srtips

Showing Tips
I have been showing rabbits for over 10 years and still have a lot to learn. This is just
some of the stuff I have picked up over the years that has helped my rabbits out.

- Concentrate on just one breed, in only one or two varieties that are compatible with
each other. Don’t try to do everything and spread yourself out too far.

- Learn as much as you can. Talk to breeders at shows, go to other breeders’ websites,
ect.

- If you’re under the age of 18 join 4-H or FFA. This will teach you all about rabbits,
prepare you for the first show, ect.

- If you’re in 4-H or FFA, don’t stick to just their shows, go to ARBA shows also. If you
show well in open or youth, you usually do excellent in 4-H.

- Join ARBA. This is the AKC to the rabbit world. With membership to this you will
receive a Guidebook to Raising Better Rabbits and Cavies, a yearbook with all the
members of the club, and a subscription to the Domestic Rabbits magazine.

- Join your breed’s national specialty club.

- Join your State’s club, get involved with it and the other local clubs in your area.

- If they have one, join your breed’s state/local club.

- Get a Standard of Perfection. Know your breed standard, this is what you’re breeding
your rabbit towards.

- Buy the best stock you can. Don’t start out with rabbits that won’t do good. Bad rabbits will reproduce more bad rabbits and only cost you more money later down the road.

- Breed your own rabbits and show them. There is no better feeling than winning big with a home grown rabbit.

- Breed for quality, not quantity.

- Don’t be afraid of Competition. Competition will only make you want to breed better so
your rabbits will perform better.

- Have good sportsmanship. Congratulate the winners.

- Clip the nails of your rabbits before you go to the show. The judge will appreciate it.

- Keep accurate records. This is so you remember due dates, weaning dates, ect.

- Don’t be handling your rabbit before they’re to be shown, this will ruin their condition.
I usually do a quick groom to all my rabbits in the morning then leave them alone until
right before I take them up, which is when I do another quick glance over to make sure
they look good.

- And the biggest thing to know is cull, cull, cull!!
(This means “To remove from the rabbitry”. Whether you sell or give it away to a pet
store, feed store, as a pet, or even to another breeder for show, whatever you remove out of your rabbitry not to use anymore, that is culling.) A rabbit just sitting around not being used to show or breed is just wasting you money. It’s taking up money by you having to feed it, taking up your cages, ect. It’s fine to have one or two pets in the rabbitry that you’re not able to part with, but to keep a competitive edge you can not stay that way with every rabbit.

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