I embarked on a journey into the rabbit world some 15 years ago. I could not have imagined then how long and often difficult a journey it would be. It all began with a child and a 4-H club and a person who had too many rabbits. Seven little rabbits of unknow breed soon showed up at our house. This was my entry in to rabbits some 16 years ago.
We raised up the 7 little rabbits having no idea what we were doing.
We learned along the way. Out of the 7 little mixed breed rabbits one seemed to have problems. But he(we found this out later that he was indeed a boy) hung in there. He soon aquired the name Runt as he was the smallest of the 7. It was from this modest begining we got our start. We soon learned there was a thing called American Rabbit Breeders Association(ARBA)we also learned there was a state club so we joined the Iowa State Rabbit Breeders and we joined the Cedar Rapids Rabbit Breeders which is a local club..
Through ARBA we found out about a new breed of rabbit called the American Fuzzy Lop. We ordered a trio 3 rabbits 1 male(buck) and 2 female(does). We were told they were not yet accepted by ARBA but they should be at the next ARBA Convention. They were and we were indeed on our way into the rabbit world. Our Fuzzy Lops flew in from Califorina to Iowa and we had our first pedigreed rabbits. We learned more about care and feeding of the rabbits. We also learned there were rabbit shows so off we went to our first show. We had no idea what to do but with the help of the people in charge of the show we soon learned. As the kids grew older they decided they would like their own breeds. So the FuzzyLops became my rabbits. Since the start into the rabbit world with our mixed breed rabbits we have gone on at one time or another to have many purbred rabbits. We have had Florida Whites, New Zealands, English Lops, French Lops, Mini Lops, Fuzzy Lops, Velveteen Lops, Holland Lops, Harlequins, Mini Rex, English Spots, Netherland Dwarfs, Flemish Giants and Polish. The kids out grew the rabbits but I stayed with them. At one time I was District Director of the Fuzzy Lop Club and even went to the Fuzzy Lop Nationals. I no longer have the Fuzzy Lops I decided I wanted my own breed if I was the only one out of our family left on this journey in to the rabbit world. I now have Holland Lops and Polish.
So this was the start of a rabbit mom's journey from rabbit helper to breeder owner. I am now entrenched in the wonderful world of rabbits. I belong to the ARBA and several other rabbit clubs and I am the webmaster for the Iowa State Rabbit Breeders Association as well as the Cedar Rapids Rabbit Breeders,I am Vice President of the Cedar Rapids Rabbit Breeders.I have learned alot and am still learning. I enjoy the friends I have made and the people involved with this crazy rabbit world. Well that is how I got my start maybe it is a story like other rabbit people out there. It all starts with 1 child, 4-H and 1 rabbit.
