At what age will you "reserve" a rabbit for someone...?

[TinysMom]

I have a situation that I'm not sure how to handle. Its sort of my own fault..

I posted about my oldest litter of rabbits on hoobly.com and have sold some of them already. I've had someone contact me about them and I mentioned that I have one left - plus a litter of flemish mixes - plus Nyx's litter (born 3/11) in the nestbox.

Now as a breeder - my philosophy has been (and will continue to be) to not buy a rabbit before 8 weeks - and sometimes 12 weeks. I want to see how that rabbit is going to develop - I can't buy on the "cuteness" factor - and let's face it - sometimes you can see type by maybe 6 weeks or so - but unless you're really experienced - it takes time to let those babies mature.

So my problem is - these people would like pictures of the latest litter (born 3/11). I can tell you already that 3 of the 7 will be going for sure as I can tell I don't want to keep them due to lack of big bone. (The bone isn't fine - it just isn't as big as the littermates).

But I don't feel comfortable "reserving" a rabbit at this age. What if the rabbit doesn't make it through weaning? What if I look at that rabbit at 8 weeks and go "wow - you shocked me....you're worth keeping for this part of your body that I really need...".

Know what I mean?

I am just not sure how to handle this. I am thinking I'll send photos and tell them that I will probably have X available but I don't know which ones at this time and I may not know until they're up to 12 weeks old on some of them.

HELP?


P.S. Am I the only breeder who won't buy a baby until you see how it has developed? I had someone tell me I should go ahead and buy a baby cause it was from "X" bloodlines...but the baby was like 20 days old and there was no way I was going to reserve it at that age (when I went looking for hollands).

 

[elrohwen]

I'm not a breeder, but I think it's perfectly reasonable to say "I don't know which ones I'm keeping, but these ones will likely be for sale." Since those people contacted you first, I would let them get first choice (out of the ones you want to sell) when the rabbits are old enough to go home. If you want to take a deposit to hold one, you can just say "They will likely be $X, so I'd like half of that as a deposit. The price may change as they mature and I will refund your deposit if you decide you aren't willing to pay at the new price." or something.

 

[missyscove]

Yeah, as a non-breeder I agree, I'd send them pictures and say they can have first pick of whatever ones you decide will be available. If I understand correctly, your litter is all the same color and if they're looking for a pet, chances are they aren't going to be looking at subtleties in bone structure and I'd like to think their decision will be more based on personality and perhaps gender.
I mean, I realize that there are differences, but honestly if you took a picture of one of your kits at a week old and sent me a different 12 week old kit, I'd probably have no idea, as long as they were the same color, you know?

 

[bunnybunbunb]

I let people call dibs on a litter, like they get second pick. So By such and such age I pinpoint who I want based on how they are doing and then narrow down the babies that best fit what they want. I let them know if I plan to keep any, which is mostly always, and I can decide to keep any of them. They can say I want "That one" and I will tell them "You can have that one if I decide to sell it". Just make it clear nothing is for sure but they will be first to know if it is going to be available.

Mumbly, bumbly, rambling.

 

[TinysMom]

Thanks - I guess I'm just...in shock at the idea of taking reservations when they're only 6 weeks old. (Now to get photos of them).

I guess what throws me is that as a breeder - I can only think of one litter I would do that with (and I have done that with a litter from Juan Perez and told him if he breeds doe X with buck Y - I would like first chance at the litter for what he doesn't keep because those two animals are awesome compared to what I can get here).

Oh well - off to answer their email.

 

[elrohwen]

Is it someone looking for a pet?

When I got my holland from a breeder I just told her I wanted a broken male. I was supposed to get first pick of broken males, but somehow someone else got to pick first ... but I didn't really care because I just wanted a pet. What he looked like wasn't that important as long as he was cute :-D

Now for a show bunny, I agree that I wouldn't be putting down deposits on bunnies that I hadn't even seen in person yet.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I would tell them that they can have first pick of the litter (after you of course), but you won't reserve a specific rabbit until a certain age so you can see how they develop.
Personally, I would avoid having someone reserve a specific rabbit until that litter is ready to be sold, or possibly a bit younger. When the litter is ready, they can pick the rabbit they would like of the ones that you decide not to keep.
As a buyer, I would not want to reserve a rabbit (or other animal) at a young age. Putting a deposit on getting one is one thing, but actually picking the one you want and 4 weeks is a bit of a gamble. Considering that many rabbit breeders can't accurately sex the kits at that age would be one reason not to go for a specific rabbit.
If they wanted a male, you might not be able to guarantee that a specific rabbit is male right now, but could say that if there are any males, they could have first pick.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

we only rescue rabbits, but we did breed our Doberman's a time or two. Didn't do any reserves at all. Once they were ready, cash talked. The reserve thing did not work to well with some. Had a couple of puppies way past the point and finally gave up and sold to someone else as no deposit was given in either case.

 

[polly]

if I have a litter that is a few weeks and I know I wont be keeping the whole litter and someone wants a rabbit they are told basically they can have something but only after we have made our decisions on what we will be keeping.

 

[Erins Rabbits]

I personally won't buy Jrs. until they are mature Jrs, or, on ocasion between 8 and 10 weeks. I've found that himalayans go through a stage where they look HORRIBLE or WONDERFUL and at this point, it's hard to tell what they'll mature to be. I'm familiar with MY lines and know that at about 4 months they're all so weird. I can get excited about them, but it's a waste of my time, because in a months time, they'll look nothing similar.

I DO however accept reservations. Usually it's for the best after I choose my keepers. 2nd or 3rd pick, and what. I won't let them reserve babies early on because I generally can't even get ideas on quality before 6 weeks. I take general ones though, like for the people who just ask you to save them a baby. Why not?

 

[Inle_Rabbitry]

What we usually do when selling and reserving young kits, is let the pontential buyer know that we have ever right to decline a purchase at any time simply because, stuff comes up and things change. Once the buyer acknowledges this and still wants to make a deposit, then we allow it. If at any time we do decide not to sell the baby, we will refund the deposit, or allow the buyer to have a different kit from a different litter that is of similar value, or first pick of the next litter (after your pick of course).

Here's a link to see our sales policies and perhaps that will give you some suggestions.

http://inlerabbitry.webs.com/forsale.htm

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

I like Sam's idea of calling dibs on a litter.

Why not ask them if they want a pet quality or a show quality? You can let them have first pick of the show qualities (after your pick obviously) or first pick out of the pet qualities.

No one ever reserves my rabbits anyway, but I will take reservations at 6 weeks of age. And, like Sam said, if someone wants one from a litter, then get are put down as first pick for either a show quality or a pet quality.

Emily

 

[introoder]

I wouldn't reserve a rabbit from any breeder I don't already work with. Pretty much I have to own/have owned recently one of their animals, and know their herd, for me to buy a young junior. I've made the mistake of buying a 7 1/2 week old baby, and her turning out to be just the worst quality animal I've actually... Ever seen for a dwarf.

On the flip side, one breeder who I'm just starting to work with just had a litter of 8 shadeds. Day 3, she let me know and is giving me first pick of a doe from the litter. Granted, she's not asking a deposit (the other negative of buying from someone I don't know/aren't friends with), and I'm sure I could back out of it if no one met the quality I'm looking for.

Anywho... =DD