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Originally posted by tikeyas_mom
Equinebehaviorist,
I have to disagree on your whole outlook, because you saying "some bunnies arent ment to be pets, because they are skiddish or whatever" is very wronge, any animal has the potentail if raised right to be an awsome pet.
Personality tends to be a genetic trait, meaning that the brain and nervous systems are programmed by the genes that created it to react and respond to external stimulus in various ways. When genetic pattern surfaces of extreamly sensitive nervous system, the animal, any animal, is set towards becoming an anxious, nervous, defensive, or even aggressive animal. The experiences that it has througout its life will determine its behaviors. Behavior, to a point is modifiable. The problem is, it can often take lots of work, specific types of training, and a constant awareness of the genetic personality of that animal.
Considering this, I feel that it is more humane for a geneticlly nervous rabbit to be butchered than to be placed with any person looking for a pet. If someone comes along and wants a more excitable or nervous rabbit, for some crazy reason, and they show me that they have the skills to understand and train that rabbit, then so be it. But most of those bunnies, and dogs for that matter, that end up in shelters or abondoned are there because the average person who is looking for a pet has no clue about animal behavior period. They want to think that they are little people, and that the animal will calm down with just love alone. It takes knowledge of how an animal thinks, and how the species thinks, to understand and then possibly work towards modifying behavior.
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You are going to try to breed that 4 week old bunny, I know you are, I can just think about it now, you dont know ANYTHING about this rabbits background or anything, you are what I call a back yard or reckless breeder.
I may very well give her a shot at it when she is ready, if I feel that she has the comfomation I want in my rabbits. She definately has a great temperment, even though her kits will probably, if she can handle being mom, will probably all have great temperments also, and end up being sold as pets. But, if she consistantly gives me great tempered kits, I will not breed her unless I have a demand for HER kits as pets, quite simply that is not my primary goal with the little bit of breeding that I do.
Part of a good breeding program, when it comes to farm animals, is not just pedigree on paper. As long as she produces good quality kits, and she enjoys being a mother, I will use her as needed. However, if the kits show any signs of problems, poor comformation, inherited health problems, etc. then she will be retired as a pet only.
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Very unforunite these poor bunnies have either be perfect or have a perfect Temprement or be killed. My bunny Angel was a perfect pet she was soo lovely and cute, she HATED to cuddle and be held, would you kill her and sell her for meat? Probibly if she was in one of your rabbit litters.
Not necessarily. If she was aggressive, and showed no sign of improvement with reasonable effort, and if it was more likely that she would end up abandoned or neglected because of her behavior than happy and well adjusted to being a pet, I would, indeed, if she were of my litters. It is being responsible, in my opinion, rather than naive that someone would be able to deal with her personality and behavioral issues. I personally, if she expressed these behaviors, wouldn't feel that she would be happy as a domesticated rabbit.
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ppl like you make me sick. you know breeding shortens female rabbits lives, and gives them a greater chance or cancer?? You dont seem to care. :mad: .. I am just so overwelmed with fear for your upcoming and future litters.
I do care. I do not breed my does relentlessly like alot of producers do. I care for the health and wellbeing of my stock, not just as stock, but as living creatures, God's creatures. They are carefully chosen stock, not just by papers or pedigrees, and they are only bred for what is desired. I don't breed them for money so much, as a true backyard breeder does, but I do "adopted" the kits which would make very nice pets. If the new owners didn't pay an adoption fee, they would be less likely to appreciate and be willing to put the money into their new friend to care for it properly.
The adults are retired young (usually 1 or 2 at most years of breeding - maybe 3 litters a year) and happily, and in fact, I am in the process of building a "retirement facility" for them, the does in one area, the bucks in another, with their own little worlds. This is one of the reasons I don't breed commercially anymore and I am keeping my herd so small. I want to be able to give all of my bunnies a comfortable existance, breeders, retirees, and young.
As for cancer, I am a firm believer that man is the cause of cancer though chemicals and genetic modification. All of my animals are organically and homopathically fed and cared for. I do not believe that cancer is caused alone by being bred. The combination of the hormonal surges and the chemicals put through their systems via of processed feed, antibiotics, and growth stimulators cause cancers. God made bunnies to have babies, just as he made us that way. Even we, the average woman, are at higher risk for cancers if we DON'T have babies and breast feed.
If you want to find irresponsible, selfish breeders, find puppy mills, people who breed countless of bunnies for labratory use (yes to make sure the drugs, make-up, lotions, etc. that you use are safe for human use), Premarin farms, or that awful breeder of Twisty cats, and the such. I am a small farm owner who cares about her animals and feeds her familly with what I grow, not to be rich or even to break even. I breed for naturally healthy, vigorous, strong animals with good temperments in general.
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I am in more of a shock that you would mention this kind of thing HERE on a pet forum. :eek:
Again, the only reason why I did mention it is that Daisylover basically put me in a position where I had to clear the subject up. And now you have done the same in a much stronger sense. Whereas I understand and respect your concern, I will stand up to defend my position. It is not for everyone, but I am not irresponsible or a bad person for it either. And unless someone wants to rip into me again here publicly, I do not intend to mention the butchering of the rabbits here again, publicly. If you have a problem with it that you wan to express, PM me, don't put it here.
Respectfully,
K-FROG
