03/31/2023
I’d like to address a couple of things as we come into the peak of bunny sales time especially those that are looking to get into showing. It’s important to know a few basics to help prevent getting duped into a non show quality animal.
1. A pedigree can go on any rabbit, all it means is the breeder has kept track of what rabbits they’ve bred together. Pedigreed does NOT equal quality.
2. Rabbits can ONLY be registered by an ARBA registrar. To be registered they must have a 3 generation pedigree with DOBs and weights on all rabbits in the pedigree. The registrar will then weigh and examine the animal to make sure it meets the ARBA Standard of Perfection (SOP) before giving the animal a registrar tattoo in the right ear.
2. Every animal entered into a show MUST have a permanent ear mark (tattoo) in the LEFT ear
The majority of breeders tattoo their own rabbits they sell as show stock.
3. This I feel is the most important one.
Educate yourselves prior to committing to a rabbit from any specific breeder!!!! That means ask around, make sure that breeder has good remarks about their stock and has history of selling good quality show animals free of DQs. Talk to multiple breeders, show them pictures of animals you’re interested in buying, most won’t have an issue letting you know if that animal meets SOP or not. There are entirely too many “breeders” out there willing to pull the wool over the eyes of the uneducated. Protect yourselves and be breeder aware.
4. Be ready to invest in a good show rabbit, but also be aware of those high price tags. They don’t always equal quality. This is again where educating yourselves comes in handy so you know on average what a show quality animal costs.
5. Don’t be fooled by those selling “legs” if there’s enough breeders and animals even a subpar animal can win a leg at a smaller show. Breeders should not charge more for legs based off how many that animal has, they should charge based on the quality of the animal itself.
6. Beware the breeders who charge more for pedigree than without. Again, the price should reflect the quality, not the paper that goes with it.
7. Deposits; they don’t always mean scammer. It is pretty common for breeders to require a deposit on an animal to hold it until pick up, but again do your research before placing one! If they push the issue trying to force you to pay one, that would be a red flag for me personally. I don’t mind paying a deposit to hold an animal on breeders I’ve previously dealt with, the most I’ve ever had to pay was about 20 dollars to hold one until I could pick it up the following week.
8. It is your responsibility as a buyer to do your OWN examination of the rabbit at pick up. Go over the animal thoroughly yourself, make sure the tattoo matches the paperwork, eyes clear and free of cataracts or white spots and discharge, make sure the nose is clear, any kind of nasal discharge is not a sign of a healthy animal!! Check the paws, all rabbits must have 4 nails on the rear paws, 5 on the front, if they are missing a nail it is a disqualification. Check mail color, make sure they’re the correct colors according to SOP. Run your hand down the belly check for any abnormal bumps and bulges, check the genitalia!!! Even experienced breeders can make a mistake on gender, if it’s a buck check for a split p***s, not only is that a DQ that should be an automatic cull as it affects fertility and is genetic. Check the ears make sure there’s no signs of ear mites etc. Also check the tail. Make sure it’s clean and where it’s supposed to be.
9. There is absolutely no such thing as a “4H quality” rabbit. (Thank you to my friend and one of our mentors Noelle Waller for adding this one)
I believe most 4H shows still follow ARBA standards, any breeder trying to sell a 4H quality animal should be avoided. Our youth is so important, they are the next generation of our breeds, if we don’t start them out correctly then our breeds end up suffering. Teach them to do their very best with the very best you can offer them, if you don’t have an animal that will fit what they need, send them elsewhere! Don’t sell a subpar animal just to make a sale. That’s so disheartening to a youth that’s just starting out.
10. Make sure to research basic color lines, make sure there’s no unshowable colors in the background that could pop back up later. Some colors are unshowable and should not be used in show breeding programs wether it’s an actual DQ or just an undesirable trait I am not educated enough to know. The ones I personally know of are harlequin and tort but I know there are several more.
I’m sure there’s tons more information that should be on this list, being relatively new ourselves I’m sure it’s incomplete but this is a good start. The ARBA website is a great tool, I highly recommend buying the ARBA Standard of Perfection and reading about your breed thoroughly. The best advice I can give is talk to as many breeders in the breed your wanting as you can. While most have their own secrets and ways of doing things the general consensus should still be the same. They should all still follow the ARBA SOP and most breeders will not try to push a sale on you. Finding a reputable breeder is so so important, but it’s just as important to educate yourselves to know what you’re looking for so you don’t get duped by those just looking to make a quick dollar. If anyone has any questions feel free to comment or message us we’re always here to help, if we don’t have an answer we can send you to people who can!
Picture of Tristan and Jack from Ft. Worth just for attention.