One day bunnies will get me a punch on the nose!!

I was low on carefresh so went to Ark Animals as its the nearest place to where I work. Whilst I was looking at the bunny playthings a couple came in with a little girl to buy 2 rabbits. First I tried hard not to butt in but that's not me. Second I was ever so "friendly" and chatty and gleaned the buns were for the woman not the little girl which I suppose was good. They'd obviously done some homework as they'd bought a big hutch and the husband had made a large run which was fixed to the hutch, they knew buns should be in pairs. But it was the "advice" given by the 2 young assistants that got me. First up was 2 boys would get along better than 2 girls. Husband then said he'd heard they would fight when they got older and they'd take a chance with 2 does. I then put my oar in and said best was a neutered boy/girl pair. Assistant then said they couldn't be neutered until they were 6 months, I said even 2 does would need to be neutered to avoid uterine cancer which the couple appeared to know about. They ended up buying to young bucks because "they were brothers and therefore won't fight".:evil:

I conversationally suggested a bonded, vaccinated, neutered pair from a rescue like mine but at this point if looks could kill I wouldn't be writing this as the assistants were giving me daggers. I was so annoyed I only bought the carefresh as i was desperate and went to Wilkinsons for my bunny toys!

Sometimes it feels as though it's an uphill struggle, doesn't it?!

AMETHYST

Pet shop sold me two girls. They are brothers (!) and fell out after they were neutered. I wish I had gone to a rescue (much as I love them).

I wish i went to a rescue also, but i wanted a baby bunny and has been a lot of trouble! Thought Alfie was a girl turns out she was a he. I put him with my other bunny and they loved each other until 14ish weeks when the babys testosterone kicked in so had to split them up. Was going to send Alfie back but just couldnt do it so have spent all this time wishing away his cute baby days until i could get him done, which he has been today. Now im wishing away the next few weeks for him to be ready to re-bond with my other bunny which may not go well! If i had gone to a rescue i wouldnt have had any of this trouble, i do love him loads but whats the point of having a cute baby bunny just to wish his baby days away? Not saying this is the only reason to go to a rescue a very big reason is to give an unwanted bun a home, just wanted to say this just incase anyone reading this is thinking of getting a cute baby from a breeder or pet shop that its the best option or even the quickest way to get a bunny home with you. In the long run a baby bun is way more trouble in my book :wave:

Jojo123 said:

I wish i went to a rescue also, but i wanted a baby bunny and has been a lot of trouble! Thought Alfie was a girl turns out she was a he. I put him with my other bunny and they loved each other until 14ish weeks when the babys testosterone kicked in so had to split them up. Was going to send Alfie back but just couldnt do it so have spent all this time wishing away his cute baby days until i could get him done, which he has been today. Now im wishing away the next few weeks for him to be ready to re-bond with my other bunny which may not go well! If i had gone to a rescue i wouldnt have had any of this trouble, i do love him loads but whats the point of having a cute baby bunny just to wish his baby days away? Not saying this is the only reason to go to a rescue a very big reason is to give an unwanted bun a home, just wanted to say this just incase anyone reading this is thinking of getting a cute baby from a breeder or pet shop that its the best option or even the quickest way to get a bunny home with you. In the long run a baby bun is way more trouble in my book :wave:

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I do agree with you. The young buns in the shop were very cute, didn't run or hide when the shop girl reached her hands into lift them, not like my 2 nethies who are so loved up they only need me to feed,water and clean them. But whilst I'm writing this from my phone sitting on the floor of their run, Poppy has thoroughly groomed both my bare legs from ankle to knee and I'm so chuffed coz she used to run and hide when I sat with them.

I am the same. A post came up on a facebook selling site today advertising two bunnies with their hutch/run, which was better than most, but not good enough accommodation really. I messaged the lady asking if she'd consider homing them to a rescue,w here they could be neutered and vaccinated and a good, vetted home found, then she could still sell her hutch/run and get the £40 she was asking all in. I tried to word it nicely and she seemed to take it well, I gave her the details of a local rescue, but I know they have a waiting list, so I'm not sure what she'll do.

I wish I could have taken them myself, it makes me so sad to think where they might end up.

I have to say too, I wouldn't even consider a rabbit that wasn't from a rescue. Aside from anything else, it just doesn't seem to make sense to me. Why pay £30+ for a pet shop rabbit that you then have to pay up to £100 to get neutered, then more to get vaccinated and have all the stress of the fact your bunny has to have an operation, when you can get a neutered, vaccinated, health checked bunny from a rescue.

midori1999 said:

I have to say too, I wouldn't even consider a rabbit that wasn't from a rescue. Aside from anything else, it just doesn't seem to make sense to me. Why pay £30+ for a pet shop rabbit that you then have to pay up to £100 to get neutered, then more to get vaccinated and have all the stress of the fact your bunny has to have an operation, when you can get a neutered, vaccinated, health checked bunny from a rescue.

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Probably because I bet lots of people won't bother with the neutering if they get same sex buns. Then they'll get fed up when their cute baby becomes a hormonal teenager, and that's when they get dumped. I was scouring local rescues without a 30 mile radius of Chelmsford during February and march and so many buns turn up at around 6 months old.

A couple of weeks ago some animal rights activists were picketing a small local pet shop just down the road from where I workd but it was all about puppies and kittens (cat kittens!). Which the shop seldom sells
but they always have rabbits in there. I commented to one of the protestors about the bunny accommodation being too small as well but they weren't interested.

I really wish pet shops were only allowed to sell supplies and no live stock.

I only bought the carefresh yesterday as I was desperate I usually buy inbulk online.