Pet store rabbits as food?

Question

I suppose some people won't like this, but is it okay to eat pet store rabbits? Are there diseases that are common in pet store rabbits that you don't find in wild ones? I know people raise chickens for food, could you do the same with rabbits? Do you need a permit?

Answer 1

poor bunnies :(

but i think they arent the same as wild rabbits

Answer 2

I love bunnies, so I hate to answer this, but if I were you, I would purchase from a breeder, I would also get an older bunny, that's bigger, probably a Himalayan, or Californian.

No, you don't need a permet, unless your selling it as food, then I believe you would, but if it's just for you and your family, no.

Answer 3

Lots of people raise rabbits for food.  There are many breeds of rabbit originally bred to raise large litters and get to market size quickly.

The rabbits in pet stores are probably not the best breeding stock to get started with and you probably don't want to eat one since some pet stores routinely put antibiotics in their water.

Try looking for breeder here:

http://www.newzealandrabbitclub.com/

http://www.nationalcalclub.com/

http://www.asrba.com/

These are three of the main meat breed rabbits although there are many more.  Find a local breeder in your area and he or she can probably provide you with breeding stock as well as fryers for meat.

Answer 4

i think it would be really mean to eat a rabbit in the first place because the rabbit thinks its going to a good loving home and then you eat it i know a rabbit that is a good pet and some people eat it although its mean its called a new zeland rabbit but i would not recommend eating it they are to nice to be eating so please don't eat any rabbit!

Answer 5

I used to raise New Zealand Reds for meat. They are a medium sized meat rabbit. Flemish Giants get real big (more than 20 lbs. for adults), but you kill them when they are fryers, about 3-4 months old. There are good books and web sites devoted to raising meat rabbits. The pet store variety would be too small and not very meaty. They are more about their pretty fur and being cute.