To: MooBunay…Re: White bunnies

[luvmycritters]

I saw your reply that it is hard for white bunnies to find homes.  Why is that?

Thanks in advance!

Terry

[MooBunnay]

Hello! White bunnies, especially the big ones with pink eyes are the hardest to place. I have yet to be in a shelter that doesn’t have at least four or five. There are a couple reasons for that I think. One is that some people say that the red eyes “freak them out.” Two is that this variety is quite easy to find in pet stores because it is a very cute and popular breed when they are younger because they are teeny white little fluffballs and sell well. Three is that this variety of bunny usually gets quite large, so people that buy them in pet stores tend to dump them because they get to big. Also, this breed of bunny is a very hearty breed so I think a lot of them can survive hardships that other bunnies cannot. The sad thing is that these bunnies are often the friendliest and cuddliest bunnies of all!

One of the rescues I worked with always had a “White bunny, black cat” rescue party for just the white bunnies and black cats because those two types are the types that are always left at the shelters the longest

[Scarlet_Rose]

So sad, Moobunnay, does this apply to solid white bunnies only or white with markings too?

[Sarita]

I think it’s more the red eyes than the white fur too. Also the large size white buns. I think it’s a combination of size, color (white) and red-eyes. Many people have an aversion to the red eyes – they think of lab rabbits and some just think they are spooky looking. I think they are unique and I love the red eyed whites. I have 5 red-eyed whites (All Californians/Himalayans and one New Zealand) that I tried to adopt out and since so few realize their beauty so they are staying with me. That’s not to say I haven’t adopted out red-eyed whites, I have and some very lucky adopters now have some of the sweetest rabbits on earth.

[Scarlet_Rose]

It’s so depressing how bunnies are categorized the way they are when their personalities are really what adopters should look at.  Such a world stuck on appearances and social sterotypes. Hey can I trade my Daff for a sweeter one? LOL ; ) Only kidding, I wouldn’t give her up for the world but she definately does not fit the sweetheart softy image most white rabbits have. : ) She’s a Diva Stinker. My sakes alive she is a handful, very independent and forward-thinking. She’d be out marching right now for womens votes if she were human. Gosh I would love to adopt a few more buns, especially some white ones, they are my favorite.

[Sarita]

Big black dogs and black cats are categorized too. Dog rescuers have a harder time adopting the big black dogs. I agree it’s sad that these types of things exist even for pets – I don’t understand it but that’s how it is.

I know alot of rescues do their due diligence to change people’s perceptions about animals with a certain coloring or size and sometimes they are successful but sometimes they aren’t but they keep trying.

Maxine my NZ White (13 pounds) is not exactly sweet but she is a character and I enjoy interacting with her. I think she initially came from a rescue and had a home but her owners were evicted and she along with some dogs went to the animal shelter. I only speculate that she was a rescue because when my vet went to spay her, she was already spayed which surprised me. I didn’t expect that in a big white bunny – she has a tattoo as well in her ear too so I’m sure initially she came from a breeder. She’s a very vocal rabbit especially when it comes to food :~)

[osprey]

There are all kinds of  prejudices when it comes to adopting out bunnies.  The big white bunny thing is certainly true for us too, but we have  more trouble adopting all large bunnies.  Dwarfs and lops go right away (super cute, people latch on to how the bunny looks).  Large rabbits somehow convince people that they need more room or something, but the larger ones usually make great companions in households with kids, and we have to convince people that a big bunny is OK.  One of the local shelters here swears that they cannot adopt out black bunnies either, that people think they are bad luck like black cats.

[Vinnie D.]

I don’t see how anyone could not love a white rabbit.  Nel is solid whie with big red eyes, and she’s adorable.  To think I originally picked her out because she seemed to be very laid back and mellow…boy was she ever putting on an act.  More like sly and mischevious. 

 

Some people seem to think "plain old white rabbit" but I more tend to see a snow white princess.  Black cats are great too.  They always seem to be a little more independent than other cats.  Certainly they enjoy a good ear scratching as much as the next cat, but they seem to have that air of "I can take care of my self thank you very much" about them.

[MooBunnay]

Like other people have mentioned, it is probably the red eyes/large size/white bunny combination that people don’t like the most. I think when I was posting this I was posting about placing Nick – a big white bunny from a shelter who must have been the sweetest ever, but he was HUGE and had red eyes and was all white so he was at the shelter for just years (like 3-4 I think, maybe 5?) but he got a super nice home so it was a big victory. Unfortunately, the shelter also had two more big white bunnies his same size, with slight attitude problems, so they are still there…

[Scarlet_Rose]

Osprey, I know what you mean, the larger bunnies are usually the last to be adopted. I like them better myself as I find that they are not so high strung, easier to pick up and they don’t fit into so many small/tight spaces as the little fellas do. OK yes I’m a bit predjudiced. ; 0 ) LOL When I can adopt more bunnies again I’m going to get a flemish giant pair. I love them they are just like puppy dogs!! Moobunnay I so wish your shelter was closer to where I am, I would adopt those two stinkers in a heartbeat. I have a fondness for bunnies that need that extra socialization and attention. The tattoo would definatley indicate a breeder and/or show bunny.

I had a black cat that died from cancer, his name was Neun. He had quite a story of how he became my cat, I was walking along the street in front of my apartment in Massachusettes at dusk and I saw a cat walking in the parking lane, no sooner did I think about how dangerous that was when a car came speeding along and vroom! That cat was INCHES away from being hit. I thought OMG, went up to the cat that just jumped up into my arms and wanted lovins. I thought it had been odd he didn’t hear the car coming then I looked in his ears, they were all encrusted with blood and debris because he had ear mites so bad. The neighbor that lived upstars from me said, well it looks like you have a cat now and I said, YEP, he’s obvoiusly a stray that needs some medical attention and love. Long story short, I had another addition to my apartment that was the sweetest thing ever, loved belly rubs, slept on my pillow next to my head. It took 4 months to clear up his ears they were so bad, then to find out he also had fleas that he was treated for as well, all those vet bills were well worth it. Gosh I miss him sooo much.

[5cats1bun]

I’ve actually been talking back & fourth with a girl in a near by rescue and have decided (don’t laugh at me!) to only have bunny dates with these big white pink eyes buns! They have a lot in her rescue, Rocky is very small and I had wanted a big rabbit but couldn’t help but take him in. Also I have 3 out of my 5 cats are black. Well Benltey is a tux and very typical cat, Zoey…lets just say my other cats in the situations they were in and there personalities I say are lucky to have my but she is the one I am lucky to have (lucky to have them all but you know what I mean right? ), the most darling kitty ever. then there is Nuit who, she was a major rescue and has attitude with the other cats but is coming around. Ceasar my siamese mix had a rough start (10 homes and was under a year) it took him a while to realize he wasn’t going anywhere, and Jenny is a dilute tortie who only likes Bentley!! They are all horribly spoiled!!! sorry got on a kick there

[luvmycritters]

MooBunnay (and everyone else): Thank you so much for addressing this issue. I had NO idea. Deciding which pet to get, which car or house to buy – they’re all “emotional” decisions for most people.

Terry

[MooBunnay]

Hello! I know, for me its always “which bunny has looked at me with the saddest eyes” or…which bunny kissed me on the nose when I looked in his cage I adopted Raymond because I saw him in this itsy bitsy little cage and he was sitting in his litterbox, and he tried to stretch out and yawn, but when he stretched he didn’t have enough room and his paw slipped of the side of the litterbox and he bonked his chin, and I felt SO bad that I took him home immediately! He was also covered in pee stains from someone else peeing on him, poor guy.

[skunklionshow]

We had 3 bunnies when we were kids….2 white ones and a black one (Cottontail, Elliot, and Hasenpfeffer sp?).  I get a little sad thinking about them, b/c they weren’t house rabbits and lived in a shed in the yard.  During the summers they got to run free in the yard (it was fenced in).  Anyway, Cottontail and Hassen came from the pet store, they were supposed to be girls.  Turned out they were boy and girl and had lots of babies.  The only baby that survived was Elliot.

Anyway our 2 white bunnies had red eyes.  I had no idea that there were white bunnies w/o red eyes until our pet therapy program got a white rex.  Anyway, I loved those bunnies.  I give my current buns extra love to make up for our old bunnies.  I also had a black cat.

[MooBunnay]

I had a black cat too, his name was Tommy and he’d always sneak into my bedroom at night and pounce on my bed and scare me half to death. He also like to hang out under my bed, and then when I’d step into bed at night he’d attack my foot – also scaring me half to death. I think that Tommy had a real sense of humor I still miss him! I wish I could have some cats, but I’m very very allergic. Anyways, strangely (and I feel like a hypocrite) I actually do not have any pink eyed white bunnies. I have seven that are all kind of “mutts” – that all kind of look like they are breeder rejects, e.g., I have a hotot with a few spots that aren’t supposed to be there, and a cute lil’ netherland dwarf with completely mismatched coloring, and a siamese looking bunny with a tough bun-ittude. Still, I have a special place in my heart for those big white buns – and they’re always the ones I try hardest to place in homes! I’m sure that the next one to the bunch will probably be the biggest white bunny we can find, my boyfriend and I can wait to have a HUGE bunny!

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