Breeding rabbits for profit is not a good idea - unless you are breeding them for eating (by humans). There is already a glut on the pet market for rabbits, and with yet one more easter rolling around in 2 months we will have a glut of rabbit on the table around here. Here is the thing, around easter people buy ducks and rabbits and 1 to 2 months later they get tired of the duck or the rabbit. Thinking it a "wise" choice they take those unwanted critters out to the rural area where they release them into "nature" - or what is more commonly known as My Back Yard. Now granted I do live in a nice wooded area, and yes there are lots and lots of farms out here, but hey we grow people food and rabbits (and ducks, and puppies and kitties) are pests. We do shoot to kill, and have no qualms or issues with putting down an infestation of rabbits (cats, or dogs) if needed to maintain our veg, our produce, our cattle, sheep, whatever we raise for PROFIT since that is our Job. Now that you have a basic idea of what happens to those pets you plan on raising and selling, I want to drag your attention to a few sites: http://www.rabbit.org/ Lays claim tat over population is a problem (not around here, we love rabbit stew) But it appears that they are looking for funds to run rabbit shelters. http://www.rabbit.org/adoption/hidden-cost-of-breeding.html covers just ONE of the hidden costs of rabbits - namely that you AS A BREEDER need to take it upon yourself to NOT sell o give away any rabbit before you see to its being fixed. With that in mind your rabbit may just be fixed. Nearly every book or site you go to (the ones that have worthwhile information) will tell you that rabbit breeding is not a good idea, that there are already too many of the floppy eared tasty darlings and that they are and do become a problem of some magnitude for many people. The estimate is that for every buyer of rabbit there are 7 breeders...

Why do you want to become a rabbit breeder? What is your plan? YOu have to figure out what you plan on doing with them. The only two ways people are successful with breeding rabbits is to breed high quality pedigreed show rabbits (and they make very little money doing this) and raising rabbits commercially for meat and fur. Both are very hard work and take a lot of money to do well. Starting with good breeding stock and plenty of cages and shelter, high quality feed, the list goes on. And before you start you have to make sure there will be a market for your rabbits. If you are raising show stock, you better have shown the rabbits and got a record of their quality with ribbons and trophies. Or if it's for meat, you need really good rabbits to start with and a market for them right away as when those rabbits get a certain age, they most be slaughtered or else you lose money or condition on the rabbits. But if you think you just want to breed some rabbits and sell them as pets, please don't. There is a glut of pet quality rabbits and not enough homes for them as is. There are good books out there and websites but I'd recommend joining the ARBA first thing and they will set you on the right path.

Don't breed rabbits. Don't we have enough of them running around as it is?

1.You have to be quick. Contact a 4H member they raise rabbits for show and breeding and in all probability will allow you to see how they build hutchs' one other thing under your hutch pick up a old bath tub place it under your hutch filled with dirt raise fishing worms they like poo and meal left overs. $2.00 per dz. adds up.

Storeys guide to raising rabbits--good book.