Adoption or Breeder? Whats your bunnies story?

[Beealexandria]

Hi!
I just got my first bunny Doris on Saturday and I LOOOOOVE her so much! she has brought so much into my home! So back in September one of my dogs passed away and that left me and my other dog in a bad place. I have had them both for 11+ years so my boy was grieving his partner. I found a couple that had a dog that needed a friend and that worked out and I still see my baby but I was without an animal companion. I knew I didn't have time to train a new dog to my lifestyle nor did I want an aloof cat so I somehow I came across rabbits and I have been researching ever since. Once I made the decision that a rabbit was for me I started looking at shelters and rabbit rescues but it seemed as if none of the rabbits were suitable for families with children ( i have a 2-year-old and almost 4-year-old son). that was a bit dishearting as I read that older rabbits are easier to train but at the same time I didn't want my sometimes rambunctious kids to make our rabbit fearful so I figured it would be best to get a young rabbit that could grow with my family. I finally found a breeder that is amazing and I made the drive to her farm (almost 2 hours away) to get the most precious little thing I've ever seen made even more special because my Grandma passed Friday the day before bringing her home so I know that she was meant to help me heal from a lot of stuff. How did your rabbits come to you? i would love to here your stories and any pointers you have learned on you bunny journeys. I will upload pics soon

 

[zuppa]

Hi, good to hear you are happy with your new bunny
I've adopted my bunny girl a week ago she is about 10 weeks old now. I like her a lot just haven't decided yet what will be her official name, I call her Kitty and Sweety and Hi Hey the latest one was Poopy Poo and I have to say that she really deserves that name )
Her mother is only 9 months old now and people got her from a pet store. They bought two girls but a few months later they found out that one of girls was actually a boy, they only realised that when they found a nest with six little bunnies in it! They're a very nice family and took a very good care of them all but they cannot keep 8 rabbits so I was lucky to get one from them.
I brought her home in a cardboard box and her first cage was made from a strong plastic crate 60x40cm and wire grid panels left from the old storage. I only have 8 of them I would like to get more I've seen online that rabbit owners are using them a lot, very handy indeed.
In a couple days I've got her much bigger cage 100x50 cm with a large corner toilet, it is amazing how clean and organised she is her cage is very tidy I am very impressed!
From the first minute I came in she wanted to be my friend I sat on the floor and she came to me, there were four other bunnies but she was something special. It's funny because first I saw photo of all of them and actually asked if I could have her that I'd visit them and see if she likes me. And she liked me!
View media item 9608

 

[Hermelin]

My first bunny I got was a more than a year ago. I always wanted to have a pet so I choice to buy a rabbit from a breeder. When I saw the picture of my baby, I just thought he must be mine, no matter what. So I took contact with the breeder and found out he still was up for sale. I had to wait 4 weeks until I could pick him up.

When I got to the breeder, it was a tiny baby bun I took home.



After him, I adopted an elder french lop, didn’t have to pay anything for her. I got a message on a rabbit forum because of I was researching about french lop rabbits and what they needed, because I was planning to buy a french lop kit from a breeder. But when I found out she needed a new home, so spend 4 hours to pick her up.

I was trying to bond her with my tiny bunny but she didn’t like being indoors, so it didn’t work. I had to build an outdoor cage to her and she’s a happy lady.

She turn out to be a lovely lady that tolerates quite a lot when it come to handle. She easily get jealous when the other rabbits get attention and she will try anything to get your attention, from thumping the ground, give you a shove, biting your clothes or give you kisses. A perfect family bun, with a firm personality.



The latest rabbit it’s a neutered buck which I bought from a child family which couldn’t have him any longer. He’s bonded with my french lop and is a holland lop bun. Not the perfect family rabbit but do always cute binkys and full of energy, he’s the youngest of my rabbits. He will turn one year in 2 months.

In my opinion, when you find a rabbit which you fall for it will just click with you. I never regretted getting my rabbits. They all have different personalities but that’s make rabbits a wonderful pet.

 

[Beealexandria]

Hi, good to hear you are happy with your new bunny
I've adopted my bunny girl a week ago she is about 10 weeks old now. I like her a lot just haven't decided yet what will be her official name, I call her Kitty and Sweety and Hi Hey the latest one was Poopy Poo and I have to say that she really deserves that name )
Her mother is only 9 months old now and people got her from a pet store. They bought two girls but a few months later they found out that one of girls was actually a boy, they only realised that when they found a nest with six little bunnies in it! They're a very nice family and took a very good care of them all but they cannot keep 8 rabbits so I was lucky to get one from them.
I brought her home in a cardboard box and her first cage was made from a strong plastic crate 60x40cm and wire grid panels left from the old storage. I only have 8 of them I would like to get more I've seen online that rabbit owners are using them a lot, very handy indeed.
In a couple days I've got her much bigger cage 100x50 cm with a large corner toilet, it is amazing how clean and organised she is her cage is very tidy I am very impressed!
From the first minute I came in she wanted to be my friend I sat on the floor and she came to me, there were four other bunnies but she was something special. It's funny because first I saw photo of all of them and actually asked if I could have her that I'd visit them and see if she likes me. And she liked me!
View media item 9608

She is really cute! Me and doris are slowlly bonding, its a bit hard as i have a husband and two boys so we are getting used to limiting the noise lol. As of the weeked she is offically free range i let her out of her pin one time to explore and there was no keeping her in there after that lol. We are awkened but full speed sprinting at 6 am lol... I was expecting potty training to take a bit longer but she hasnt had an accident since her first day home!

 

[Beealexandria]

My first bunny I got was a more than a year ago. I always wanted to have a pet so I choice to buy a rabbit from a breeder. When I saw the picture of my baby, I just thought he must be mine, no matter what. So I took contact with the breeder and found out he still was up for sale. I had to wait 4 weeks until I could pick him up.

When I got to the breeder, it was a tiny baby bun I took home.

View attachment 39191

After him, I adopted an elder french lop, didn’t have to pay anything for her. I got a message on a rabbit forum because of I was researching about french lop rabbits and what they needed, because I was planning to buy a french lop kit from a breeder. But when I found out she needed a new home, so spend 4 hours to pick her up.

I was trying to bond her with my tiny bunny but she didn’t like being indoors, so it didn’t work. I had to build an outdoor cage to her and she’s a happy lady.

She turn out to be a lovely lady that tolerates quite a lot when it come to handle. She easily get jealous when the other rabbits get attention and she will try anything to get your attention, from thumping the ground, give you a shove, biting your clothes or give you kisses. A perfect family bun, with a firm personality.

View attachment 39193

The latest rabbit it’s a neutered buck which I bought from a child family which couldn’t have him any longer. He’s bonded with my french lop and is a holland lop bun. Not the perfect family rabbit but do always cute binkys and full of energy, he’s the youngest of my rabbits. He will turn one year in 2 months.

In my opinion, when you find a rabbit which you fall for it will just click with you. I never regretted getting my rabbits. They all have different personalities but that’s make rabbits a wonderful pet.

Thats amazing that you have two social bunnies! I know my girl wasnt used to a house as exciting as mines but she is slowly starting to come around and spend time out of her hiding places ( snacks help alot) I cant wait for her to get comfortable and adjusted.

 

[Hermelin]

Thats amazing that you have two social bunnies! I know my girl wasnt used to a house as exciting as mines but she is slowly starting to come around and spend time out of her hiding places ( snacks help alot) I cant wait for her to get comfortable and adjusted.

Hope the bonding goes well with your rabbit, it took for my first rabbit 3 months to fully get used around in the house. And snacks are the way to a rabbits heart.

 

[SableSteel]

I breed Himalayans, so most of mine came from other breeders or myself. I also have had maybe a half dozen foster or rescue rabbits. I breed for personality in my own rabbits though, and handle them very young, so they're all amazing temperaments and very healthy. The kinds of rabbits that follow me around while I do yardwork, do agility & hopping, give kisses and go back their cage if I just point. I would never trade any of my himalayans for just a random rabbit, I love the personalities I get. They're just the friendliest little things. They love being held and petted, train super easily (one sits on her hind leg and hits piano keys with her paws for treats) and just are down for anything. I had one sitting on my porch with me during 4th of july and he was doing binkies, completely unconcerned with all the noise. One of mine goes with me on a leash to the book store and pet store, and loves it! She walks up to people who lean down to see her, and especially loves to carry her leash as she walks. That one grew up in my apartment and never had an accident in her life. Himalayan rabbits have the best personalities, but they're not popular in the pet trade with their red eyes (which is also probably one of the reasons they keep those personalities - most the breeders know what they're doing, usually they started on another breed then move to himmies for their temper) so you'll probably never manage to get one anywhere but from a breeder. I have never seen one in a rescue - but also, in the few cases where the people I sold to couldn't keep them any more I took them back and found them new homes.

 

[Zaleia]

The bunny who made the most impact in my life was Zplit, I got him from a petshop around 2000, when I was 12 or something. Had him for 3 years, we showed in bunny jumping and he followed me everywhere..he ran lose without a harness on the fields, went along to visit friends and was ust the most amazing little bunny ever. Lived outdoors in a hutch but had a run I let him out in every day (and he chewed through the chicken wire so he let himself out quite frequently as well *lol* but always came running when he saw me.
I had to give him up 3 years later when I moved to a boarding school. I still regret it.

The two I have now..
Accio was rehomed to me through a facebook ad. His owner simply had too many rabbits and wanted to see if she could find a good home for a few. Apparently I qualified for a good home He used to live outdoors in a nice roomy hutch and grazing in pens on their lawn. With me he moved indoors. He was 2 years at the time, the fall 2017.
He's an absolute sweetheart, littertrained by himself, doesn't destroy anything, easy to handle..but does not want to be touched. I may pet him on the head but only if he feels sure Im not going to pick him up and trim claws or anything.. However, once he's in a harness he also loves getting out and he's very, very good for walks. But will not jump higher than 4 inches without failing the obstacle so I suppose he's not show material. It's okay, I practice for the excercise only.
I felt that he should have a friend so I got him neutered..

Then I got Nox from a breeder. I was really happy to find her, not only does she breed white eared flemish, which I had wanted, but she keeps them in secure, good runs where they can dig, get into a barn for shelter or out in a fresh, clean pen for sunshine and air. And they have company (she keeps the does and hires a buck from what I understood). This is the kind of breeding I want to support, not tiny hutches and preferably not rely only on oops-litters.
Unfortunatly, my time with Nox was short and ended in tragedy. She jumped from a chair in the bunny room and landed face first on a metal shelf, breaking the bones in her face. I rushed her to the vet of course, they sedated her to look at her but couldn't help her. She was 12 weeks old.
I was messaging with the breeder while I waited at the vets and a short while after we had found out Nox was lost, she gently told me that she had another litter of kits, related to Nox. They were 5 weeks old and if or when I felt ready, I could choose one.
A couple of weeks later I went to see the babies. There were three blue girls with white ears, one had one lopped ear (they got the white ear through a mix with a french lop further back in the lines). She kept coming forward to me and well. Her name is Grey Dawn and she lives in my bedroom now.
She's very sweet but at the moment very hormonal and teenagey. She'll be spayed next month. She and Accio gets along great and I'm happy to have them both.

 

[zuppa]

That's a very sweet story Zaleia, would love to see some photos of your rabbits!

I've got some news here as well. Here's my new rabbit grey one they said it's a boy 10 weeks old as well but i am not quite sure so much bigger than my little lionhead/dwarf mix.

 

[zuppa]

I am all covered with hair now just trying to make them both feel comfortable

 

[Zaleia]

That's a very sweet story Zaleia, would love to see some photos of your rabbits!

I've got some news here as well. Here's my new rabbit grey one they said it's a boy 10 weeks old as well but i am not quite sure so much bigger than my little lionhead/dwarf mix.

Oh, big bunny! Looks like it could be 10 weeks and a big breed.. Nox was 10-12 weeks at the photo of her below and already larger than Accio.

Thank you I'll show some. Accio is the black netherland mix, Grey Dawn is the lopped flemish (remember I said they had french in there for the color? it broke through with the lop on her. Head shape and body not so much. One photo is of her as a baby with just one lopped ear *lol* Black-speckled with white standing ears are Nox. I'll see if I find Zplit on my computer too... light colored minilop or something.

Oh no..you awakened my photo-showing monster...I think I have to stop here..

 

[zuppa]

Oh, big bunny! Looks like it could be 10 weeks and a big breed..
Oh no..you awakened my photo-showing monster...I think I have to stop here..

Oh no please don't stop posting photos, they're amazing )

Yes it looks like he's under 3 months judging from behavior and I am still not sure if it's really a boy. I call him Smokey yesterday was 8 days I brought him home, he was very shy at the beginning and even bite my hand a couple times because was probably scared I think he was quite often handled by the boys in his previous family so was a bit scared. They said he's a mini lop but I think he's a french or flemish lop bigger breed. He looks a bit like yours Grey Dawn but without white he's completely grey just darker nose a very nice color I'd say bluish-grey.

You've got four rabbits there - all so different, and they're gorgeous!

Last week was a bit of stress firstly I've found that my 100% girl lionhead is in fact 100% boy, he's very active and when they first met I was amazed how friendly he was to Smokey, it was after 4 days they spent in separate cages, just seeing each other and I've also switched cages a few times so they can smell each other. He just was kissing and grooming Smokey and Smokey was quite calm, not showing any interest. After a few very short meetings I've put them together for about 30 mins and he was very active again followed Smokey everywhere and mounted him and poor Smokey is probably a boy (not sure!) but maybe of a larger breed and still not trying to dominate, he probably doesn't like it and trying to hide but not showing any sign of aggression or something, just being very quiet and hiding. I feel very bad for him I don't know what to do next I put them together for 10-15 mins when cleaning cages but it always the same - lionhead (I call him Leo atm) is following Smokey and humping him in every position, now when cleaning cages I just put Leo into the transportation box for 20 mins he doesn't like it and bit my finger lots of blood he'd never bit before was always very gentle and he's changing now so dramatically he's 12 weeks tomorrow.. Their cages are about an inch from each other and they communicate through cages Smokey kinda like him and coming to him but when they are together it's always same Leo is following and humping him and he's trying to escape.

Secondly, I've got a rescued rabbit 3 days ago, he was left in a cardboard box outside and nice people took him home but they can't keep him they have dogs so I have him now. They didn't know if it's male or female but called him Fred, he's a boy indeed can't tell what age but think he's not very young, very placid rabbit, with gorgeous fur he looks a bit like English angora harlequin very calm temperament first day I thought he's maybe very old or ill as there was no movement and he didn't eat or drink spent whole day in his corner just in the evening found his bottle and started drinking, then eat a bit of dried food then drunk non stop maybe 5 minutes, about 100 ml of water. Then he started eating fresh leaves and now couple days he eats and drinks quite well and likes fresh food alot. On day 3 I took him and brushed his coat he kinda liked it still very calm but not scared and no aggression. Same day evening I trimmed his nails he was fine no problem just 3 nails left but then he peed on me and I've put him back to his cage. Last night I moved him into a large 100 cm cage and he really liked it, he can't walk on slippery floor so I'v placed a little table runner and now he's fine.

I keep him separately and now as I've found that they are all (two for sure and Smokey is still too young to be sure) males I have no idea what I am going to do I was hoping that they can all stay in the same cage after a few weeks but now I have three cages and can't even let them out as they peeing everywhere. Well except of Leo, he's quite organized and his cage is very clean a few berries here and there but mostly uses his toilet box.

That was such a long post sorry about that, just had to share it I feel a bit better now, thank you all

 

[samoth]

I originally wanted to go with a breeder: I really wanted a thrianta and tricolored pair. However, that may have been a bit optimistic out here in Michigan, as I couln't find either.

I hit up a few shops & rescues and found a beautiful one-year-old magpie harlie mix. He was a Humane Society rescue temporarily housed at a Chow Hound pet store. (The local HS has agreements with a few pet stores around the area to do this, which allows for better visiblity of the rabbits, as well as the ability to take on more rescued animals that the HS has space for on their campus.)

The pet store tried to sell me the magpie's next-door cage friend, a plain-looking three-year-old dutch female. But I didn't really want a dutch, so home I went with my harlie.

Then I started thinking... why exactly do I want a specific type or look of a rabbit? I have this little guy, and the point of getting a bonded pair is for their happiness, not mine. He already had a friend, and I broke them up. And that three-year-old doe isn't likely to get adopted; baby bunnies get adopted from shelters, and adults tend to just dissappear from them .

So back I went, almost a month later, to look at the dutch again. The pet store people told me her behavior had gone downhill since her friend had been adopted and she was alone. Much to their delight, I decided to adopt the dutch as well, and took her home that day.

The story pretty much ends with a "happily every after." Rebonding was quick & painless, and the rabbits get along great. Although the dutch has been a handful for the human (carpet chewer, new to being a house rabbit, only recently spayed, some pre-existing medical issues, etc.), she exhibits a robust, lovingly-extroverted personality I never thought possible from a rabbit.

Bottom line: I wanted fancy rabbits from a breeder, but learned that it's what's inside that really matters

 

[Zaleia]

Oh no please don't stop posting photos, they're amazing )

Yes it looks like he's under 3 months judging from behavior and I am still not sure if it's really a boy. I call him Smokey yesterday was 8 days I brought him home, he was very shy at the beginning and even bite my hand a couple times because was probably scared I think he was quite often handled by the boys in his previous family so was a bit scared. They said he's a mini lop but I think he's a french or flemish lop bigger breed. He looks a bit like yours Grey Dawn but without white he's completely grey just darker nose a very nice color I'd say bluish-grey.

You've got four rabbits there - all so different, and they're gorgeous!

Thank you
My experience is that bucks are usually very nice and sweet with kits, so that's another sign your rabbit is actually young. But at 12-16 weeks that often begin to change.
Perhaps if you neuter them all (if they are boys) they might be a good group. I've had intact males together and three works better than two..it's like they fixate less on each other and snap out of bad moods easier. But be careful.
At that age it should be easy to see gender on them though. And if one is a girl she can get preggers now. (Are you sure the lionhead is a boy? Girls hump too)

I don't have much advice to give, and it's getting late so sorry for the short reply
I wish you the best with all the rabbits and surprises! Nice of you to take in the abandoned guy.

 

[Bunny mommy]

I have 3 bunnies in total. I'm going to start with my older bun. So we had people renting one of our (well my parents' but still) houses and they accidentally put a male bun with a female bun and we got 2 of the babies (The other one ran away after we moved away to virgina btw he was a Netherland Dwarf) we thought that he was a girl but nope but we still stick to the name Allie (I named him after my best friend) but we usually call him by his middle name Loaf. He is a mix I don't really know parts of his mix but I know he has Netherland Dwarf and Lionhead in him because of his siblings. He is currently one and a half years old. He's turning two sometime in Fall. Okay onto my two other ones Marshmallow (girl) and Ginger (boy) we haven't neutered/spayed our rabbits yet because the vets didn't call back. Fun. Okay onto the story. They are siblings and are Holland Lops. We got them somewhere near Thanksgiving in 2018 so they're a few months old. We found a breeder who was selling little Lop bunnies we travled a couple hours to get there. To be fair we got two totally different bunnies from the same litter but we switched them because we found out they were both boys and we didn't need Loaf and Emily (bunny that ran away also he was a boy too) stuff again but Marshmallow was the only female in the litter and she was bonded with Ginger so we got them instead. Ginger is the cuddly one. Marshmallow is the more scared-ish one. I show pictures when I figure out how lol

 

[TreasuredFriend]

I visited the local shelter and began volunteering for rabbit socialization. Over 15 years ago. The bunnies at the shelter truly needed humans who spoke bunny language! Previous owners surrendered them for various reasons. Our First bun was adopted in 2003 from shelter (spayed at 7 m.o.) Girl returned the rabbit b/c she decided she wanted a kitten instead or didn't research longtime care of a bun, or understood hormonal female behavior. Or litter training. Soft velvet rex girl. Most likely an Easter Bunny impulse buy. Second bun came from a sign at the road; bunnies for $5. Chocolate dutchie who was the wrong breed for the 4H youngster's liking. They were boys, not girls; 4H youngster wanted girl gender. After adopting the 3rd frightened agouti 4 y.o. boy from the shelter (who had a fear of hands approaching his face) I never ever pondered a decision to see a breeder for any type of rabbit! -- Never felt the need to have a baby. Because at the shelter I became a foster caregiver to the females who gave birth! - The cubbys at the shelter are filled on a regular basis. Shelters routinely need to euthanize due to all the rabbits surrendered; not enough shelter space. I witnessed the surrenders come in all the time. One time a person surrendered 40 rabbits he could no longer keep. Forty rabbits got euthanized due to space; no room available. - Later on hubby and I worked with High-Volume, High-Euthanization shelters in the area after learning these innocent pets are discarded for various reasons. My profile pic is Karla, captured as a stray and surrendered, who was going to be euthanized for a bare skin patch on her cheek; the shelter was taking in 185 cats from a hoarder.