Royal Aspen Rabbitry

03/25/2025

I have spent the last year collecting these studies in my notes app, and figured they should be shared here as well. There is a reason why breeders keep our rabbits how we do, it is scientifically backed. I refuse to humanize my animals to the point it impacts how I care, I will always turn to science instead of mine or others feelings. And those who don’t should reevaluate their views.

I will keep this post pinned and updated for reference:

Housing:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731119003379 #:~:text=There%20is%20much%20controversy%20about,better%20mimic%20their%20natural%20behaviour.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5113872/

https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/10/1622 #:~:text=Cortisol%20levels%20were%20higher%20in,ng%2FmL%2C%20respectively).

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/016815919190167V?via%3Dihub

https://lohmann-breeders.com/lohmanninfo/housing-and-welfare-of-growing-rabbits-part-i-groups-size-space-requirement-and-floor-type/ #:~:text=The%20preference%20for%20wire%20mesh,wire%20net%20as%20floor%20material.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Francesco-Dessi-Fulgheri/publication/292693492_The_Acquisition_Of_Social_Dominance_In_Female_Rabbits/links/5aba792345851563660adcfb/The-Acquisition-Of-Social-Dominance-In-Female-Rabbits.pdf

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6826979/

Diet:

Other:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350946951_Effect_of_tonic_immobility_induction_on_selected_physiological_parameters_in_Oryctolagus_cuniculus_f_Domesticus_rabbits

03/25/2025

Got the first of the new cages built. I feel so fancy having trays and brand new wire. Also got in my tattoo kit, which I’m absolutely terrified to use on a rabbit, but we’ll get there after some practice.

Included are some Dimitri photos as well, just because I love him and all his weirdness

03/24/2025

Something I hear a lot is, “how can you possibly raise these animals to eat them” and like many other breeders I’m going to repeat this point as long as I have to. As a society we are much too disconnected from where our food comes from. I would much rather know that the animal I am eating led a great life, rather than come from some factory farm kept in who knows what conditions. I enjoy knowing that every rabbit I butcher gets held, cuddled, and kissed before their last moment. I know every rabbit in my barn and their personalities whether they are destined to be food or not.

Today I butchered Royal Aspen’s Balthazar, I buck I had planned on keeping for my blasphemy harlequin project. But I have new opportunities ahead of me and needed space. Lately I have also decided on a firm limit for my rabbitry, which is 15 brood animals. Hence why it was necessary for me to butcher Balthazar, and why I am selling or culling Alexei.

Today I also made a delicious meal out of Royal Aspen’s Bean, and got some pelts in solution. As well as finished cleaning and arranging the barn in preparation for the new cages.

03/23/2025

03/23/2025

I’ve spent so much on the rabbitry in the last month, and much more to come 😅

The hard truth 😂

03/22/2025

I’m so happy to have received my order from Grandview Rabbitry today. I got six 30x24 trays, and six j-feeders, all I need now is for my wire to come in so I can build some new cages. Absolutely amazing service with Grandview, and everything is great quality. Pictures to come soon!

02/25/2025

We are finally starting to breed again after taking a break since November. I’m really hoping everyone has caught 🤞.

Jersey Woolies:

Royal Aspen’s Comfort of a Void (Black otter) x Royal Aspen’s Suspended in Dusk (Squirrel) | Due March 10th

Royal Aspen’s Spitfire (Fox/Torted otter) x Royal Aspen’s Suspended in Dusk (Squirrel) | Due March 18th

I also have a doe I’m really excited to get a litter from, as she is a combination of all my lines, having my harlequins, Hunter, and my original meat mutts in her pedigree. She is a black Japanese paired with a Frosty (Who is out of Alexei) to hopefully get magpie babies. I have her partial pedigree included below.

Royal Aspen’s Banquo (Black Japanese) x Royal Aspen’s Balthazar (Frosty/Ermine) | Due March 24th

02/18/2025

10/20/2024

It’s been a hard couple of days but this little rew jersey wooly kit is making it better.

Little singleton out of Royal Aspen’s Comfort of the Void x Royal Aspen’s Suspended in Dusk

09/19/2024

Been meaning to post this for a while. This is Wildrose Akasha, the newest addition to our rabbitry. I’m absolutely in love with how this doe is filling in, I’m just waiting for her senior coat to come in.
She will hopefully be paired with Wildrose Dimitri (my REW Rex buck) early next spring. This will be the first Rex litter of mine.
She’s really sweet, though like my buck an absolute menace who quickly learned to escape her cage, and likes to flip over her food bowl. 😂

09/15/2024

SOLD

Royal Aspen’s Sadie is still available.

New Zealand crossed with my meat lines. Black doe, carries dilute and steel. She’s nice and wide, with pretty good depth. Little narrow in her loin but still filled in relatively well. Would make a great brood doe for a meat program. Maternal side has always thrown around ten kits a litter.

Should have compatible bucks available in a month

Located in La Corey Alberta. Pm me for more details

09/09/2024

I know I said no more mixes so I can focus on my meat rabbits. But I have a couple of harlequin babies I’m eyeing up. Doesn’t help that they’re Hunter and Bento grand babies.

08/27/2024

I’m still working on building cages and getting them added into the barn. But for now everybody’s been shuffled around and are extremely happy.

I’ll have another stack going into the empty corner, and other cage added onto the other one. Which will be empty until I add new rabbits to the barn, and eventually move Alexei in here

08/23/2024

Got the first babies into their new cages. Took apart 4 old cages found at the dump, and made 1 and 1/2 in 6 hours. Very time consuming but I’m proud of how it came out. They seem to be enjoying it

08/20/2024

This doe is currently looking for a new barn.
14 weeks, Black New Zealand cross. Royal Aspen’s Sadie

She’s had a slower grow out, which I usually don’t see in my lines, due to her being weaned early. Really nice depth and width though. She’s from a litter of 11, her mom has never given me a litter smaller than ten. Mom is 9 pounds, Dad was 13.
Her mother is an absolutely amazing rabbit, really dense fur, can gain weight on just about anything, bred for temperature durability. Her father had amazing type and size.

She is the last that I have out of her father’s lines, so I’d love to see her be able to produce for someone else. She’s really sweet, and well handled. Would make a great addition to a meat program ❤️

Pm me for more details
Located in La Corey Alberta

08/15/2024

This little guy finally let me pose him. Really happy with how he’s looking
Wildrose Dimitri ❤️

08/10/2024

Posing practice with Dusk, I’ve had this breed over a year and still haven’t completely gotten the hang of posing upright breeds. But we’re working on it

Royal Aspen’s Suspended in Dusk 💙