Big Bunny Rescue Day!

[cirrustwi]

So, I rescued a Californian today...I postedabout it under the hungry bunny found, because that is abouthim. But I also rescued another little baby. I wentto my local reptile show to get crickets for my lizards, but a man wasselling bunnies for food. Now, I'm the first to admit thatsnakes and such need to eat, but mice and rats I can get past, butbunnies??? It was soooo sad. He had all kinds:lops, checkered giants, dwarfs (he said he usually breeds for petstores, but he has too many and can't keep all of them). Itwas terrible. He said that he doesn't have enough cages, sohe just puts the does in with another buck as soon as her litter isready and he feels they are ready at 4 weeks! He was pickingthem up by their ears! I couldn't believe it atall. I was so mad and I told him so. His responsewas, then why don't rex - hotot mix.

I'll post pictures later if I can get some.

Jen

 

[cirrustwi]

I forgot to ask: do you think there is anything Ican do about this guy and his treatment of the rabbits? Heactually gave me his card and after I told him everything he was doingwrong. I am so angry and sad for these bunnies.

 

[Fergi]

You could try to notify the humane society inyour city. They may or may not be able to do something about it,especially since he is selling them so young.

Sadly you are right and many snake owners feed their snakes bunnys. It is horrible but it is the way the food chain works.

I am glad that you have been able to rescue a couple of these buns thatneed help! Good luck with them and please post some pictures if you can!

Fergi's mom

 

[cirrustwi]

Ok, I swear this is my last post right nowhere. But I guess MAYBE the guy knew what kind of bunny Itook, but I'm confused. He told me it was mini rex / snowshoehare. But, I was thinking aren't snowshoe hareswild?? So when he described it, it sounded like a hotot, so Iassumed that was what it was. Now, I looked up snowshoe haresand the picture looks like my baby. I'm soconfused. I don't really care, but I'm curious now.

 

[Cinnabun]

awwww! i'd prob. get buy couple of them! lol..like i just had a dream that i got 3 more rabbits!! :shock: lol it feltsooo real! lol.. but yeah post pictures and someone here will be ableto help you out with what it is.. plus it sounds really cute!!! lol

 

[Stephanie]

If you post a picture, I'm sure Pam will be able to tell you what breed it is.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

While I know the larger snakes need larger feed as well...... I just don't want to know about it.

I also can't imagine someone liking snakes for pets.... I'm sorry toanyone that does, and I have a close friend who does..... but it'sjust... YUCK!

I love to check out the snakes in zoos and I will hold one ..... I'mnot afraid, I just don't think they fit the profile of "pet" ..... :?

 

[edwinf8936]

Try contacting your local ASPCA. Youcan imagine the conditions he keeps them under. Also, trycontacting the pet stores and see if you can find out his customers andtell them how poorly he teats them. Contact the local media,TV stations, newspapers.

Ed

 

[edwinf8936]

I doubt is is Mini snowshoe mix. Hesounds like an idiot to begin with. If I remember rightSnoeshoe's are brown in summer and white in winter.Hares and rabbits are different.The chance that hesuccessfuly bred the two are slim.

Ed

 

[Buck Jones]

I would have a tendency to agree withEd. It's like the mythical Jack Rabbit/domestic rabbitcrosses that so many people "had," but no one can produce just rightnow,ya see.

On the other hand, I don't have much of a clue as to what breed(s) it might be off hand.

Buck

 

[cirrustwi]

edwinf8936 wrote:

Idoubt is is Mini snowshoe mix. He sounds like an idiot tobegin with.

I completely agree with you. I didn't believe him, butthought I would inquire. I think he's a mini rex /hotot. It actually makes me ill to think of the conditions hekeeps them in. The little guy ate all these pellets and drank4 oz of water right away. I don't think I mentioned that guysaid he had packed his truck last night, so all they had was reallynasty hay -- no pellets or water. He was so thirsty, it wasso sad.

He is all settled in tonight, doing really well. I absolutelycannot get over how sweet and adorable he is. He is just alittle handful. I'm taking him to the vet tomorrow to get acheck over and to estimate his age. I don't breed and haveonly had experience with little babies once, they were hotot/netherland dwarf and I think they were bigger then this guy at 5 weeks,so I'm wondering just how young he actually is. He ishonestly smaller then my rats.

I'll post pictures of him tomorrow, I just had tons to do tonight, sothey didn't get taken. I'll actually post pictures of all thebuns since I haven't done it with Sage, Daisy or Basil. ThenI'll need name suggestions for the teeny tiny.

Thanks for the help, I'm sure I'll have more questions as he grows up...my first baby under 12 weeks.

Jen

 

[Cinnabun]

congrats on the new baby.. that aweful though!poor baby! what are you gonna name him? cant wait to see pictures ofall your buns! lol

 

[bluebird]

Its against the law to sell bunnies under 8 weeks in pennsylvania.bluebird

 

[cirrustwi]

bluebird wrote:

Its against the law to sell bunnies under 8 weeks inpennsylvania.bluebird

Yeah, I looked that up last night when Igot home. I'm going to make some calls today, it'smyday off, so I have some time. I'm going to takehim to the vet and have the vet determine how old he is so I'll havesome form of documentation. I know from looking at him he isreally young, so I don't think that will be a problem. Theseller is from West Virginia, but it doesn't matter because he was soldin PA. I'm definitely going to follow this up. I'llbe making calls to the several places in PA and WV today because hesaid he sells to pet stores (I actually think I have his card at work,so I'll go in and check that out too...I've never gotten bunnies fromhim because we have a few great breeders) so I'll call the departmentof agriculture because they have people who regulate that in particularand I'll call the SPCA and Humane Societies and all that good stuff.

 

[Stephanie]

Wow, keep us up to date with this.

 

[Carolyn]

Bless your heart for saving their lives, cirrustwi.

I'm in your corner completely as to the issue of selling underage rabbits.

-Carolyn

 

[cirrustwi]

I named the baby Orion. He went to thevet today and got a clean bill of health. My vet was upsetbecause he is so young(he said 4-5 weeks), but said he is doing reallywell under the circumstances. He is eating nicely and isreally social. He comes to the cage door whenever I come intothe room which makes me feel good. I'm a worrier, so I musthave checked on him 100 times and he looks at me like I'm crazy as dothe other buns. I think he'll do ok, but I'm still amazed athow little he is.

I didn't get to make any calls today because I was busier thenanticipated. I'm going to make them tomorrow. I'llkeep everyone posted.

 

[cirrustwi]

Here he is:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v674/Cirrustwi/Orion12.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v674/Cirrustwi/Orion22.jpg

 

[Cinnabun]

such a cute little thing! lol.. glad to hear thathe is doing sooo good! i hope somthing happens to that guy who isselling them too young! goodluck!

 

[VNess2010]

My brother use to own a 14 foot python...and mydad and him used to buy feeder rabbits...kill them themselves!...andgive them to the snake...now I'm not against this, because I feel thata snake that big does need something bigger than a rat.However, I feel that they should only use feeder rabbits...notlops...and specific breeds...that's weird..I dunno....but yes, it isall part of the food chain.