Major Rant

[Bonnie Lee]

Okay,



So a couple of months ago a girl had an advertisement on gumtree saying she's looking for a mini lop doe of 8 weeksfor her buck, naturally I was worried so I had emailed her to make sure she's not planning to keep them together unless they are neutered/spayed because it's really dangerous for the doe.

She had emailed back replying that she knows and that she wasn't going to keep them together but only to breed as she's starting a rabbitry this year and she knows all what's going on so I said I was starting my rabbitry this year also and said good luck to her and hope that all goes well for her rabbits.

A couple months later I see her advertising her facebook thing on gumtree as she's breeding them or something now anyhow... I had a look at it to see how it was going. and so far all I've seen on posts is... she bred her buck apretty harliquina bit earlier than 4 months. but luckily she posted a status saying how upset she was that her does were supposed to have kits by now so the pregnancy failed as I think she bred them also a bit before they were 6 months. She has two bucks and one doe which are 10 weeks old in the same hutch and someone said they'd be worried to do that and she said it's fine because they aren't humping each other they just lay together... which makes me worry how long she's going to keep them until she see's the doe being mounted. the hutch I saw her bragging about being so good for her buns isn't flea, mosquito or anything proof and a fox could easily dig under no problem.

At the moment she has like 6 or something bunnies, I don't even know how she started her rabbitry so fast and got hold of that many baby buns.

I emailed her to ask her to stop and take some time into researching about starting a rabbitry to make sure her rabbits are happy and safe. but she hasn't replied.

I tried facebooking her actual profile and she looks about at most 15... so
I'm a little worried about where this is going to head and I've recommended her before to come on this site so she can learn heaps from people all over the world but she replied that she doesn't need to because she's joining the rabbit assiciation in my state and she will meet better breeders and learn more from them.

But so far it doesn't look like she is learning much... or even trying to
I don't know what to do but I don't want to leave it because I'm so worried about that doe being in the same hutch as those two bucks... I'm probably being so nosy and should take myself out of other people's business =.=" I don't know...

 

[ZRabbits]

You have the right to feel the way you do.

Just remember, No matter what you do, no matter what you say,

"You can bring a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."

You have a very good heart. If she's local, why not visit her. Tell her you would like to help and it would help you to learn how to set up your rabbitry. Maybe what not to do.

All you can do is try to help at this time. Hopefully once she joins this association and meets other breeders, she'll get the picture. You never know.

Maybe your e-mails and posts make it look like you are being nosy. But a face to face conversation could depict your concern of the bunnies and truly concern to make sure she is successful.

K

 

[LakeCondo]

She may be resistant to any further contact from you. Do you know anyone, preferably who belongs to the breeders' assn, who could approach her for some reason [like having her join the assn] & then it could segue into her shoddy methods.

But ultimately, they're her property & if she doesn't improve, it's a case of what can't be cured must be endured & not dwelled on.

 

[Bonnie Lee]

Thanks Karen, You are absolutely right, you can't make the horse drink.

She ended up replying "extremely" angry that I would even consider that what she's doing is wrong so I could definitely tell she's just a young girl who got her way from her parents although I'm only 19 this year so I can't talk. But I later replied to her that I wasn't targeting her but just expressing my worry for her rabbits welfare and she said - thanks for caring but I don't know her and I don't know the needs and safety for her rabbits. So that was that, I told her good luck and may her rabbits live long and happy lives and to have a beautiful day and fulfilling life. I wasn't trying to make an enemy.

She's quite far from me about an hour and a bit I think I'm not exactly sure since I've never been that way but she is apparently joining the rabbit association so maybe she will learn a lot from them.

Thanks Lakecondo, Hopefully as she grows with her new bunnies she will learn a lot. I suppose I should move on and pray for the best that her rabbits will be happy.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

It's been our experience that you can't reach a closed mind or make any headway with someone who knows they are "right". My mother-in-Law is a prime example--"she's right no matter what the rest of the world thinks". Truly a bummer.

 

[Bonnie Lee]

How do you block it out though?
I want to not think about it or worry,
But I keep playing things in my head that I want to say
just in hope she will change her mind and do things a bit
differently.

My dad always tells me I shouldn't let things get to me
and that it's just a test and if I bite at it then I'm losing but It's soo hard to just sit and know something isn't right.

 

[ZRabbits]

Bonnie Lee wrote:

How do you block it out though?
I want to not think about it or worry,
But I keep playing things in my head that I want to say
just in hope she will change her mind and do things a bit
differently.

My dad always tells me I shouldn't let things get to me
and that it's just a test and if I bite at it then I'm losing but It's soo hard to just sit and know something isn't right.

Oh, know how you feel. And had to learn myself to let things go that I could not change.

Here's what I say every day:

"God Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I can not change, change the things I can, and learn the difference. "

As much as you want to help and know things are wrong because you definitely are right about the lack of care there, you need to step back and accept you can not change people.

You can only change yourself and the way you view things. Your Dad is very smart in his saying. Don't let someone or the situation bring you down. When you get your rabbit, show with your actions the true care and love of a rabbit.

Just say a prayer every day, that this naive "always right" girl opens her eyes and sees she doesn't know everything. You did right by wishing her bunnies a long and healthy life.

Keep strong. Don't bite.

K

 

[Acacia-Berry]

Unfortunately, as others have stated, you just cannot change what's in other people's minds and hearts. If breeding is for her- let her learn what kind of complications, costs and stress come with it. Let her learn about birth and death once her rabbitry is overrun with un-fixed rabbits. She doesn't know how to sex them and let's them live in the same hutches. She will need to see a vet for the babies, costs will become an issue. She might even (hopefully not at this extreme) see her babies and momma's perish due to ill-explained information.
What's wrong to us may seem very right to other people.
the best thing you can do, leaflet your area with posters for local adoptions. Promote responsible pet ownership and adoption. Don't support breeders- wait, if you're also starting up a rabbitry then in her eyes you're just as "guilty". Maybe form a friendship or alliance. There's nothing more effective for peopls's stubborness than hostile-feelings of "do it my way or you're doing it wrong".

Good luck!

 

[Bonnie Lee]

Thanks Karen, That's a beautiful quote.

Thanks Amanda.

I've completely stopped emailing her and after my last email to her she had taken her advertisement from gumtree about her bunnies, so I think she may know she had done something wrong and is looking into changing it before more people like me, notice it.