Ethical breeding isn’t about aesthetics or marketing. It’s about purpose, honesty, and selection over time. Whether you’re buying rabbits for meat, breeding, show, or a working homestead, these standards protect both animals and buyers. First — an important reality check You cannot assess breeding quality in newborn rabbits. Period. At birth, you cannot evaluate: 🐇Type or structure 🐇Growth trajectory 🐇Shoulder set, width, or balance 🐇Depth, bone, or long-term efficiency Most of the groups I am in even have a ban on pre-selling or even listing newborns for sale for these exact reasons . Those traits do not become meaningfully visible until weeks later: 🐰Growth trends: minimum 6 weeks 🐰Overall type: 8+ weeks 🐰Shoulder set, width, balance: 12–14 weeks At the newborn stage, the only honest assessment is that kits are alive, nursing, and healthy. Advertising newborns as “breeding stock,” “fast-growing,” or “proven efficient producers” is misleading. Responsible breeders wait to evaluate before making claims. Marketing animals before they can be assessed isn’t professionalism — it’s salesmanship, and it sets buyers up for false expectations. If kits are being sold as meat grow-outs, say that. If they’re being held back for evaluation, say that. Presenting newborns as evaluated breeding animals crosses an ethical line. Good breeding programs are built on selection, not assumptions — and selection requires time. What Actually Makes a Reputable Breeder A responsible breeder: • posts pictures of the animals in a proper show pose with at least 3 angles for evaluation, and lists parents weights, even if you are selling meat stock a commercial pose allows the assessment of Hips, Loin, Shoulders, and Balance. A correct pose will be able to see faults like lack of depth, width, pinched, narrow or undercut. • Breeds with a clear purpose (meat, hide, show, working lines, or breed development), not to flood the pet market. • Culls animals appropriately rather than prolonging suffering or selling subpar stock.

We got 10-16 inches depending on the drifts

We got a tarp.

I currently have three (3) Senita starter trios available. Some of these trios include sport colors, which will require heavy culling in the next generation. These are not “plug-and-play” rabbits—they are foundation stock for breeders who understand selection. I am specifically looking for ARBA-registered breeders who are comfortable culling hard for meat performance, type, and color. Selection criteria for keepers from these litters: 🐰 Minimum 4 lb by 8 weeks 🐰 Short shoulders 🐰 Longer midsection 🐰 Good depth 🐰 Good width 🐰 Well-furred feet 🐰 Longer ears (Yes, this can make them look less deep—but ear length is intentional for Senita temperature regulation.) 🐰 Colors within standard targets: Brindle, blanket tricolor, or buckshot magpie Price: $300 per trio Project requirements: Please provide basic growth and production data (weights, colors produced, notable traits) on any rabbits you retain for breeding. Rabbits may not be sold live as “Senita” or with a Senita pedigree until they have been evaluated and approved by the project. This is a breed in development. I am intentionally avoiding the mistakes that turned projects like TAMUK—or worse, doodle-type free-for-alls—into marketing labels instead of breeds. A breed is built on a standard. A pedigree is a tracking tool, not proof of quality. My goal is to track core stock through a registered pedigree database with weights, colors produced, and noted faults, so we can identify strengths, weaknesses, and trends as the breed develops. If that sounds like how you already breed—or how you want to breed—reach out.

Some from the dark Japanese buck