Where should I get a bunny?

Question
Hi,

I am disabled and in a wheelchair.  I live with my sister and we have spent the past several months reading about pets and how to take care of them so I can have someone to talk to while she is at work during the day.  We decided a pet bunny is what we are going to get.  We have quarted off a section of our house and made it compleately bunnie proofed as they called it.  With no chords and no plants or anything that it can get hurt on.  We are ready for our friend to come home. We have studied up on everthing there is to know and I felt quite confident that I will now have a day time companion.  But now I just need to know where to get one.  We don't have a house bunny society around here.  If we do they aren't in the phone book so what do we do?

I read your profile and you said you hated pet stores?  We were going to buy one from a pet store, is there a reason why we shouldn't?  Can you please tell us where to go to find a rabbit.  I am very discouraged that we spent all this time and now I don't think there are any around here, except the ones at the pet stores.

Thank you for your help.  Dru

Answer
Hello Dru,

Oh what a great idea for you a pet rabbit, I think you have made a great choice.  I will answer your question in a second but I want you to know first that not all bunnies liked to be picked up.  Some of them like to be petted and played with but not picked up so just be aware of this up front.

Now the pet store dilemma!  Many of the clients we see in my hospital were purchased from pet stores.  Baby rabbits (kits) aren't supposed to be taken away from their mother until they are at least 8 weeks old.  Some of our patients were taken away from their mommies way to early and were sold to pet stores.  The store owners weren't responsible enough to make sure that the rabbits were properly weaned and healthy.  They were only interested in making a profit and the babies taken away to early usually end up so sick that they have life long health problems if they live at all.  I have done many experiments at pet stores.  I have gone in acting like I was interested in buying a baby rabbit.  I will ask the sex and probably 50 - 60 % of the time they are wrong.  Recently I went into a pet store and saw a sign that said 8 week old mini-rex rabbits.  Well I knew something was wrong so I asked the clerk.  I said these babies are only 8 weeks old and she said yes.  I said well they look awful big how big will they be, she said they won't get to be more than 5 pounds.  The babies were at least 4 pounds at that point.  I finally told her, I said listen, you can't advertise these as mini rex rabbits.. First they don't have rex fur, 2nd they are already the size of a full grown mini rex at 8 weeks and 3rd -- they have the ears and body types of Flemish giants.  She got angry with me and said "well I just go by what the breeder tells me and walked away".  How very sad, someone is going to buy those rabbits and end up with a 15 pound bunny in a few months, thinking they are getting a 5 pound bunny.

Now where to get a rabbit.. As much as I despise the House Rabbit Societies antics and anti-breeder agenda I honestly think they might be able to help you.  I can't believe I am saying this to tell you the truth but I guess it just proves that there can be a middle ground after all.  The reason I think they can help you is because they will set up dates at your house for you to meet your bunny, your rabbit will come from a foster home where hopefully it will already be trained, and they know the rabbits well enough to know which one would be a perfect match for you.  They come to you!!! That is the good part.

This is the web address for the location of the shelters

http://www.rabbit.org/adoption/index.html

there main web site is

www.rabbit.org

Ok now.. If this doesn't work for you my next suggestion.. is to find a breeder near you.  You say there are no breeders's near you but believe me I am sure there are they are every where.  Find one even 2 hours from you and I bet after you talk to them they might even be willing to make the drive to bring your new friend to you, I love most rabbit breeders they are some of the nicest people I have ever met and most of them know more about rabbits than our vets do.  Everyone thinks that buying from a breeder is going to cost a fortune.  This is not true.  A breeder is not going to sell his/her best show stock of course, otherwise what would be the point. Each litter that is born there are always a few kits that are missing a spot here or there or just don't quite fit the standard of perfection.  So what do breeder's do?? They cull!! That means they get rid of the stock that isn't up to standard, some sell them as pets, some give them away, some eat them... and some do other much worse things.  But here is my point... If you find a breeder somewhere near you and you tell them you want a pet rabbit and tell them why like you told me... I guarantee that if they have anything they will probably just give it to you.  Tell them you would prefer something younger but it doesn't have to be a baby.  A 2 or 3 year old rabbit can still be trained believe it or not, of course anything under 6 months is going to be much easier to train.

Ok to find a breeder you can either just search the web, type in your state, or city, and rabbitry and see what comes up.  Your bound to get a hit somewhere.  If you find any breeder's webpage at all in your surrounding area e-mail them.. if they don't have anything I can guarantee they know someone else maybe even closer to you that does

Here is the national breeder's directory website, it is hard to navigate but basically go to breed gallery, pick any breed and once that link comes up hit the little teeny tiny [breeders] link on the top.  

http://www.rabbitandcavydirectory.com/index.htm

Remember there is always the option of a humane society or SPCA, and watch the papers.. sometimes people move and need to get rid of their beloved bun bun and the good thing about that is it would already be trained.

Goodluck to you Dru.. feel free to ask me anything else you need to know.  Sorry I talk to much but I felt a lot needed to be covered here.  God bless you love for adopting a bunny, I think the 2 of you are going to be so happy.  I just wish you lived near me, I would bring you one over myself.

Also if you have trouble with anything pertaining to the House Rabbit Society site I recommend you ask Lee Meyer (another expert), Him and I don't see eye to eye on most things but he is definately an expert on the House Rabbit Society.

You have a great day

Sincerely,

Pam Enve

(Please don't forget to fill out the feedback form for me)