Silver Fox is primarily a meat and show breed. They are docile enough to be pet breed, but most people do not want such large rabbits as pets, just because it is a lot of rabbit to handle. Still there are some breeders that have a pet breeder mindset when it comes to selling them. Here is a simple list to know with which kind of seller you may be dealing, which is helpful when you are new to rabbits!
Let's start with the simplest first and move on to the most complicated.
Silver Fox Meat/Fur Breeder Sale: Cash, bun...done!
Basically, that is it. No muss, no fuss. Both seller and buyer agree where and when to meet and buyer is expected to have cash in hand. The rabbit can be any quality and age after weaning or state laws (usually 8 weeks old and up). There may be a pedigree involved or not.
Silver Fox Show Breeder Sale: Discerning
Typically, show breeders only want to sell rabbits that have good qualities—although not perfect, but have no disqualifying traits—and show buyers want to buy good quality rabbits from show breeders that are winners. The rabbits are usually assessed at an older age, between 10 to 16 weeks to determine if they are to be kept, culled, or sold. Rabbits sold are usually not the breeder's best, but of a good quality that could help out another breeder's lines. Show breeders may require a deposit, but usually after it has been decided that the rabbit is worth selling but not needed in their own program. Some show breeders have two selling prices, one with the pedigree and one without.
Typically, show breeders only want to sell rabbits that have good qualities—although not perfect, but have no disqualifying traits—and show buyers want to buy good quality rabbits from show breeders that are winners. The rabbits are usually assessed at an older age, between 10 to 16 weeks to determine if they are to be kept, culled, or sold. Rabbits sold are usually not the breeder's best, but of a good quality that could help out another breeder's lines. Show breeders may require a deposit, but usually after it has been decided that the rabbit is worth selling but not needed in their own program. Some show breeders have two selling prices, one with the pedigree and one without.
Silver Fox Pet Breeder Sale: Early Deposits
Although there are far few Silver Fox pet breeders, they usually have the most conditions in their sales contracts and may start taking deposits from before the kit is born to anytime after, but more likely after the kits have survived the first two weeks of their lives. The pet seller usually tries to sell every rabbit, regardless of its quality. Most have some kind of conditions regarding the pedigree if they feel the rabbit is not show worthy, but a person buying a pet would not need a pedigree.
Then there are the combinations!
Some Silver Fox show breeders may also sell as a meat/fur breeder.
Some Silver Fox show breeders may sell as a pet breeder.
Some Silver Fox pet breeders may sell to a meat/fur breeder without a sales contact.
Some Silver Fox breeders do all three, depending on the situation!
Personally, I am a show breeder and meat/fur breeder, who is not against selling a soft cull to a meat/fur breeder, especially one that is crossbreeding just for meat (I still was one of those just last year myself).
Pet sales...? Definitely not my thing and I will not buy from any breeder who lines up hopeful buyers and take deposits on rabbits too young to get an idea of their potential. I am not saying I would never sell a Silver Fox that was meant to be primarily a pet, but I would not offer one unless it was particularly small, sweet, and under the minimum weight at least, and that sale would be handled as a meat/fur sale.
I am not particularly fond of sales contracts either...maybe because I like the simplicity of cash at the time of sale that I enjoyed from the meat/fur sales.
I used to not withhold pedigrees regardless of whether the buyer needed them or not, because so many of the Silver Fox lines were closely related in our area, but that has been changing for the better now, so I have changed my policy. My soft cull rabbits sold to meat breeders are without a pedigree and it is not an option to be pedigreed with a higher fee, as some breeders do.
Lastly, I will not accept deposits. Sellers think it protects them, but in reality it causes more harm to their reputation when a deal falls apart than it is worth to me. Sell me the rabbit or do not, but I am not into rabbit lay-away plans.
Then there are the combinations!
Some Silver Fox show breeders may also sell as a meat/fur breeder.
Some Silver Fox show breeders may sell as a pet breeder.
Some Silver Fox pet breeders may sell to a meat/fur breeder without a sales contact.
Some Silver Fox breeders do all three, depending on the situation!
Personally, I am a show breeder and meat/fur breeder, who is not against selling a soft cull to a meat/fur breeder, especially one that is crossbreeding just for meat (I still was one of those just last year myself).
Pet sales...? Definitely not my thing and I will not buy from any breeder who lines up hopeful buyers and take deposits on rabbits too young to get an idea of their potential. I am not saying I would never sell a Silver Fox that was meant to be primarily a pet, but I would not offer one unless it was particularly small, sweet, and under the minimum weight at least, and that sale would be handled as a meat/fur sale.
I am not particularly fond of sales contracts either...maybe because I like the simplicity of cash at the time of sale that I enjoyed from the meat/fur sales.
I used to not withhold pedigrees regardless of whether the buyer needed them or not, because so many of the Silver Fox lines were closely related in our area, but that has been changing for the better now, so I have changed my policy. My soft cull rabbits sold to meat breeders are without a pedigree and it is not an option to be pedigreed with a higher fee, as some breeders do.
Lastly, I will not accept deposits. Sellers think it protects them, but in reality it causes more harm to their reputation when a deal falls apart than it is worth to me. Sell me the rabbit or do not, but I am not into rabbit lay-away plans.