How to Make Rabbit Fur Products

[velacreations]

We have a new instructable on how to tan and process rabbit furs.  In this example, we make a a rabbit fur hat.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-Rabbit-Fur-Hat-from-scratch/

Learn more about how we raise rabbits:
http://www.velacreations.com/food/animals/rabbits.html

[Morning Sunshine]

woh - I bet that is toasty warm.

[TraceA]

THAT IS AWESOME. What a great how-to link!

We recently started raising American Chinchilla Rabbits. Our first litter will be coming soon and tanning rabbits pelts is on my list of skill-sets I want to learn -- actually on my 18 y/o son's list, he wants to spearhead that project (though I'm sure we'll both learn together).

Rabbits are great, anyone considering them there are many advantages:
- the rabbit's ability to transform non human edible greens into lean healthy protein
- the rabbit manure is almost worth it alone if you're a gardener, the NPK make up is amazing
- and, of course, being able to use the pelts

Great post +1

[velacreations]

yeah, we love rabbits.  We've been raising them for a few years, now, and they fit well with our homestead.  We butchered almost 400 last year, and needless to say, that is a lot of pelts and manure!

We've been running the manure through a worm bed, and feeding extra worms to chickens.  It works pretty well.

We harvest lots of stuff for the rabbits through the year, including making hay from weeds.  Weeds like amaranth are really good for rabbits, and they can even eat tree trimmings (willow, poplar, mulberry, etc)

[velacreations]

As expected, we are getting a lot of negative feedback from animal rights activists on this article. While this doesn't surprise us, it is surprising as to how hateful some of these people are.

Some people get it, though, and that's who we wrote the article for!

Thanks for your support!

[TraceA]

Some people get it, though, and that's who we wrote the article for!

Thanks for your support!

We get it. Thanks for what you do.

[velacreations]

thank you!  we appreciate folks like you!

[Sunnylandcamper]

cant wait to make something out of fur i tanned.....thanks for the link.

[NWBowhunter]

Excellent instructable.. Really nice job on the hats.

[cheryl1]

We made lucky rabbits feet this year. The first batch turned out fine, but the second batch smelled and all the hair slipped off. Both were soaked in borax overnight and left out to dry. No idea why the second batch failed.

[rikkrack]

 

One of my 13 skills to wanted to stay up on developments.

[Cedar]

As expected, we are getting a lot of negative feedback from animal rights activists on this article.

Don't let them bother you. There are alot of ignornant people out there. No.. we don't kill the rabbit for its fur, we kill the rabbit so my child can have high quality food which was not raised in a battery cage and stuffed full of GMO and chemicals. I am going to eat meat.. do you want me to toss the hide in a hole in the ground or garbage, or use it and not waste it?

The people who I HAVE to just educate however, as the people who see me handspinning English Angora rabbit wool at the fairs and they say that we have to kill the rabbits for their hair. I then usually introduce them to the rabbit they did not even notice was a real rabbit and tell them she was still alive and happy. Then I talk to them about how they are plucked or sheared and then they went away with a new attitude. Often I will introduce the rabbit hide comment into the conversation as well. Most of them all think that rabbits are killed only for their fur. When I tell them the hides are just a by-product and why, most of them are much happier.

Cedar

[Nicodemus]

As expected, we are getting a lot of negative feedback from animal rights activists on this article. While this doesn't surprise us, it is surprising as to how hateful some of these people are.

Some people get it, though, and that's who we wrote the article for!

Thanks for your support!

Don't worry about those people. We understand what you're doing and have your back. I didn't see many problematic posts on the instructibles tutorial. Most folks seemed to appreciate it, evn the two vegans that commented.

[Waiting in the Weeds]

How thick are the pelts your using? Also whats the average age at harvest.  I've had several "experts" at rabbit raising tell me that the pelts are rather thin on 8-10 week harvests. A friend in France raises but he breeds roasters and they are about a year old at harvest.
Looking for more input and opinions. Also, don't pay the misinformed populace no mind. Your Instructable is a good one.

[velacreations]

It depends on what you need the pelts for.  We use them for handbags, hats, etc.  Mostly fine stuff.  And they work really well.  Yes, they are thinner than pelts at a few months, but the cost of raising them to that size doesn't work out for us, because the pelts at that size are not  significantly better (the cost is significantly more).

The best thing is to try yourself.