Can anyone help - need furries. UD, May have found him!

I would post this in the "Rabbits in Need" section but I cant!

basically I have started a new job involving taking a range of animals around schools to do educational displays. Normally on the last week of training I would drive up to scotland and be given my set of animals, including furries, but someone is leaving in bristol and so is giving me all of her creepy crawlies. as a result I need to find some furries who are either already well handled or friendly enough not to mind being stroked by children and are ok sat in their travel boxes in a (possibly noisy) classroom.

I am in South Wales, I've had a look on rabbit rehome but the two bunnies in wales are both skittish and it wouldn't be fair to a frightened bun.

Basically 1 need to get hold of a bunny, 2 guineas, 2 gerbils or 2 rats (although I can possibly get more than 2 of the gerbils and rats). New bunny will be bonded with my two (and if not, I will get him/her a companion) so lonliness is not a problem.

I'd rather ask you lot if there are any needy FRIENDLY animals about instead of going straight to a pet shop for babies.

if anyone knows anyone either in south wales or the bristol area (I have to fly from there for the next 3 weeks so could possibly pick them up on friday evenings) I would be really grateful. 'They do have to be handle-able or at least not too skittish/nippy as they'd get too stressed out with the work.

x

Well good luck, but as prey animals are programmed to get stressed by this kind of thing, it will be hard to find any suitable won't it? This is why so many rabbits end up in rescue aged 4 months - they don't stay handleable. If you are planning on getting babies from petshops (assuming nobody here thinks it's a way of life their rabbits would enjoy) - what will you do with them in a couple of months when they hit puberty? I think your best bet would be to get some rabbits used to being in rabbit shows really, so at last it seems breeders may have something to offer!

i'm not bothered about them being particularly young, just chilled out really. most of the other people have very well handled animals, one had a bunny that seemed to enjoy it!

Just to clarify - the children do not handle the animals themselves, I bring the animal round and they are allowed to stroke it etc whilst hearing info about the animal. the rats in particular seem to take to it very well, gerbs are a bit scatty but bunnies can go either way. i would have offered to use my two but they wouldn't take it, they want to be put down after about a minute of being held and it would stress them out. I just need a bun who is either well handled or very chilled out. and just so we're clear, if I get an animal who decided it's not for them, I'm not going to give him/her away!!!! I have ample room for a new bunny and wouldn't want him/her to be unhappy or sent back!

im sure that for the 'right ' rabbit this would be a nice home. good luck in your search. x

I agree - for an animal with the right temperament, this is an excellent way to educate children!
I once took my skink Patrick to my daughter's class for the kids to experience reptiles... he just sat there while I nattered and then each kid could come up and gently feel his scales - he was such a chilled boy, he didn't seem bothered at all

so your an 'animal woman':lol: :lol: our primary schools and nurserys all had the same animal man travelling around:lol: :lol: always thought that they were all animal men, never thought that there could be an animal woman:lol: :lol: what creepies do you take with you? Our animal man never took anything normal like a rabbit or g/piggie, we had the large snakes, tarantula's, centapedes, an owl, good old stick insects

I'm a bit shocked you'd consider a petshop bun, surely buying a baby from a shop means you don't know how they will respond because you don't know their character anyway, along with the fact, you are supporting some backyard breeder?:?

Rather than rabbits, I think prehaps rats would be a much better choice.

Beebop said:

I'm a bit shocked you'd consider a petshop bun, surely buying a baby from a shop means you don't know how they will respond because you don't know their character anyway, along with the fact, you are supporting some backyard breeder?:?

Rather than rabbits, I think prehaps rats would be a much better choice.

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From past posts I don't think she's got a choice - rabbits and guinea pigs have to be taken? I still think a breeder that shows rabbits would be your best bet of finding one suitable as they will have been shown from a young age and be used to all the stress - plus breeders are always wanting to offload old stock so I'd try fur and feather magazine.

my mum had two bunnies at her work, workign with people with disabilities (one died two weeks ago, looking for anothe rbut thats another story)
and they love/loved them! they were both friendly and liked being handled, so i guess its a similar thing! i would recommend a bunny that has already been through the 'teen' stage! xxx

Oooh we had an animal man in my infant school. He had a snake!

Hmm don't know anyone in those areas though, sorry. It's a shame because I know at least one rescue with guinaes and rabbits whose adults would all be suitable. babies/teens you'd have to put a lot of work into it. Good luck.

I actually work for a company who does this - there's about 30 of us "animal rangers" (oh yes lol) spread across the UK and, elve is right, I don't get a choice of what animals I take...

as for pet shop buns, they ARE a last resort - I don't like buying from petshops anyway but the buns are an unknown quantity, I think getting an ex show bun would be a good idea although wouldn't he/she be more pricey? I am only given about 25 quid for a bun...

It's a fab job and the few (accompanied) shows I've done so far have been amazing - I love seeing the kid's faces as you bring out another animal!

The animals I get are:

giant african land snail
madagascan hissing cockroach
stick insects galore (indians)
chilean rose tarantula
emperor scorpion (my friend has already made me name it 'Al' even though it's a female!)
giant african millipede
white's tree frog
toad (unspecified but I will HAVE to call him Trevor!)

2 guinea pigs
1 rabbit
2 gerbils
2 rats.


can't wait!!!

I'm hoping an ex-show bunny will be free to good home - breeders often unload older bunnies to make room for new ones don't they? I do feel sad to think of guinea pigs having to endure this though - they are such timid animals I have quite a few piggies who are very easy to handle as they freeze in fear, but obviously they are stressed so it's not good for them.

My eldest guinae isn't at all timid...she's cheeky and lovely. She loves children stroking her so long as they're careful. But I recently learnt not to just let kids hold her as she ended up almost thrown because of a nervous kid!:shock:
But yeah a guinae may be a lot harder to find than a bunny. You're best bet is going for one that's been handled since birth and is used to kids. My Acorah was fussed like the day she was born! And as we have little cousens who we supervise whilst with animals (who now own rescued piggies go us) our piggies are fine with kids (appart from Dandylion who isn't completly fine with me. She sees me, runs and hides, but is fine once she's out).

I think this is a great way of educating children. I am sure you will find a suitable bunny. My friend works in an after school kids club. She has 10 rabbits and takes 2 of hers in and her sons 3 rats. It has to be said, that all of the animals thoroughly enjoy it. There will definately be the right sort of bun out there somewhere! Go Helen, Animal Ranger !!!

sounds like this guy needs a home, he is in Bristol and looks like he is used to travelling

http://household.uk.freeads.net/german_lop_agouti_butterfly_buck-420194.htm

Did you know the RSPCA do NOT support the use of animals in schools. It causes stress to the animal because of noise, and in the case of mobile animal 'shows' like this the stress of regular transportation. Meeting different people constantly would also be stressful.

There is no way that they could be in suitable accommodation either - how could the RSPCA recommended 5 x 2 foot space plus run space per rabbit be taken everywhere with you?

In fact, what you are doing is against the Animal Welfare Act, which states that owners must provide:
For a suitable environment (place to live) - see dimensions above
For a suitable diet
To exhibit normal behaviour patterns - not possible when being constantly taken around schools and handled
To be housed with, or apart from, other animals - with a partner rabbit in the case of rabbits, who are very social animals and should not be kept alone
To be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease - being taken around different areas and exposed to different people increases risk of disease
Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare needs, may be banned from owning animals, fined up to £20,000 and/or sent to prison.

This is the law.

IMO no reputable rescue would rehome to someone who was taking rabbits around schools. Apart from the Animal Welfare Act what the RSPCA think, they are prey animals and totally unsuited to that sort of thing. It would not surprise me if rabbits subjected to that sort of stress have vastly shortened life spans.

errr....wow...Nix, taking rabbits into schools is not illegal by the animal welfare act...That's like saying taking them to the vet is, hell there's a lot more risk in vets as that's where sick animals go children don't generally go to school unwell...They don't live in the car or school it's a trip so that doesn't apply, My bunny loves being handled and so would exhibit normal behavour in a classroom, plus if it's a routine your pet knows to expect it.

I think? She's travelling all over the country, so they will be 'on the road' rather than just making short trips out from a home base - is that right?

im sorry but i think that was very harsh and wrong. and heres why:

I did a documentary about how animals can be used as therapy, ( a bit different but bear with me) for people with learnign disabilities.
I took two rabbits to my mums work, and they all were interested etc, made them so happy. The buns were put in travel boxes and drove half an hour to meet the residents. from what you are saying, by using pets as therapy....ive broken the law? i dont think so. Those rabbits ended up living with the residents, bcus it made them so happy.

To put

"Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare needs, may be banned from owning animals, fined up to £20,000 and/or sent to prison"
in bold writing, i find extremly offensive, bcus you are implying what they will be doing is cruel. Some rabbits do not mind car journeys, my domino doesnt mind them at all, where as peanut hates them. They clearly stated they wanted a rabbit which wouldnt get stressed out so they clearly have the bunnies interest at heart.

I feel that post was harsh, and i hate the way people talk to each other on here, everyone acts like they are so superior, and we are all human and we all have feelings. why cnt everyone just be nice?

(p.s i am sorry for havign a rant, im just sick of seeing horrible posts day after day and im afraid to say, this wasnt the kind of place i wanted to be a part of, not like this)

and as for 'should not be kept alone' part, i have two rabbits who live alone, does that mean im cruel? does that make me a bad owner? no, some rabbits like to live together, some dont.

i am really offended, and i dont think anyone here who has a single bunny is cruel