rabbit

So you want a rabbit? Here is an ethics comparison on where you buy

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So you’ve thought about getting a rabbit for weeks. You’ve researched the pro’s and con’s of adopting a rabbit. The bunny is not just some Easter Bunny gift, you’re getting on a whim. You’re looking for a 10-13 year friend! Now, where do you get one?

An Animal Shelter/ Foster Home

bunny sitting down
Pepper was adopted from an animal shelter and was loved for the rest of her days.

EXPENSE: $$

MORALOMETER: 5 Thumbs Up

This is one of the more traditional ways to adopt a rabbit. Many people in the rabbit community consider it the best method, because animal shelters generally know more about rabbit welfare. Some are better than others though. I’ve adopted from some shelter who keep their rabbits in small metal compartments stacked together. But I’ve also seen shelters give bunnies whole pens to roam and play around.

Animal shelters will spay/neuter the rabbit ahead of adoption. That means the adoption fees will be higher. I’ve seen $60-$80 for one rabbit and around $120 for a bonded pair. That’s around what you would pay a vet anyway, so don’t feel like you’d be getting a bad deal. An extra bonus is that you don’t have to go through the trouble of finding your own vet.

The BIG BONUS is that some animal shelters or foster homes will socialize your bun for you! It’s not a perfect system, but they’ll oftentimes litter train the bunny. Foster parents will give bunnies lots of pets, so they’re a little more ready to be cuddled by new pet parents.

A Pet Store

EXPENSE: $$

MORALOMETER: 3 Thumbs Up

This is a point of contention in the rabbit community. Some are completely against buying a rabbit from the pet store. The bunnies typically come from breeders. But the biggest argument against pet stores is how they house the rabbits BEFORE they’re adopted. Oftentimes, the rabbits are only fed pellets (way too much) and do not have hay readily available for munching.

I agree. Terrible stuff.

But I would caution you before judging too hard. There is a pet supply store in my area that specifically tries to help rescue rabbits. Although their living space is not ideal, hopefully exposure with the public will give those bunnies a home faster! Plus, the employees are wizards with nail clippers and are so so nice!

Pet stores typically charge the same amount as animal shelters, but it pays to check whether they’re sexed properly and actually fixed. For every good pet store, there’s one that’s…… meh.

A Craigslist Ad

EXPENSE: ?

MORALOMETER: 3 Thumbs Up

This is method is also pretty controversial. There are some people out there selling meat rabbits (gahhhh) and breeders trying to sell rabbits to people who don’t know how much love a rabbits need.

craigslist ad for bunnies
Prices can vary on Craigslist. Some owners request a rehoming fee, while others want to get rid of their pets asap.

But some people genuinely want a good home for their buns. They’re either moving to an apartment that doesn’t allow pets or overwhelmed by the responsibilities of caring for a rabbit. Either way, I can’t judge them. They know they will not be able to handle being a pet parent and would rather give their rabbit a chance at a loving home.

Rabbits listed on Craigslist or other selling sites can range by A LOT. Some give rabbits away for free, because they just want to get rid of their pet asap. Others price their rabbits at around $60 as a “rehoming fee” to make sure the rabbit actually goes to a good home. Still others are trying to make a quick buck and gauge you.

I think it’s up to your own discretion with this one. Here’s my success story, proving that bunny love can come from the oddest circumstances.

A Breeder

EXPENSE: $$$

MORALOMETER: 1 Thumbs Up

Getting any animal from any breeder seems to be the cardinal sin of pet ownership. Sometimes the animals are overbred and have “bad” genetics. They’re generally overpriced.

Personally, I can’t blame people for going to breeders. If you have the money, great! If you want a particular breed, great! In my opinion, these are still rabbits, who were born to breeders through no fault of their own. All bunnies are special and deserve love!

A Friend/ Family Member

EXPENSE: $

MORALOMETER: 5 Thumbs Up

This, I think, is one of the best options for getting a bunny. It’s similar to the Craigslist option, but you’d be helping out people you actually know. The friend or family member may be able to give you any extra supplies they have, and they’re probably more willing to give you a deal. And similar to the animal shelter option, the previous owner will be able to give you a sense of the rabbit’s personality. If you’re pretty close to the person, you may even know the bunny already!

My family got our first two rabbits when our aunt’s bunny got pregnant. We loved them from babies to elderly buns!

Do your research and decide for yourself!

Let me know which option you used to find the bun of your dreams. Leave a comment!

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The Great Gender Mixup: Why it’s important to get a good vet

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It was the classic gender mixup, which apparently happens more often than I had thought. Baby’s previous owners had told me the young rabbit was a girl, which is probably what they were told by a pet store or breeder.

I spent almost a month mulling over different names, and finally settled on Baby Anne. It was in honor of my favorite book character, Anne of Green Gables. But then, my family and I started noticing some warning signs.

Boy or Girl?

It started after my rabbit and I became friends. At first, Baby was jittery and was cautious about leaving his cage. After a few weeks, the bun was more comfortable with me and loved hopping around the living room. The hopping gave way to other habits.

one rabbit checks out another rabbit
Baby and Pepper had an interesting first meeting and proceeded to grow their love/hate relationship.

The rabbit started running circles around my feet and making little honking noises. I found it so cute and thought he was just really excited to see me. The honking was odd, but I brushed it off. Baby’s behavior started to get really annoying though, when he started mounting my arm. From my past experience bonding rabbits, I knew even girl buns mounted to establish dominance. It was clear that the previous owners had not fixed the rabbit, so it put it on my to-do list.

Baby behaved even worse when I brought him with me on a visit back home to my parents’ house. My sister has another Lionhead rabbit named Pepper, who happens to be a girl. One day, while we were all home, we let them both out to see if they would get along. In retrospect, it was a horrible idea! They immediately started fighting. Baby started mounting Pepper (who is fixed) from the front, which can be very dangerous for rabbits. It’s easier for them to get hurt because of the easy biting access. We separated them. At that point, my mom shared her suspicions with me. Maybe Baby Anne was a boy?

Suspicions Confirmed

When I got back home to New York, I scheduled a visit to a local veterinarian for an initial look. The vet I chose mostly treated dogs and cats, but she said they did take in rabbit patients. The first appointment went smoothly. I shared my concerns with the vet, listing off the various incidents. She reassured me some girl rabbits can be quite territorial, so the behaviours could stop once the surgery was done. Baby Anne it was.

Then came the actual surgery a week or two later. With much nervousness, I dropped Baby off at the vet and headed off to work. The office told me the procedure would be several hours. But I got a call from them about an hour later.

Vet: “Ummmm, so I have some news for you.”

Me: “Yesssss?”

Vet: “Baby Anne is actually Baby Andy.”

rabbit has to wear a modified baby onsie
Baby had to wear modified baby onesies for about two weeks as he recovered from surgery (so he wouldn’t bite at the stitches).

I was furious. Vet appointments are not cheap. Almost $80 for them to tell me the wrong gender. I love Baby either way, but the incompetence of a vet that “sees rabbits” was disappointing. It can be very difficult to find care for rabbits and other small pets, and I thought I had landed a good one. 

It had been several months since I had brought Baby home, so he was already used to his name. For the most part, I had shortened it to Baby when I called him, so that wasn’t too big of an issue. I did not take the vet’s name suggestion, mostly out of spite. 

Instead, I went with Baby Man. Dumb name? Maybe. But I thought it was a good way to make light of the story, while  emphasizing the change to my friends and family.

Lessons Learned

The stressful mixup taught me to research veterinarians before settling. Check with other pet owners in your area. Read reviews. If there aren’t many options, I’d recommend traveling to a reputable vet. Some just don’t cut it. If they can’t take the time to properly sex a rabbit, think about what would happen in a real rabbit health crisis!

rabbit has spot shaved from neuter surgery
The vet had to shave a spot of Baby’s fur to do the neuter surgery.

I love my rabbit, boy or girl. But it’s much better knowing which he is and being able to rely on a good vet.

What’s the hardest lesson you’ve learned as a pet parent? Let me know in the comments, so we can learn together!

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I bought my rabbit on Craigslist!

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When people adopt animals, they oftentimes say something along the lines of, “[insert pet name here] rescued me!” Although this mushy cliche makes my eyes roll to the back of my head, I have to agree with it. I rescued my rabbit from a lonely life in a cage. But my rabbit saved me from a lonely life in my apartment.

The Backstory

To understand this adoption adventure, you have to know a little more about me. I grew up with two sisters, so I always had “built-in friends.” When I went to college, there were always roommates, friends, and activities to keep me busy. I was never really alone.

rabbit stretching near a sliding glass door
The only good thing about that apartment was the giant sliding glass door. And even that needed a rabbit to optimize the experience.

Then it was time for the real world. I got a job as a news producer four and a half hours from home. My family helped pack all of my things and drove up to move me into a good sized apartment in Plattsburgh, N.Y. 

When I first walked in, I have to admit, I was devastated. The galley kitchen was small. There was a wooden balcony, covered in spider webs (spiders are my phobia). The lighting was terrible. Compared to the beautiful, four bedroom home I was used to, this apartment was dingy. It was definitely “first world problems.” But having an unwelcoming apartment on top of leaving my family was too much. I basically had to stop myself from lamenting to my parents, “How can you leave me in this hole???”

I dreaded my impending doom, returning to my empty apartment after my first day at work… alone… with no one… by myself.

Hatching A Plan

While my parents were still helping me move, I started planning Operation Heartbeat (basically making sure there was one other living creature in that apartment, so it wouldn’t be a nightmare). I had always known I wanted to adopt an animal and made sure my apartment was pet-friendly. 

I don’t love cats, so that was a no. A dog would take time to adopt and learn how to take care of from scratch. My new job would put me on a weird schedule, so there just wasn’t time for me to train a dog. 

A rabbit would give me the perfect balance of animal love and personal space. Our family has had rabbits since I was in elementary school, so I knew I would have no problem taking care of one on my own. 

I looked on Craigslist to see if there were any rabbits available nearby. A family was selling their small, white lionhead bunny.

The Craigslist Process And Not Getting Murdered

On Monday morning, I waved my family goodbye and headed off to my first day at work. Blah, blah, blah excited for work and meeting people. But in the back of my mind, I was really just thinking about that rabbit.

I emailed the family to see if they could do a safe exchange at the local police station. It was a no go. There were kids in the house, and some family member recovering from surgery. Although I wanted this rabbit sooo badly, I also didn’t want to get murdered by a copycat Craigslist killer.

In the end, my bunny greed overcame my fears. I headed to the house and called my parents. They stayed on the line as I walked inside.

Meeting My New Bun

The family seemed nice enough, but it was clear they had no real experience with rabbits. The white bunny was in a decent sized cage but didn’t have any place to run around. There was a dog in the house, and it seemed like the young kids had lost interest in the “less interesting” pet.

bunny sitting in the litter box
Baby didn’t have any toys when he was adopted.

It was honestly the best $20 I have ever spent. 

The rabbit was scared and ran into the little hidey hole. I felt so badly for the poor thing and knew I would smother the bun with love! I gave the mother $20 for the bun, the cage, a water bottle, a dog food dish, a new bag of pellets, a small bag of hay. 

Some people could say I rushed the decision and should have adopted from a reputable animal shelter. But I wouldn’t change a thing about my bunny buying story. An ad on Craigslist and a fear of being alone brought me a loving companion during a new, scary stage in my life.

Neither of us have been alone since.

How did you come upon your own bunny ol’ pal? Share your story in the comments!

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Are you a good rabbit owner? Here’s how to handle pet parent guilt

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Every bunny parent feels it at one point or another. The look in your bunny’s eye or the pitter pattering of small feet are just some of the triggers for pet parent guilt. Here are some of the reasons behind the guilt and why you are a GREAT pet parent.

Not Giving Your Bunny All The Treats

HOW YOUR BUNNY ACTS: If your rabbit is anything like Baby, he LIVES for treats. As in he acts like he’s never eaten a day in his life! Each food pellet is a gift, and each carrot bit is a miracle. According to your rabbit, you are clearly starving him and this stomach is an empty void.

According to Baby, if a bowl is empty for more than two minutes, it is a sign he will soon starve.

REALITY: You give the healthy amount of food pellets! You give some treats for tricks and cuteness (although sometimes a tad much). There is always plenty of hay to rummage around in the playpen. Resist the urge to splurge! You wouldn’t exclusively feed kids candy, so don’t give in to your bun’s gluttony either! Stick to your bunny’s healthy diet. You know what your rabbit needs better than your rabbit does.  If you really are worried about what you’re feeding your bunny, call up your vet.

Not Giving Your Bunny Enough Play Time

HOW YOUR BUNNY ACTS: Maybe your bun bites at the pen wires or rests her chin on the floor with a look of melancholy. She might binky away from you as you’re trying to round her up after hours of outdoor playtime. She has been trapped for centuries in her small area indoors while you were at work or out shopping.

REALITY: You are doing the best you can! As long as you’re not ONLY using the standard cages from the pet store, your rabbit will survive. In the wild, rabbits would have unlimited space to run around. Guess what they would also have. Predators. There’s a trade off for domestic living. Make sure your bun has enough room to binky inside a pen, and she should be fine. Pepper often acts like she’s trapped in her castle. Then, the second she gets out for play time, she sits in her favorite spot for hours. Don’t sweat it. Most humans would love a mansion, but some have to settle for studio apartments.

Having A Single Bunny

HOW YOUR BUNNY ACTS: Actually, your rabbit seems fine. He binkies everywhere, eats perfectly fine, and snuggles with you for hours. It’s the internet and some of the more negative rabbit community members that are telling you your rabbit is depressed. Rabbits are by nature used to living in a warren. You’re a selfish and terrible pet parent for denying him more rabbit company.

two bunnies meeting through a fence
Baby and Pepper would often meet through a fence. Although they eventually got along enough to lay by each other, there were definitely some tensions.

REALITY: You are the pet parent! Maybe your apartment is too small for two rabbits. Maybe your rabbit is an emotional support animal. Maybe you don’t have the time to find a compatible rabbit and go through the intense bonding process. Would it be nice to give your bun a friend? Totally! Is it right for every pet parent? Not necessarily! Be your best pet parent self, and it will all be fine!

Breath! You’re doing the best you can, and your bunny loves you!

Have you been dealing with some pet parent guilt? Let me know in the comments, and we’ll get through it together!

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