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Rabbit 4-H Project Area

The 4-H Rabbit project area consists of three project manuals. Each manual covers three years of activities. Four 4-H Rabbit Project Manuals from Shop4H
  • What’s Hoppening? (Rabbit 1) covers identifying breeds, handling and showing rabbits, identifying rabbit parts and equipment, recognizing a healthy rabbit, reading a pedigree and kindling a litter.
  • In Making Tracks (Rabbit 2) you will learn to recognize body types, judge and show rabbits, tattoo a rabbit, keep records, identify diseases, administer medication, record growth rates and market products.
  • In All Ears (Rabbit 3) you will develop a breeding program, design a rabbitry, cull based on production, prevent diseases, develop sportsmanship and develop a marketing plan.

If a member completes the 9 years of project manuals, they can work with their county Extension professionals to determine their learning opportunities for their remaining 4-H years.

Scoresheets

Each year, 4-H members should complete 7 activities in the project manual as well as the planning pages at the beginning of the manual.

There are not separate documents with the scoresheets for rabbit project series.  Scoresheets can be located inside the Breeding and Market Record Guides on page 2 or in the Pet Record Guide on page 13.

Record Guides

Youth who has selected a Rabbit 4-H project typically are raising an animal as part of their project work.  A project record guide is part of the animal science project experience.  If you enroll with an animal, you will need to select the Breeding Livestock Record Guide (4-H Breeding Rabbit), Market Livestock Record Guide (4-H Market Rabbit), or 4-H Pet Record Guide to accompany this project. Record guides are available in both a print and electronic format.

Paper Record Guides

Animal Science Record Guide

Market Livestock Record Guides (ages based on Jan 1st of current 4-H year)

Breeding Livestock Record Guides (ages based on Jan 1st of current 4-H year)

Supplemental Sheet for the Breeding Livestock Record Guides

For most species, the supplement records are lifetime production records, so the 4-H member updates these each year that an animal is a part of their project. Members will need to complete a supplement sheet for each animal included in their record guide. These supplement records will be available online only.

Electronic Record Guides

Rabbit-less Rabbit Project

If you enroll in this project area without an animal, check with your local Extension professional for approval and guidelines.

Exhibit Ideas

  • Most youth in this project area will exhibit an animal at a livestock show or 4-H pet show.
  • Poster, Story, and/or Model on one of the following topics: identifying breeds, handling and showing rabbits, identifying rabbit parts and equipment, recognizing a healthy rabbit, reading a pedigree, and kindling a litter, pet selection, pet art, pet communication, handling, housing, or daily needs.

  • Examples of Blue Ribbon Exhibits

How Do I Sign Up?

Screenshot of 4-H ZSuite enrollment page to select project

The first step is to create an enrollment in our ZSuite website.

Enroll in 4-H ZSuite

When you get to the CLUBS tab of the enrollment, you will want to ADD PROJECT.


For Rabbit, you should search for:

  • RECORD GUIDE - BREEDING LIVESTOCK / BREEDING RABBIT YEAR 1 - WHAT'S HOPPENING?
  • RECORD GUIDE - MARKET LIVESTOCK / MARKET RABBIT YEAR 1 - WHAT'S HOPPENING?
  • RECORD GUIDE - PET /  RABBIT YEAR 1 - WHAT'S HOPPENING?

Project Videos

WVU Extension professionals discuss the What's Hoppening? (Rabbit 1) 4-H project book expectations and go over some rabbit activities from the project manual.

Related Events & Camps

No events available at this time.

Animal Health & Quality Assurance (AH&QA)

Youth exhibitors required to complete the online quality assurance training must do so starting April 1st and no later than June 30th in order to exhibit at any fair, festival or show taking place the remainder of that calendar year in West Virginia.

College & Career Pathways

Vet showing students how to examine a dog

Pre-Veterinary

WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

WVU Potomac State College - 2 year program

The bachelor of science program in Animal and Nutritional Sciences, is designed to provide students with the academic requirements for entry into professional schools or colleges of veterinary medicine.

Careers

  • Veterinarian
  • Medical Doctor
  • Dentist
  • Medical research
Pre-Veterinary Major Information
Student in WVU t-shirt posing with a horse at a farm

Animal & Nutritional Sciences

WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

WVU Potomac State College - 2 year program (Animal Science)

So, you love animals but don’t want to be a veterinarian. The bachelor of science in agriculture in animal and nutritional sciences is for you. 

Careers

  • Agricultural production
  • Agribusiness Management
  • Animal and food science sales
  • Research and development
  • Animal pharmaceutical sales
Animal & Nutrition Sciences Major Information
Ag. Ed student teaching FFA members

Agricultural & Extension Education

WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

WVU Potomac State College - 2 year program

Agriculture remains an important component of educational programs across the U.S., and the Davis College prepares students for a variety of careers in the field.

Careers

  • Agriculture teaching
  • Extension agent
  • Production and technical agriculture teaching
  • Professional employment in government, industry or entrepreneurship
Agricultural & Extension Education Major Information
Student in the barn with produce

Agribusiness Management

WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

WVU Potomac State College - 2 year program

The general agricultural economics area or concentration provides a basic background for a variety of careers related to agriculture.

Careers

  • Agricultural business manager
  • Farm loan officer
  • Purchasing agent
  • Grain merchandiser
  • Agricultural marketing specialist
  • Government inspector
  • Farm equipment sales/service rep
  • Commodity broker
  • Financial consultant
  • Credit loan officer
  • Agricultural chemical sales
  • Dairy plant manager
Agribusiness Management major Information
A Potomac State College student works with an animal.

Potomac State College

Pre-Veterinary Medicine
Agribusiness Management
Agriculture & Extension Education
Animal Science

Potomac State College Two Year Majors