Happy Bunny Breeding!
“By working with the rabbits we raise on campus, the students learn responsibility and the skills required to care for animals,” says Glenn Stevens, Agricultural Education teacher at Belton Middle School in Belton, South Carolina.
Stevens and his students welcomed two new litters of adorable bunnies to the school 7 weeks ago and again 3 weeks ago. So far this year, Stevens and his students have raised around 60 young rabbits.
Stevens teaches Agricultural Education to sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. Subjects range from animal science, basic horticulture, and agricultural tool identification to wildlife management, forestry, and hunter safety. There is also a school greenhouse where the students plant and care for decorative plants and vegetable plants that are sold to the public.
All Agricultural Education programs have a Future Farmers of America chapter, known as the FFA, says Stevens. The middle school program is designed to introduce students to the FFA, so that when they reach high school, the students are better prepared to take part in FFA contests and other activities at the high school level. The FFA also introduces students to agricultural careers they may want to pursue.
Anna Roe and Wayne Lothridge are two of Stevens’ FFA students who care for the rabbits and the chickens at the school.
Roe, who lives in Belton and is entering the 7th grade, definitely prefers the rabbits over the chickens. “You must be gentle with them,” she says. “I definitely prefer the bunnies, for sure.” On the other hand, Lothridge, also from Belton and entering the 7th grade, prefers the chickens. “I like the bunnies,” says Lothridge. “I don’t like taking care of their cages.”
So should you buy a rabbit for a pet?
“Rabbits make great pets,” says Stevens. “I would not do it, but rabbits can be kept inside and trained to use a litter box. Some of my students have even trained the rabbits to walk on a leash.”
Stevens goes on to explain that pet rabbits do well in outside pens. These pens should be 24’’ by 36” for small rabbits and 30” by 36’’ for larger rabbits. The most important thing is to have a secure pen with shade and protection from wind.
How do males and females get along?
Now that’s a loaded question… It’s very important to be aware of the battle of the sexes. Female rabbits are extremely territorial. Females must always be moved to the male’s cage for breeding because they will kill males placed in their own cages. Not like people at all…
And do breeds matter?
Like most other animal breeds, rabbits come in different colors, sizes, and temperaments. Stevens keeps a California male (black and white) and New Zealand females (white) at the school.
“As far as raising rabbits, the larger breeds need more space and eat more feed than the smaller breeds,” advises Stevens.
Anyone who lives in the Upstate who is interested in buying a pet rabbit, or finding a home for excess pet rabbits, is invited to contact Glenn Stevens at GStevens@ASD2.org.
