funnybunnymummy wrote:
When you think about it, buying a rabbit from a pet shop is a really big gamble:
Every rabbit there is a "dwarf" or "dwarf cross." Theywon't tell you who the breeder is.They don't know when they were born, just that they're "three months old." And, unless you can sex a rabbit yourself,odds arethey'll sex the rabbitwrong. The buns aren't litter trained, they're not socialized, and they certainly aren't neutered (at least not at any of the pet stores/chains around here!). Plus, there's a very good chance the rabbits are already sick orhave other genetic defects (like bad teeth). And then they wantto charge you $50-65 + tax! (That's the same as the adoption fee at the SPCA and our local rabbit rescues!)
It's true, at a rescue,you may notget the rabbit's full history, like its exact age or breed (unless the rabbit was born at the rescue or was surrendered by a breeder), but you can be sure they've beentreated by a vet, socialized, litter trained, properly sexed and neutered.
I dosupport purchasing pet rabbits from reputable breeders.As has been mentioned upthread, healthy rabbits can be got from breeders (many reputable breeders even offer a health guarantee). They're often handled from birth, so are much better socialized than pet store rabbits. And as an added advantage, you'll know the rabbit's exact age and history. You'll just be responsible for things like litter training and neutering the rabbit yourself.
JMVHO
Rue
I dont mean to really single out just YOUR post, but you make a interesting point.
I am not sure how things run around all ya'll but where I got Poker and Vegas, the breeder was the manager....
Poker is a mix breed dwarf bunny, yes, and he was thin when I got him, the runt of the litter and bullied by his siblings in the cage...
But Vegas' breeder is the manager, she and her mother are on the ARBA list of rabbitries, and they supply only purebred bunnies (you must ask for any of its papers though)...
Both my bunnies were sexed correctly, and I triple checked to make sure..None of the rabbits at the store have been sick..and Poker and his 4 or 5 siblings were the only mixed breed bunnies there...
SO yeah, ALOT of pet stores sell sick and mixed breed bunnies, but there are also ALOT that take excellent care of the rabbit..
I am not dissing your point at all--you really do have a good statement..
But people are practically saying "oh no, all pet stores are bad.." and that is not true..
Now I dont know what everyone else has seen in their areas.So maybe thats how things are run where everyone else is..
I do know that I will never buy a petstore bunny again because I feel better rescuing from now on, but I cannot say that all petstores are bad places..I have seen one pet store that I posted about on here because of how upset I was with the care and treatment of the rabbits...And maybe thats what everyone else is seeing..
But maybe instead of saying that ALL pet stores are bad, lets get a point out there to say that there are many pet stores that we would rather not see selling any rabbits.
Also--at the pet store that I got the bunnies from--there are atleast 25 volunteers at different times of the day that come to let the bunnies out and walk with them on a leash around the store, and they get lots of love and attention.. They also have an absolutely beautiful bunny named Lucy that is a show bunny and a party bunny..
Again, I dont mean to pick on your post, but you just brought up a good statement.