Adopting from breeder?

[mango]

Hi everyone,

Ok so I would prefer to adopt from a shelter/rescue org but I kind of have my heart set on a Tan, Cinnamon, Thuringer, Thrianta, Sable, Japanese Harlequin or russet brindle (not sure of all the correct terms), which can be harder to find. I located a breeder just 1 hour drive from me, who specializes in Tans. I know nothing about the process of adopting from a breeder and have so many questions, so I apologize this will be a very lengthy post!

1) Is it a good or bad idea to adopt from a breeder? Why or why not? I would think it’s not as good as a shelter but surely its better than a pet store, isn’t it?

2) Do breeders usually keep their bunnies in poor conditions? Eg, always outside, cramped hutches/cages, etc?

3) Do they usually adopt out the buns non-spayed/non-neutered as soon as they’re old enough to leave their mother? Or is it at all feasible to adopt, say, a 6+ month old neutered male? On that topic, I should say I like the idea of adopting a young adult with an established temperament and coat color. But then again, is it better in the case of a breeder to adopt as young as possible, before the bun has been exposed for too long to possibly poor conditions and lack of human interaction that might negatively affect his/her personality?

4) Do they usually provide all initial necessary vaccinations?

5) Can I expect their bunnies to be in good health, with no surprises after I get my bun home? Do they usually provide any guarantees on that? Not that I would simply “return” my bun if there is a health problem, but if the breeder provides a guarantee, I would take that as a good sign – it means they are confident they’re doing a good job and they care more.

6) What are rabbit breeding cycles like? As in, how often is a new litter typically available?

7) What adoption cost can I expect?

8) Is there any kind of certification or license they should have that I should ask about? I’m in Canada if that matters.

9) What questions should I ask a breeder? What should I look for? What would raise red flags?

That’s all I can think of right now. Any insights and experiences you can share are greatly appreciated!

[Eepster]

Breeders vary, there are no set answers. The main thing to remember is you aren’t adopting a bunny from a breeder, you are buying one.

1) Ask around and try to find a reputable one. They vary greatly.

2) Bad breeders do, good breeders don’t. Outside isn’t the same as poor conditions. A nice outside hutch is preferable to a very cramped pet shop cage.

3) You will generally speaking get a unspayed/unneutered rabbit of about 8 weeks of age from a breeder. Even if the breeder decides to sell off one of their older bunnies b/c it isn’t doing well as a show bunny or breeding stock, since they are breeding bunnies they will be intact.

4) In North America, pet bunnies normally aren’t vaccinated.

5) If you find a good breeder yes, if you get stuck with a bad breeder no.

6) The cost of buying a bunny from a breeder will depend on many factors. Supply vs demand of the breed you are trying to buy; show quality vs pet quality; fanciness of pedigree; etc. They can be anywhere from $10 to a couple of hundred.

7) More important than questions, is just looking around and seeing that the bunnies look happy and well cared for.

[mango]

Thank you so much! This is great information. You must have been replying at the same time as I edited my post. Sorry I screwed up your numbering. Lol!

[mango]

Posted By Eepster on 7/04/2015 10:51 PM

4) In North America, pet bunnies normally aren’t vaccinated.

This is off-topic but I have to ask because this surprised me. Do you mean pet bunnies aren’t normally vaccinated at the time of sale from breeders and pet stores? Or that it isn’t customary to vaccinate them *ever* in a rabbit’s life?

Because Peter’s vet was always urging me to bring him in every 6 months or at least once per year for vaccinations, but I suppose that may have just been a money-making thing. I did take Peter outside a couple times (he didn’t like it, so I stopped), so that may have been the reason. But that clinic is VERY good with rabbits – eg, keeping him as calm as possible, holding him securely so he couldn’t thrash and injure himself, doing things quickly to minimize stress duration, etc. (And I’ve seen how bad other vets are at that, even talking to Peter loud and excitedly like a dog: “who’s a good boy?” Umm, stop it, he just thinks you’re going to eat him!) So I always trusted their recommendations.

And I may be wrong, but I thought shelters always vaccinate their rabbits before fostering/adoption. Though I suppose circumstances are different in terms of not always knowing the bunnies’ backgrounds and bunnies usually being older, etc.

[Sarita]

There is no approved vaccines for rabbits in the US…it sounds to me like your vet did not have experience with rabbits, you should find a new one.

Do you live in the US? If so, it doesn’t sound like your vet is knowledgeable about rabbits to recommend a vaccine since we don’t have any approved vaccinations for rabbits in the US.

I personally would not adopt from a breeder but that’s just me – I’d much rather get a rabbit from a shelter or a rescue….but I’ve never looked for a particular breed just looked for a rabbit in need.

[mango]

Posted By Sarita on 7/05/2015 6:52 AM
There is no approved vaccines for rabbits in the US…it sounds to me like your vet did not have experience with rabbits, you should find a new one.

Do you live in the US?

I’m located in Canada. This vet was at the top of a list of only 3 in my area that specialized in rabbits & exotics. The clinic came highly recommended by rescue shelters, humane societies, reviews. And as I mentioned, they knew how to handle & interact with my rabbit properly, unlike another clinic I had tried.

I may be remembering incorrectly regarding vaccinations, as it was over 5 years ago. I’ll double check on that before bringing my next bun.

[Sarita]

Okay, I’m not entirely certain of vaccinations in Canada….hopefully a Canadian can help with this.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m from Canada and we don’t vaccinate buns either.

[mango]

Ok, I reviewed Peter’s old medical files and my clinic’s webpage about rabbit checkups & care. No vaccinations. I must have confused general annual bloodwork or other preventative procedures during regular checkups.

Back on topic, I got a response from the breeder. That was quick! I’m happy with the info I got so far. Rabbits are offered at 11-12 weeks and ol­der, which is close to neutering time for males. He never lost an animal to injury or illness. He provided videos of their hutches and play time, which look spacious & clean with lots of toys, fresh food & water. All pedigree with champion bloodlines, including their stud buck was a winner in 2013. (Not that I care much about that but interesting to know.) $85 pedigree & papers.

Of course, I will do my due diligence when I visit as well.

I’m not set on this idea yet, but have it filed away as an option. Still will keep my eye on shelters/rescue orgs, consider fostering first, and need to carefully evaluate if my home can be adjusted to properly accommodate a bunny at this time.

[Author]

Messages