Our New Zealand Experience
On 2/17/18 we got a red male (Theodore, 3 years old) and a black female (Blackberry, ~5 years old). We bred Blackberry several times. The second breeding she had 2 kits who were either born dead or they died because she didn’t keep them warm. The 3rd time she had 3 kits who grew up and lived long enough to be eaten. Unfortunately, Blackberry died shortly after from an unknown cause. My sister is planning on raising many more rabbits in the coming year. Breed Description Size: large Weight: 10-12 pounds Lifespan: 5-8 years Body: rounded commercial shape– slender, but muscular. Round cheeks and long ears that stand up straight and long back feet. Comparable breeds: Belgian Hare, Flemish Giant Rabbit Coat type: short, soft flyback fur that is set tightly in the pelt (Flyback fur: falls back into position when brushed the wrong way) Coat colors: red, white, black, and broken (any color mixed with white) with no particular markings Temperament / Behavior: docile, easy to handle, easy going, calm, friendly, and loves to be held (if they are used to it from birth) History & Origin There are two theories behind the development of the New Zealand Rabbit. One theory is that they were imported from New Zealand as wild rabbits. The more likely theory is that a Flemish Giant was bred with a Belgian Hare. The New Zealand red rabbit beginning was around 1910. A man named William Preshaw of Rippon, California developed the New Zealand white rabbit in 1919. He did this by breeding Agoras, white American rabbits, and Flemish Giants. The white New Zealand rabbit was officially made a breed in 1920 with the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). Purposes Meat: · The meat scarcities during WWI and WWII caused a demand for rabbit meat during that time. · Online price for frozen 3 lb whole rabbit fryer was $40.00 · Our expense to raise a 4lb whole rabbit fryer was $9.44 · We butchered kits at 105 days old Fur: · Their fur is used for lining coats, hats, gloves, & shoes. Stuffing, bedding, & making felt are other uses for their fur. · Online pelt prices ranged from $2.50 - $75.00 Pets: Since New Zealand Rabbits are easy going, calm and friendly, they make good pets. Breeding · Optimal breeding age: 6 months to 4 years ¨ Best for the doe to have no more than 4 litters a year. ¨ Put the female into the males cage for breeding because the female is dominate. ¨ Gestation period (days from breeding to birth) 28-31 days ¨ They normally have 6-12 kits in a litter. ¨ Wean the kits at 4-6 weeks. ¨ Kits open their eyes at about 12 days. ¨ You can breed the doe again when kits are 5-6 weeks old. Care Feed– They need high quality hay, leafy greens, & pellets. They also need water. Hutch– New Zealand rabbits need a hutch to live in. The hutch should be fairly big so that they can stretch out and move around. The hutch needs a nesting box. A nesting box is good for them to sleep in and for mother bunnies to have there young in. Nesting boxes are also good for keeping them warm during winter. Note: In the summer we often put a fan on their cage to help with the heat and flies attacking them, which can lead to them dying. Rabbit Facts · Males are called bucks, females are does, and babies are kits. · They are not rodents. · Hunting season for wild cotton tail rabbits is September 1st— February 28th. · World’s longest rabbit is 4ft 3in long. Darius, the rabbit, is a Continental Giant who lives in the UK. · More than half of the world’s rabbits live in North America. · Rabbits are herbivores (plant eating). · They can turn their ears 180 degrees (that way they can pinpoint where a sound is coming from). · They have almost 360 degree vision. I did this project for my Homeschool Science Fair.
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