As I write this post the guys are working on welding the pipe braces for the roof onto the piece of pipe on the ground that works as a skid so we can move this barn around. The insulated part has the floor done, walls framed and next is the roof then we can insulate and do a little painting!
The weather has been beautiful here even though there's snow on the ground the temperatures have been staying well above zero so the bunnies have been enjoying the fall!
We'll post some photos of the barn once we get the roof started - stay tuned for those!
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
SLR's Riley - You win some but you loose some too
This little cutie is SLR's Riley born this summer out of SLR's Chambler and SLR's Dream. He was my pick of the litter buck from this broken x broken breeding(I was wanting a charlie tri buck to use on the harlequin does). He was the sweetest little dude who already LOVED his head & cheek rubs not to mention he was good looking too!
Unfortunetly we lost this little guy today due to intestinal issues. Three days ago now I noticed that he wasn't feeling well so we brought him inside to do a physical exam and we found that he had an impacted intestine. Right away treatment was started and he spent two days at the vet clinic but sadly the impaction was just too great to pass causing a perforated intestine so he lost his fight. We are so sad that this beautiful little guys is gone. Days like this make having rabbits hard but we push through because the other happy excited faces still need their love too. We still have his sister, SLR's Saffir so we feel like we still have a part of him here.
Unfortunetly we lost this little guy today due to intestinal issues. Three days ago now I noticed that he wasn't feeling well so we brought him inside to do a physical exam and we found that he had an impacted intestine. Right away treatment was started and he spent two days at the vet clinic but sadly the impaction was just too great to pass causing a perforated intestine so he lost his fight. We are so sad that this beautiful little guys is gone. Days like this make having rabbits hard but we push through because the other happy excited faces still need their love too. We still have his sister, SLR's Saffir so we feel like we still have a part of him here.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Snow!
We've had the first significant snowfall of the season so we're working extra time to get the bunny barn all insulated and ready for when it gets cold. We took some outside photos this morning so I'll post them below - snow is SO beautiful!
We also don't have any rabbits available at the moment and won't have anything available until we neuter a couple boys and they are recovered so looking for new homes! We do strongly suggest that if you are looking for a pet rabbit to check out your local SPCA to see what they have available. The last time I had a peak they had quite the selection to pick out your new friend from.
We also don't have any rabbits available at the moment and won't have anything available until we neuter a couple boys and they are recovered so looking for new homes! We do strongly suggest that if you are looking for a pet rabbit to check out your local SPCA to see what they have available. The last time I had a peak they had quite the selection to pick out your new friend from.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
A Keeper!
This little doe has got to be one of the nicest does that has been born here to date! We took some photos of her today that we'll share with you but didn't get any photos of her twin looking black sister. This little harli was a bad gal and plucked her sisters face bald so we're waiting for it to grow back in before taking some photos.
This harli was born on July 31/14 so that makes her 2.5 months old(completely in her uglies for my guys) and this is what she looks like! She is out of SLR's Thumper and SLR's AnnaPrimRose. She is super wide and deep with massive bone and a big chunky head and yes this is a girl! Her black sister is basically the exact same looking except for color - we'll try to show her this fall and we're certainly going to be repeating this breeding! Anyways here's her photos - it's not the best lighting but it gives you a good idea of what she looks like!
This harli was born on July 31/14 so that makes her 2.5 months old(completely in her uglies for my guys) and this is what she looks like! She is out of SLR's Thumper and SLR's AnnaPrimRose. She is super wide and deep with massive bone and a big chunky head and yes this is a girl! Her black sister is basically the exact same looking except for color - we'll try to show her this fall and we're certainly going to be repeating this breeding! Anyways here's her photos - it's not the best lighting but it gives you a good idea of what she looks like!
Monday, October 6, 2014
A Qucik Update
Winter is coming! We've been working around the clock to get the new bunny barn insulated and mouse proof before the snow flies. So far the guys have got the skid welded together and the floor built for the insulated inside part. We'll take some photos soon of the progress but we're super excited about getting them all settled in for the winter. The inside part is a 12 x 12 and the outside play area is a 12 x 18 place for them to run around and be a bunny. We'll split this outside area up a bit so we can put a few bucks out at a time plus the girls. Our gals always get turned out all together unless they have litters or other reasons why they can't play. They all get along well and seem to really enjoy to company of running around with other bunnies.
We'll also have a few bucks available this fall, some of which we may neuter and then they would be looking for a pet home of course. We've bred our old chestnut buck to our new to us doe Tigger today and will probably breed a few more does before the temperatures start to drop. We also have two does that we've kept back out of SLR's Anna and SLR's Thumper whci are the best bodied does that I have felt in a LONG time! They are both gorgeous gals and with one being a harlequin, well we're pretty happy to say the least! I'll try to get photos of them shortly. Until then enjoy the beautiful fall!
GC SLR's Sakari, my all time favorite black/orange tri color doe!
We'll also have a few bucks available this fall, some of which we may neuter and then they would be looking for a pet home of course. We've bred our old chestnut buck to our new to us doe Tigger today and will probably breed a few more does before the temperatures start to drop. We also have two does that we've kept back out of SLR's Anna and SLR's Thumper whci are the best bodied does that I have felt in a LONG time! They are both gorgeous gals and with one being a harlequin, well we're pretty happy to say the least! I'll try to get photos of them shortly. Until then enjoy the beautiful fall!
Saturday, September 20, 2014
A Special Note on Some Sad News
I'm sure that many of you have heard of the rabbit seizure in Calgary two weeks ago now from a fellow breeders place. Although this is sad news all around the point of this post is not to gossip or bring more negativity to an already unfortunate circumstance but to shed some light on why us "rabbit breeders" do what we do.
The simple answer to that is the same as in pet owners and that is to love. As a breeder I love seeing my rabbits every day and watching them grow from babies, to juniors to adults to seniors. I love spending time with them and meeting new people by providing a lifetime pet, brood or show animal. The purpose to my small scale breeding program is focused on producing show quality animals as per the ARBA standard of perfection. Please go to www.arba.net and www.hlrsc.com for more information on this aspect of rabbits. Other breeders raise animals for meat or fiber as well as show and pet. I love having people over and them interacting with my animals to see their faces light up, the joy on a child's face when a baby bunny licks them is indescribable.
Many folk seem to lump all of us breeders in the same corner and say that we are raising these beautiful animals for profit which is utterly untrue in my case. It costs me money to keep my animals the same as it does a pet owner to keep their rabbit. We are not backyard breeders producing mass amounts of animals and selling them on the side of the road to who ever wants to impulse purchase a pet that will most certainly out live their impulse "but he's so cute factor". Here's a quick but very accurate profit vs. expenses since January 2014. Yes this is personal information but if it helps to shed some light on this subject then I'm not against it. We have had 4 litters of bunnies born since January, of those 6 were sold to pet or breeding homes for a total profit of $315.00, there's still one available who will probably be sold for $40 so let's round that up and say the years profit so far is $355.00 generously speaking. We typically go through two bags of feed a month at $19.95 per bag x 9 months equals $359.10, plus hay on top which we make our own so I can't really put a price on that. So as of right now we are just breaking even. We also purchased a new doe for $50.00 this spring so that brings the total up to $409.10. That doesn't count the costs to replace(we're not talking about all the initial investment) broken water bottles, feed dishes, toys, cage bottoms, cages, hay racks, medicine, deworming, grooming tools, or feed additives. This also doesn't cover the cost of showing them which is around $16 per rabbit per weekend, $8 to get the animal registered, $8 for a grand champion certificate, plus $200 for a hotel plus gas money plus food for that weekend. We're also building a brand new barn for the bunnies this fall so that they have more room, are more comfortable in the winter months and better exercise pens - this I am expecting to cost around $2000.00. On top of that is the man hours that I do for free to clean them, cuddle them, feed them and basically look after them, are you seeing the point that I'm trying to make?
Why do you raise them then is what you would ask and I would answer with love. Love for the animals & the common love that many people have for them. I love taking the best care of my animals that I possibly can. As a couple that is unable to have children of our own, these animals get the care and attention that our kids would have received. That means making sure that if they are sick they get treated, they are on a regular deworming schedule, they have a proper cage for their size, their nails are trimmed monthly they get daily exercise & cuddles and that their feed & water requirements are being met. I raise them to produce animals that are as close to the standard of perfection as possible and that the animals I am raising will help the breed along both quality and temperament wise.
When we were located in Calgary we were inspected by the SPCA a number of years ago and they found no causes of concern with our set up, cleanliness or animals health. Health is a huge passion of mine and I work as a registered veterinary technologist so if one of our animals are sick it's as simple as bringing it into work with me in the morning. We are glad that there are people out there whose passion is to look after an animal that can't say it needs help itself. We have been raising these precious animals for 14 years now and have lived every minute of it with our animals from the joy of a new litter safety nestled in the box to what can only be described as heart ache when the time comes to say goodbye to a dear old friend to the countless hours spent cuddling and scrubbing their cages so that they are clean enough to eat off of. This is what being a breeder means to me, not the tiny amount of profit(before expenses) or the excitement of a best in show win but the joy of the animals themselves and all the fantastic friends that we have met along the way.
I know that this post is a little rough around the edges but it's because I'm passionate about rabbits in general from showing them to their health and love passing that on to others.
Bye for now,
Shannon
The simple answer to that is the same as in pet owners and that is to love. As a breeder I love seeing my rabbits every day and watching them grow from babies, to juniors to adults to seniors. I love spending time with them and meeting new people by providing a lifetime pet, brood or show animal. The purpose to my small scale breeding program is focused on producing show quality animals as per the ARBA standard of perfection. Please go to www.arba.net and www.hlrsc.com for more information on this aspect of rabbits. Other breeders raise animals for meat or fiber as well as show and pet. I love having people over and them interacting with my animals to see their faces light up, the joy on a child's face when a baby bunny licks them is indescribable.
Many folk seem to lump all of us breeders in the same corner and say that we are raising these beautiful animals for profit which is utterly untrue in my case. It costs me money to keep my animals the same as it does a pet owner to keep their rabbit. We are not backyard breeders producing mass amounts of animals and selling them on the side of the road to who ever wants to impulse purchase a pet that will most certainly out live their impulse "but he's so cute factor". Here's a quick but very accurate profit vs. expenses since January 2014. Yes this is personal information but if it helps to shed some light on this subject then I'm not against it. We have had 4 litters of bunnies born since January, of those 6 were sold to pet or breeding homes for a total profit of $315.00, there's still one available who will probably be sold for $40 so let's round that up and say the years profit so far is $355.00 generously speaking. We typically go through two bags of feed a month at $19.95 per bag x 9 months equals $359.10, plus hay on top which we make our own so I can't really put a price on that. So as of right now we are just breaking even. We also purchased a new doe for $50.00 this spring so that brings the total up to $409.10. That doesn't count the costs to replace(we're not talking about all the initial investment) broken water bottles, feed dishes, toys, cage bottoms, cages, hay racks, medicine, deworming, grooming tools, or feed additives. This also doesn't cover the cost of showing them which is around $16 per rabbit per weekend, $8 to get the animal registered, $8 for a grand champion certificate, plus $200 for a hotel plus gas money plus food for that weekend. We're also building a brand new barn for the bunnies this fall so that they have more room, are more comfortable in the winter months and better exercise pens - this I am expecting to cost around $2000.00. On top of that is the man hours that I do for free to clean them, cuddle them, feed them and basically look after them, are you seeing the point that I'm trying to make?
Why do you raise them then is what you would ask and I would answer with love. Love for the animals & the common love that many people have for them. I love taking the best care of my animals that I possibly can. As a couple that is unable to have children of our own, these animals get the care and attention that our kids would have received. That means making sure that if they are sick they get treated, they are on a regular deworming schedule, they have a proper cage for their size, their nails are trimmed monthly they get daily exercise & cuddles and that their feed & water requirements are being met. I raise them to produce animals that are as close to the standard of perfection as possible and that the animals I am raising will help the breed along both quality and temperament wise.
When we were located in Calgary we were inspected by the SPCA a number of years ago and they found no causes of concern with our set up, cleanliness or animals health. Health is a huge passion of mine and I work as a registered veterinary technologist so if one of our animals are sick it's as simple as bringing it into work with me in the morning. We are glad that there are people out there whose passion is to look after an animal that can't say it needs help itself. We have been raising these precious animals for 14 years now and have lived every minute of it with our animals from the joy of a new litter safety nestled in the box to what can only be described as heart ache when the time comes to say goodbye to a dear old friend to the countless hours spent cuddling and scrubbing their cages so that they are clean enough to eat off of. This is what being a breeder means to me, not the tiny amount of profit(before expenses) or the excitement of a best in show win but the joy of the animals themselves and all the fantastic friends that we have met along the way.
I know that this post is a little rough around the edges but it's because I'm passionate about rabbits in general from showing them to their health and love passing that on to others.
GC SLR's Tritan, 9th place "Top Lop" in the HLRSC in 2010
Bye for now,
Shannon
Monday, August 11, 2014
Currently Available Bunnies
It's getting close to fall so we are posting some of the for sale animals that are available for pet/brood animals. If you have any questions on these guys please send me an e-mail at starlitrabbitry@hotmail.com. It may take me a couple days to reply as we are making some cow food for the next week or so so I'm stuck in the tractor!
SLR's Olivia Black Junior Doe DOB Mar 14/14 Out of SLR's Thumper and SLR's Dream She's a bit on the shy side and will mature to around 4lbs. She would make a good brood doe or a pet for someone who doesn't mind a shy personality.
SLR's Dexter Torted Tri Junior Buck sibling to the black doe above(out of SLR's Thumper and SLR's Dream, DOB Mar 14/14) Yes our resident cutie is available to a new home! He just isn't getting big enough to compete with the big boys as I think he'll only mature around 3lbs, he's got plently of cuteness though and would make a great brood buck for those bigger does or a good pet as well.
SLR's UnNamed out of SLR's Chambler and SLR's Dream DOB June 11/14. This next bunch of photos are the bunnies that are currently available out of this litter. These guys still need to be tattooed and dewormed and then they will be available(sometime this week). These photos were taken in horrible lighting this morning so the quality's not the greatest but I wanted to get them done so here they are!
A Black/Orange Tri Junior Buck, A cute little guy who should mature in the 3-3.5lb mark, curious and friendly. Has a nice little body but is lacking width and bone, cute head and ear piece! Is available for pet. *SOLD*
A Charlie Orange Junior Doe, beautiful typey body that is super wide, does have some overall length to body but has great bone and a cute head/crown/ear. Is availabe for brood/pet. *SOLD*
A Charlie Black/Orange Tri Junior Buck, This guy is obviously SO ladi back - you can really do just about anything with him! Is available for brood/pet, will be a bigger boy at ~4lbs but will have a fantastic head and bone! * SOLD*
We also may have another charlie tri buck available(I haven't decided to keep him of not at the moment) and a SR tort buck who would be a brood bcuk only. Please also keep in mind that we are located close to Grande Prairie AB, so can deliver to GP but if you live in another area then the shipping/transport is something that you need to arrange. We do go to visit in Calgary but I'm not currently sure when we will be down there next. Rabbits must be paid for with a 50% nonrefundable deposit to hold.
SLR's Olivia Black Junior Doe DOB Mar 14/14 Out of SLR's Thumper and SLR's Dream She's a bit on the shy side and will mature to around 4lbs. She would make a good brood doe or a pet for someone who doesn't mind a shy personality.
SLR's UnNamed out of SLR's Chambler and SLR's Dream DOB June 11/14. This next bunch of photos are the bunnies that are currently available out of this litter. These guys still need to be tattooed and dewormed and then they will be available(sometime this week). These photos were taken in horrible lighting this morning so the quality's not the greatest but I wanted to get them done so here they are!
A Black/Orange Tri Junior Buck, A cute little guy who should mature in the 3-3.5lb mark, curious and friendly. Has a nice little body but is lacking width and bone, cute head and ear piece! Is available for pet. *SOLD*
A Charlie Orange Junior Doe, beautiful typey body that is super wide, does have some overall length to body but has great bone and a cute head/crown/ear. Is availabe for brood/pet. *SOLD*
A Charlie Black/Orange Tri Junior Buck, This guy is obviously SO ladi back - you can really do just about anything with him! Is available for brood/pet, will be a bigger boy at ~4lbs but will have a fantastic head and bone! * SOLD*
We also may have another charlie tri buck available(I haven't decided to keep him of not at the moment) and a SR tort buck who would be a brood bcuk only. Please also keep in mind that we are located close to Grande Prairie AB, so can deliver to GP but if you live in another area then the shipping/transport is something that you need to arrange. We do go to visit in Calgary but I'm not currently sure when we will be down there next. Rabbits must be paid for with a 50% nonrefundable deposit to hold.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)