Possibly the most insane idea ever.
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I think it is a great idea! :biggrin: My dad grew up having his own chickens for eggs and meat, what difference if its for the dogs?
Do you know of a local butcher that would be willing to harvest the meat for you? Or would you just release the rabbit and the hounds and say dinner was served?
Do you know of a local butcher that would be willing to harvest the meat for you? Or would you just release the rabbit and the hounds and say dinner was served?
My Grandma was from Germany and her friends raised rabbits to eat (along with chickens). Those rabbits were MEAN!. I think they knew they were there for supper. I still remember them playing pinochele and the winner got to take home live rabbits and chickens in the trunk of the car. Grossed me out but as my Grandpa said.....you have to eat. I think those rabbits would be able to win in a fight against my dogs! But my cats used to catch wild rabbits by themselves all the time and leave them on my porch for presents. I think they are much smaller then domesticated rabbits.
Just as a reference....I bought canned rabbit for my dogs once as an alternative meat source and both dogs hated it. I have no idea why but this particular brand was really dry and hard to get out of the can and the dogs thought it was tastless.
Just as a reference....I bought canned rabbit for my dogs once as an alternative meat source and both dogs hated it. I have no idea why but this particular brand was really dry and hard to get out of the can and the dogs thought it was tastless.
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I don't know of any local anything. lol.I think it is a great idea! :biggrin: My dad grew up having his own chickens for eggs and meat, what difference if its for the dogs?
Do you know of a local butcher that would be willing to harvest the meat for you? Or would you just release the rabbit and the hounds and say dinner was served?
To be cost effective, Jon would have to learn how to "prepare" the bunnies for dinner. lol. I wouldn't want to just throw them outtside live, because we have pet guinea pigs that as of now, the dogs don't ever try to get at, I don't know if encouraging them to kill their own rabbit would effect that?
I just don't knowif I could stomach it. I would have to jsut stay far away from them alive..... I'd end up getting attached, and it would defeat the whole purpose.
We're really considering it, but have a LOT to learn. We don't know anything about rabbit breeding.... other thn they reproduce like MAD. Would anyone be interested in rabbit meat if we had too many? lol
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this is our main concern. I am hesitent to invest the money, because i fear i'd back out when the time comes to kill them. I don't know that i'd be able to detatch myself and keep it in perspective. Bunnies are pets to me. The only way i see it working is if i could get away with zero involvment until after they're skinned. Anything prior and i'd sucker out.
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Like Jon said, the killing part would be the deal breaker for us, I doubt he could handle it. But the thought of having fresh, whole bunnies for the dogs almost makes it worthwhile. I deal with death almost everyday at work, and so I have had to learn how to detach myself from the animal.
I think that I could bring myself to kill them if need be. I hate rabbits. They freak me out. I don't know why but they do. Maybe its their crazy teeth or something. For that reason, I think that I might be capable of being a rabbit murderer.
I guess we can all think about the costs of it and consider the possibilities...
I think that I could bring myself to kill them if need be. I hate rabbits. They freak me out. I don't know why but they do. Maybe its their crazy teeth or something. For that reason, I think that I might be capable of being a rabbit murderer.
I guess we can all think about the costs of it and consider the possibilities...
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I actually considered it too. You would have to have a lot of rabbits to make it cost effective though. If cost is the main concern you should really budget it out... Start up costs include cages/water bottles or automatic waters/bowls/rabbits themselves etc then the feed to maintain them.
Also, am sure I'd get used to it, but I think killing them would be hard for me too. I could skin them and actually watched some informative videos on youtube on the subject, it's easier than i thought.
You'd have to have a TON of rabbits to have too many
New Zealand Whites, one of the larger popular meat breeds, weigh about 9-13 lbs. My two dogs eat approx. 90 lbs/month. I'd need about 2 rabbits a week. So, a litter every month or so could form the base of my dogs' diet (with other meats still for variety of course).
Perhaps checking out a rabbit farming book from the library would be a good first step?
Also, am sure I'd get used to it, but I think killing them would be hard for me too. I could skin them and actually watched some informative videos on youtube on the subject, it's easier than i thought.
You'd have to have a TON of rabbits to have too many
New Zealand Whites, one of the larger popular meat breeds, weigh about 9-13 lbs. My two dogs eat approx. 90 lbs/month. I'd need about 2 rabbits a week. So, a litter every month or so could form the base of my dogs' diet (with other meats still for variety of course).
Perhaps checking out a rabbit farming book from the library would be a good first step?
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3,550 Posts
Well you're moving to Vegas, there has to be a good butcher or someone down there who will kill the rabbit for you...
The easiest way to not get attached is to them is to get the ugly New Zealand whites which generally are not very nice anyway :smile:
I used to raise rabbits in middle school/high school for 4-H.
I've actually thought of doing it again for my dogs but I don't really have the facilities for it to make it worth it. I would LOVE to raise chickens for my dogs too, but same problem there too.
The easiest way to not get attached is to them is to get the ugly New Zealand whites which generally are not very nice anyway :smile:
I used to raise rabbits in middle school/high school for 4-H.
I've actually thought of doing it again for my dogs but I don't really have the facilities for it to make it worth it. I would LOVE to raise chickens for my dogs too, but same problem there too.
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I wouldn't even consider doing it until we are in our permanent house, probably six months or so from now, and even then, only if we had a big enough yard to portion some of it off for rabbits.
I've had pet rodents for my whole life, so it would be an adjustment. I wonder after care/ upkeep (of course humanely) would outweight the money saving from the meat.
I've had pet rodents for my whole life, so it would be an adjustment. I wonder after care/ upkeep (of course humanely) would outweight the money saving from the meat.
Speaking of rodents......we've had an absurd amount of rain lately and the moles are taking over our yard so Rocky has been busy tearing up the yard and catching moles. I assume he eats them because I no longer find the little bodies laying around like I used to when he first learned to catch them when he was younger. So.....what about raising rats for dogs? Are they suitable nourishment or are they not proper meat? You really wouldn't get attached to rats and they can get pretty big. I had a friend who used to raise mice to feed her snakes. Also, would there be some kind of laws against raising rabbits and rats to feed dogs? Just curious about the humane society aspect of it. Interesting topic going on here....something new to think about!
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Let's start a self-sustainable colony where we can all raise animals to feed to our dogs together! haha that sounds like fun!
Anyway, care and upkeep for rabbits isn't that expensive, it's just the start-up costs you have to worry about.
Anyway, care and upkeep for rabbits isn't that expensive, it's just the start-up costs you have to worry about.
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