How to Rehome Bunny?

[Danmers]

I recently bought a new guinea pig to befriend my existing but of course knowing my luck they hate each other -_- Of course I can’t keep my new piggy in a temporary cage forever which means I have to sell one of my bunnies, Petey. If anyone read my intro, I took Petey in because his owner was desperate and I had always planned to rehome him if I needed the room which of course now I do because my GP needs a proper sized home to stay in permanently. Because no offence to him and I’m sure you guys will understand, Its harder to bond with a pet that isnt really “yours”. I think he deserves better than that. He deserves to be a spoilt little mummys boy.

My question to everyone is, what is the best way to advertise a rabbit without attracting rabbit eating/breeding freaks and how do you screen potential rabbit parents that call up and want to meet the bunny in question?Ugh once I had to sell a guinea pig and I had a lady call up saying they were going to bus home… I asked whether he’d have access to the great outdoors and she asked me if its hard to catch guinea pigs if you just let them free range in the garden…well like duh.

What are some good but not too invasive questions to ask and how do you say no if you really don’t like them. I don’t want Petey to go to freaks. I also don’t want to be assaulted in my home rofl. Oh and what are some good things to say about him lol. This is my draft. Please don’t laugh at me….

Hi,

 

I have for adoption a very cute Netherland cross rabbit who is approximately 8 months old, uncastrated and is agouti coloured. He was taken in by me because his owner could no longer keep him due to rental issues. He has very good litter box habits and is a shy quiet rabbit. He has never bitten and loves being in his mosquito proof outdoor run!! I would love for him to go to a loving, indoor home with access to a safe outdoor area and lots of cuddles. He has already had his calcivirus vaccination (which cost about $50), is in good health and of course I have the vaccination card. If you want I can also give you a bag of change over food, a small bag of hay, rabbit nail clippers, his litter box, shredded paper for his litter box and a small batch of rabbit cookies which he enjoys! I only ask a small adoption fee of $10 if you’re interested.

 

If you would like to meet him or want more pictures/info please don’t hesitate to contact me by email at mercedesng11@hotmail.com

 

Thanks,
Mercedes

Any thoughts/ideas/improvements are always welcome. I really want him to go to a nice home but I’m worried because he is a very shy rabbit…and most people want a pet that wont run away from them…

[Beka27]

well, you want to ask more than 10 dollars, first off. meat or snake people would think nothing of paying 10 dollars for a rabbit. i’d suggest that you get him neutered first before adopting him out. that will guarantee that he will not contribute to the rabbit overpopulation problem. then you can ask a higher adoption fee, $50 or so to recoup some of that cost. it would be great for him to go to a home with an existing rabbit (again, he will have to be neutered first) so he could have a friend of his own kind, plus this way you are sure that the home he goes to is experienced with rabbits as indoor pets.

it can take a long time to rehome a rabbit, especially one that is unneutered. not everyone is prepared for having a house rabbit, and many people who are just starting out want a baby bunny b/c they think it’s better/more trainable/cuter/nicer… pretty much wrong on every count. have you considered getting the guinea pig another cage since this process mgiht take months?

here is an article from HRS on rehoming… http://www.rabbit.org/adoption/finding-a-new-home.html

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

If you can and have the time do a ‘home inspection’ when you have someone in mind to adopt. If they won’t go for it, not a good home. It may make adopting take longer but it’d be heartbreaking if you let him go to a substandard home.

Some questions to ask
have they ever rehomed an animal before and why
Are you planning on moving in the next three years
What would make you rehome this animal
Have you had rabbits before
Who is the vet who currently looks after your animals and can I call them for a reference check.

Take your time and have conversations with potential adopters

[Deleted User]

I think you would be better taking him to the RSPCA if the situation becomes really desperate.  I know people in Perth are not familiar with caring for a bunny, let alone having one as a pet and particularly to keep a bunny inside is definitely unheard of.  Most folk here associate a rabbit as a good meal for dinner.

I personally feel you will find it difficult to re-home him quickly but in the short term perhaps you could purchase a second hand cage for the new piggie …

I have both piggies and one bunny.  My two piggies do not get along therefore I have to house them separately … it is a pain but I can understand your situation.

Take your time in re-homing bunny … but it seems such a shame to move him out  …

 

 

[Danmers]

Thanks for that link beka27, it was helpful. Neutering costs about $85 here so I’ll definately look into that. How much should I advertise him for? High enough so he goes to a serious buyer but not so high it puts people off.

About the home inspection, is this something I should advertise or should I ask about it when people call/email me? How should I ask? I’m a little shy  and I don’t want to come across as a freak lol.

I don’t mind if it takes ages to find Peter a good home as long as he goes somewhere with nice people. I’d rather not take him to the rspca as he would be the only rabbit and Id rather not put more financial strain on the only rspca in WA lol. I’ll definately try finding an el cheapo second hand hutch in the meantime.

This is RIngos current cage;

 

His current cage is 17inches by 27inches so is somewhere near the minimum. I give him at least one hour of floor time in my room and then at least another 2hours of outdoor run time. If one of the rabbits is in the outdoor run I’ll also pop him into their hutch so he has more space and he seems to enjoy this. Can you believe I got this hutch from Peters owner and he was permanantly living in this cage with a guinea pig!!!! I thought it was the pet carrier, when she informed me this is what they both lived in, my face resembled this-> 

Thanks for all the suggestions! Please keep them coming

[Deleted User]

Oh gosh that is terrible… such a small space for both animals.

And no room to move about …

i’m glad to hear you will keep a vigilant eye on the new proposed owners …

There is a great savy vet in Maida Vale or you live south of the river.  His costs are very reasonable for vet care, particularly bunnies.

 

 

[Beka27]

wow that is a small cage! poor guy! i love how folks think they can just stick an animal anywhere and they’re fine. geez.

after you neuter him, i’d try and spend a good amount of time with him, make sure he’s socialized and get a feel for what he likes. the more positive personality info you can include, the better.

the tricky thing is asking a high enough adoption fee to rule out the nutcases, but not so high that serious adopters are scared away. in your ad i would stress all of his postive qualities… what would make him an excellent bunny for an indoor home (litterbox trained, neutered) and def include that he had just been vaccinated like you did above. i’d keep it kinda short and simple though and stress that people can email you for more info about him, serious inquiries only. at the end you might list the adoption fee as such, “i am asking an adoption fee of $50 to cover half the cost of his recent neuter.”

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I liken small cages to living in my (very small apartment sized) bathroom. Sure if someone brought me food and water I’d live to my old age just fine. But I’d probably go crazy, get fat and neurotic with no room to move about. Yes they can live in a very small cage. No it’s not ok.

That’s my analogy

It’s a good idea to just have a friendly chat with potential adopters. You don’t have to grill them, just bring questions up in conversation. Makes you feel more comfortable and also lets them ‘slip up’ and give honest un-rehearsed answers.

Ask if they’ve had pets before, what kind, what happened to them. What pets they have now. How often are they or another responsible adult home during the day. How much out time are they planning on giving the rabbit. Who is their vet. What would prompt them to go to a vet. What do they know about rabbit care. How are they planning on feeding the rabbit. How much do they think a rabbit will cost them a month (Remember it’s surprising but many members here are spending more then 50$ a month on just one rabbit!!). What would they do if bunny is eating cords, if rabbit eats clothing, if rabbit eats a plant, if rabbit stops eating.

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