covered in mites and the owners said if they didn't take him there and then they would kill him as they didn't want him. Sidney our frenchie was in quite a state when we first met him, he had been kept in a tiny cage, overfed and ignored. He is now doing very well thankfully.

I would say no to breeding as like everyone else has said there are so many unwanted rabbits dumped every year and surely it would be better to rehome them rather then add to the statistics.
Some people want a big rabbit for the novelty value but once that has worn off and all their friends have seen it it becomes another unwanted pet. There was a gorgeous papillion at WG earlier this year and when people saw her they where overwhelmed, when they saw the size of accomodation she would need the comments where what for a rabbit, your having a laugh.

I agree with Jay, all breeding should stop for a while, give the unwanted pure breeds a chance :(
 
Question one: Why do you want to breed? :D There aren't many bunnies of that type in this area doesn't sound that brilliant a reason :)

What makes you think there is a shortage? Afaik there is atleast one french lop breeder near you.

There isn't that much call for french lops as they aren't suitable for most pet owners as they need large accomodation - for that reason they, in particular, are a breed that shouldn't be sold through petshops.

If you've the money, time and space then why not specilse in taking in large breed bunnies for rehoming? You could intake from a wider area and rehome locally.

Tam
 
Whilst I acknowledge your desire to maintain the Frenchie breed I would emplore you to think VERY CAREFULLY before going ahead. As others have said there are so many rabbits in re-homing centres and the very large breeds are often hard to find a home for. You are already breeding birds and dogs and, well, I am sorry but I have to say that to start to breed rabbits is, in my opinion, very irresponsible. I am not wishing to be offensive but have to speak out for the sake of the Rabbits. Jane and Buns x
 
french lops

Hi :) I do not understand why you wish to breed french lops just b/c you say there are not many in your area :( I used to rescue ex-breeder bunnies :) mostly frenchies :) yes they are gorgeous :) but they are BIG & as such have special needs :( large accomadation being one of them :( I have taken in many that were due to be "knocked on the head" by a local breeder living near me :( who once they are too old to breed from (having made large amounts from selling their offspring) would simply kill them :( one beautiful 10 months old doe was to be killed just b/c she had been mated twice & had destroyed her litters :( I was glad to give her a forever home & did to many others :) so what will you do with your "no longer able to breed" bunnies :?: please do think hard about this & change your mind :) try rescue instead :) :D
 
hi

I agree that if you want to fill your time, and you have the resources, it would be a brilliant idea to start your own rescue for big bunnies - There's been a fashion for getting big bunnies, only once they're grown, people can't afford a shed and big run for them to live in, and half a bale of hay a day for them to eat, so they get dumped (or worse)...It would be great if you could do something for those that are already desperate for permanent homes, rather than adding more big bunnies to the equation - I'm sure you have so much to offer as a rehomer and rescue - you already love big bunnies, which is a good start :D
 
as you have already said you are quite well off so I can assume that you are not breeding buns for the money so why? Also you may say that there is a demand for them but every time you sell a bunny you are maybe taking away a new homw for an unwanted one.... Please think about it.
 
Just like to say thankyou all for youre advice,
I must say that i hadn,t realised just how many unwanted bunnies there are.
I think i will still get the doe in february as planned but will have her spayed.
I have just found a rabbit rescue about 15 mins from me, And i am going to contact them to see if i can help them out in anyway.
Thanks so much for all youre help,
I can honestly say that i have seen the red light.
I will let you know about the rescue.
Thanks again JILL.
:D
 
bunnygal said:
Just like to say thankyou all for youre advice,
I must say that i hadn,t realised just how many unwanted bunnies there are.
I think i will still get the doe in february as planned but will have her spayed.
I have just found a rabbit rescue about 15 mins from me, And i am going to contact them to see if i can help them out in anyway.
Thanks so much for all youre help,
I can honestly say that i have seen the red light.
I will let you know about the rescue.
Thanks again JILL.
:D

That is wonderful news :D :D :D :D So very glad that you are going to help so many buns that desperatly need good homes - thank you in advance to all those buns that you are going to help :D :D :D
 
Bunnygal said
Just like to say thankyou all for youre advice,
I must say that i hadn,t realised just how many unwanted bunnies there are.
I think i will still get the doe in february as planned but will have her spayed.
I have just found a rabbit rescue about 15 mins from me, And i am going to contact them to see if i can help them out in anyway.
Thanks so much for all youre help,
I can honestly say that i have seen the red light.
I will let you know about the rescue.
Thanks again JILL.

I am sure that Lorna at Greenfields rescue in Bracknell will be most greatful not to have any one else breeding in her area as her rescue was forced to close their waiting list to non-urgent admissions back in July as it was taking months to get through them. ARC in Twickenham have been taking lots of rabbits from Lorna to reduce some of Lorna's list of bunnies waiting to be taken in and she still cannot clear this list.

On behalf of all the rescues we would say thank you for listening and reconsidering your intentions. ARC is only a very small rescue and we have taken in almost 200 rabbits and almost 250 guinea pigs this year and turned away many others, to be destined to be set free or even worse. Like many other rescues we cannot cope with the numbers we are offered let alone if new people set up breeding more which potentially takes away prospective homes for those we are trying to help.

Thank you for listening

Janice
 
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that's wonderful news and if you have the space to specialise in big rescue buns that would be great as they are sometimes hard to accommodate..good luck and keep us posted x
 
Really nice to hear that you've taken on board the advice that has been given. Another place for rescue buns is 1000 times better than another breeder! I love a happy ending! :D
 
:thumb: YAY to Gill :thumb:

Awwww I'm so please for the homeless big Bunnies that are going to get to stay with you in the future.

We'd love to see photo's of your little boy bun and all your other pets :wink:

Hmmm the other day I thought this forum could be the Mafia now I'm thinking we could start a Rabbit CULT........................it could be the next big trend since that Science@$%#+! thingy or the Kalabah :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
:D :D Thank-you, Thank-you for taking on board the advice given here!! :D Sounds like you'll be able to so much to help the big bunsters who find themselves homeless. Pic is the late much missed Victoria Meldrew. Rescued in a pitiful state. She was due to be shot cos she was 'passed her sell-by date' for breeding :( :( I for one look forward to hearing about the bunsters you help. Jane and Buns XX

rabbits176.jpg
 
I am so pleased to hear you are going to help the unwanted buns in the rescues and give them the love and safety they so rightly deserve :D :D :D :D :D :D
Keep us posted and make sure you get lots of photos too :D
 
The rescue near me is called greenfields rabbit rescue,
I havn,t contacted them yet but am hoping to do this tommorro sat.
I will let you all know what happens.
GILL. :p
 
Lorna runs Greenfields rescue, she does an open afternoon on Sunday between 12 and 4pm. I am off to visit on Sunday and collect some piggies from her.

I am very sure she will be pleased to have any offers of help.

janice
 
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