Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits, 4th Edition

Great info and resources in the back. Everything you need to know to decide whether rabbits are right for you. Should be kept for reference and re-read often.

I'm torn on this book. While it's a great book for those interested in raising rabbits for meat (not as pets), I am disappointed nonetheless. I had wanted to learn as much about raising rabbits on a homestead, mostly Angora rabbits for fiber, but there is scarcely a mention of fiber rabbits in this book. I am not offended that this book ISN'T about keeping pets - my animals work for me, and I could even one day see myself raising rabbits for meat. However, I hadn't expected it to be the SOLE focus of the book without even a chapter to another kind of rabbit keeper.In a nutshell, a simple expansion on the title to the book: "Raising Rabbits for Meat," would go a long, long way. It's really not a bad book - but clarification in the title would reduce the disappointment in those looking for a practical book on keeping rabbits as pets or for any other purpose, like mine. Since it's a homesteading book of sorts, a chapter (even a guest chapter, if the author doesn't have experience) in caring for Angoras would be immensely helpful.I rated this book low because Storey is mislabeling the book - under the title it says: "Breeds-Care-Housing". NOTHING about it being a meat animal book. Storey's Guides are usually the best (which is why I bought the book in the first place), but the title is misleading.On a side note, anyone who has a recommendation on a good book about Angoras, send it my way!UPDATE: ONE YEAR LATER (9/2012):This fall, after much deliberation, I decided to raise a few rabbits for meat. Knowing the book was heavily, if not entirely, focused on raising rabbits for meat, I turned to Bennet's Storey guide. It certainly holds up as a very good guide for choosing a meat breed, finding a breeder, learning about pedigrees, breeding does, kindling and even recipes for rabbit meat. I'd highly recommend it **if you're raising rabbits for meat.**Since slaughter is such a large part of raising meat rabbits, I wish the book had focused more on proper and humane slaughter and dressing of your rabbits. Overall, though, I think it's a great guide for raising meat rabbits.Still haven't found a good book on raising angora rabbits, so I've made it up as I've gone along. So far so good!

Can I just say how amazing this book is? I realize that sounds forced or programmed but it isn't. I have been wanting to do meat rabbits for a few years now. I have been talking to people who have them, reading online, doing everything I can to prepare myself. My husband, who is a avid hunter, kept shooting my idea down-- no pun intended. Finally, after a third year of rabbit hunting and coming home empty handed, he said, let's look into it. Well, id done all that. So after sharing everything I learned, we went to get rabbits and he was like a kid at Christmas. From there, my interest turned into a continious burst of excitement for him and me-- since I no longer had to do this alone, lol.No matter how much research and talking a person does, though, there are still things I have no clue about until they become an issue. That's when I went looking for a book.I've bought Storey books before and liked them but I still prepared myself to find a bunch of things out that I already knew. In fact, usually a book is filled more with "I already know that" than, " oh! I didn't know that!".This one wasn't like that at all. I mean, a few things I few but a wealth of info that I didn't. For example, I didn't know about Florida Whites and while I have no proof, I think a couple of rabbits I bought this past weekend who the owner said was New Zealand's, but after getting them home and seeing them compared to my NZ's and seeing how tiny they are compared to them, I am now wondering if they are FW's. Rare in my area-- if I can find them at all, I think it's possible people would confuse the two.Still unsure about those marbles to check a Doe and if she is pregnant, and if my Does took or not-- having to wait till they pull fur--this book gave me a few more ideas on how to tell.Not to mention Hutch ideas, watering examples, DISEASES and a ton of possibilities on making some money doing this-- pros and cons of both-- like Labs ( not doing but appreciate the info), selling fur and what fur sells best, seeking to commercial meat places verses processing myself and selling local -- well, I appreciated ALL of these!And the couple of recipes in the back-- wish there were more-- be sure to thank your wife for that!I'm sure this book will continue to be helpful and it's one of few I will never regret buying!!!!! Thank so much!

Storey calls itself “the best-selling animal raising series with more than 1.7 million copies sold” and after reading this book, I can see why that is the case. In less than 250 pages, the author covers just about every aspect of raising rabbits in a manner that is both engaging and educational. The author does not stop with just the basics but goes in-depth with diagrams and instructions on everything from building your own rabbit dressing station and rabbit carrier to an example Tan rating sheet and illustrations on how to do a rabbit manure hotbed. The feed guidelines and feeding supplement ideas were especially insightful.As a rabbit breeder that is still in the learning stage, I found many of the tips in this book to be very practical. Some of the ideas were even outside-the-box, innovative, and unique. Not content with just describing how to raise rabbits, the author also included a chapter of recipes and some information on the benefits of eating rabbit meat which is high in protein and low in calories. If there is a flaw in the book it is that the author tends to focus more on the breeding side than the meat side of rabbits. This does not distract much from the book as there is much helpful information in it and it covers each area of raising rabbits in detail. I can recommend this classic book as very helpful for both the rookie and the experienced rabbit raiser who may be looking for new ideas.

This book is NOT suitable for kind, mindful homesteaders who with to raise rabbits respectfully, as fellow creatures. I bought and greatly enjoyed the book on chickens in the same collection. I was actually very uncomfortable with the tone of this book, which might be technically accurate, but treats the rabbits as animated objects rather than living creatures. It might be suitable for people who believe that they are just commodities, fair enough, but I believe in fair treatment of animals, even when eventually for meat, pelts, etc... But with a decent treatment until then. The author praises wire cages exclusively (rabbits are seemingly too dumb to enjoy anything else - the author believes) the use of rabbits in medical research as a possible income, has no problem with the welfare abuse when it comes to angora farms, etc.. and gives accurate diagrams on how to force female rabbits to be mounted against their wish.. Not for me (- maybe for you - ) but not for me..

Almost everything I wanted to know about breeding rabbits for meat, with good information about light husbandry and showing too.

Very good. very care taken to explain difficulty in getting the wire used in UK.

Very useful handbook packed full of information and pictures, aimed at the novice rabbit keeper. I would recommend this book.

If you are starting or already into rabbit breeding, then this book is a must have! Very nicely written and full of usefull information.