Besides a lucky little beast, what am I?

[LilyPatchFarm]

I was running errands today and stopped at a petstore to pick up up a few things. I was there right at closing, and they were feeding the snakes. This little guy was in with a burmese python who apparently wasn't very hungry. Since they were closing I asked the employee what they were going to do with the bun and they said they would probably put him in with the guinea pigs and then try again tomorrow. (They dont sell rabbits there apparently except for around easter and christmas) I asked if I could buy him and suggested they feed the burm a couple of frozen/thawed rats instead (the bun was really too large of a meal for this young snake anyway). They decided to let me take him for the price of two large frozen rats so I brought him home.

So here he is! Dont have a name for him but we are thinking of either Nick (as in "In the nick of time") or Lucky (for obvious reasons). We're going to try to find him a good pet home since I really dont have the room for another pet buck.

Any ideas on what he is? Im thinking dutch mix. And any clue on his coloring? Hes orange but he has a white under coat and blue on his nose, ears and paws.

 

[KathyandChanelle]

Are you kidding me?!?! The store was going to feed this cute little bun to a snake...when they could have been using frozen rats? That is horrible! I'm so glad you saved this guy!! He is sooooo cute. Wish I could take him in, but I think my hubby would have a cow. What state do you live in?

 

[Ilovemyrabbit]

That's terrible that they were going to feed the poor thing to the snake when they could have just fed the frozen rats to it instead . Its a good thing you saved him. He is really adorable! I love his coloring. I think Lucky would be a good name for him.

 

[LilyPatchFarm]

Albemarle, NC

Petstore logic: 1 small mixed breed male rabbit= $5-$7 around here.....2 prepackaged vacuum sealed large frozen rats $14.99 retail. Its cheaper to feed live then good quality frozen.

I actually have a lot of snakes. Mostly corn snakes, king snakes and milk snakes. (Colubrids.) Its WAY harder to get my hands on good quality frozen mice and rats then it is to find rabbits- theres usually a dozen or so free rabbits on craigslist every week.

 

[Tauntz]

Awwwww, how could anyone feed that cute little guy to a snake? So glad you had perfect timing & were able to save him! Its a wonder he didn't have a heart attack! I know I would have had I been in his (truly lucky) rabbit feet! Lucky Nick! Lucky he was saved in the nick of time! lol Oh, I hope you find that special little guy a good bunny loving home! Wish I could take him but too far & I've got two girls! Please keep us updated, I definitely need to follow-up on his story! I need a very happy ending for this sweet deserving little bunny! Oh, please ask whoever takes him to join here for great advice on bunny care & to let his adoring fans know how he is doing!

 

[Tauntz]

Albemarle, NC

Petstore logic: 1 small mixed breed male rabbit= $5-$7 around here.....2 prepackaged vacuum sealed large frozen rats $14.99 retail. Its cheaper to feed live then good quality frozen.

I actually have a lot of snakes. Mostly corn snakes, king snakes and milk snakes. (Colubrids.) Its WAY harder to get my hands on good quality frozen mice and rats then it is to find rabbits- theres usually a dozen or so free rabbits on craigslist every week.

Wow! Pet stores around me charge $39 for a dwarf that they don't know anything else about! No that is not an Easter price. That seems to be their "every time we get a bunny" price. Last Saturday they had 3 babies still in the store for $39 each.

 

[LilyPatchFarm]

Wow! Pet stores around me charge $39 for a dwarf that they don't know anything else about! No that is not an Easter price. That seems to be their ever time we get a bunny price. Last Saturday they had 3 babies still in the store for $39 each.

Some of the bigger pet stores around here sell mixed breed dwarfs for $30 and there's one pet store that only sells spayed and neutered rabbits and I think they are $120. But that's in Charlotte. Out here in the country, the two little pet stores within a 45 minute drive of my farm, if they have bunnies, they are usually mixes and $12-20 retail, but from what I understand they pay $5 each for babies from local breeders. Purebreds do sell for higher as well, but there seems to be a surplus of "mutt" bunnies around here. You see them everywhere- people in parking lots at feed stores, on craigslist, at farm auctions etc etc. In my little town theres actually an auction every saturday (except in cold weather) where you can buy anything from boiled peanuts and china dishes to chickens, turkeys, rabbits, goats and once they paraded a quarter horse yearling down the aisle. Its like, THE thing to go to on saturday nights around here. I went two or three times because you can really find some great deals there but the animals always depress the crap out of me. I think we still have a couple of really ugly chickens running around our free range egg laying flock here that we picked up out of pity. We also still have Freebie. We got him at the auction. Rabbits typically go for anywhere from like $2-$20 depending on the sex and breed. When the auctioneer pulled Freebie out of the box and held him up to start bidding, Freebie squirmed and bit the CRAP out of him. The auctioneer dropped him and he fell like 8 feet off the podium. When they caught him, dusted him off and started bidding he started at $1 and no one would take him, so he dropped to $.50 and no one would bid, so back in the box he went. At the end of the auction they have this sad little pile of items that owners didn't pick up. Freebie was in that pile and we decided to take him home. He was none the worse for his fall and now hes an old crudgity neutered buck.



.....Wow. Just realized how much I typed. Sorry! Apparently I am really long winded at 3 am.

 

[bhoffman]

Our local pet stores sell their bunnies for $49.00! No matter the breed. And usually aren't very socialized... or old enough to leave mom!! So Sad! Glad you were able to save the little guy!

 

[whitelop]

I don't think its a dutch. I have a dutch and even though she is mismarked, that bun doesn't have the right head shape or ear shape. Just looks like a mix.
Hopefully he finds a happy home somewhere.

My first bun I paid $15 for at an animal supply store and now Ellie she was $20 at a horrid little pet shop.

I just read that you got some chickens from an auction. Thats really dangerous for your existing flock. I don't want to sound preachy, and I'm sure you know about chickens, but those auctions are breeding grounds for disease. When you do get chickens from a auction or from anywhere that isn't certified you should quarantine them for 30 days before putting them with your exisiting flock. And now I'm done trying to tell you what to do!

 

[LilyPatchFarm]

Oh don't worry. We got the couple of auction chickens a really long time ago and they were quarantined for 4 months, vetted and vaccinated before adding them to the free range flock. and are actually across the street from our show birds. Were NPIP and have about three hundred birds on the farm and actively show so were well familiar with quarantine procedures

 

[whitelop]

Oh wow! Sounds like I jumped to conclusions a little fast! I do apologize.

 

[Tauntz]

So glad you took Freebie & the others you were able to help! Glad I don't know of any auctions around me, I would be trying to rescue everything but I don't have the room for a rescue. I do wish people would not get animals & allow them to breed without knowing they can find them proper homes. I couldn't auction any living creature, who knows who is buying it or why or if they will provide it proper care? I know animals have no right other than what we humans & the laws allow but they deserve to have their health & feelings considered, they are not a piece of furniture or a tractor! Sorry, I tend to get on my soapbox when it comes to animals. Time for me to get a much needed bunny hug!

Oh, I hope Nick's luck holds out & you find him a great home who will love him & take good care of him! Bunny hugs to you & Lucky Nick!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Just love the name "Nick" and such a cute bunny too. Good luck.

 

[ladysown]

based on the ears alone he'll be a bigger breed rabbit. At least 6 lbs.

probably a mix of some sort or other.

 

[LilyPatchFarm]

Thanks everyone! Were still looking for a home for Lucky Nick (Started calling him Lucky, then the next day Nick, then back to lucky, so were going with a combination lol) if anyone in the NC are looking!) And whitelop no need to appologize!! I hope I didnt sound like I was upset at all about you mentioning quarentine- I'm glad you did! I should have mentioned it in my first post