Bunny farm or breeder?

[Kora]

I’m not quite sure if this is the right discussion place to post this on, but it seemed like the most relevant place.

So I’m about to get a bunny for the first time, but I’m not quite sure which place is a better option to get one from. I’m looking for a Holland Lop, and I found a private rabbitry with pedigree lops called LuLu Lops. I spoke with the owner, and she was extremely nice and seemed to really care about the bunnies. A new litter was just born, and I put a deposit down on one of the babies, but the problem is that the bunny would total out to be $250, which is going to take a huge toll on my bank account. She talked about how her family socializes with the bunnies and that they would be litter trained once they were ready to be adopted. I really want to adopt from her, but it’s just a little out of my price range. I could do it, but still…$250…and that’s not even including the supplies needed for it.

My other option is a bunny farm called Boling Bunny Farm, but they keep their bunnies in wired-floored cages and seem to keep a lot of bunnies at once, so I’m not sure how well they’re cared for. They have really high reviews, though, and apparently they’re pedigree also. And they’re only $50-$60 for a lop. If you could give me your opinions on both places and help me figure out where I should get my future bun from, that would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[Kora]

https://m.facebook.com/pg/BolingBunnyFarm/photos/

this is the farm’s Facebook, which does look slightly promising. It seems they only sell Mini Lops, though, not Holland. I should probably call and get more info, seeing as the only “website” they have is their Facebook.

 

[majorv]

I know the owner of the Boling farm. You must be in the Houston area. The place that sells them for $250 must breed for show; otherwise, you shouldn’t have to pay that much for a pet Lop.

The Boling people take care of their rabbits. They provide rabbits to many of the FFA and 4-H kids in the surrounding area. There is nothing wrong with wire cages, by the way. If I were looking for a pet rabbit that’s reasonably priced I’d choose Boling. The lady there is very knowledgeable and will answer any questions you have.

 

[Kora]

Thank you, that’s really helpful. The place that’s selling them for $250 sells them for both show and pet, but the owner is saying that the price is so high in order to care for the bunnies they have now. Once I saw Boling’s Facebook page, though, my doubts were a little bit lifted. And it’s just that on some pictures I saw, the floors of the cages were wire, which is bad for the bunnies’ feet! But I think I may be leaning towards Boling, thank you

 

[SableSteel]

Wire cages aren't bad for the rabbit's feet! Only if the wire is too narrow (ie hardware cloth) or the rabbit is predisposed to sore hocks (as is common in some lines of rex/mini rex but usually not in holland lops or mini lops) can it be a problem. Rabbits have thick furred feet, not sensitive paw pads, so while wire floors might be bad for other species of pets they can work for rabbits. Wire cages are so much more sanitary and easy to keep clean than solid bottom cages, and they allow for more air flow. Almost all the responsible show breeders use wire-bottom cages (of holland lops, at least - some of the larger breeds that are more prone to sore hocks because of a high weight to foot size ratio, such as flemish giant and belgian hare, use solid bottom cages) so that is not a good thing to really judge them on.

Just looking at the two websites I would 100% lean towards Boling. Lulu's lops says on their page
"Why do you breed rabbits? We breed to support the cost of our current bunnies, which are our pets."
Uh, what? In my opinion, this is not a legitimate reason to be breeding rabbits. They're literally just doing it for the money, even if that money does go to 'support' their current rabbits. It does not like they are breeding to a show standard (especially as they are breeding unrecognized colors) and frankly, there is no reason their rabbits should be that expensive. Boling's farm, on the other hand, looks like a legitimate responsible breeder.

 

[Kora]

That’s good to know! It’s just that everything I’ve seen and read about while doing research says wired-bottom cages are a big no-no, which is why it worried me. I looked more into Boling, though, and all the ratings have me really convinced! I’m most likely going to get a bunny from them in early November I was really only wary because most of the time I take about 2 hours and 20 different people’s opinions to decide to do/buy something that I’ve never heard of, unless it’s an impulse buy (like LuLu Lops was).

I see what you mean about LuLu, too. I guess I was just swayed by them because the breeder was really nice, and she seemed pretty passionate. She was talking about how her 13-year-old daughter started the rabbitry, but I think they could definitely do with lowering the prices. I did, however, get a refund on my deposit, and she was really nice about it. I’m still learning about rabbits and everything to do with them, so I probably never would have noticed I was paying way too much for the bunny.

 

[Morgan_McComsey]

Have you tried contacting a rabbit rescue? You’ll pay an adoption fee but you’d be giving a home to a bun that could really use one. I volunteer at a rescue and most of ours were abandoned. I just want to bring them all home with me!

 

[Lauren Kiernan]

If you want the baby bun experience and just want a pet, use the bunny farm. Ask them about the health of their animals. Show quality rabbits are more expensive and if you neuter/spay the pet can get quite expensive. Shelters are great because you get a fixed rabbit whose habits are noted, litter traing is usually started and you may receive some supplies. I got my Holland lop from a local breeder because my son wanted to start with a baby. He was $75 last year. I see they increased prices to $125 now. The neuter in CT with an exotic vet was $80 for pre op visit and $298 for the surgery. Glad I did it. He was starting to pee and poo at every doorway and in shoes.

 

[Kora]

I’m also looking into rabbit rescues and Craigslist However, no one on Craigslist is getting back to me, which sucks and doesn’t make sense because why post a listing if you’re not going to get back to someone on it? Anyway, there’s this adorable girl that caught my eye.

https://www.petfinder.com/rabbit/midnight-45037807/tx/houston/bunny-buddies-tx826/

 

[JenGibs]

I’m also looking into rabbit rescues and Craigslist However, no one on Craigslist is getting back to me, which sucks and doesn’t make sense because why post a listing if you’re not going to get back to someone on it? Anyway, there’s this adorable girl that caught my eye.

https://www.petfinder.com/rabbit/midnight-45037807/tx/houston/bunny-buddies-tx826/

Hello! Welcome to the world of bunnies! Super sweet and all so different.
Just a few comments....not meant to offend anyone...
Have you checked to see where your state chapter of House Rabbit Society is located? Mine in Georgia is 3 hours away from me but they have been a Godsend many times! They are overloaded with rescue bunnies that come from all sources. They are all medically cared for, socialized non-stop and spayed/neutered before they are adopted out. Like others have said, their personalities are noted ahead of time to help with a successful adoption. If they are far from you give them a call and maybe they can direct you to a good place near where you live.
Be weary of Craigslist. People get animals, don’t treat them well, and put them up for sale on Craigslist to make money.
As far as wired bottom cages, they actually are not good for a bunny’s feet. Now, if it is for a short period of time that is a different story but they should not be housed in them long term. I have 3 Angoras (super fluffy feet) and when I rescued one of them he had sore hocks from being housed in one. Imagine you standing on one all day. Pretty uncomfortable. So, what you read is correct. Mine are house buns and only go up at night. They have the soft foam tiles for flooring (they do not chew them) and are litter box trained. In addition to my 3 Angoras i also have a Rex and a Dwarf Lionhead so I have a good mixture of breeds. I would not put any of them on a wired bottom cage. If they are litter trained they are not messy. Mine do not lounge in the litter box. They go in, do their thing and get out. The rest of the time they are bouncing around the house or sprawled out somewhere taking a nap.
Are you looking to have a house bun?

 

[Kora]

I do plan on having my bun free roam in my room and having this XXL dog kennel as its home base. The door to that kennel will be kept open at all times, unless extremely necessary. I would never plan to keep a rabbit in a cage!

I just checked out where the nearest House Rabbit Society is to me, and it’s also 3 hours away, which is kind of hard for me to do. BUT it may be possible.

On Craigslist, I messaged some people about their rabbits, but only two replied. One of the people seemed to mass breed their bunnies, and I don’t want to support that, so I quickly backed out. Here is their link so you can judge for yourself. It also doesn’t seem like their bunnies are kept in great conditions (they sent me more pictures, and the cage looked dirty). The other person who answered has two males that they’re surrendering, which kind of disinterested me because I tend to lean towards female animals, for some reason. I think it’s because I bond better with them, if that makes sense. I’m still considering them, though. The other people I messaged were also surrendering their bunnies, but they never answered back, which sucks, because I really wanted to provide them with a good home

 

[SableSteel]

Wire flooring is perfectly fine for a rabbit's feet. Using your own feet as an analogy doesn't work; human feet and rabbit feet are quite different. Unlike other animals, rabbits don't have paw pads, instead they have a thick layer of fur. This distributes their weight across wire flooring. Humans don't have this layer of fur so of course it would be uncomfortable for them to stand on wire cages. It is true that wire flooring is bad for other animals and too often people just make a generalization that they are bad for rabbits as well. All my rabbits are in wire cages, and I've never had it cause sore hocks. The key is that you need 12-14 ga wire on the bottom. 16 gauge wire or hardware cloth is too narrow, such that it might rub away the fur on the bottom, and then you can get problems. If somebody says their rabbit got sore hocks "from wire cages" they either had a rabbit that was obese, genetically prone to sore hocks, or were using the wrong wire. Often times people do put resting mats in with the rabbits (there are specially made plastic mats that clip on to wire floors, and give the rabbit a more solid place to sit while still letting the poop fall through). I put resting mats in with my rabbits but they hardly even use them, and usually lay on the plain wire instead.

 

[Lauren Kiernan]

I’m also looking into rabbit rescues and Craigslist However, no one on Craigslist is getting back to me, which sucks and doesn’t make sense because why post a listing if you’re not going to get back to someone on it? Anyway, there’s this adorable girl that caught my eye.

https://www.petfinder.com/rabbit/midnight-45037807/tx/houston/bunny-buddies-tx826/

So cute! Polish are supposed to be very friendly.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Do you have a rabbit-savvy DVM in your area? Keep in mind that over the 10-13 (or more) year lifespan of your companion bun, you will be spending more than just the initial starter investment.

I've seen horrible conditions of bunnies living in wooden hutches, and farm places that didn't sp/euter their commodity object animals or pets - i.e. hutches with caked feces and hay piled high on top the wire flooring. No litter pan provided. It is disturbing how humans act on impulse and lose interest later on, or when vet bills become more than they can afford, or place their pet on Craigslist.

No worries about driving a distance to find and confer with a responsible person who isn't looking to make money on selling their commodity objects.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

An individual who contacted us recently pulled a bun from Craigslist. Bun came from an owner that couldn't afford anymore, and ran out of food so the rabbit was now dispensable. The buns living environment was bad. Bun went in for initial vet exam and is being treated for coccidiosis. Fecal test done to verify.

I don't know if anyone here keeps their dog or cat in a wire flooring cage?

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Do lots of googling - and plentiful rabbit rescues have excellent information. I was clueless about rabbit ownership to a degree until I began volunteering at the local humane society. You learn lots from being a volunteer at the humane society! www.myhouserabbit.com - and - www.medirabbit.com

- https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id= (rabbit pee and e.cuniculi, so many helpful topics covered)

www.rabbit.org

A few links to get you started re: the lifelong care of a lagomorph pet. Plan ahead for spay and neuter costs, and be tuned into GI stasis concerns if your bun stops making marbles or isn't eating.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

- I cruise various Facebook pages and it is alarming how folks are excited about their new bun. Later on when hormones engage, or the hay scatters need clean-up, or allergies arise, or costs start to pinch the pocketbook, or the excuse we hear often "I don't have time" - the bun becomes too much to handle or keep. Cute bun now nearly an adult is spraying, marking, nipping, biting, chewing, and no longer wanted. Be prepared to give your new companion pet a lifetime of love and invest time and money. - You can check out the number of unwanteds on Petfinder and at rescues.

Rabbits all have different personalities and behavior traits. Yup, habits are noted when working with a rescue who will gladly take a fostered bun back, if you change your mind. Rescues constantly take in captured or unwanted mothers and you can volunteer with a group to get your "baby" experience and save lives at the same time. The 16 babies born in our home (to abandoned females) all had different personalites as they matured. They do use a litter box when humans provide one and spay/neuter.

 

[neophytical]

If you're worried about price, I'd for sure go for a rescued rabbit. All the cute little buns at a rescue will be desexed and that alone will save you hundreds of dollars. At least in Australia they are also vaccinated and microchipped so that saves some serious $$ too. Plus you're giving a home to a bunny who really needs one. My little guy was found as a stray a little bit after Easter and never claimed. It makes me so happy to know that now he has a home with someone who really loves him.

If you're worried about money, I'd also do some budgeting to make sure you'll have enough for food/litter/veges/emergency vet bills etc. All of that adds up.