What to name it?

Nope, this isn't about Fluffy or Sir Sprays a Lot the III- it's about what comes BEFORE the name of the rabbit- the Prefix!

Generally, it's not a big deal. I take my buck, my doe, breed them together and my litter gets the prefix Keep's.

Duh. :).

What happens when the situation is more complicated? What if I breed a doe you've bought from me (which I don't do, but we're going hypothetical here). Who gets the prefix?

What a sticky question. First of all, I highly recommend letting the person know beforehand your preference and only do it for folks you know well. I also recommend that if someone does this for you, to abide by their wishes.

Some breeders will want their prefix on the litter. After all, they own both parents and are doing you a favor.

Others don't want their name on it at all- they don't know how the babies will turn out and don't want people buying a "Keep's" rabbit as a show animal that might not make Keep's Show Animal Standards.

Still others are happy to do a split litter- I'll call my pick Keep's, and you can put your name on the rest.

There is still one more option. You can always do a split prefix- Keep's/Friend's Fred.

I want to stress, I do NOT feel that it is up to the buyer to choose which option is right. I think it should be the decision of the person who sold the bred doe and once it's decided, that's it. Sellers, you can't say "Oh no, name them your prefix" to your buyers and when the litter turns out to be gorgeous, suddenly want it only your name.

If you purchase a bred animal and the seller didn't state their wishes, just ask! It's much better than to have a misunderstanding arise and cause a strain in a friendship.


The same rules *basically* apply for borrowing a buck- some folks do it by whoever owns the buck. When my friend and I would trade off holland breedings, we played it by whoever owned the doe. It's really just up to you and the other person to decide what works best for you!

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry