Xerocles rabbit thread

[Xerocles]

I like titles that are "catchy" but I can tell already that this is gonna be a long, exciting (for me at least) adventure. So I thought I'd make the title simple and easy to remember.
IT HAS STARTED!
Any of you who know me, remember I've been saying for weeks and weeks that my goal for having my rabbitry ready to receive rabbits is mid-December. Today is December 10, 2019, and I consider it GOAL MET! Technically, not quite. Still need to connect a few pieces of chain to the grow-out cages and would have that done if I hadn't forgot to pick up chain while running errands today. Tomorrow, probably. Even though it means an extra trip to town.
Pictures to follow. Just want to have those chains on before I show. Oh, there is a sneak preview under the thread "why didn't you guys warn me" if you just HAVE to see pictures now.
Anyway. Preview of coming attractions. Pictures, of course. I actually have rabbits already. It's Tuesday. I got them Sunday. Swore I wasnt going to name them, but two have already been named....kinda named themselves. Going from hell to heaven. Breeding through the wire? Stewed rabbit, anyone? Guess I won't have rabbit poop for the garden after all.
Stay tuned. See you tomorrow.

 

[Baymule]

What? That's all? No breed, no color, no age, no nothing?

 

[Xerocles]

Well. I wish I could say all finished, but I'm never "all finished" with things. Still need to install fencing around, don't have water/food containers in the grow-out cages (but won't need them for a coupla months.) Let's just say I'm finished enough to start.
So, on to some pictures.

Front view. Don't know why it appears to go "up" at each end. The level says it's level.

Grow-out cages. 18" tall, 7 ft long, divided into 3 sections each, with doors between for full use or segregation if needed. (And what appears to be something inside is excess roofing on the ground behind.

The "grown-ups table". 24" tall, 1@36", 2@42"

End view, showing the double row of cages with walkway between. And that rusty yellow thing is an old flail mower which was supposed to be grabbed by a neighbor 3 weeks ago.

Close-up of the buck's cage.
Whew, this picture thing is time consuming. Taking a short break. Will return shortly with some pics of the bunnies, for impatient people like @Baymule
Oh, it is hard to see in the first picture but there is a 3 ft gap between the growout cages and the breeders cages, to allow passage right now, but reserved for future expansion.

 

[Xerocles]

Potty break is over. Back to more pictures.
"

"Salvador" (see if you can figure out why that name. Tell you later.) Californian, buck, 18 months old.

No name. But calling her "Hunny Bunny" for now 'cause she appears to be a real sweety. New Zealand Red broken. Doe, 6 months in 4 days.

"Cruella" (pretty obvious on the name, but I'll tell you later. Stewed rabbit anyone?) Californian, doe, 18 mos. The bowl is because she hasn't figured out her water bottle yet. Its different than the type she had at her old home.

So. Enough pics for now. The stories start tomorrow.

 

[promiseacres]

I have discovered that rabbits that don't do well with a water bottle can have teeth issues (you can't see their molars...) Not always, but something to watch. Especially if you keep any of her offspring.

 

[Xerocles]

I have discovered that rabbits that don't do well with a water bottle can have teeth issues (you can't see their molars...) Not always, but something to watch. Especially if you keep any of her offspring.

?don't know. She used a ball bearing bottle until Sunday. Her bottle here is a needle type. And, trust me, I don't have a prayer of examining her teeth unless I do it while they're inside my hand. See her name and the reference to stewed rabbit.

 

[promiseacres]

?don't know. She used a ball bearing bottle until Sunday. Her bottle here is a needle type. And, trust me, I don't have a prayer of examining her teeth unless I do it while they're inside my hand. See her name and the reference to stewed rabbit.

We use ball bearing too, so probably just the change. Even if she was nice you would probably have issues seeing her molars. This past Spring I had a new buck who refused a water bottle, then 3 of his 4 kits had bad teeth . I actually culled him before I discovered the bad teeth on the kits due to a chronic unresponsive snot nose. Looking back I am betting it was his molars.

 

[Xerocles]

We use ball bearing too, so probably just the change. Even if she was nice you would probably have issues seeing her molars. This past Spring I had a new buck who refused a water bottle, then 3 of his 4 kits had bad teeth . I actually culled him before I discovered the bad teeth on the kits due to a chronic unresponsive snot nose. Looking back I am betting it was his molars.

I'm trying to learn here. When you say "bad teeth", could you elaborate a bit on that? What was going on with the teeth?

 

[Baymule]

Nice bunnies. Californians and NZ are good meat rabbits. Do you know any good rabbit recipes?

 

[promiseacres]

I'm trying to learn here. When you say "bad teeth", could you elaborate a bit on that? What was going on with the teeth?

Rabbits should have an overbite. Any misalignment with their incisors is not good. They could have an under bite, or teeth that don't meet and curl to a side. Google "maloclussion in rabbits". They won't grow well if they have any issues. Obviously they can still be eaten as long as they can get some nutrients.

 

[Baymule]

Rabbits should have an overbite. Any misalignment with their incisors is not good. They could have an under bite, or teeth that don't meet and curl to a side. Google "maloclussion in rabbits". They won't grow well if they have any issues. Obviously they can still be eaten as long as they can get some nutrients.

Ever have to cut their front teeth to even them up? Crunch.