Breeding rabbits for large monitors

All Reptiles Feeders
1

I love monitors. I currently have a young Asian Water Monitor, young Black throat, and an Argus monitor.

I have been thinking about breeding rabbits for one of their food sources.

Does anyone else breed rabbits? I was considering setting up a few hutches in my rat room. A buck and 3 does… I am just looking for information and ideas. What would I need for grow out cages… Pellet rifle looks like a humane way to kill them…any suggestions or help appreciated.

1 Like
2

I cannot offer any info in terms of what you need to breed but I will caution that rabbits tend to scream when you put them down and I know people who have been hit a lot harder by that when it came to practice versus theory.

8 Likes
3

They’re definitely not for everyone. I grew up with family raising meat rabbits, when it came time to dispatch them it was not a great experience. I occasionally hunt and it is far less uncomfortable than dispatching raised rabbits.

1 Like
4

Strong hard blow to the back of the skull with my camp knife is how I always killed them from my snares, when survival camping. They don’t make much noise then. But its not for everyone, as stated. My wife has two as pets. LOTS of poop and lots of food. I hate that ours are inside.

5

Putting the rabbits down will be the worse part. I have watched both pellet rifle and breaking the neck on YouTube.

Using the pellet rifle seemed to me to be the easier option. Thank you for letting me know about the screeming.

I guess I should start with 1 doe and 1 buck and add as needed if it works out.

6

Are rabbits worse inside than rats and mice? Because of the heat and varmints, I live in the deep south, I was thinking inside in the rat room. Maybe I could have grow out pens outside and the breeders inside? Heat and varmints would still be a problem.

7

Is CO2 an acceptable method for euthanasia? I know it’s used for rats and I think it would be easier here than doing it by hand.

8

Yes it is. You just tend to need a larger set up when gassing rabbits

3 Likes
9

I searched for information using Co2. I found a couple of abstracts and articles about humanely slaughtering rabbits that seemed to indicate that Co2 isn’t as humane with larger animals like rabbits. I don’t know if it is true or not.

1 Like
10

@mblaney Do you know if CO2 is acceptable for this?

1 Like
11

I read through some of the parts about rabbits and it seems that cervical dislocation is ideal (if done properly) and CO2 is not ideal but is okay. Most of the information about rabbits is summarized on page 63.

1 Like
12

as someone who currently has a rabbitry, ive heard tons questions about the humane way to cull. There isnt really a humane way to do it, but the most common as of right now(that i know of) is the hopper popper, broomstick method, and just shooting them. I have yet to cull any of my rabbits, but i am dreading it. all of these can be googled, they may be a little too graphic for me to describe.

I keep all my rabbits in my home, so if you’d like some tips on how to keep the smell/maintenance/etc down, id be more than welcome to share some of my tips!

2 Likes
13

I back whatever the AVMA says on the matter. They’re cool dudes. :wink:

2 Likes
14

That would be great😁 I am just into the thinking/setting up stage. Jewel , Thunder Lizard, and Grace are still small. I have an empty room that can be set up for rats, mice, and rabbits.

I need to figure out what sort of hutches to build, what breed of rabbit, where to get them…

1 Like
15

thank you for posting the document.:smiley: I have done more research and the “hopper popper” or a Bolt gun sound best. I can’t use the air riffle because it leaves behind toxic pellets. I would be afraid to try some of the other methods unless I can find someone to teach me how to get it right on the first try.

1 Like