I am selling right now to a guy that comes to my house and is paying .75 cents a pound for 4 1/2-5 1/2 lb rabbits. My intention is to sell directly to the processer. Until I get into full operation it is not worth the 3 hour drive for 20 rabbits. I have also lined up a gentlemen that is willing to meet me 1/2 way and wants the rabbits for his snake business. I have found that snake enthuisist will pay up to $2.00 a lb for rabbits and dont care about being a specific weight. It would be nice if we could share what prices we are getting along with other ideas on how to help others get started. For example, I did searches on the internet for snake forums and looked for people in my area and emailed them that I would be willing to sell rabbits and would also deliver. So far I have only 1 guy lined up but am going to keep pusing that avenue also.

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), January 19, 2002

Answers

Tracy... it's true that the snake owners don't much care about the weights, but they DO care about the SIZE of the rabbits! Like rabbits, snakes also come in a wide variety of sizes... and they, too, can grow. Usually, the snake owner has to put his hands around the mid-section of the rabbit in order to judge the circumference for the snake's mouth. If the rabbit is too large, the snake can't eat it. Snakes can be picky... they want their food whole (i.e., not cut up).

I had developed a fairly large clientele of snake owners, which means "repeat customers" every two weeks. About 3 of them required 10-lb. rabbits... HUGE snakes! Most, however, require 3 to 5 lb. rabbits. Up until about the 2 lb. feeder size, the pet snakes are usually fed rats and mice. After 2 lbs., it becomes too expensive and that's when they turn to rabbits.

Pat Lamar

-- Pat Lamar (fuzyfarm@3-cities.com), January 19, 2002.