I'm getting a bunny!

[Krissa]

I have been looking for a new rabbit for awhile (my last rabbit died this spring) and hubby has finally given his approval for a new rabbit! He wanted to wait to see if he would be layed off from work - no layoffs so all is good!

At first I wanted a flemish but after doing more research into Rabbit agility I would love to train a rabbit for that, I enjoy doing it with my dog and I think it makes a good bond between pet and owner. Sooooo, I really love the medium sized Chinchilla or a dutch so I'm going to start looking for a breeder now. I would like a medium sized rabbit as I think the tiny dwarfs may look too much like prey to my cats.

I would like to get a bunny this fall, take lots of time looking for one - I want the right bunny for my house. I'm so excited! I alreay have a rabbit room ready (yes he will get a whole room) and the rabbit garden/outdoor play area is coming along nicely - grass is growing and I need to find some outdoor toys.

I really love the Chinchilla, but I have noticed breeders are few so I may end up with a dutch - I mostly just want a friendly, well socialized bunny that enjoys humans.

 

[Whiskerz]

Exciting!!!
Do you want to get from a breeder?
You could try looking on http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/ theres bunnies always needing homes on there. And oh wow, there are tons in your area! I just typed bunny and then rabbit into the search bar for the pets and lots came up!!!! Also, look in the farm & garden and general section of craigslist too, as there are usually lots there too.
Or if you want to adopt http://www.petfinder.com

Im sure you will find the perfect one! Everyone has a bunny just for them out there, its a matter of finding him...or her But, you said your waiting until fall...If you happen to find one before, just don't let that one special bun pass by because it might be the one!!!

Good luck and keep us updated!:biggrin:


edit: Ah! I can't type this morning...too sleepy

 

[Whiskerz]

ooohh this is fun! Look what I found

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/pet/1861289229.html

 

[Yield]

I just adopted a flemish from the humane society ^-^

Maybe the Ohio SPCA? http://www.spcacincinnati.org/adopt/default2.asp?active_page_id=1489

A humane society is a great place to find a rabbit (and save them).
All three of my rabbits are from the Michigan Humane Society

A dutch is a great idea. I have a dutch and he's the sweetest boy ever.

But wherever he came from was not good. He's missing a nail and part of the toe, he's got old sore hocks, his front legs are a bit bowed.

So you kinda have to be careful if you adopt if you want the bun to do agility

But I love him <3

Also, some humane societies spay/neuter buns before they adopt them out. Which is best because.. well I heard unspayed/unneutered buns can be messy! XD

x Bailee

 

[Nancy McClelland]

ours are all shelter bunnies except one that showed up in our front yard.

 

[Tiger Lily]

Have you considered a Thrianta.It was love at first sight when i saw them and my new guy should be ready by next week to come home! They are super sweet and sooo cute.

 

[Krissa]

I would love a Thrianta, but I figured they would be super rare and I wouldn't be able to find one - I love the color of their coat.

I want to be really careful on the personality of the rabbit so I figure I will have to meet a lot of bunnies before finding the perfect one. I try not to look at Craig's list because I get angry - maybe I'll have my husband look at it for me. I've been looking at Petfinder and I seen a few that look promising. My anatomy class ends at the end of August (changing careers to Nursing) so I will lots of time then to start meeting some bunnies - I will probably have bunny overload!

Nancy - my last rabbit just showed up at my condo complex one day, its nice to take them in and love them after they are abandoned. My youngest kitty I found in a park by my house - I'm a sucker for animals in need

Part of me really wants a baby bunny from a good breeder, so I will just have to play this by ear. I figure I will let my bunny choose me! I did that with my oldest cat at the shelter, just sat down in a group of kitties and she came running to see me. Onxyia is such a loving wonderful cat, but if I had been looking for coat color I would not have chosen her. She is perfect for my family though.

 

[Krissa]

Yield wrote:

Also, some humane societies spay/neuter buns before they adopt them out. Which is best because.. well I heard unspayed/unneutered buns can be messy! XD

Oh yes, I know. All of my animals are fixed for this very reason - to mellow them out and to stop messes! I think everyone gets along so much better when there are not any hormones in the mix.

I even got my husband snipped :biggrin2:

 

[Violet23]

LOL, you've made my day Krissa :laugh: Somtetimes i think it might be a good idea for my guy, lol.

Good luck on your bun search, Im sure the right one will find you in no time

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

If you do get a baby, you will need to wait to start agility training. You can start harness and leash training and working with him once you get him, but wait until he is about 4 months to start with obstacles. Jumps should stay low, even if he can do higher, until he matures more. You don't want to stress his growing body. Like dogs should not start agility until 1 year old, rabbits should be more mature too.

Dutch rabbits are quite popular with people doing agility. I am pretty much the only regular member of my club who doesn't have a dutch or a lop. They seem to be good at it too.

If you plan on building your own equpiment, start doing it now, or at least planing it. Have 3-4 jumps and a contact obstacle if you want one, the A frame is a good and easy one to start with. The jumps don't have to be fancy or too high. Just make sure they are stable and safe.



I don't know if getting hubby snipped will help with the messes. He might just be too old for that to help. The longer he has them, the harder it could be to reverse the damage.

 

[Tiger Lily]

mwahahaha snip...

your state actually has a Thrianta club not sure how many breeders are near you

http://ohiothriantaclub.webs.com/

 

[kirbyultra]

LOL... this thread is hysterical! Good luck on your bunny search!!

 

[Krissa]

My husband was laughing this morning about this thread. He says always spay and neuter your pets and men! :biggrin2:

 

[Yield]

Krissa wrote:

Yield wrote:

Also, some humane societies spay/neuter buns before they adopt them out. Which is best because.. well I heard unspayed/unneutered buns can be messy! XD

Oh yes, I know. All of my animals are fixed for this very reason - to mellow them out and to stop messes! I think everyone gets along so much better when there are not any hormones in the mix.

I even got my husband snipped :biggrin2:

Yeah XD
My girl bun, Solara was completely fine unspayed, but we got paid by the humane society if we spayed her, and plus I WANTED her spayed XD

Hormones are no good sometimes
LOL
That made me smile XD

 

[Krissa]

Ahhh, so I just looked on Craig's list and saw some Californian for sale -

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/grd/1849237210.html

They were on my original list of breeds I liked, but my husband didn't like their coloring. I like the size of the breed, large but not too big. Does anyone have thoughts on the Californian as a friendly pet breed? My research has shown their temperament to be "friendly and non-aggressive" as a whole. Does anyone with a Californian agree, disagree?

If I was to call these people up, is there anything special I should look for in a meat-type breed that would indicate the animal may be ill or deformed. I plan on:

Watching the rabbit hop, looking for problems in movement.
Checking teeth, ears, vent and eyes.
Looking at the cages, are they clean, how are the other rabbits.
I would like a rabbit to approach me and be interested in me and my surroundings, not fearful.

Any other suggestions from anyone? I want to be really picky so any things you have done to evaluate for a pet bunny, either looking at a litter or looking at an adult rescue bunny, would be wonderful for me to know. Normally my pets just show up at my door so I'm not used to picking them out myself


*edited for my horrible grammar - I need to go eat something!