24 Dec 2014 No Comments
End of the Year Review & Updates
While it may seem we’re pretty quiet over here on the farm, I’d like to assure you we aren’t! We’ve just found Facebook to be a more interactive outlet for easily posting news, animals for sale, and updates around the farm. If you are on Facebook, please “Like” our page, and make sure you are set to receive notifications of our posts. Here’s the page: Trickster Hares Farm Facebook Page
This fall found lots of hardship here at the farm, when we left on vacation a mosquito-born illness, myxomatosis, hit our rabbits and we lost 30% of our stock. Fortunately we came home early from vacation to save the rest of our herd, I know other rabbitries on the California coast who lost 99% of theirs. We count our blessings, though it be very hard times. We lost many of our long time rabbit friends and foundation stock carried across the entire country (and from out of the country). Including my French import Blanc de Hotots, and Jack the Rabbit, the one who started this whole rabbit mess to begin with, the black and tan Belgian Hare pictured in my first posts.
This sudden loss could have been prepared for, if rabbit breeders weren’t so afraid of the stigma associated with announcing their rabbitry is hit with a disease. The misinformed will talk bad, those who don’t understand the disease. What isn’t considered, is the rabbit breeder who is willing to give you a full case history with what diseases they’ve dealt with so you make an informed purchase, instead of buying into the unknown with a breeder who won’t talk.
In the case of myxomatosis, reported to be 100% fatal, if the rabbit gets infected, it dies. There are no carriers, no survivors. There is either death or resistance. Since the incubation period for the virus is 24-48 hours, sick rabbits succumb fast. There are reports of rabbits fighting it up to 12 days, but none here lasted that long. We went on full quarantine lock down for 30 days after last strike just to be sure the disease was not present in any rabbits. There is a protocol for this disease and its posted on the Facebook group created to help rabbit breeders be informed of serious disease outbreaks: RBAN- Rabbit Breeder Alert Network
The hope is that if rabbit breeders are willing to share what’s hitting them they can help other breeders in their area (or same show, etc) take preventative measures. Imagine how heart broken we were to find other breeders on the coast were being hit for 6 months prior to us, losing their rabbitries, and no one said a word. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, personally, so I started that group. Its also for legislative updates that affect farms and rabbitries.
The heavy losses left a lot of empty places around the farm but not to worry, they’ve been filled now! Amazing the speed in which these critters reproduce, and go from tiny to full size and needing their own space. We have plenty of beautiful heritage breeds for sale, that’ll follow in another post. You can also peruse the rabbits for sale on the Facebook page mentioned above.
That’s all for now.
Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Holiday!!
26 Nov 2020 No Comments
Raising Rabbits during the Plague
Yes, we’re still raising Beveren and Belgian Hares, through the coronavirus pandemic, RHD rabbit pandemic, and, well, 2020. We have not been out to shows since 2019, because of all the above. It was a rough year of too many rabbits as we had bred for the West Coast Classic and National Convention!
Our home is up at 6,700 feet and our county has not had any recorded RHDV2 cases. It has spread in the high desert, but not up into the mountains. Perhaps the mountain cottontail species in the higher altitudes aren’t as susceptible as the desert cottontail, but that’s just speculation. It may be a matter of time, and we’re keeping our eyes and ears open, and prohibiting all visitors to be safe.
We aren’t really conducting sales at this time, unless you are aware of RHD and necessary precautions, aren’t coming from a hot zone, and understand the risks involved. We’ll go on lockdown if the RHD virus comes near here. Some vets have imported vaccines and this may be a solution if you are in a risky area; note that you do have to get boosters for the vaccines if this disease lingers.
We chose not to vaccinate due to the size of our herd and the yearly cost that would entail, eliminating our benefits to raising our own food. While they double as show rabbits, being a rare breed they don’t pull in enough demand to offset that yearly cost, making the whole project cost-prohibitive. For smaller herds it’s more feasible. It’s also unfortunate but what I’ve read, a rabbit can still contract and shed the virus, just not come down sick if vaccinated. That means someone could pass on an animal with the disease unknowningly – no thank you. In order to stop transmission of this virus I’d rather be aware if I had any infected animals.
I prefer to breed for genetic resistance – my research has turned up something like a 30% up to 90% death rate. That tells me there’s a chance plenty of my herd would survive, to breed more resistant rabbits. I think that is the only way to beat this disease if it becomes endemic. When we were in California, we saw this happen with Myxamatosis – it was rare, but we had some Harlequin who just didn’t come down with the disease even when exposed. (The only breed we saw this resistance in.) I believe it is possible, and more sustainable, even if it entails the loss of some of my beautiful stock. Everyone gets to make their own choice. And, if you are near a hot zone starting off with a trio, getting a vaccine on your new foundation stock is a pretty good idea, as a small number of rabbits is manageable in this way, and keeps them safe.
Hopefully the human and rabbit diseases soon pass. Stay safe!
by Trickster Hares in Belgian Hare, Beveren, Rabbit Health, Shows Tags: RHDV2