Meat rabbits: how to buy young rabbits for breeding or meat
Breeding or fattening: two different purchases
If you want to keep rabbits for meat and buy young ones for fattening, you take youngsters of a certain weight. If you plan to build your own herd, you need breeding stock. For a herd people usually take a family group, for example one buck and four does, and it is important that they are unrelated, otherwise the offspring are weaker. Also ask whether there are records of the bloodlines.
It is handy to start with young rabbits of 3–4 months: they are easier to transport and cheaper than adult does, but you will wait longer for the first litter.
Breeds for meat
- California and New Zealand White grow fast, give good-quality meat and suit beginners well.
- Flemish Giant is large, but it matures more slowly and needs roomier cages.
- Hybrids such as Hyplus are meant for commercial farming and need good feeding.
- Chinchilla and Rex are more often kept for fur or as pets, and are less typical for pure meat.
Health and vaccinations
The two most dangerous diseases for rabbits are viral haemorrhagic disease (RHD) and myxomatosis. So ask whether the animal is vaccinated and when, not only “is it healthy”. Keep new animals apart for a few weeks before putting them with the rest.
What to put in your request
- breed — California, New Zealand White, Flemish Giant;
- purpose — breeding, fattening, meat;
- age and weight;
- sex and make-up — for example 1 buck and 4 does;
- number of animals;
- vaccinations against RHD and myxomatosis;
- breeding quality — unrelated lines, records;
- district and budget per animal or in total.
Example: “I am looking for California rabbits for breeding: 1 buck and 4 does, 3 months old, unrelated lines, vaccinated against RHD and myxomatosis. Near Ludhiana, self-pickup. Budget up to ₹12,000.”
How to compare offers
Compare weight and age, not only the price per animal: a two-month-old rabbit and a four-month-old one are not the same. Ask about the diet, housing conditions and the general state of the herd. Examine the animal: the coat should be clean, the eyes bright, and the nose and ears free of discharge or scabs. If you buy several, agree on a total price, allowing for a possible discount.
How BlaBlaPrice works
You write your request once on BlaBlaPrice, and farmers reply in the chat: breed, age, number, price, terms. The platform shows the best-value offer first, with reviews beside it. Your contacts stay hidden until you choose a seller. Read more on the How it works page.
Look for other farm animals in the “Farm animals” section, and for pet rabbits among rodents.
