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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Rehoming Rabbits on Craigslist– Questions

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    • PaaigeyBearr
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        So.. due to circumstances I didn’t see coming, I have to rehome my babies through craigslist.. And was wondering if you guys had any question ideas to ask someone who’s interested just to make sure they’re going to the best home possible? /:


      • Valkyrie
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          You can ask for pictures of them standing with the cage they will be housed in (if you aren’t giving them yours).
          Also ask why they have decided to get rabbits. If they are going as a group, make sure they are going to a rabbit experienced home. Even just asking how long it has been since they owned a rabbit and what happened to it could open the people up enough to give you way more info than you asked for.
          Or ask them to explain their home life and what a typical day is.

          You could also look at the adoption forms on different rabbit rescue websites for inspiration.


        • Stickerbunny
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            Ask them to explain the care they will give to the rabbits – that way you know if it is a rabbit experienced home, or a new owner, or someone who doesn’t care much. Maybe ask if you could come by and see their setup as well.


          • Hazel
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              Do not give them away for free! You would risk them ending up as snake food. An adoption fee of $10-$20 would be appropriate. If you include any supplies you might want to take that into account as well.


            • MoveDiagonally
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                1. What should a rabbit’s diet be like?
                2. How much space does a rabbit need?
                3. Should rabbits live indoors or outdoors?

                Their answers to these questions (without any prompting from you on what you think is appropriate) will help you determine what type of care they intend to give to a rabbit. Sometimes when you’re’ trying to gauge someone’s knowledge on something it helps to feign ignorance. Let them tell you what they think rabbit care should be and you can determine whether or not their standards of care line up with your own.

                If their general standards line up with your own I would then ask them other questions about whether or not they’ve owned rabbits before, if they intend on spay/neutering, etc… 


              • MoveDiagonally
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                  I wanted to add: Craigslist can be pretty 50/50 when it comes to re homing and I would make sure anyone you choose you’re 100% comfortable with. Are there any rabbit based rescues near you that might take them in?


                • tobyluv
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                    You could also ask them if they are prepared for all the costs associated with rabbits, if they are willing to bunny proof their home or at least one room where the rabbit can get exercise, if they have other pets, and if they know of a rabbit savvy vet to take the rabbit to.

                    I also wondered if you had tried any rescues or shelters in your area


                  • Valkyrie
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                      I would at least try to rehome them yourself before putting them in a shelter. Shelters are so over run and unfortunately most people don’t think that a rescue is the first place to look so they could be in there a long time. It would be stressful for them to be put in a shelter and then into a permanent home and that could cause them to act out.

                      Do you have Kijiji where you are? When my grandfather was breeding rabbits he found that there were more serious, devoted people on Kijiji then Craigslist.


                    • PaaigeyBearr
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                        Also, am I looking for a home with a preteen aged girl? I don’t mean to stereotype by not wanting them to go to a male, but what type of person/family am I looking for?

                        I also thought about a rescue, but my rabbits don’t need actual like rescueing. They’d just rehome them eventually, and I feel as if it might be easier on the rabbits if they only had to move once.

                        And as far as the fee for them, I’m thinking I’ll ask for ten, then before they come I’ll get a pet store gift card, and just trade the card for the money. I’d much rather have the money go torwards the rabbits in their new homes.


                      • Monkeybun
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                          I would look for a home with adults responsible for the rabbit, not a pre-teen. In my experience, most pre-teens “outgrow” their pets, get bored of them easily. And if they don’t, theres still schooling, and potential college to think about, where most freshmen have to live in dorms and cant have pets.

                          And don’t just look for a girl, men can be good owners too


                        • Sarita
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                            Why a preteen aged girl? I think you want a family or adult who has the resources to care for the rabbit as a new home….that would be a better home.


                          • LBJ10
                            Moderator
                            16870 posts Send Private Message

                              You need to charge more than $10. You don’t want your bunnies to be snake food. =\

                              I like the suggestions for questions given by other members. They all sound like reasonable things to ask.

                              I don’t want to pry, but why do you need to rehome your buns? Is it something we could help with so that perhaps they can stay with you?


                            • Deleted User
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                                I appreciate the concerns some members have raised about giving them to a rescue but I’d still feel (Very Strongly) that would be the best way to go. Rescues are experienced in screening potential adopters. They may not always get it a hundred percent right but with there fees and the fact that generally you do need to be really interested to find one and then go through their screening process the rescues will have definitely weeded out the truly undesireables (like the snake owners). No method is going to be perfect but I really think a reputable rescue stands a much better chance of placing them in a safe new home. And if it takes a little longer to find said home the rescue is in a position to wait and not settle. If it takes longer then you expect (all hard to judge without knowing why you need to give them up) and you get desperate you may end up giving them away to a less atractive place because you’ve simply run out of time.


                              • Valkyrie
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                                  I wouldn’t rule out non-adults completely. I kept rabbits as a teenager and they (as well as my birds, cats, dogs, etc) were always part of my future plans. Not all post-secondary students live in dorms (at the university I work at it is actually a very small percentage that do) and adults have just as many excuses to rehome. Plus buns are great pets for university students because many landlords will allow them, they are most active in the morning and closer to night, and there is just something about their little noses that erases the stress of essays lol. And not all parents are not prepared to step in if their child isn’t ready to have the responsibility of a pet. My parents got me my first rabbit when I was 3 knowing full well they would be caring for it. Just listen to what they say when you interview them. If they say things like “the kids want a dog so they have agreed that if they can care for the rabbit they can get one,” “they are old enough to prove __,” or anything like that, then no deal. The parents should be just as excited about the new addition and its care. As far as gender of the new owners, that really doesn’t matter. There are three bunny people in my family: myself (female), my dad, and my grandfather. My sister, grandmother, and mom love bunnies too, but they like someone else to be taking responsibility for them. My husband is also crazy about our bunnies and spoils them rotten. I really had to hold him back when we got baby Bromley because he just wanted to feed him fruit and veggies non-stop so I had to remind him countless times that he needed to be slowly introduced to them.

                                  The bun I am getting on Friday and its now deceased friend were victims of “I wanted rabbits, treated them as my babies, but now I have a real baby on the way so they have to go.” And the middle aged woman who took them temporarily until a home could be found is keeping them outdoors free roam. Most of the bunny ads I see on Craigslist and Kijiji up here state the rehoming reason as either the parent didn’t want to look after it when they child couldn’t, they got a dog, or they are having a baby.

                                  I do really like your idea of the surprise pet store gift card, but I agree that you should charge at least $20, $50 if all cages and supplies are included. I think it would be wonderful to be prepared to pay for a pet but then find out that the previous owner is sincere about finding a suitable home, cares for the animals, and is not making a profit. Plus personally, I always go on pet store spending sprees when I get a new addition no matter how much I already have at home so encouraging that is awesome!


                                • Sarita
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                                    The problem with rescues is that they do not take owner surrenders usually – they take from shelters first.

                                    Valkyrie, I understand what you are saying but usually it’s the adults that are ultimately responsible for the pet’s care, not that teenagers aren’t good caretakers but they really don’t have the financial resources to take care of a pet’s needs and be real owners.


                                  • Beka27
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                                      I also really love the idea of a surprise gift card! That is a very unique idea, and something I’ve never heard of doing.

                                      Regarding how much to ask, if you have any pet stores around you that sell bunnies, I would ask as much as they do, if not $10 more. If your local store sells them for $30, ask for $40 and put in your ad that the bunny comes with a cage, food/water dishes, pellets, hay, etc. I agree that $10-20 isn’t enough. You might also contact local rescues and ask about their adoption fee. If someone questions your price, explain that rescues ask that much or more.

                                      If they are spay/neutered, include that in your ad. If they are not, specify that they are not fixed YET.


                                    • peppypoo
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                                        In regards to the donation, I agree with charging at least $50. However, maybe you could put the $50 toward a donation to your local rabbit/animal shelter, and include this information in the ad. People who are familiar with the costs of keeping house rabbits won’t be put off by the sticker price, and would be helping out the local shelter at the same time.


                                      • mia
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                                          Create an application and have them fill it out. Type of housing they, the person, lives in and/or the space they would dedicate to the bun. Don’t have a pre-conceived notion of the “type” of person who should be adopting. Instead, take the time to talk to the potential adopter and try to get to know them just a bit. You could even ask for personal references. That way, you can figure out if they are responsible. A responsible person may not know all the details up front or have a ton of finances but can manage to figure things out and make it work.

                                          As far as a fee, I would personally never adopt from anyone who’s asking a high price – they are selling the pet and I flag those ads off. Now if someone asked that I donate the same amount to a shelter and asked for proof of such donation, I would have no problem with that. I am more than willing for compensate a shelter, not a private person.


                                        • PaaigeyBearr
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                                            I see where both of you are coming from, I’m just now at the age where I can drive and have my first car and job, so I’m not an adult. And my parents where awesome about my rabbits and their needs as long as I was “Awesome” about it too and treated them good and like every rabbit should be treated. We where capable of taking on the responsibility at a young age, so we just don’t realize that many aren’t. Now that I realize it’s kind of an iffy thing, I’ll be way more cautious. & I hate to say it, but I have a five year old niece, and I almost want to reject any homes with small children. /:

                                            Anyways, I got an email today about one of them, so I replied with a number and gave a specific time tomorrow to call me so I can ask questions and explained that I’m in no hurry to rehome. I love all your guy’s ideas, and will jot down the questions before the call & If I do even consider this person, as cheesy as it sounds, I almost want to print out some fact sheets on the rabbits and some information off this site just to MAKESURE they’re very informed.

                                            But sense I had the ad up already, I’m going to give this person a shot then delete it and reconsider my approach using a few rescue numbers or you guy’s input on the ad itself.


                                          • flemish giant
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                                              as long as the teen knows the cost of a rabbit a teen can find the money for them. I work for family members all the time to help make money for my rabbit.


                                            • Valkyrie
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                                                Paaigey: I hope everything works out with tomorrow’s interview! The rescue donation is also another fantastic suggestion. I also hate people that are obviously making a profit off of rehoming their animals and often wonder how many of them are just flippers.


                                              • Roberta
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                                                  Keeping you in my thoughts Paaigey,
                                                  I know how heart breaking it must be to part with them and after rehoming two oops litters I know how distressing it is.
                                                  One thing I did was make it very clear that if things did not work out they should contact me first so I could take them back and rehome… I don’t know if that’s possible but it’s another string to the bow.


                                                • Baxter n Boos Mom
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                                                    My husband and I found Baxter through Craigslist. He had owned a bunny before – and knew how to care for rabbits – which he shared with her before we met her. We actually paid $75 for Baxter, his grain/hay/cage and toys – which we thought was a bargain for the entire set up. To further help her feel comfortable with giving him to a good home, my husband offered to become friends with Baxter’s previous mom on Facebook. We’re always posting pics/videos of our buns – so she knows how much we love and adore him. She’s actually our massage therapist now 🙂

                                                    We found Boo through PetFinder – we also assured his previous mom that we were experienced rabbit parents, and allow them free range of our home. She felt very comfortable with adopting him to us – but she never sent us a FB friend request – so I sent her pics of Boo for the first couple months he was with us.

                                                    Best of luck re-homing your little buns.


                                                  • Beka27
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                                                      Please keep us posted on how your meeting goes. 

                                                      Can you share why you have to give them up, or shed any light on this? You don’t have to give specifics. And do you have a timeline they need to be rehomed by? Will you have opportunities to meet with many several potential owners?


                                                    • BB Administrator
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                                                        unlocked thread – argument aspects deleted. Please keep thread focused and if there are still things to hash out, please do that respectfully in private messaging.

                                                        Helloworld!!


                                                      • PaaigeyBearr
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                                                          Its complicated, its a moving/financial/space–sisters whole family just moved in issue. Everyone but me thinks it would be best /:

                                                          Anyways, I went a little over the line and looked up the person who emailed me’s record. And I did NOT like what I saw and rejected them. Of course they have no idea I did that… /:

                                                          But, as far as I’m concerned I’m in no hurry! Quick question guys: my lionhead is in a shedding stage, is it okay to cut his hair a tiny bit while he’s eating? No tugging or pulling and the fur would get swept out of the cage , just little clips to prevent him from digesting it. No matter how much longer he’ll be here, I still want to watch after him and keep him healthy /:


                                                        • Stickerbunny
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                                                            Heh, well, if anything makes you uncomfortable it’s best to deny a person.

                                                            I actually got Stickers through craigslist, the person needed to rehome fast, but the only people who contacted her were me and a guy that wanted her as a “companion for his 60lb dog” errrr. So, she came home with me to be friends with Powder. I agreed to send her photo updates for her daughter who had become attached to the little bun. Hope you find a good home for them, don’t feel bad about looking up details on the person! You need to know your babies are safe where they go.

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                                                        Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Rehoming Rabbits on Craigslist– Questions