Hey guys! I know it's late (at least for me lol) but here's a few tips on raising show rabbits that I picked up on this year. Keep in mind this was my first year ever raising a rabbit so I'm no pro. Hope someone finds this helpful :)
- Practice showing them as much as possible. I did my best to do this with my sister, and I placed 4th (out of I believe 10) in Intermediate Showmanship and her 3rd in Junior Showmanship (out of 8). It was our first year too!
- Try feeding them around the same time everyday as well as around the same time as you will during fair — fair can be super stressful for them, and you should try to keep as much as possible similar between your home and fair routine.
- Interact with them as much as possible! This mainly applies to showmanship rabbits, but also to show/breeding rabbits in general. Even if you don't have time to practice showing everyday, daily interaction builds up trust and makes working with your rabbit a lot easier. Trust me, you might not think it's all that fun while you're doing it, but it makes a huge difference once you're at fair.
- Take good care of your rabbit! This one's pretty obvious, but still. I would recommend brushing them at least once a week (unless they're long haired, in which I would do it more often) and trimming nails monthly (or twice a month, depends on the average growth speed). I also file my rabbits' nails, because sometimes they're super sharp but too short to be trimmed.
- Keep good records. Whether or not it's required for your fair, keep consistent records of your rabbit's weight (at least once a week), and note down any changes in behavior, diet changes, or anything else mentioned by your breeder. I also like to keep a copy of my rabbit's pedigree with me, or somewhere accessible. It's good to keep track of this stuff in case you ever need it for a vet checkup :)
- Keep their cage or hutch clean! This one's also pretty obvious, but it's easier said than done. In some breeds, like Mini Rexes, dirty cages can lead to certain injuries (like sore hocks) which is a disqualification. Depending on the size of the cage and amount of droppings, I would clean the cage at least twice a week, if not once every other day.
- Lastly, keep your rabbit happy and healthy! Give them plenty of love, care, and attention, and refill their water daily with fresh water. Always keep your eye out for behavior changes, this can be super important in keeping their health up to par.
If you have anymore suggestions let me know! I have one show rabbit (a Mini Rex) and hope to get another one next year!
- Practice showing them as much as possible. I did my best to do this with my sister, and I placed 4th (out of I believe 10) in Intermediate Showmanship and her 3rd in Junior Showmanship (out of 8). It was our first year too!
- Try feeding them around the same time everyday as well as around the same time as you will during fair — fair can be super stressful for them, and you should try to keep as much as possible similar between your home and fair routine.
- Interact with them as much as possible! This mainly applies to showmanship rabbits, but also to show/breeding rabbits in general. Even if you don't have time to practice showing everyday, daily interaction builds up trust and makes working with your rabbit a lot easier. Trust me, you might not think it's all that fun while you're doing it, but it makes a huge difference once you're at fair.
- Take good care of your rabbit! This one's pretty obvious, but still. I would recommend brushing them at least once a week (unless they're long haired, in which I would do it more often) and trimming nails monthly (or twice a month, depends on the average growth speed). I also file my rabbits' nails, because sometimes they're super sharp but too short to be trimmed.
- Keep good records. Whether or not it's required for your fair, keep consistent records of your rabbit's weight (at least once a week), and note down any changes in behavior, diet changes, or anything else mentioned by your breeder. I also like to keep a copy of my rabbit's pedigree with me, or somewhere accessible. It's good to keep track of this stuff in case you ever need it for a vet checkup :)
- Keep their cage or hutch clean! This one's also pretty obvious, but it's easier said than done. In some breeds, like Mini Rexes, dirty cages can lead to certain injuries (like sore hocks) which is a disqualification. Depending on the size of the cage and amount of droppings, I would clean the cage at least twice a week, if not once every other day.
- Lastly, keep your rabbit happy and healthy! Give them plenty of love, care, and attention, and refill their water daily with fresh water. Always keep your eye out for behavior changes, this can be super important in keeping their health up to par.
If you have anymore suggestions let me know! I have one show rabbit (a Mini Rex) and hope to get another one next year!
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