Posted by:
HappyHillbilly
at Sun Jan 20 22:39:21 2008 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by HappyHillbilly ]
I agree, Beth, that's a good idea.
If it weren't for my kids I wouldn't have as many rabbits as I do (11) but I would still have a few for breeding since most of my snakes can eat newborn rabbits and up.
My 3 1/2ft ball python loves newborn rabbits and they're perfect size for her. But still, if I had to do the daily maintenance my kids are doing it would most likely be a different story.
I've got a German Shepherd that will tear into the cages so I put up a 15 x 30 x 5ft high fence for a pen to keep the rabbit cages in. I keep a turkey in the pen & it guards against other predators, including me & my kids sometimes.
Initial setup cost & maintenance time are the main factors, to me, at least. $8 for 50lbs of rabbit pellets that lasts about 3 - 4 weeks with 11 medium-size rabbits. I've got less than $100 in the 4-cage setup & just over $100 in the 5-cage setup.
All-wire cages can be built at a lower cost but then you have to have a covered area to keep them or cover the cages with something. To me it was about 50/50, depends on the style you want.
To me, it takes less time & effort to raise rabbits than rats. The main difference is the changing out of substrate in rat cages/tubs. Once a month or so I shovel all the rabbit waste out from under the cages & into a compost pile.
But there is the difference between the number of babies rats & rabbits have. There's almost always a trade-off somewhere, 'eh? Ha! Ha!
Good point, though, Beth.
Take care!
Mike
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American
[ Hide Replies ]
|
RE: Typos & more - HappyHillbilly, Sun Jan 20 22:39:21 2008