Where to get a rabbit from
There are a variety of places you can get a rabbit from. There are different points to consider for all of them, so it comes down to making an informed choice based on what you want from a rabbit and what you feel is best for your family and any rabbit/s involved.
It is also important to know that you can get amazing rabbits from anywhere, and it can be pure luck. Where you get the rabbit from is not completely reflective of the behaviour and personality of the rabbits, although it can play a part.
This section just looks at the different issues and different things to consider when adopting or buying a rabbit from these various places. The most important thing to remember though, is to go and meet and see the rabbit regardless of where you get it from, before you commit to taking it home.
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A Rescue Centre or a Rabbit Rescue- A variety of different types of rabbits come into rescues. People commonly presume that animals are there because they have been severely neglected or abused. There is, of course, a percentage that have been (especially animals in the care of places like the RSPCA) however there are many others who have not. Rabbits may be there if they have been found as a stray and not claimed, if an owner has got ‘bored’, if circumstances at ‘home’ have changed, if the rabbits are an unwanted and/or accidental litter, if an owner is not fully educated about the needs of rabbits when getting one and is unable to cope with their needs, if an owner gets ill or dies and many other reasons. Getting a rabbit from a rescue does not mean it will be ‘damaged’ or aggressive, or badly behaved or anything different from any other rabbit. You can also find rabbits of all ages in a rescue, including babies and young rabbits.
As with any place, there are good and bad rescues.
A good rescue will vaccinate and spay/neuter (where applicable) and home check potential adopters. A good rescue will be clean, the rabbits will have unlimited hay, the accommodation will be clean, the rabbits will have access to fresh water. The accommodation will be large (but not necessarily meet full requirements because it will be deemed ‘temporary’). The rabbits will generally look in good condition and be bright and alert.
The person who runs the rescue or a member of staff should be able to give you good and detailed information on the rabbit/s. The rabbit should have been at the rescue long enough so that the rescue can be confident it has no health issues (or has health issues that will be discussed with you). Ideally this time will be at least a week, but preferably a little longer. A reputable rescue would not deliberately breed (either rescue animals or other animals) although you may find there are babies there if the animal has arrived pregnant, or the animals are motherless.
Often a rescue will know more about the rabbit than anywhere else might because generally the person running the rescue, or the staff, are very knowledgeable about the personalities and health issues of any rabbits.
Generally when you adopt from a rescue the rabbit will come spayed/neutered and vaccinated, although this does not apply to all rescues, so it is vital to check with any rescue you contact.
Rescues are focused primarily on what is in the best interests of the rabbit which can assure you that their needs are being put first. Generally this means responsible owners and rescues are ‘on the same page’ because all parties involved are looking at what’s best for the rabbits.
You are likely to be able to choose, within a bit, the rabbit/s that you want, however, the rescue is likely to guide you as to which will better suit your household and why. If you are looking for a single rabbit to bond to an existing rabbit of yours, then likely the rescue will be able to help you select the right one. Some rescues even help with bonding and some provide a follow up or ‘outreach’ service to help with any difficulties or problems you have.
It is also likely that you will need a home visit to adopt from the majority of rescues. This is not as scary as it sounds.
Like with any place there are ‘good’ rescues and ‘bad’ rescues; those who neuter and spay, those who don’t, those who vaccinate, those who don’t, those that are badly run, unclean, those that are run brilliantly and the bunnies are well looked after, so it’s important to take each rescue as an individual and find out how they work and their adoption procedure before pursuing anything.
Adopting a rabbit from a rescue is also often a cheaper option, although this should not be a reflection on your choice. Generally you will know what you are adopting, and it will come vaccinated and spayed/neutered, so your main expense initially will be ensuring you have appropriate accommodation for the rabbits.
~A Breeder- Buying rabbits from a breeder can be desirable to some people, especially those who want a specific breed of rabbit.
When choosing a breeder it is important to choose a reputable and responsible breeder, whose rabbits are treated well, live in clean, large environments, are vaccinated and generally have a good life. Generally breeders fall into two categories, those who are responsible with their rabbits, and those who are deemed ‘Back Yard Breeders’ (or BYB).
A responsible breeder will be able to tell you about their rabbits. S/he will be able to tell you about their temperaments and likes and dislikes. The accommodation will be very clean and fresh. The rabbits will have unlimited hay and clean, fresh water available. The accommodation will also be a good size and the rabbits will be able to enjoy the space. The female rabbits will be bred no more frequently than once every six months (which allows 31 days of pregnancy, 8 weeks of raising the kits, and then three months to recover). The genetic history will be known of all the rabbits, and the breeder should have information on the previous four generations (at least) for every rabbit they have bred. All the rabbits sold will be healthy (unless you have previously discussed a condition or issue).
Ideally these breeders will also spay/neuter (although this won’t be possible if s/he is selling baby rabbits) and vaccinate before rehoming to the public and also rehome in pairs. The breeder will also provide a minimum of 2 weeks food. Essentially, the breeder will respect his/her rabbits and treat them according to that respect.
A BYB’s set up will likely differ from this; in many cases by the complete opposite. A BYB’s accommodation may not be clean, it may smell, the rabbits may not have appropriate hay or food, the water may not be clean or fresh. The rabbits that have been bred from may have health issues, may not have a genetic history (such as if they were purchased at a pet shop), maybe have been bred from ‘back to back’ (such as been pregnant, raised the litter, and then made pregnant immediately after the rabbits have been separated, or worse, the female rabbit may be forced to become pregnant as soon as she has given birth to one litter). The baby rabbits may be separated from mum earlier than 8 weeks.
For these reasons it’s important to see the set up the rabbits live in to see whether its clean, whether the hutches are a good size (minimum of 6ft) and to glean a general idea of how the rabbits are kept and also to ask the breeder a lot of questions. Some breeders will allow you to see their Rabbitry, others will not (for very valid reasons). If someone does not allow you to see into their Rabbitry, then ask to see photos of the setup, where you can also see the rabbit/s you are interested in buying, so that you know the pictures are genuinely from their Rabbitry. That will give you an idea of the conditions the rabbits are kept in.
A positive thing about going to a responsible breeder is that you can ask for the history and genetics and any genetic defaults of your rabbit. A responsible breeder would not breed a rabbit with known genetic defaults, but sometimes they can occur as a bunny ages, so would not be known when the rabbits were bred.
A breeder is likely to sell young rabbits and also older rabbits and it’s important to talk to them about what you want from your bunny and what you want to buy and why. Depending on the age of the rabbit and the breeder’s policies, the expense can vary. A breeder may sell older rabbits spayed/neutered and vaccinated, which means the initial cost will be accommodation, but for baby rabbits the expense is likely to be higher (and may include spaying/neutering and vaccinations as well as separate accommodations if you buy two rabbits and they are separate genders, both males, or girls who fight).