Breeders and Breeding information-educational!

As some of you know, I'm nearly finished my bunny book!

I just need a little help with some things to do with breeders.

Obviously I've concentrated on adopting from rescues a lot in my book, but, I need to cover the other options too. I know a few people on here breed, or have bred bunnies, so I need your help!! As well as people who may have bought their bun from a breeder.

Much as we love adoption, breeders (responsible ones!) do have their purpose, as we know that there are some bunny breeds that would probably die out without them. BUT, anyways, I would like a brief basic guide to what a RESPONSIBLE breeder is, does, and why people may wish to get their bun from here rather than a rescue, and if possible, any cons to getting from a breeder.

I've already covered dangers of breeding and "putting 2 pretty buns together to see what pretty babies we get" :evil: So it's just really the "aquiring" the bunny bit!


Thanks in advance!!!

You know, I swear that I knew of a site that explained how to check up on a breeder before you bought a rabbit, but now I can't find it. :? You could probably find similar info about cat and dog breeders that could be applied.

One of the biggest things is that you should insist on seeing the rabbitry and the parents of the rabbit you are looking to buy. Make sure the place is clean and the rabbits are healthy. Check to see if they quarantine newly purchased buns before housing them near the rest. Does the breeder keep good records on who was bred to who and what their pedigrees are, or is he breeding willy-nilly with no care to type and potential inherited disease?

Are the adults to handle? Are they interested in people, or are they trying to hide? Do the parents have problems like maloclusion, or do you see evidence of maloclusion or splay leg in the other rabbits? Are they in decent sized cages and do they get toys and time in a run, or are they more or less stuck in a teeny cage and left there? How old are they babies for sale- is the breeder weaning and selling them at less than two weeks of age?

KerinTravis said:

any cons to getting from a breeder.

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I'm not a breeder but I know that a con of getting from a breeder is that you can see the parents and see if they are healthy, friendly, etc so you can see what your bun will turn out like.

I've got a reservation on a mini-rex from a breeder who I will be picking up on the 13th of July. I found the breeder through her website, and emailed with lots of questions, she was very helpful, informative and most of all caring about her rabbits. She described how they are kept and is a brc member, I was also able to see pictures of the parents and the kit in the nest on the website.

I'm going with a breeder because I didn't have any luck finding a suitable doe in a rescue close to me, and with rescues further afield and me not personally driving it would be too much to ask of someone to first do a visit then a home check then a bonding and then a colelction, that's 4 trips. Plus lots of rescues only home to their area.

I could of course have gotten one of the many babies advertised in shops, from neighbours or freeads etc. But if I'm getting a baby i figured I'd be a bit safer knowing exactly what I was getting and the best way to do this was, in my eyes to go to a breeder.

I breed to show as well as run greenwich rabbit rescue, so i see both sides. On the whole your better getting a rabbit from a breeder. As has been said you can see parents and you can usualy judge for your self what the place is like and the person who breeds them. If your not happy then dont buy. Rabbits from pet shops have a unknown history and as many of you here know come with bad teeth and other congenatal problems. These you wont get from a breeder particularly the ones that show. Anyone who shows there rabbits will be paranoid that they will not breed in any problems in there rabbits. Also there usualy well handled as they have to be to become show buns. Breeding rabbits are treated differently from pet rabbits.This does not mean there are badly treated they have a different life. Show people love there rabbits and will always do there best for them. val