to buy or not to buy

[bunnylove1]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/215/41758510150767247168508.jpg/

 

this is a cute sweet little bun i stumbled upon at the pet store while buying stuff for my nic cage. i held him/her and she just cuddled im stumped on weather i should buy it or not. she/he has missing hair on its ears and im not shore why but there is a scap on one making me think it was from other buns it came in with. iv been dea set on buying from a breeder to make shore i know all back ground but this little one is a heart breaker what should  do please help !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Beka27]

Well, the decision is up to you. Purchasing a rabbit from a breeder offers no guarantee that the bun will be healthy; neither does purchasing from a Pet Store or adopting from a rescue. All rabbits in Pet Stores were originally in the care of a breeder, the store only acts as a middle man selling to the public.

Wherever you choose to get a bun, he/she will need a vet exam within the first couple weeks to make sure he/she is healthy. If you were to buy this bun, the vet exam should occur ASAP. The fur loss around the ears could be a sign of mites. This can be treated with medication from the vet.

[bunnylove1]

ii thought that 2 but after a hour of siting will the bun there was no scratching or sign of irritation on it

[LoveChaCha]

Rabbits will hide their illness very very well. It is important to have a rabbit savvy vet and to set up a wellness appointment.

Remember, baby bunnies will tolerate handling, but after they get older, they may not

[bunnylove1]

even if something is itchy wouldn’t they scratch it?

[peppypoo]

Before you bring home another bunny, think about whether or not you are ready. Is your current bunny spayed/neutered? Do you have plans of doing so? Remember that another bunny will require a completely separate living space (until they are fixed and maybe bonded, if it works out), along with his/her own toys and food/water dishes. Not to mention double the amount of pellets/hay/veggies every day, and double the vet fees if something happens.

Bringing home another bunny can be a great choice when you’re ready and have things planned out, but be sure to think things through before you make the decision.

[Beka27]

She doesn’t have a rabbit yet. She had plans to buy a bunny from a breeder, but is now questioning if she should get this bun instead.

Regardless of whether it’s mites or something else, fur loss like that is not normal and would need to be examined by a rabbit vet. As I said in my first post up top, any bunny you brought into your home (whether from a breeder, pet store, or rescue) would need to be seen by YOUR vet within the first 2-3 weeks for a baseline exam.

[bunnylove1]

well this little lop was shipped in with 2 lion heads and there seems to be a scab on one ear witch makes me think there was a more aggressive bunny in the shipment am i 100% shore no. i didnt see any scratching when i was with the bunny for a bout a hour and the bunny didnt do anything that let me know hes ears were bothering it, such as i looked in its ears felt around them .. and acted like it didnt care.

[bunnylove1]

im just afraid if the bunny has something really wrong i wouldn’t want to bring it back to the pet store but im not going to spend 60$ on a sick bunny.

[bunnylove1]

more with vet bills

[BinkyBunny]

Since this is at the pet store, ask to speak with the manager and say what your concerns are. This definitely could be mites. The scab could also come from scratching. Mites are easy to treat though. Some pet stores do have an assigned vet that checks out their animals. Plus, this is something that should be brought to their attention anyway. Ultimately the decision is up to you, but I agree with Beka, regardless of where you get your bunny, you will want to have a check up. I know that many shelters and rescues will offer a coupon for a free vet check-up (usually expires within a couple of weeks). I don’t know if Pet Stores will offer that but you can see what their policy is about that.

[emkvet]

Rabbits aren’t very low maintenance pets; I noticed you were concerned about the cost of the rabbit AND it’s veterinary care. Your rabbit would need to see a veterinarian for a check-up as well as for its spaying/neutering, and additional appointments yearly (at the minimum). Rabbits can become very expensive pets, and if you aren’t financially able or willing to spend the money to care for a rabbit, I would highly suggest against it.

[pendrith]

As emkvet says bunnies can be rather high maintenance. I’ve had my bun for about 7 months, hes had several check ups at the vet, injections for mites and antibiotics for a possible ear infection (vet couldn’t work out which of the two it was), a urine test and is yet to be neutered. All of this has easily come to $200-300, maybe even more. I probably didn’t have to take him to the vet for one of his check ups but I wanted to check his progress and don’t mind spending a lot of money on the little bun.
Not trying to scare you off bunnies, as yes, mites are very easily treated, a couple of injections and you’re sorted. I just don’t want you thinking rabbits are cheap pets to keep, buying one and then getting a shock ^^;
I’d definitely speak to the pet shop as i’m sure they’ve had quite a few other bunnies in the past and have experience in stuff like mites, ear infections, etc.

[Monkeybun]

I have easily spent more than $1000 int he past year and a half on my bunnies and vet bills and such. So if cost is a big worry, I would hold off.

[KytKattin]

Keep in mind that any bunnies with shorter noses are going to be more likely to have teeth problems. Those cute faces come at a rather steep price depending on where you live and how comfortable your vet is with the procedure. Today I spent about $100 on just a tooth trim (not including exam), and that is one of the cheapest I have ever had done. I have spent over $300 on one before. It just depends on your location. While this was the first time for my bunny, and very likely the only time I will ever have to have her teeth done, had I not caught it early she could have needed surgery, antibiotics, pain meds, and possibly even emergency care depending on how unobservant I was.

And mind you that normally shaped rabbits are not immune to teeth problems.

[avarismom1]

If you adopt from a local shelter or rescue you will be getting a rabbit that is already spayed or neutered (a savings of a few hundred dollars). Also instead of Purchasing a potentially sick rabbit you will be adopting a rabbit who has a known veterinary history and people who can tell you about their personality, affection level etc (this is especially true if the rabbit is in a foster home).

[BinkyBunny]

Posted By bunnylove1 on 02/13/2012 10:11 AM
im just afraid if the bunny has something really wrong i wouldn’t want to bring it back to the pet store but im not going to spend $60 on a sick bunny.

EDITED MY COMMENTS: I completely misunderstood about the $60.  I now understand that that is the cost for the bunny at the petstore, not your vet bill budget. oops!  So my comments regarding that don’t make sense so I deleted them. 

However, what others have said about vet costs is so true 

One of the reasons I choose to only have one bunny, Vivian, right now is due to the fact that we are a bit financially tight.  I had spent over $1500 on Jack over the years,  and with Vivian being a senior, I know she could have some health issues down the pike.  (We also have a senior cat), so for now I haven chosen not to add more to our fuzzy crew and stick within my budget so I can provide the best care I can for the animals I have.  And believe me, that isn’t easy. I see so many sweet bunnies I would like to adopt.  When things get more green in our pockets, I will be looking again. 

[bunnyfriend]

I wouldn’t adopt a rabbit unless you are willing to pay for vet bills if the rabbit gets sick. I agree with the others it can be costly and there’s no guarantee that a rabbit anywhere will be healthy or always will be healthy, and it wouldn’t be fair to the rabbit to be taken back to the store or shelter, ect. for something like that. Also if you adopt a rabbit that is not from a shelter you will have to pay for the costs of a spay or neuter which can be around $200-$300 but is in the best interest for the rabbit’s health.

[bunnylove1]

idk why we keep getting to coast iv said multiple times i can afford it its not a issue of that. its the issue that i should not have to buy a sick bunny to get one. the pet store is obligated to give that bunny a clean bill of health b4 it leaves that place!!!!!. although this will be my 1st experience of owning a bunny im doing my research i want one there for as a adult im going to get one. thank you for your help full advise and letting me know what are some expense that bunny’s do need but please stop with the comments you should hold of, if this this and this don’t get one. by the way bunny at the pet store got worse theirs more hair missing and has gotten skinnier . i asked the manager to have a vet down to look at her soo Sunday they will be down. i will not be buying this bun but at least i can make shore she gets help!!!.

[Sarita]

I agree, that you would want to make sure the rabbit is in good health at the time of purchase from a pet store. I imagine this may just not be the best place to purchase a bunny and perhaps it might be best to look at your other options that you’ve mentioned. It’s sad that this bunny is in poor shape and it sounds like you’ve done your best to get the store to get it help so hopefully they will make good on that promise.

[bunnylove1]

i hope so to im going to continue up on it until its being helped shes soo sweet was holding her today and she just laid there upside down the works and was soo nice about it

[RabbitPam]

Sadly, even a normally feisty bunny will lay there calmly in your arms if they are ill. I am sure that your kind attention gave her some comfort. I hope that the pet store gets a vet in, or takes her to one. If you are concerned that they will not abide by their promise, the local Animal Control officer could be called in to inspect the store. It makes a slipshod business shape up or close, which is also good for the health of all the animals they sell, so it’s not necessarily a mean thing to do to the owner. That pet store wants a good reputation, not to go out of business. Runts and sick ones always pull at my heartstrings.

[Beka27]

I’ve heard bad things about how sick bunnies are treated at pet stores. I know not all operate in this way, but some do. Hopefully this one is not like that and will actually seek vet care. I’m not trying to start a debate on the topic, but it’s important you understand not to take everything they say at face value.

Just so you’re aware tho, some stores will take a sick bunny to the back and just leave it there, assuming it will pass at some point. When the concerned citizen (you) comes in, they will either say they got the bunny vet care and sold the bunny, or got the bunny vet care and it was too late… etc… Either way, YOU feel like you’ve done a good thing and leave satisfied that you “helped” (although you didn’t), and they have avoided a costly vet bill. Rabbits in pet stores are MOSTLY profit. They generally are not going to cut into that profit margin by getting vet care that will be as much (or more than) the sale price. Otherwise, they may just send the rabbit back to the supplier (aka: breeder), and they do whatever they do with sick buns.

If you continue following up with the store, and they tell you the bun went to the vet, ask what happened, and then for contact info for the vet so you can speak with him/her directly. If they hem or haw about giving it to you, just assume it was a lie to begin with.

I’m not sure where you live but 1-2 years ago, about an hour away from me (Akron, Ohio), a pet store employee was prosecuted for drowning sick rabbits in the back of a pet store. It does happen.

[bunnylove1]

i understand this that’s why i asked them to put it on hold for me until it is seen and being treated by a vet if on Sunday the vet dose not see it i will take more affirmative action. iv been checking on the bun every couple of days to see the progress its right around the block from me. soo after Sunday im going to want to see the vets diagnostic witch i asked for.

[Beka27]

Oh very good! I must have missed when you said they’re holding the bun for you! Please keep us posted on what happens then. It is an adorable bunny and deserves to be healthy and in a loving home.

[bunnylove1]

im not going to perches her but im leading them to believe i am so they will get her the attention she needs !!!

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