MEAT RABBIT VS. PET RABBIT
MEAT RABBITS
Rabbits
can double as excellent food source and as brilliant pets. Domestic
rabbit meat is white, mild flavored, and low in moisture. It is lower in
calories, cholesterol, and fat per pound than any common meat besides
seafood. With the uncertain economy and increasing demand for natural
diets, more people around the world are raising rabbits for meat. In
order to successfully raise rabbits for meat, you need to have the right
stock, the right, equipment, the right knowledge, and lots of
determination.
There are three breeds most commonly used as meat stock - Californian, New Zealand, and Florida White. The first two are of Commercial type. That means they grow to, 9-10 pounds as adults, and have medium light frames for optimum meat to bone ratio. A good line of Californians or New Zealand can/grow a four to five pound fryer in ten weeks. The meat rabbits are mostly of good meat-producing line.
Meat rabbits are confined in cages and not allowed to roam freely. On the other hand pets rabbits are allowed some time outs now and then even though they are sometimes protected from predators, like, feral cats, dogs etc. within the confines of a cage, they have higher interaction with humans, keepers, owners and lovers than the meat rabbits do .
Meat rabbits for production and multiplication purpose are left as intact males and female. This allows them to reproduce more than any other known livestock. On the other hand, pet rabbits must be spayed/neutered (Spaying and neutering). Spaying/ neutering is good not for the rabbit alone but for his/her owner as this will render the rabbit less aggressive and eliminate undesired behaviors like fighting, indiscriminate weeing and pooing (an old inherited behavior used to mark their territory as a sign of supremacy / dominance over an area or object). In addition, it renders the rabbits friendlier than ever.
If you are thinking of raising rabbits for meat, then you should consider these two breeds: White New Zealand and Californian.
PET RABBITS:
Pet
Rabbits are intelligent, social animals who need affection, and they
can become wonderful companion animals if given a chance to interact
with their human families. If they are bored and do not have enough to
do, pet rabbits may suffer
Pet Rabbits are highly social, playful and inquisitive animals and need to interact and play with other friendly rabbits. Many rabbits also enjoy interacting with people through gentle petting and positive reward-based training such as (Fetch game).
Pet Rabbits are active animals so they need to be able to hop, run, jump, dig, stand upright on their back legs, and stretch out fully when lying down. They need regular and frequent opportunities to exercise every day to stay fit and healthy, as well as an appropriate place to go to the toilet.
For pets, try any of the following breeds: New Zealand, Dutch chinchilla, French lop, American fuzzy lop, or American Petite.
Finally, both pet and meats rabbits are natural grazers and will naturally eat grass and other plants - in fact, both rabbits should have hay and/or grass in order to be healthy. Grass/plants are necessary to wear down and keep in shape the rabbits teeth.
Both rabbits need fresh clean drinking water at all times - without access to water, they can become seriously ill.
