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Easter Bunnies

B

Beapig

Mama Doe
Hi everyone :wave:

I haven't been very active on here recently due to adopting a rescue cat and being really busy with work. I've missed talking to you guys! How is everyone? <3

I've been thinking a lot about Easter coming up and the hundreds of bunnies who will be bought for children, played with for a couple of weeks and then trapped in a tiny hutch :(

The answer is probably 'nothing', but what can we rabbit owners do to raise awareness around this issue? I'm anticipating that the free-ads will be full to bursting in a couple of weeks with the description 'kids lost interest'. :roll:
 
The worry etc seems to come with the love for rabbits. I have just enquired about 3 adorable bunnies which have to be re-homed. Someone is going to look at them at 1.00 pm. I don't want more rabbits but suppose they get separated, if someone just wants one, and they have been together for the last 3 years. Also in the photo there are 2 large bowls of pellets! Hence why one of them has a dewlap. It's a constant heartache. :cry: Even a friend won't listen to good advice, they have a tiny soapdish thing for putting hay in! I told her it isn't enough. She thinks I'm neurotic!
 
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I also occasionally look at the free ads with increasing sadness. The free to a good home ones **** me off the most (just a little bit of research would tell even the most ignorant person what can happen to those bunnies) as well as the poor guys in tiny cages with no hay. I’m getting a shed and aviary fixed up atm and am considering going for a trio and I’m also considering indoor buns as well - I will probably end up seeing them on a free ad site and getting them from there as I’m aware there will soon be hundreds of Easter bunnies on there. I know it’s controversial - I’m totally all for rescuing - but I feel so very sorry for the unwanted internet bunnies, at least the ones already rescued are safe. I’ve had internet bunnies I felt sorry for before - my Trevor was an unwanted Christmas present in February last year and he’s the loveliest little guy ever. It breaks my heart to think what might have happened to him.
 
The lady with the 3 rabbits rang to say they have gone to another home. A young couple with a little boy. I hope they will be cared for well. I am .glad in a way
 
tonibun said:
The lady with the 3 rabbits rang to say they have gone to another home. A young couple with a little boy. I hope they will be cared for well. I am .glad in a way
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Don’t know whether to say sorry or not. I hope they are cared for as well, I’m glad they’ve gone together.
 
orangediva said:
I also occasionally look at the free ads with increasing sadness. The free to a good home ones **** me off the most (just a little bit of research would tell even the most ignorant person what can happen to those bunnies) as well as the poor guys in tiny cages with no hay. I’m getting a shed and aviary fixed up atm and am considering going for a trio and I’m also considering indoor buns as well - I will probably end up seeing them on a free ad site and getting them from there as I’m aware there will soon be hundreds of Easter bunnies on there. I know it’s controversial - I’m totally all for rescuing - but I feel so very sorry for the unwanted internet bunnies, at least the ones already rescued are safe. I’ve had internet bunnies I felt sorry for before - my Trevor was an unwanted Christmas present in February last year and he’s the loveliest little guy ever. It breaks my heart to think what might have happened to him.
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Agree with you. Most of ours have been from free ads. I often see ads where the person says they haven't got the time for them etc etc and then reveal they've only had them a couple of months or something :? x
 
I have taken to contacting the free to a good home people on Gumtree, I know it's interfering but I can't help it. I tell them that RSPCA advice is always to charge for pets, as there have been cases of free rabbits being used for dog baiting. I suggest contacting local rescues or RSPCA to rehome them. So far, Ive had no one shout at me, but the majority thank me for the advice, and some even re-list asking for money. One woman even ended up keeping her rabbit as we had a good chat and I gave her some rabbit keeping advice. I don't tell anyone else though, they think I'm mad enough as it is!
 
TheThreeB's said:
Agree with you. Most of ours have been from free ads. I often see ads where the person says they haven't got the time for them etc etc and then reveal they've only had them a couple of months or something :? x
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Exactly - there’s one today, in a small cage, person advertising them hasn’t “got time anymore as started new job”. I just feel so sorry for them, they must know they are unwanted and they must be so confused when they are shunted off somewhere else.
CometLucy195 said:
I have taken to contacting the free to a good home people on Gumtree, I know it's interfering but I can't help it. I tell them that RSPCA advice is always to charge for pets, as there have been cases of free rabbits being used for dog baiting. I suggest contacting local rescues or RSPCA to rehome them. So far, Ive had no one shout at me, but the majority thank me for the advice, and some even re-list asking for money. One woman even ended up keeping her rabbit as we had a good chat and I gave her some rabbit keeping advice. I don't tell anyone else though, they think I'm mad enough as it is!
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I’ve thought of doing this as well - thought I’d end up being ignored or with a flea in my ear. Well done you, I’ll give it a go.
 
One of my best mates brought his parents round the other day and his Mum was really cooing over the bunnies: her eldest daughter has house Nethies :love: and we were lamenting the horror of the poor bunnies in some households who never see more than the inside of a tiny hutch :( I have never been able to conceive it TBH, even in 1988 we bought the biggest hutch we could afford (5x2x2) and had nethie Charlie out with a run attached within two weeks. Charlie was an Easter present but I was only 4 so he was always a family pet :) I don't know how we knew rabbits needed space (I suspect the pet shop advice was relatively decent) but it makes sense!
 
I've basically been naughty and joined about 50 pet pages on facebook throughout the UK, and been busy posting lots of bunny advice posters everywhere! Anything to help discourage people buying Easter bunnies..

I've been lucky and had a few people back me up and agree, but so many people would rather enjoy slating me saying rabbits are fine blah blah.. why are some people such idiots!

Also managed to pick up 3 tiny hutches over the last 2 weeks which people we're selling. One had over 15 people comment asking for this tiny 4ft hutch on legs. Luckily, I got my brother to pick it up before anyone else did and it's now broken down ready for firewood! :thumb:
 
CometLucy195 said:
I have taken to contacting the free to a good home people on Gumtree, I know it's interfering but I can't help it. I tell them that RSPCA advice is always to charge for pets, as there have been cases of free rabbits being used for dog baiting. I suggest contacting local rescues or RSPCA to rehome them. So far, Ive had no one shout at me, but the majority thank me for the advice, and some even re-list asking for money. One woman even ended up keeping her rabbit as we had a good chat and I gave her some rabbit keeping advice. I don't tell anyone else though, they think I'm mad enough as it is!
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That is really good! I think if you try to explain to people in a friendly way and not in a preaching kind of way, people will more than not listen and take your advice.
 
Ruthyjones89 said:
I've basically been naughty and joined about 50 pet pages on facebook throughout the UK, and been busy posting lots of bunny advice posters everywhere! Anything to help discourage people buying Easter bunnies..

I've been lucky and had a few people back me up and agree, but so many people would rather enjoy slating me saying rabbits are fine blah blah.. why are some people such idiots!

Also managed to pick up 3 tiny hutches over the last 2 weeks which people we're selling. One had over 15 people comment asking for this tiny 4ft hutch on legs. Luckily, I got my brother to pick it up before anyone else did and it's now broken down ready for firewood! :thumb:
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Wow! You are being good. I've just looked on a local site and oh no, someone has baby Minilops for sale. Just before Easter - it was deliberately planned I bet. I know the people.
 
keletkezes said:
One of my best mates brought his parents round the other day and his Mum was really cooing over the bunnies: her eldest daughter has house Nethies :love: and we were lamenting the horror of the poor bunnies in some households who never see more than the inside of a tiny hutch :( I have never been able to conceive it TBH, even in 1988 we bought the biggest hutch we could afford (5x2x2) and had nethie Charlie out with a run attached within two weeks. Charlie was an Easter present but I was only 4 so he was always a family pet :) I don't know how we knew rabbits needed space (I suspect the pet shop advice was relatively decent) but it makes sense!
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I think it's an instinct. My neighbour brought 2 baby rabbits home and had them in a 3' hutch. I was naughty really but I went to Jolley's and bought them a 4' hutch and knew nothing about them. I also bought second hand a 6' run for them. This was 20 years ago.
 
tonibun said:
Wow! You are being good. I've just looked on a local site and oh no, someone has baby Minilops for sale. Just before Easter - it was deliberately planned I bet. I know the people.
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There are loads of mini lop types available atm - looking seriously cute and quite obviously multiple cynical Easter money making schemes. Poor things, hope at least some of them go to homes where they’ve done at least a bit of research :(
 
It's so nice reading the efforts of everyone on here. You guys give me hope!

A while ago I saw a couple of rabbits on a freeads site in a hutch that was barely big enough for them to move in, with a plate of bread as their only food! :O I was back and forth in my mind about whether to save them but knew that I couldn't afford to take on any more and didn't have the space either.

Some weeks later, I saw a hutch for free on Gumtree that looked suspiciously like the terrible one those bunnies were in. I contacted the seller and it turns out she saved the bunnies and had since bought them a large 2 tier hutch from PAH. I was so relieved, but told her to please break and burn the hutch because otherwise some poor other bunnies would end up living in it. I took the opportunity to generally give advice about diet/space etc, she seemed happy to take it and I *hope* she did destroy the hutch in the end.
 
Beapig said:
It's so nice reading the efforts of everyone on here. You guys give me hope!

A while ago I saw a couple of rabbits on a freeads site in a hutch that was barely big enough for them to move in, with a plate of bread as their only food! :O I was back and forth in my mind about whether to save them but knew that I couldn't afford to take on any more and didn't have the space either.

Some weeks later, I saw a hutch for free on Gumtree that looked suspiciously like the terrible one those bunnies were in. I contacted the seller and it turns out she saved the bunnies and had since bought them a large 2 tier hutch from PAH. I was so relieved, but told her to please break and burn the hutch because otherwise some poor other bunnies would end up living in it. I took the opportunity to generally give advice about diet/space etc, she seemed happy to take it and I *hope* she did destroy the hutch in the end.
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She has some weird logic going on, that she was giving the hutch away, for some other poor bunny to live in, having taken on those two! :roll: x
 
TheThreeB's said:
She has some weird logic going on, that she was giving the hutch away, for some other poor bunny to live in, having taken on those two! :roll: x
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I thought exactly this- I’d have ceremonially burned it. Or taken the doors off and painted it to use as a run or garden shelter.
 
orangediva said:
I thought exactly this- I’d have ceremonially burned it. Or taken the doors off and painted it to use as a run or garden shelter.
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I couldn't agree more. I really pushed this to the girl and I hope she destroyed it. The ad was down in under 24 hours, so either it was collected or some poor bun out there is its next victim. Trying to remain positive and hope it's the first!
 
Inspired by CometLucy195 above I have contacted 3 free ad people regarding the pitfalls of advertising free rabbits online - I’ve received only polite, if shocked, responses. One has removed her ad, the other is now asking a price and says she will vet anyone that responds, not sure about the third. I’m going to keep doing it, education can’t hurt and if I do get horrible replies I can take it.
 
I often message people on the gumtree style sites and have always had positive responses. People sometimes just need a friendly bit of advice.
 
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