This is what the poster emailed me back. I did apologize for sounding mean and that it was not my intention. I also asked her when was the last time the rabbit saw a vet, and where she bought the rabbit. I have not received an email back since I emailed a response to this one.
I read your email and have to say I am very surprised. I feel hurt that instead of giving me the benefit of the doubt you seem to have assumed I don't feed my rabbits properly. I feel attacked.
"Chip" is a perfectly healthy purebred (not mixed) Lionhead who happened to mature to a small size as an adult but still leads a healthy, normal life. Small animals can happen in nature and it does not always mean something is wrong or that the owner has underfed them. My bunnies are very important to me. I can appreciate that you are trying to look out for the safety of animals because I'm an animal lover myself, but at the same time, your approach was not as kind as it could have been. Please re-read what you wrote from my point of view. Do you feel how offended you would be if someone accused you of mistreating your lionhead mix doe, who I assume you take very good care of? That is how I felt after reading your email about my own rabbit.
Just to clear up one thing: your email mentioned he looks like a baby, yet my ad clearly reads he is pedigreed, and so, I would of course know his date of birth because it is on his pedigree. Your email, then, implies that I am lying about his age? Would it not make more sense that I - having his papers on hand - would know his age better than someone just looking at a photo? I have papers proving he is a year and a half old. His body, mane, developed genitals, and record of offspring may also serve as secondary proof. He is not a baby nor a junior and I certainly do not lie about my rabbits as I feel you have implied. This implication is an insult to my character. It saddens me and is completely unacceptable between people who do not know each other. Insults are not the way to approach someone when you have a concern for the well-being of an animal.
Finally, he had a record of producing normal, healthy babies before I purchased him. He was just barely under 2lbs when I bought him in March 2010, was full grown then, and I assume he remains at approximately the same weight. While he is purebred by definition, the lionhead is not an ARBA recognized breed so he may have an abundancy of netherland dwarf beyond the generations seen on his papers, which would account for his small size. Looking at his dwarf-like conformation I find this highly likely. This is often the case with lionheads: there is usually no way of knowing what exactly is beyond those first four generations. I can go into more detail if you would prefer as I fully researched the breed before I actually began breeding them.
I hope this email has halted your fears about Chip. I am open to answering any further questions you may have about him, but please do not write again without also taking some time to think over the message you're sending about YOU as a person. I also hope this email has not come off as rude; I only mean to defend myself and ensure you Chip is healthy.
Sincerely,
Colette
This rabbit is less than 2 lbs and full grown and purebred as stated in the email. I am very concerned for this rabbit. Financially I cannot take care of another rabbit, wish I could.
