07/22/2026
I earlier had a very interesting discussion about the difference even when breeding non show rabbits on what makes a good breeder versus a bad breeder. So I think Ill share thoughts on this subject. (This isnt a post to hurt anyone's feelings, it is meant to be a open discussion) How often do you hear the term between a good breeder and a back yard breeder ? (Most of us probably breed their bunnies in our back yards lol) The term however is meant more for the difference of how rabbits are treated in in terms of care , living conditions and how over all the animals are treated. Even when breeding for pets , there should be care in who is being bred to produce animals as close to the sop as possible to ensure your not destroying the standards of the breed.(a good breeder doesnt just throw 2 rabbits together , they look at the traits they want in their rabbits and strive to put the buns together that will get them closer to their goal)Too many times do I see rabbits posted in dirty living areas and tbh it bothers me alot to see that. All good breeders will make sure their animals are kept in clean areas . Make sure they are fed well, handled as much as possible and clean water daily. Also breed with a purpose , wean at the right time, and dont send babies to new homes until babies are atleast 8 weeks old for smaller breeds and 10 to 12 weeks for larger breeds .( a back yard breeder will take babies off moms way to young , claim they are eating good and sell way too young with no care for their survival and tend to rehome really cheap because simply put . They by rehomeing too young dont put much care or money into them ) ( good breeders also take the responsibility to ensure that each baby is healthy and has to be able to hard cull any babies born with issues that would would cause suffering) however here's where things get harder to determine. Most I think have slower rehoming (for pets and breeding animals ) in the summer. Should a breeder continue to heavily breed their animals at this time ? Ive seen alot lately of breeders who breed even when sales are slow that are either having to rehome for prices way below their value or terminally culling because they can't find homes to make room for more babies .( I personally for the most part dont breed many in the summer and the babies who arent rehomed are given alot of time to find homes, I set money aside for the slower months for feed and needs) (Heat is very hard on rabbits ) I personally feel if a breeder is over breeding to a point that they are having to rehome cheaper (back yard breeders buy up cheap rabbits to breed make fast sales and flood the market, they dont care about pedigrees or the health of the animals) I could go on and on ,but I think Ive said enough for now. I would love others thoughts on this . Just remember keep it positive =)
