Questions On Breeds

[mindy10]

So Im real torn on what breed to get.  Im gearing towards the lionhead but now people are telling me they tend to have eye issues.  Im so torn.  I guess any animal you get can have health issues and I expect that.  When picking out a bunny is it like picking out a puppy from a litter and you basically sit down with all of them and see which one pulls your heart strings!!  Im going to a breeder this weekend and she sells.  Holland lops, dwaft, lionhead, mini lops.  Anyone have better luck with one breed over another?  Thanks  Mindy

[Monkeybun]

I would say don’t go for a specific breed. Go visit a shelter or a rescue, and meet each individual bunny. They all have their own little personalities, and you’ll find one that fits you better that way

[Stickerbunny]

I never go for a specific breed in animals, just go for whatever animal I like the most. I would recommend a rescue though, that way you can have play dates with the buns and most of them already come spayed or neutered, which reduces vet bills. If you do go for a breeder, make sure they care for their animals well and are not a backyard breeder. They should be able to show you the parents and answer any and all questions about their care of the buns.

Every animal can have health issues. Each breed has their own, just like with dogs. But overall, most buns that are kept in a loving home with proper care will have little to worry about. If you get a female, be sure to spay her before 2 years as they have a very high cancer rate.

[Sarita]

I’ve never gone to a breeder for anything – I’ve always rescued and I really prefer rescuing animals of any kind. I don’t think breed is important as far as anything…I figure those animals who came from “reputable” breeders or backyard breeders are going to be the same and frankly they are the ones that end up in the shelters so what difference does breed make….nothing as far as I’m concerned. I can fall in love with mutts or purebreeds just the same and as far as health…it doesn’t matter one little bit.

[LoveChaCha]

With a young rabbit, you have no idea what personality that you will be getting. With a shelter, the people know how the rabbit is. Plus, you never know – you may find a connection with one of them

[jerseygirl]

There are a lot of generalisations about breeds. Some based in fact, some not. True, some breeds have a face structure that leaves them prone to eye or dental issues. There’s probably a health issue associated with just about every breed though.   It’s good to choose based on personality and that is not always apparent with baby rabbits.
 

If you haven’t gotten a rabbit yet, you’re in a good position to plan for it’s future now. Unlike me, my 1st rabbit was a spontaneous pet store purchase! So you can look into getting a rabbit-experience vet and pet insurance or setting up savings to cover vet fees for any problems that may crop up. As you said, you have to expect health issues with any animal really. No way around it but you can prepare to manage them if they do arise.

Another factor to consider is the time you have for their care. Some breeds require more grooming then others. With lionheads you will likely need to brush and trim their longer areas of fur more often. If your in a position to do that, then no worries!

I ditto the others advice to visit a rescue too. You can see buns as adults and get more idea about the differences – personality and physical.  Most in a Rescue will be either mix breeds or not up to breed standards for showing so you could even find some that resemble the look you favour but are larger or smaller and may not have the problem traits that the pure breed may have. One might even steal your heart.  Same with a breeder if you choose to go that route. Visit a few times beforehand. Just observe the rabbits before taking one home.

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