Silver Fox Rabbits | 8 reasons they are an amazing meat rabbit!

[@vixxcottage]

They are so calm. Before getting Silver Fox I raised many different types of rabbits. I was always getting scratched with many scars. I have had Silver Fox rabbits for 3 years no scratches or scars. Best rabbits I have ever had!

[@homesteadingwithPJ]

Wow! My wife handles them more than me, and she doesn't get cute often, but I do. I need to learn how to hold them better I guess. But you're right, much more calm than say a new zealand.

[@3333sweetie]

@@homesteadingwithPJ Are silverfox bunnies good for first time pet owners?

[@homesteadingwithPJ]

@@3333sweetie I believe so. They are as docile as any other rabbit I've interacted with. Plus I think they look the best.

[@pegp8590]

I've eaten rabbit in the past and raised Angoras for show and fiber. I am now doing my research in raising rabbits for meat and will definitely look for Silver Foxes. I plan on attending a rabbit show next month to meet breeders.

[@varun009]

I don't know anything about raising rabbits but I can tell you that their fur is awesome. I've used it to trim all the collars of my wool coats. It looks amazing with the black base and snowtipping.

[@homesteadingwithPJ]

That's great! Glad to hear about makers out there who are doing great things with great material.

[@serennikki6303]

how how sad to make coats with fur that belongs to the rabbits! i grew up with Silver Fox rabbits as companion animals and they are the most adorable, kindhearted loving beings! to think people would kill and eat them - in a way unbelievable. no animals wants to die! and to trim a coat?!!

[@varun009]

@@serennikki6303 sweetie, they're meat rabbits. If they're going to be eaten, shouldn't we use the fur? Before chickens were popular, rabbits were the og small farm animal. High feed efficiency and lean meat.

[@EtainArrowSeeker]

Another thing I enjoy about the SF is the colors they come in. I just had a litter with black, chocolate and lilac in it.

[@homesteadingwithPJ]

Yes, they are beautiful kits! We've crossed them with a new zealand and they looks great.

[@notpoliticallycorrect]

Excellent channel!

[@noneyabeezwax8865]

Thank you, very informative.

[@j.j.oliphant9794]

I’m in Utah and looking into getting into rabbits. Do you guys sell breeders? Would love to come and see your setup sometime if that works for you.

[@artfully_marlee446]

Great video! We are looking to add silver fox rabbits to our homestead. However we are having a difficult time finding Breeders on Ontario Canada. Do you sell? If so are you able to ship to Canada or know of breeders that do? Any guidance would be wonderful! ☺️

[@homesteadingwithPJ]

Hello! We had to get rid of our rabbits when we moved across the country. Figured the travel would be too hard on them and we don't have new rabbits yet. A good website to find breeders near you is: arba.net/find-a-breeder-2/. Also you can google any Facebook pages that have rabbit breeders that are in your area and you'll be able to connect with someone near you! Sometimes facebook groups are the better way to go because people are more responsive to inquiries. I read a book that said rabbit breeders ship rabbits but I've never talked with anyone that ships them. Best of luck! Facebook is probably your best bet.

[@REDCLAYHOMESTEAD]

Thanks

[@skee6706]

What does the weight of the doe need to be to breed them?

[@homesteadingwithPJ]

I wish I remembered! Sorry, it's been so long since I've breed rabbits. If you haven't found the Rabbitry Center on KZbin, his channel is exceptional!

[@777COYOTE]

@@homesteadingwithPJWhy did you stop?

[@seifer447]

​@@777COYOTEhe moved and didn't think they'd survive the journey.

[@argentorangeok6224]

Do optimum harvest times for meat and pelt coincide?

[@homesteadingwithPJ]

Mmm, I know that winter tends to be a better time for pelts because they grow thicker and are therefore a better end product if you're using the pelts to make things (clothing, mittens, etc), because they're warmer. I'd check out this YT channel, I learned a lot from him: kzbin.info%20rabbitry%20center

[@SylviaDrake]

From the research I've done on meat rabbits, it doesn't seem to coincide. BUT, that doesn't mean that the fur removed can't be used, it's just less fur because the rabbits are much smaller when dispatched for meat (8-12 weeks). I haven't started raising meat rabbits yet, so there is a possibility I'm wrong.

[@ericacolgan2960]

Sir, is it one of the bigger meat rabbit breeds? Thanks.

[@homesteadingwithPJ]

It's not the biggest, but it is a meat rabbit, so it's a large rabbit and gains weight quickly.

[@RealVedicAstrology]

How much can they be sold for in California or just in general? I’m getting a pair to add to my breeding stock and I plan on selling their offspring for profit, the only ones available in my area are 100$ each and giant Flemish go for around 110$ each here, how much do you think I could sell the kits for?

[@homesteadingwithPJ]

That's really expensive. A good breeder might be $50-100, but a kit would be $20-$40 (that's just a guess).

[@elbolillo2703]

I just picked up 2 for 75. Both with pedigree

[@gwilley6050]

How much pellet feed are you giving them 2x a day? Thanks

[@homesteadingwithPJ]

One cup, once a day under normal circumstances. If we have a young buck or a pregnant doe (or kits we're trying to grow out) we give more. We also offer free choice alfalfa.

[@uftc1324]

To be more specific one ounce per lb of body weight is recommended and free feed producing/nursing does and young rabbits (under 4 months)

[@ermagerd101]

I have heard that these are super cold hardy. I see you are wearing a good quality jacket - how cold does it get there?

[@homesteadingwithPJ]

This was Utah county, Utah. Cold winter nights were in the 20s and teens farenheight.

[@ermagerd101]

@@homesteadingwithPJ Thanks for the reply. I will definitely help them out with a little bit of heat and insulation in the Canadian -32f's then..

[@isaacbridge3623]

Which area of Utah were you in?

[@homesteadingwithPJ]

I was is Utah County, but I live in North Carolina now. I was able to get more land out here, so now I'm homesteading on a larger scale.

[@isaacbridge3623]

@@homesteadingwithPJ sweet I grew up in sandy and now live more rurally in Utah. Your content is amazing! I have been making mental note of sheep breeds, silver fox rabbits, and much more from your videos. I have struggled lately with my wife working and myself being home with our soon to be 2 kids and feeling productive. I have always been drawn by nature and my love for animals. I hope that in the coming years I can put myself to work on some land and be able to feel like I am making more with my time I have. Keep it up!

[@serennikki6303]

how how sad,... these were my childhood pets... the most affectionate, clever and loving animals... i could let them loose in garden and they would return to me,,, i could snuggle them in house and they would barely leave my side... they were so clean and personable... this is so so sad!!! each one their own unique soul... these poor animals so trusting in you... and no you don't 'Love' them, not if you are killing them!!

[@seifer447]

Eating animals is what humans evolved to do. If it's done humanely and they had good lives, that's more than they'd get in the wild.

[@serennikki6303]

@@seifer447 ?? no animal wants to die... many of the most evolved humans of this Earth do not eat animals - e.g. look to India and to Saints and spiritual leaders... humans do not have fangs, or carnivorous stomachs/physiologies either. these poor rabbits!

[@thebamlife1775]

Are they tolerant to heat?

[@homesteadingwithPJ]

Not any more than another rabbit. They have a thick coat and like all other rabbits should have one of the following in the summer: daily ice blocks/fan/under ground burrow.

[@danielgriff2659]

I own 10 of these. They are NOT tolerant to heat and may stroke out (die of heat stroke) if you let them get up to 85 degrees. You would want to keep cages in a temp controllable room and if you let them roam in a fenced enclosure, you will need to provide an underground burrow.

[@InnocentLili]

I feel bad for Silver foxes. The way that they are still considered as food and livestock is evil. Poor bunnies.