health concern

Question
Hi, I am a ARBA member and was recently contacted by someone to use my buck breed with. She told me her doe acts fine but it gets feces embedded in its fur. I haven't seen the rabbit yet. But it is a dwarf hotot, so the feces shouldn't be getting stuck, should i let her use my buck, or not?

Answer
Hi Vi

If you don't know this person and you don't know her about her rabbits or the general health of her herd I would say absolutely not.  I will tell you honestly that I would never let anyone that I don't know extremely well use any of my bucks.  If that rabbit carries any illness at all, even one you can't see then your buck can bring it home.  If you have any non-resistant or immune compromised animals in your herd it could kill them.  I personally just think it is a horrible idea.

I do have 2 people who I have known for years and are very close friends of mine.  I know all about their rabbits and have visited their farms on several occasions.  I would not have an issue using one of their bucks or letting them use one of mine.  It is really going to have to depend on how well you know and trust the person.  I have seen people in my state who I get along with just fine and am friendly with who have had rabbits pulled off the table for being sick.  I have seen people who have lost their entire herds for bringing home a sick rabbit that they bought from one of these people.  

Basically everyone has a different opinion.  As for the feces in the fur it sounds more like a diet issue than a contagious issue but there are things such as coccidiosis that can cause loose stools.  For the most part if you see lose stools in a rabbit from a breeder that generally has healthy rabbits it is most likely from a diet to high in protein.

I just hope you make the right decision.  You could offer to get her a baby from the buck.  To me that is a far more acceptable solution.

Good luck and have fun at convention if you are going!!!

Pam