Rabbit Care Awarness Group | Everything You Need To know

Pet shops or breeders?

'Anyone thinking of getting a pet rabbit should consider very carefully before purchasing their pet from a pet store. While conditions in pet stores have improved in recent years, buying a rabbit from your local pet shop is still frought with potential problems.

Many pet stores cannot guarantee the sex of the rabbit, which could lead to complications later, especially if you buy more than one rabbit.

They often cannot give accurate information regarding the breed of rabbit.

They cannot offer any information on the parents of the rabbit you are buying, or any underlying health concerns that may affect your rabbit.

They often don't give sufficient advice on rabbit care and don't care about the quality of home the rabbit is going to, for example they are happy to sell larger rabbits to homes with young children even when this is not in the best interests of the animal.

The animals may have not been weaned properly which can result in health problems later in life.

They will not have been handled on a regular basis and as a consequence will not be used to being held by humans.

They may not have had access to adequate food, hay and water, which may mean that they have health problems.

By choosing to buy your bunny from a breeder you can eliminate these pitfalls.

A good breeder will be able to sex your rabbit accurately and give you extensive information on how to look after the particular breed they stock.

You will be able to see the parents of the rabbit your are buying. Not only will this be a good indication of the size of your rabbit when fully grown, you will also be able to judge the health and temperament of your baby rabbit by looking at the parents.

The breeder will be able to tell you the brand of feed your rabbit has been eating and probably give you a supply of this to start you off,. (This is extremely important as it is very dangerous for a baby rabbit's delicate stomach to change its diet suddenly.)

The breeder will ensure that the rabbit is properly weaned before leaving its mother.

It will also have been regularly handled and possibly even litter trained, which will make it a much better pet, especially if it is going to be handled by children.

Most breeders will be able to offer an after care service, offering advice even after the 'transaction' is complete.

Ultimately the difference between a pet shop and a breeder is profit.

The pet shop is looking for a quick turnover to generate as much profit in as short a time possible. The breeder is generally only making enough money to support their rabbits, and the welfare of the rabbit is their primary concern.

Please see our 'Approved Breeders' page for recommendations of breeders in your area, or email us for more information.

From a breeders point of veiw.

I would like to share my views on this. Like Clare has pointed out you cannot guarantee the rabbit has had the right upbringing, has been weaned correctly, handled and kept in sanitary conditions. If you ask any breeder myself included we are more than likely to talk your ears off about our rabbits and many will be more than happy to show you about the rabbitry. you will not see pet shops offer this.

There is no money in breeding rabbits and you are more than likely to make a loss than any profit, this makes me wonder what corners pets shops are cutting to make profits on their rabbits. In saying this not all pet shop will be like this but i do ask that if in the end you still decide to go ahead and buy from a pet shop ask as many questions as you can think of and avoid pet shops who answer your question of "Where do you get your rabbits from?" with "We get ours from a supplier." i have had two pet shop tell me this and it doesn't sound too brilliant. Many pet shops will buy stock from breeders, however the downside to this is that the pet shop will not be able to tell you in detail the rabbit's background. On the up site some pet shops have their rabbit breeder in store as a member of staff, if this is the case try and buy your rabbit when the breeder is in store so you can chat and learn about the rabbit your are buying. This means when you leave the store you can feel more confident about your new rabbit.

Hope This helps

Steff (Lumine Stud)