# Rabbit fat?



## BeeButter (Aug 9, 2015)

My husband raises rabbits for meat and he's been saving the fat for me in the freezer. Has anyone ever used it in soap before? If so, how did it behave? What qualities did you notice?


----------



## Obsidian (Aug 9, 2015)

I've not personally used but I've read on another forum about it being used. I would love to try it someday but at this point I have no access to any. 

I would start with a lower amount, maybe 25%, see how behaves. alternately, if you have a good quantity, you could do a small batch of 100%.


----------



## BeeButter (Aug 9, 2015)

Thanks for the advice! I'll have to just dive in and try it. I'll post my results so other people interested can have a better idea what it will do.


----------



## Obsidian (Aug 9, 2015)

Yes, please do. I've particularly wondered about the hardness of soft fats like rabbit or chicken.


----------



## kchaystack (Aug 9, 2015)

I hope Relle misses this thread!


----------



## TeresaT (Aug 9, 2015)

kchaystack said:


> I hope Relle misses this thread!



Wiping coffee off the screen!!


----------



## Relle (Aug 10, 2015)

I didn't :thumbdown:, cruel, we don't talk of such things in our household.:silent:


----------



## sudsy_kiwi (Aug 10, 2015)

Must take quite a few rabbits to get enough fat to soap with...I used to raise and eat them and they were very lean (and delicious..._mmmm, drools Homer-Simpson-style_).  Unfortunately, the house I'm now in is completely impractical for keeping them, and I miss those cute, tasty wee buggers


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Aug 10, 2015)

Relle said:


> I didn't :thumbdown:, cruel, we don't talk of such things in our household.:silent:




Only when they misbehave?


----------



## nsmar4211 (Aug 10, 2015)

I was going to ask exactly how long it'll take to get enough rabbit fat for a batch of soap. One of my 4H projects was rabbits, and there's not much fat on them at all. Actually, I don't remember more than say a tablespoon? It's actually an issue with people who were forced to live on wild rabbits, not enough fat in them! 

Found a few things, the first one go to table 7.3 and maybe you can guess at the properties compared to the other fats?

https://books.google.com/books?id=7...ger#v=onepage&q=rabbit fat properties&f=false


https://books.google.com/books?id=f...ger#v=onepage&q=rabbit fat properties&f=false

http://www.tankonyvtar.hu/en/tartalom/tamop425/0059_nutrition_of_the_rabbit/ch12.html


----------



## cmzaha (Aug 10, 2015)

BeeButter said:


> My husband raises rabbits for meat and he's been saving the fat for me in the freezer. Has anyone ever used it in soap before? If so, how did it behave? What qualities did you notice?


How lucky you are. I would love to get hold of rabbits for meat, my mom loves rabbit and I just cannot find it anymore. Would love to surprise her with a bunny dinner. Yummy


----------



## BeeButter (Aug 10, 2015)

Cmzaha, if I was near you I would gladly sell you some rabbits  They are very good and we only raise ours on organic feed and occasional greens.

Thanks to all for their input!


----------



## tbeck3579 (Aug 10, 2015)

BeeButter said:


> Cmzaha, if I was near you I would gladly sell you some rabbits  They are very good and we only raise ours on organic feed and occasional greens.
> 
> Thanks to all for their input!



Do you raise them for your meat only or do you sell them?  I was at the processing plant in Aurthur IL (Amish) getting my chickens processed.  I thought it was for poultry only (FDA processing plant)  but there was a man unloading at least 100 rabbits to be processed.  I was surprised there was still a demand for rabbits.  Where I get my chickens processed is a very good facility -- humane -- they have all the equipment to do it efficiently and quickly.  Much better than trying to do it myself.
http://www.soapmakingforum.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/


----------



## BeeButter (Aug 10, 2015)

Tbeck,

We have traded rabbit with friends for different things but we have not actually sold them. We only have 12 rabbits at the moment. My husband got into raising rabbits because the cost of organic meat in the stores is very expensive and we like knowing where our food comes from and how it's been treated. We also have chickens for eggs, guineas for tick control, and bees for honey.


----------



## TeresaT (Aug 10, 2015)

I heard guineas make great watch fowl. When I lived in TX, a friend had a few of them.  He said they raised the alarm sooner than his dogs did when foxes and coyotes were wandering too close.  (I wondered if he had a baby monitor in the chicken coop.)


----------



## tbeck3579 (Aug 10, 2015)

BeeButter said:


> Tbeck,
> 
> We have traded rabbit with friends for different things but we have not actually sold them. We only have 12 rabbits at the moment. My husband got into raising rabbits because the cost of organic meat in the stores is very expensive and we like knowing where our food comes from and how it's been treated. We also have chickens for eggs, guineas for tick control, and bees for honey.


 
We also have hives. With a name like "BeeButter" I thought you may have bees. I lost a hive a few years ago and was worried we would lose them all. Colony Collapse is such a problem -- they really should rename it to "GMO Annihilation". I get a little frustrated with my neighbor. I've asked politely to please inform me when he's spraying the fields, and I am on the official Watch List. Still, I am never informed so I can keep the bees in the hive for the day. I'm tempted to report his butt, but they are my neighbor and will always be my neighbor. If he gets his pesticide permit pulled for not providing me with that information I'm afraid it will be an all out war so I keep my mouth shut.



TeresaT said:


> I heard guineas make great watch fowl. When I lived in TX, a friend had a few of them. He said they raised the alarm sooner than his dogs did when foxes and coyotes were wandering too close. (I wondered if he had a baby monitor in the chicken coop.)


 
I had a family of foxes move in during the winter, under the Crib. Everyone thinks "oh they are so cute." Well, sorry, not me. They would start their weird little high-pitched screechy barking in the middle of night and wake me up -- grrr. I didn't invite them to dinner everyday, all day. Then to keep me up all night was just ungrateful. I seriously considered a fur coat :lolno: . The 6 little babies were cute but who can afford to have their flock destroyed by rodents? I need my food. I get hungry, and that makes my needs greater. They sure don't mind killing for their food!!! The dogs have convinced them to move on to less stressful living conditions, thankfully.


----------



## BeeButter (Aug 11, 2015)

Tbeck, 

That is so true and sad . I love our bees! This is only our second year with them but they are thriving and doing well! We do have hive beetles that are such a nuisance but we have traps for them. We live in a very private setting in the woods at least a mile in, so no neighbors for us! Maybe try giving your neighbor some honey with a sweet little note from "the bees" about the pesticides making them sick and how they need to stay indoors for the day. Tasting how good fresh honey is might change their minds and make them want to inform you. Best of luck!

Teresa T,

Guineas are wonderful at raising the alarm, no monitor necessary. They are quite noisey when they are startled or scared of something. They sound the alarm when UPS comes to our house, lol! They also roost very close to our home so we can hear them if something is wrong.


----------



## Stacy (Aug 11, 2015)

A quick Google got me this, but I have no idea of the accuracy, I use vegetable fats.

SAP for 'exotic' Tallows & Animal Oils: 
Bear: .139
Deer .1379
Goat: .1383
Horse: .141
Human: .1403
Rabbit: .143
Sheep: .1383         

From http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/country-homemaking/soapmaking/287130-rabbit-tallow.html

And a conversation about rabbit fat in soap here: http://rabbittalk.com/soap-making-t23424.html

ETA: Wow i didn't even notice human fat in that list until I posted  it....well if anyone has aspirations to be the next Tyler Durden, there  ya go!


----------



## BeeButter (Aug 11, 2015)

Stacy, Thank you for your links! They are much appreciated


----------



## vyadha (Nov 14, 2015)

A few months late but I thought I could add a bit as I slaughter the rabbits that a few of my friends raise.

We just slaughtered 11 on Friday ranging from 16 weeks to 1 year old. After cleaning the "leaf fat" and trimming the fat from between the shoulders we came up with 425 grams of fat.

Domestic rabbits, depending on the breed, can have a decent amount of fat on them if they are a bit older, 8 months or so. Also, when they get around this age they tend to have very nice hides for tanning.

I decided to wet render it because that what I do with most of the animals I process. After 2 rounds of wet rendering I ended up with 390grams of very soft lard. Softer than regular pork lard. Once refrigerated it was similar to bear grease.

The last batch of rabbit soap I made was 80% rabbit and 20% coconut with 5% SF. I liked it and couldn't tell a difference between my lard soaps.

This batch will be 50% deer tallow, 35% rabbit lard and 15% coconut.


----------



## BeeButter (Nov 14, 2015)

Thanks for sharing! That is very helpful!  Our rabbit fat is still in my freezer. Hoping to make a batch with it soon


----------



## vyadha (Nov 14, 2015)

You're welcome! Have fun with it.


----------



## mymy (Nov 14, 2015)

it's fun to see everyone is making soap by using animal fats.  i would like to try too, but it's super hard to find animal fats from my place.  sigh.


----------



## vyadha (Nov 14, 2015)

Where are you located? I have lots of goat and deer tallow on hand and throughout the year I tend to have bear and wild pig in large quantities also.

PM me your info and maybe we can work something out.


----------

