Advice needed!!!!!!!

:wave::wave: Not sure if I have posted this in the right place, sorry if I have!

As some of you know, I am getting a bun from breeder (have kept rabbit before but this will be my first rabbit in a couple of years). I spoke to her today just really to ask how my lil boy was getting on and also to find out how his mum was doing as she hadnt been coping very well with this litter, was getting very stressed and had nibbled my boys ears so he had a few bits missing (she had previosuly asked me if I would take the mum too, but unfortunately I didnt feel I could at this time). Anyway she told me that my buns mummy had been rehomed with a friend of hers with a neutered boy a few days ago, which is all well and good except the litter were born sometime during the last week of feb approx 28th from what I can work out and so are only what 5 weeks old???

She has said that the buns are all doing well without Jasmine and that I can come and pick him up!!

Soooo, what d I do??? I was always under the impression that babies were only to be sent to new homes between 8 and 10 weeks. Obviosuly there is the situation that the mum was stuggling with her babies so I suppose in the interest of all the rabbits it was best to seprarate them but do I take a maybe only 5-6 week rabbit home or do I leave him where he is until he is 8 weeks??? :shock:

Please let me know what you think, as I obviously want to do the best by my little boy.

He will be an outside rabbit which worries me slighlty as the weather hasnt really warmed up just yet. I spoke to my husband about if we do bring him home puting him inside for a while but that means purchasing another house for him and the added worry that we have a dog!

I dont know what to do for the best!

Sorry for the really long post I just feel a bit anxious about it! :?

Thanks

Becca

We have some very unreputable breeders in this area (I'm heavily involved with the rabbits at the local RSPCA) and I'm wondering if you have come across one of them.

It can be practice to separate early if the kits are in danger, but generally not this early (for the girlie to be spayed and rehomed, she must surely have been separated a week or so ago).

I wouldn't suggest bringing him home until 8 weeks at the earliest. He will be very vulnerable to stress and needs as much stability as possible.

Feel free to contact me if you need any advice or I can do anything to help at all.

Sky-O said:

We have some very unreputable breeders in this area (I'm heavily involved with the rabbits at RSPCA Martlesham) and I'm wondering if you have come across one of them.

It can be practice to separate early if the kits are in danger, but generally not this early (for the girlie to be spayed and rehomed, she must surely have been separated a week or so ago).

I wouldn't suggest bringing him home until 8 weeks at the earliest. He will be very vulnerable to stress and needs as much stability as possible.

Feel free to contact me if you need any advice or I can do anything to help at all.

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Sorry she hasnt been spayed she has gone to live with a neutered male, which is good cos she really shouldnt be bred anymore!!

Thats exactly what I thought, but If I am honest I already said to my husband I have a feeling that she isnt quite the breeder I first thought she was and I thought she would want me to take him early but I didnt think this early.

The thing is she has obviously told the other prospective owners that they can come and collect their rabbits and I imagine they all will so my bun will be left on his own.

My husband said to me "are you sure you want this rabbit, he might not be entirely healthy" I actually want him more now I feel he needs looking after even more now, does that make sense???

Ah, sorry, misread/got confused.

Its a toughie. Ideally he needs to stay with his litter mates, at the very least, until 8 weeks old. If he is alone then its slightly different because he could easily get better care with you than with her.

I do know what you mean about wanting to take on those needy buns, that's how I have ended up taking the special ones from the RSPCA :lol: You'll have to be really hot on bunny care, etc, and also have a very good vet (I've only found one in our area that has any sort of rabbit knowledge, so be careful).

She may have tried to get 'Easter bunnies' ready for people :roll:

Also, if she is BRC registered, I would suggest reporting her to them.

When you've got your guy and he's all grown and neutered, feel free to come our way and adopt him a friend from us

I agree with Sky-O...ideally the bun will do better staying with his litter mates for another couple of weeks. A move to a new home could stress him and make him ill (baby buns this age are especially prone to mucoid enteropathy)

Sky-O said:

Ah, sorry, misread/got confused.

Its a toughie. Ideally he needs to stay with his litter mates, at the very least, until 8 weeks old. If he is alone then its slightly different because he could easily get better care with you than with her.

I do know what you mean about wanting to take on those needy buns, that's how I have ended up taking the special ones from the RSPCA :lol: You'll have to be really hot on bunny care, etc, and also have a very good vet (I've only found one in our area that has any sort of rabbit knowledge, so be careful).

She may have tried to get 'Easter bunnies' ready for people :roll:

Also, if she is BRC registered, I would suggest reporting her to them.

When you've got your guy and he's all grown and neutered, feel free to come our way and adopt him a friend from us

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I have been thinking about it all afternoon and I think I am going to tell her that once the other buns have been picked up I will then take him. I am not going to take him from his litter mates no way, I just hope that the other people who have reserved the other buns have some sense to question them being allowed to leave so early and don't.

Luckily I have some rabbit knowledge (learning more on here all the time) and I have kept rabbits for most of my life but some of these buns will be going to people who have never had a rabbit before and wont even realise they are being allowed to leave far too early!

I feel really angry to be honest because she should know that they need to stray for longer and its just a case of keeping them all together in the hutch that were in, it really shouldnt make any different to her! Sooo frustrated!!

Do you mind me asking who the vet is???

My plan is to get him a wife when he is all neutered etc!!

Also, I think its great you working with the RSPCA I would love to do somthing like that! I enquired before and they said I could come and help clear out cats enclosures, I am allergic to cats which really annoys me so havent been able to take them up on offer!!

Not sure if she is BRC registered going to check!!

abbymarysmokey said:

I agree with Sky-O...ideally the bun will do better staying with his litter mates for another couple of weeks. A move to a new home could stress him and make him ill (baby buns this age are especially prone to mucoid enteropathy)

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I just cant understand why she is prepared to send them to homes to people she hardly knows at this age!!

I feel very torn!

The reason is because she is completely irresponsible.

That sounds like a good plan.

If you want you can give her my details (I'll PM you if you want them), because I have an adoption pack I wrote that goes out to anyone who adopts from the RSPCA, and maybe she might be willing to give it out to people too.

There are lots of things they need volunteers for. I do anything rabbit, so the home visits, educating, open days, fostering, the lot, but they also have volunteers who dog walk, clean/socialise the animals and stuff like that. If its something you want to do then keep enquiring Often if you get the foot in the door somewhere it leads to other things too.

Sky-O said:

The reason is because she is completely irresponsible.

That sounds like a good plan.

If you want you can give her my details (I'll PM you if you want them), because I have an adoption pack I wrote that goes out to anyone who adopts from the RSPCA, and maybe she might be willing to give it out to people too.

There are lots of things they need volunteers for. I do anything rabbit, so the home visits, educating, open days, fostering, the lot, but they also have volunteers who dog walk, clean/socialise the animals and stuff like that. If its something you want to do then keep enquiring Often if you get the foot in the door somewhere it leads to other things too.

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I dont know aboout her, but I would really like a pack if thats possible! I have learnt so much from just being on here and I am determinted to do the best job possible with this rabbit, I wish I knew then what I know now and maybe my beautiful Taz would still be here today!

I am going to enquire again because I dont work so I have the time! I wanted to do Animal Care at college but I would be a mature student and I just cant afford it!

If you wouldnt mind letting me know who the vet is I would really appreciate it, need all the help I can get and helps to be able to trust and rely on your vet!

*PMs you*

Becca24 said:

I have learnt so much from just being on here and I am determinted to do the best job possible with this rabbit, I wish I knew then what I know now and maybe my beautiful Taz would still be here today!
vet!

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Just wanted to clarify I didnt neglect him or anything like that, he had runny eyes constantly after many trips to the vet I was told he was allergic to hay so not to give him any, his eyes cleared up a bit but within 6 months he became really ill and died! I didnt know about many rabbit illnesses or treatment and I just trusted my vet and did what he said and I feel becuase of that I lost Taz!

My little boys litter mates have all gone....



Spoke to breeder this morning and his litter mates left friday and saturday!! He is all on his tod and only 6 weeks old!

I need to go and get him, rather him be with me than there!

Advice welcome please on best way to help him settle in his new home and what food to give him, being only 6 weeks old!!

He has a 5ftx2ftx2ft hutch waiting for him with 5x5 attached run below - I was thinking of shutting off the run for a while, dont want to freak him out with too much space!??

Thanks

Becca