Homestead One Day

Tag: rabbit

Things to bring to a farmer’s market (as a vendor)

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On September 23, 2022

In Shows and Markets

This is a quick list style post of everything I took as a vendor to a local farmer’s market. Hopefully it helps someone not forget something! At this particular one I brought ducks, rabbits, bonsai, and pottery. In no particular order, here’s the packing list:

  • Tent
  • Tent Weights
  • Table(s)
  • Tarp – for bad weather
  • Tarp-lining the car against poo
  • Apron
  • Signs
  • Cell Phone
  • Change
  • Check / set up square account for taking cards
  • Boxes (to send sold animals home with)
  • Bag of bonsai soil (in case of spills)
  • Old keyboard stand for under rabbit carrier
  • Water bowls
  • Gallon of water
  • Table covers
  • Drinks/snacks for me (needed more drinks)
  • Hat
  • Sunglesses
  • Towels to cover cages from heat
  • Ducks in cages
  • Rabbits in Carrier
  • Bonsai in crate
  • Other plants in plastic planting flat
  • Pottery (pre priced) in a plastic tote
  • Paper towels
  • Rubbing alcohol (for scratches)
  • Baby wipes
  • Permanent marker
  • Blank tags (last minute signs)
  • Rabbit nail clippers
  • Bucket (to put purse and supplies in)
  • Purse
  • Binder clips (to hold signs down)
  • Battery operated fan (mine was a neck fan)

I think that’s it! And it all fit in the car 🙂

Supplies to take to a rabbit show-a quick list

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On June 21, 2022

In Rabbits

Here’s a quick version with a few explanations of a list I made to remind myself of what I needed to bring to my local rabbit show:

  • Rabbits (seriously…don’t forget anyone!)
  • Carriers
  • Water/feed dish for carriers. (I don’t fill them in transit if it’s less than half a day, otherwise water and food ends up everywhere)
  • Show records/list (for noting who wins what)
  • Pens to write with
  • Nail clippers
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Paper towel roll
  • Mask/allergy eye drops (for allergies if needed)
  • Spare towel or two (to keep clothes clean when handling rabbits)
  • Baby wipes (cleanup for you and rabbits)
  • Change of clothes (sooner or later you will be peed on)
  • Water and feed for rabbits
  • Water and food for humans
  • Extra cash money (raffle, lunch, that rabbit you just have to have, etc)
  • Toll money or electronic payment method (if any toll roads)
  • Money to pay entry fee (if not prepaid)
  • Cart to bring carriers into show
  • Something to sit on (I use a 5 gallon bucket that holds my supplies)
  • Phone and charger
  • If kids coming that might get “bored”, QUIET entertainment and headphones
  • Copy of your payment receipt (if prepaid) and entry forms
  • Bungee cords to close carriers/strap together on cart
  • First aid kit for humans/rabbits (bandaids, quick stop powder or flour, etc)
  • Spare carrier just in case something extra comes home

Things to do before the show:

  • Check and touch up/do ear tattoos (3 or more weeks out preferably for healing time)
  • Submit your entry early and pay ahead (if allowed)
  • Trim everyone’s nails (judge will be happy)
  • Double check teeth etc for last minute issues
  • Clean carriers and add fresh bedding
  • Pack up supplies and put everything in car except rabbits and humans
  • Gas up car
  • Print out directions to/from the show (in case GPS doesn’t work)
  • Check fluids/oil/etc in vehicle (bring spares as needed, no gas in same compartment as rabbits or humans!)

At the show:

  • Get there early
  • Don’t block the aisles
  • Observe good sportsmanship
  • Control your kids/self…rabbits do not like loud noise and fast movement and you may injure your or someone else’s animal
  • Have fun!

After the show:

  • Unpack car
  • Dump out carrier bedding
  • Quarantine any rabbits that went to the show and any new ones that came back with you for 30 days minimum
  • Keep an eye on rabbits for signs of stress, illness and treat if needed
  • Keep in contact with any new raisers you met 🙂
  • Plan out breeding based on information you learned
  • Get ready for the next one!

Pest Control and Rabbits

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On June 14, 2022

In Animal Health, Rabbits

A post on Facebook reminded me of something that happened to a friend of mine. She sold a rabbit and a couple days later the buyer sent her this video asking what’s wrong.

This is a neurological twitch! Since the rabbit didn’t have it when sold, it had to happen after the sale. After some questioning and eliminating mishandling as a cause, it turned out the buyer just had the house sprayed for pests. This rabbit is a house rabbit. Despite the company not spraying near the rabbit, this happened. The residue is still in the house (that’s how the sprays work!) and the rabbit was exposed.


An old neighbor of mine owned his own pest control company and he’s the one who explained that the “safe for pets” only meant dogs and cats…they don’t test on rabbits, rodents, etc. He refused to spray inside a house if someone had any pets like that because of it.So if you’re selling, warn your buyers not to use bug sprays of any kind in the house!

BTW, cleaners kill bugs too…I dispatched a wasp with 409 yesterday. I’ve used Windex, dawn +water, and disinfectant spray as well (whatever was in my hand). Makes cleanup easier too!

This rabbit did recover after some time as the exposure was mild. The owner was instructed to not allow spraying in any room the rabbit has access to or put it outside in a shaded cool area for a week after spraying was done.

Response to someone with a new carport type rabbit area concerned about heat.

By

On June 3, 2022

In Animal Health, Rabbits

Texas? Forget the swamp cooler, too humid. Misters will NOT work on the rabbits and will just rust your cages-your humidity is too high. Now, if you rig them up to wet the parts of roof that are in the sun, that would help. Do not enclose this unless you are putting in an a/c unit, they will die. Fans-you said one in the middle? Not enough unless it’s a giant oversized one. 35′ is a long way to push air. I’d put three at least in this…stagger them, so one on the end on left, one in middle, one on the end on right. I have 3 going in a 10×20. You need more airflow pushing the hot air out. I would also add one at the end of that middle row…I can’t tell what that is, but if it’s two levels down the middle they’re going to get hot fast, too many bodies too close together. If you have solid dividers in cages, put those at the end of the rows -the dividers block airflow. The end that’s in “full sun”…how much of it? Can you put shade cloth across the back at that end (use the beige ones)? You’ve got to get that roof out of the sun-the metal will literally bake your rabbits. If you have to buy shade cloth and throw it over the top and tie it down, do it. Best thing would be insulation under the roof, foam sheets or anything. You might consider something on top of the cages for an added buffer between them and the roof-the corrugated plastic at home depot comes in 8′ sheets, I’ve cut those in half so they’re 2×8 and laid them across the cages. It looks like you have an auto waterer, seriously consider adding crocks especially in the cages the struggling animals are in…I never set mine up after I moved because I came out one hot day and half my rabbits were curled up against the water bowls cooling off, even the plastic bowls. Some also put their feet in the bowls (watch out they don’t stay there too long and get a fungal infection, if they start losing hair on top of their feet it’s plan B time). Source: I’m in Florida…its 92 in the shade right now…

Response to someone in a rabbit group panicking because their temperatures are going to be a high of 85….

By

On May 24, 2022

In Uncategorized

Since websites like to randomly disappear and take information with them, I’ve decided if I type out a long reply to someone on Facebook etc I will also copy it here as a backup.

Someone in one of my Facebook rabbit raising groups asked how rabbits survive when their temperatures are going to be (max) 85. Here was my reply:

85 is cool for us! It was 95 in the shade on my porch yesterday and it’s just starting, and we have 90+ percent humidity so sprinklers and misters don’t help on the pens. My rabbit area is a tarp topped , open wire sided (I added) canopy in partial shade. Shadecloth (beige) to within 1 foot of ground on most of 3 sides. I have two of these setups (one is the chickens’ that I’ve added cages in). Main setup has 3 fans-one on top of cages blowing hot air out, one directly on the rabbits (at one end of cages) and an small oscillating that blows on lower cages. The main fans are sealed motor models against hair, one fancy from amazon and one $65 version from walmart-both are fine. I am currently using water bowls after noticing how many like to lay against them (mostly plastic, but some ceramic) and how many will soak their feet. Would be a lot less work to hook up my auto system but if it’s cheap cooling I’m for it! My rabbits are Dutch (not some fancy purpose bred heat breed) but most of my line has been in the state for many generations in non a/c rabbitries. Rarely I will do anything near the rabbits (or any other animal) other than a quick visual check in the middle of the day, it’s too hot and I don’t want them excited. Yesterday I dumped some water on a few rabbits, but it is a mom and her large litter that for some reason were cuddled together…they are getting big and need to be pulled. That will be fixed shortly as I just got more cages to build in. I did remove 3/4 of the hair and bedding from a litter that’s in the next box so they don’t overheat.

Baby rabbits!

By

On April 30, 2022

In Rabbits

It’s always nerve wracking waiting for first time mothers to deliver while hoping they figure it out! These are the newest two litters, both from first time moms. 6 in one litter 8 in the other. Very happy!

This is why there’s no water in the cage

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On April 23, 2022

In Animal Health

For several days this particular mom and babies were suddenly going through twice as much water as normal. I checked the feed, I checked the bowl for cracks, I checked the bottoms for dirrehea. Nada. Hrmmmmm…

Then I came outside at a time I usually don’t bother the rabbits due to the heat and found this. Someone decided the water bowl was their own personal soaking pool! Aha! Mystery solved :).

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