Hello from Buckinghamshire!

Hey there!
I'm new to the forum so I thought I'd make a thread to say hi!
I'm Kaori/Kiki (real name Danii), i'm 17 and I'm just starting out with breeding mini lops! I'm hoping to get into satins too some time next year.
I bought my first does a few days ago on the 27th, so I'm excited to finally start breeding properly! One of the does, who I named Phoenix, came with four 4 week old kits. So this is all a great start for me!

I also have an Ivory satin buck who has just been my pet since I bought him in April.

Nice to be here! I'm also more than happy to help out with acting as a go between with bunnies being transported to centres or new homes

Hi Danii,

Welcome to Happy Hoppers.

Its lovely that you have joined to find more out about buns, as they are very complex creatures and you are very welcome.

However, you should know though that we are a forum (like many) that does not support breeding of Rabbits for profit.

There are currently 55,000 rabbits in rescue with waiting lists to go in of the same size, if not more. The RSPCA estimate that 1.6 million rabbits in the UK are living in neglectful conditions.

Did you know that the RSPCA and The Rabbit Welfare association recommend a minimum hutch size of 6x2x2 ft with an 8ft run attached - to meet a rabbits minimum needs? Are you able to be sure that all buns you sell would be getting this? They also need three vaccinations per year, and companionship of another (neutered) rabbit.

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/

Please dont mis-understand - you are very very welcome here for advice on how to improve your buns lives, as our members are very experienced, but you should also be aware that a lot of our members run rescue centres, foster neglected and abandoned buns, the root cause of which in many cases is either directly or indirectly down to the purposeful breeding of Rabbits.

That said, we can offer you advice and contacts to ensure that prospective owners of your buns are armed with accurate information about the care of buns, to try in some way to avoid compounding the problem.

Katie

Hi there Danii, welcome to Happy Hoppers

Hi Danii, Welcome to HH! I won't repeat what Katie has said as she has hit the nail on the head there, you are most welcome here, but just bear Katies post in mind. Would love to see some photos of your gang x

Hi and welcome to HH

Our ethos is to act as an information point for people regarding the welfare of these amazing and complex creatures. They are such misunderstood and under-estimated animals.

Although we are very pro-rescue, we recognise that some people will continue to breed rabbits. Hopefully, by being a part of our community, you will be able to see how important it is to only breed those animals that you are sure can be found a loving and permanent home. Many of the rescues who are members on here have to take in animals that are accidently bred or those which are advertised free on places like Gumtree etc. Sadly, many of those rabbits end up as dog bait or food for snakes.

Whilst we would prefer people not to breed, we understand that it is much better to welcome you and help to inform you about the drawbacks of breeding so you can become the best informed and caring breeder possible.

Hi, thanks for all the welcomes.

I'm by no means an irresponsible breeder. I've been wanting to breed for some time and didn't take the decision lightly.
It took months for me to find, what I deem appropriate, does that I think will give credit to the breed and thus giving the kits a better chance of finding good homes.
I do have a buy-back scheme in the works so I can take full responsibility for any rabbits that I breed, and I support rescues to the fullest. But I don't breed for profit as the money will be going straight back into the rabbits for their daily needs (food, toys, bedding etc.)

I'm sorry if I came across as irresponsible.
I do know the basics of rabbit care and breeding, but you can never know too much I always think

Welcome to HH!

Carousel wrote:Hi, thanks for all the welcomes.

I'm by no means an irresponsible breeder. I've been wanting to breed for some time and didn't take the decision lightly.
It took months for me to find, what I deem appropriate, does that I think will give credit to the breed and thus giving the kits a better chance of finding good homes.
I do have a buy-back scheme in the works so I can take full responsibility for any rabbits that I breed, and I support rescues to the fullest. But I don't breed for profit as the money will be going straight back into the rabbits for their daily needs (food, toys, bedding etc.)

I'm sorry if I came across as irresponsible.
I do know the basics of rabbit care and breeding, but you can never know too much I always think

Hi Danii,

Thanks for your reply. You are welcome here. We pride ourselves on supporting people who love buns.

You are right - we all learn more and more about buns every day.

Cant wait to hear more about your gang.

Katie x

We don't think of you personally as irresponsible and I certainly don't want to give the impression that you are in any way unwelcome. This forum is aimed at helping rabbits and educating their owners, so we are glad to be able to help you. As you say, you can always find information that you didn't know!

Because the main thrust of the forum is to try to stop rabbits being looked on as disposable and short-lived pets for children, a lot of our members do tend to see the sharp and upsetting end of the breeding cycle.

Rather than making you feel unwelcome, which I hope we haven't, we just wanted to impress upon you how seriously we take rabbit welfare on here.

Actually , there's a lot to learn from responsible breeders, I think most of us on here know little about about kits and the processes of birth, nurture and weaning, for example. It's a tricky one really, because the need to breed is negated by the figures in rescue - and as a pro rescue forum, I hope you can see that this causes a dichotomy.

It sounds as if you've entered into this wth a responsible approach, I hope you and us can learn from you being here

Hi Dannii love, a warm welcome ti our lovely family.

Hugs

Jo xx

Thank you everyone I'm looking forward to being here and hopefully helping out with anything I possibly can weather it be with local transport or advice on caring for kits, pregnant doe's ect;
I'm getting more and more experienced with pregnant doe's and kits so I would always be happy to give any advice to those who need it.

Hello

Hey Danii! Welcome to HH!

Looking forward to hearing about your lot, it's lovely to hear you are a responsible breeder, and as Jay said, you and us will learn all sorts

Hello & Welcome to HH it's brilliant here, so friendly like one big Family