Jess_sully
Well-Known Member
Okay, here's the deal. It's been almosta year since our nine year old mini lop Hamilton passed away, and I'm getting the bunny-itch and am really sick of being bunny-less! I've been researching all different breeds and talking to breederssince January. Originally, I knew I wanted a large bunny. I just like what websites have to say about their personalities... lazier, snugglier, etc. Plus, I'm just a fan of larger animals, in all species. However, I started considering some smaller breeds (dutch, mini rex) when my parents were iffy about getting a large breed. Well, I've gone back to my original plan and am DETERMINED to get a large breed again.
I'm very limited to breeds and things of that nature due to my location. The closest rescue or shelter with bunnies is a SIX HOUR round trip, and since I don't even have a car at the moment (it got totaled in an accident a month ago), I have to rely on my parents or friends for transportation, and neither of them are willing to drive that far to pick up a bunny. Likewise, most breeders are far away, too. However, I've foundthree breeders of large breeds that I like that are either somewhat closeby, or willing to drive to meet halfway.
Creme D'Argent- very nice breeder, president of the Michigan Creme Club. She's willing to drive halfway, but it will still take two hours to get to where we're meeting, and then we have to turn around and drive two hours back. Cremes are GORGEOUS, but they can be skittish and highly-strung because they are so limited in gene pools and bred mostly for appearance, not temperment. However, the breeder assures me that she would only give me a baby from one of her better pairs as far as personality goes. This breeder absolutely does not release babies until they are three months old, because she has to assess them for showing type at that age. She will have two litters, born on May 19th and May 16th, available in the end of August. They would be fifteen weeks old (3 1/2 months).
Champagne D'Argent- this is the only breeder close to me... actually, she's in the next town, just a twenty minute drive away. I've heard nothing but good things about Champagnes... that they're big snuggle bunnies, etc. I've visited her rabbitry twice, and all of hers are very friendly, and her rabbitry is SOOO clean! She only has a total of eight breeding Champs and then she breeds a few Californians too, so she has a lot more time for them than many large rabbitries. However, she only breeds twice a year. There are three bucks available that were born on May 7th, so they would be around sixteen weeks old when I got one (4 months). However, she will have babies (young ones) available in the end of October.
Satin- wonderful breeder that I've been in close contact to since January. He has several litters right now (just born to four months old), so there would be some young (8-10 weeks) babies available in the end of August. I'm waiting for his response to see if FOR SURE if he'll have young ones available. If not, the other litters would be the same age as the other breeds... 3-4 months. He breeds black, red, and broken Satins, but I'd be getting a red or broken red, because they're GORGEOUS!
Sooo... all three breeds are basically the same size. They're all gorgeous breeds (in my opinion). Now, I just can't decide which one I really want! I have to wait until the end of August because of a Young Statesman program I just got accepted into at Georgetown University. I was really hoping for a baby so I could take pictures of him growing up, but then again... wouldn't personalities be more apparent with the older (3-4 month) babies? And, they'd still be young... I just can't decide. If I got one of the older ones, I'd probably have him neutered right away... maybe a week after getting him. Hopefully that could curb the terrible teens a bit. They'd be right smack in the middle of THAT, too.
Should I wait to get a young (8 weeks) baby? It's such a long time away, except possibly for the Satin. Or would getting a three-four month one be okay? I just don't know what to do :S
I'm very limited to breeds and things of that nature due to my location. The closest rescue or shelter with bunnies is a SIX HOUR round trip, and since I don't even have a car at the moment (it got totaled in an accident a month ago), I have to rely on my parents or friends for transportation, and neither of them are willing to drive that far to pick up a bunny. Likewise, most breeders are far away, too. However, I've foundthree breeders of large breeds that I like that are either somewhat closeby, or willing to drive to meet halfway.
Creme D'Argent- very nice breeder, president of the Michigan Creme Club. She's willing to drive halfway, but it will still take two hours to get to where we're meeting, and then we have to turn around and drive two hours back. Cremes are GORGEOUS, but they can be skittish and highly-strung because they are so limited in gene pools and bred mostly for appearance, not temperment. However, the breeder assures me that she would only give me a baby from one of her better pairs as far as personality goes. This breeder absolutely does not release babies until they are three months old, because she has to assess them for showing type at that age. She will have two litters, born on May 19th and May 16th, available in the end of August. They would be fifteen weeks old (3 1/2 months).
Champagne D'Argent- this is the only breeder close to me... actually, she's in the next town, just a twenty minute drive away. I've heard nothing but good things about Champagnes... that they're big snuggle bunnies, etc. I've visited her rabbitry twice, and all of hers are very friendly, and her rabbitry is SOOO clean! She only has a total of eight breeding Champs and then she breeds a few Californians too, so she has a lot more time for them than many large rabbitries. However, she only breeds twice a year. There are three bucks available that were born on May 7th, so they would be around sixteen weeks old when I got one (4 months). However, she will have babies (young ones) available in the end of October.
Satin- wonderful breeder that I've been in close contact to since January. He has several litters right now (just born to four months old), so there would be some young (8-10 weeks) babies available in the end of August. I'm waiting for his response to see if FOR SURE if he'll have young ones available. If not, the other litters would be the same age as the other breeds... 3-4 months. He breeds black, red, and broken Satins, but I'd be getting a red or broken red, because they're GORGEOUS!
Sooo... all three breeds are basically the same size. They're all gorgeous breeds (in my opinion). Now, I just can't decide which one I really want! I have to wait until the end of August because of a Young Statesman program I just got accepted into at Georgetown University. I was really hoping for a baby so I could take pictures of him growing up, but then again... wouldn't personalities be more apparent with the older (3-4 month) babies? And, they'd still be young... I just can't decide. If I got one of the older ones, I'd probably have him neutered right away... maybe a week after getting him. Hopefully that could curb the terrible teens a bit. They'd be right smack in the middle of THAT, too.
Should I wait to get a young (8 weeks) baby? It's such a long time away, except possibly for the Satin. Or would getting a three-four month one be okay? I just don't know what to do :S