"Koselig, Rabbits, and Happiness"

Lately, for a variety of reasons raising rabbits has not been very fun. I even advertised a herd dispersal sale. But wait! I originally started raising rabbits as a way to recapture those peaceful and fun moments I had with Pete, a rabbit my dad gave me for Easter when I was six years old. He was red and I used to laugh at his antics when he ran free in the backyard. I would call his name, and he would come running and jump into his pen. He was my best buddy. But now the fun has been consumed with combating the pasteurella virus, cleaning cages, and record keeping.

I have decided I either need to sell all the rabbits or find a way to rediscover the original fun. My plan:

1. Keep vaccinating my does and babies with pasteurella vaccine. If vaccinations keep some of my good does alive, then it is worth it.
2. Quickly cull any rabbits that display signs of pasteurella (even a cherished herd sire).
3. Do not breed any does after April so that they are not stressed with babies during the hot summer months.
4. Reduce number of breeders in rabbitry: Keep two breeding does and two bucks per breeding line. That makes a total of only eight cage trays that I need to clean on weekly basis.
5. Only breed two does at any one time, one doe per breeding line. Cages with babies are much more labor intensive and need to be cleaned almost every other day.
6. Reduce stacking cages from three to two levels, thus eliminating hardship of bending over and dealing with bottom level.
7. Purchase 12 hole apartment (24’ x 24”) for show prospects and do not keep more than twelve show contenders. Those that don’t make the show line become rabbit stew.
   1. Take no more than six rabbits to any one show, thus necessitating only transporting two, three-compartment show cages.
8. Only show in non-cooped rabbit shows. I did not enjoy the experience of having my rabbits forced to stay in strange cages with sawdust floors and strange neighbors next door. I enjoy sitting with my rabbits and grooming them in my own little area with our usual setup. Eccentric maybe, but I go to rabbit shows to relax and spend time with my rabbits, family, and people who enjoy rabbits.
9. Since I am eliminating cooped shows, I will explore a few more local rabbit shows:
   1. Kern County Rabbit Breeders show in Bakersfield
   2. Central Valley Rabbit Breeders show in Hanford
   3. West Coast Classic in Reno
   4. California Rabbit Breeders show in Turlock.
10. Practice Norwegian concept of “Koselig” and spend lots of blood pressure lowering time rocking rabbits while watching favorite TV programs.