# Creme D'Argent Breeders



## Yellow House Farm (Jan 1, 2011)

Greetings!  We have a small (12 breeders) Creme D'Argent herd we've been working for 2 years.  We're pretty good about reading up and have had a fair modicum of success thus far.

On Thanksgiving we had a doe birth 7 kits all of which lived.

At 5weeks/2 days, they all weigh between 1.5 and 2lbs.  

For others raising Cremes, how does that seem to average?  On taget?  Small?  Large?


----------



## Thundrr-Chicken (Jan 2, 2011)

you wouldnt happen to be near florida would you??? i've been looking for cremes


----------



## Yellow House Farm (Jan 3, 2011)

Thundrr-Chicken said:
			
		

> you wouldnt happen to be near florida would you??? i've been looking for cremes


Nope, join the Creme D'Argent Federation and you'll locate stock.  It's only $10.00 cremedargent.org


----------



## Thundrr-Chicken (Jan 4, 2011)

i joined their yahoo group... posted twice looking for stock.. and emailed the person in charge of the association... no members near florida


----------



## Heartlandrabbitry (Jan 5, 2011)

That seems to be right on target! They get big very fast!


----------



## Yellow House Farm (Jan 10, 2011)

Heartlandrabbitry said:
			
		

> That seems to be right on target! They get big very fast!


Thank you Heartland!  We're a quickly growing group of friends in southern NH and ME working with Cremes and some champagnes.  First and foremost our efforts are aimed a food production, while also wanting to maintain breed standards, etc...  So much of what is written is so focused on NZWs or Californians that it's not easy to guage what our growing goals should be.

Another quick question, can one ship rabbits the way one can ship poultry in the mail?


----------



## Heartlandrabbitry (Jan 14, 2011)

Yellow House Farm said:
			
		

> Heartlandrabbitry said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well rabbits need to be shipped in airline approved carriers. It's pretty pricey to ship rabbits - Around $200.00 or so, depending on the carrier I think. The rabbits also need health certificates and a few other things, don't know all the details


----------



## Yellow House Farm (Jan 15, 2011)

Thank you!  A few of us were considering going in on a buck to bring in to our project.  It would be great to find a buck from a rabbitry for whom meat qualities are held in high importance.


----------



## Heartlandrabbitry (Jan 16, 2011)

Your welcome!


----------



## savingdogs (Jan 26, 2011)

Yellow House Farm, I would be interested in hearing from other Creme breeders.

Hi Heartlandrabbitry! (I got my Cremes from her) Everyone is great.

How many kits have you been getting in your litters? I think that was the OPs original question.


----------



## Heartlandrabbitry (Feb 2, 2011)

savingdogs said:
			
		

> Yellow House Farm, I would be interested in hearing from other Creme breeders.
> 
> Hi Heartlandrabbitry! (I got my Cremes from her) Everyone is great.
> 
> How many kits have you been getting in your litters? I think that was the OPs original question.


Yay! I have been meaning to get a hold of you and ask how everyone is doing!


----------



## savingdogs (Feb 2, 2011)

Good! Everyone seems pretty happy. Nana is shedding a little which seems strange to me in the middle of winter. The other three have gotten much friendlier with me and seem excited to see me when I take care of them. Nana still kind of cringes when I handle her. She still has not gained weight even though I free-feed her and she has more BOSS. She likes the BOSS but never eats as much as the others do of her pellets. Do you know of anything I could give her to tempt her appetite? She enjoys the hay the most I think. That always seems to be her favorite. I'm anxious for March to come so I can start my breeding program. I wonder with Nana still a little thin and shedding hair if I should wait until she is a little plumper but I'm not sure how to get her to fatten up. 
Junior especially has become very friendly with me. He seems to get all excited when I approach. We are enjoying having the rabbits and they are not much work at all. I was expecting more. The cages we got worked out well and are really big. Gramps loves his and keeps it really tidy. I love my Cremes!


----------



## Heartlandrabbitry (Feb 3, 2011)

savingdogs said:
			
		

> Good! Everyone seems pretty happy. Nana is shedding a little which seems strange to me in the middle of winter. The other three have gotten much friendlier with me and seem excited to see me when I take care of them. Nana still kind of cringes when I handle her. She still has not gained weight even though I free-feed her and she has more BOSS. She likes the BOSS but never eats as much as the others do of her pellets. Do you know of anything I could give her to tempt her appetite? She enjoys the hay the most I think. That always seems to be her favorite. I'm anxious for March to come so I can start my breeding program. I wonder with Nana still a little thin and shedding hair if I should wait until she is a little plumper but I'm not sure how to get her to fatten up.
> Junior especially has become very friendly with me. He seems to get all excited when I approach. We are enjoying having the rabbits and they are not much work at all. I was expecting more. The cages we got worked out well and are really big. Gramps loves his and keeps it really tidy. I love my Cremes!


Aww yay! I am so happy they are all doing good! With Nana, she always never finished her feed when I had her. I don't know why, but when my rabbits start getting thinner I give them just the plain cooking oats. That with the BOSS seems to really work wonders. She also may need to be wormed but before you do that maybe purchased a show supplement. Even though you don't show it may help her put on a few pounds. There are a few supplements that help with condition and also fur! You could even give a little bit to the others, since it's winter and cold they need a little extra! Don't worry about the shedding, a few of my does are doing it as well!


----------



## savingdogs (Feb 3, 2011)

How much oats? I already have some here!


----------



## Heartlandrabbitry (Feb 3, 2011)

savingdogs said:
			
		

> How much oats? I already have some here!


I give mine a pinch to a tbsp every few days, depending on how much weight they need to gain! Make sure she doesn't get runny stools though!


----------



## savingdogs (Feb 19, 2011)

That was a great suggestion, she loves them.

So have you shipped Cremes to people in other states? I would think it could get too hot on the plane.....


----------



## Heartlandrabbitry (Feb 27, 2011)

savingdogs said:
			
		

> That was a great suggestion, she loves them.
> 
> So have you shipped Cremes to people in other states? I would think it could get too hot on the plane.....


I have never shipped rabbits before! I don't know if you can actually ship rabbits during the hot summertime, like you said, it would probably get really hot!
I usually like to meet the people who come and pick up my rabbits. Also who knows how the airline people could treat the rabbits  Never know! If I'm going to send rabbits across the states I will do transport with another person! At least I know them and know they will take good care of the bunnies!


----------



## savingdogs (Feb 27, 2011)

Well I know from working in veterinary, animals need something called a health certificate to travel as cargo. On the health certificate, the veterinarian has to state what range of temperatures this animal may safely endure. It is a blank they fill out, they airline does not get to pick what goes there, the vet does. 

It would be safer probably for a rabbit to go as carry-on luggage with a live person....you can take animals in cat carriers in some cases and then they would be in the air conditioned part of the plane. I guess you could ask someone to fly to come get the bunny if they wanted one badly enough!


----------



## rabbitgeek (Feb 27, 2011)

We've shipped rabbits by air and we have friends who have shipped rabbits overseas.

Temperatures at the airports  and air temps have to be within certain ranges. There is a no-fly period from late spring to late fall in USA when temps are too high for rabbits to fly safely.

You need to ship in a cage that has a solid top and leakproof bottom. A rabbit carrying cage with a solid top is suitable. 

You have to include feed and water in the cage. We used empty tuna cans with holes punched near the top so a wire could be used to fasten the cans.

There is an article about our first shipment on my blog
http://therabbitgeek.blogspot.com/search?q=hawaii

Have a good day!
Franco Rios


----------

