# rabbits: &^*&^ when will pet shops stop selling rabbits :(



## catxx (23 April 2013)

As you may have read in previous posts, I actively volunteer for the rescue where I got my pair from. This year so far we have one litter of 7 who are now ready to be rehomed, the result of a pet shop not sexing a pair of rabbits properly and these bunnies are BIG too. We had another litter of I think 7 again Dutch rabbits just before Christmas which have now been paired and some have been rehomed, that was a pets at home VET "accident" not sexing properly.

A few weeks ago we took in mum, dad, two weaned kits and mum was pregnant and has now given birth to 7 more babies who are now 3 weeks old. 

And today we've picked up 5 more babies and mum, babies just 6 days old and the owner had them "nested" in woodshavings in a plastic bag. ARGH. 

I have nothing really against responsible rabbit breeders who breed quality animals with full genetic history, rehome responsibly, and don't post litters all over freelistings because they keep breeding and breeding and breeding without any foresight.

But litters this year so far at the rescue are just getting SILLY. Bear in mind the rescue will always fully vaccinate and spay/neuter every rabbit before they rehome, and every spay/neuter costs around £50, do the maths, so expensive, so annoying, all because pet shops are dumb!

If anyone plans on buying a rabbit *DO NOT GO TO A PET SHOP*! It only encourages them to keep farming ill-bred inbred animals with numerous health problems who then go on to breed by "accident" when they hit sexual maturity. 

Rant end.

Here's mum with her 3 week old babies:
https://vine.co/v/bUEZjF7IKzI


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## GinaB (23 April 2013)

I have a pet shop bought bun. No one wanted her as she is so skittish and basically unhandleable Daltry is a rescue, he was dumped in a country park.


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## catxx (23 April 2013)

GinaB said:



			I have a pet shop bought bun. No one wanted her as she is so skittish and basically unhandleable Daltry is a rescue, he was dumped in a country park.
		
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well done for taking these guys on!

You can bet the pet shop bun was skittish because she'd come from the rabbit equivalent of a puppy farm and the first time she had human hands on her was when she was hauled away from her mother, chucked in a box and delivered to the pet shop. Poor little love! Has she calmed down now?

And I bet Daltry was a pet shop bun, dumped in the park when the kids got bored of their furry "toy".


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## s4sugar (23 April 2013)

How long have we been trying to stop goldfish beig sold into tiny tanks or bowls?


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## GinaB (23 April 2013)

I can handle her enough for basis checks and she comes to call for me (but runs from people she doesn't know) but I don't handle her unless necessary as its not fair on her.

A previous bun, Joey, I got off a family. The kids had gotten bored of him within months. Such a shame, one of the sweetest little buns I've ever known. He died quite young though  vet reckoned heart issue as it was so sudden.


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## catxx (23 April 2013)

s4sugar said:



			How long have we been trying to stop goldfish beig sold into tiny tanks or bowls?
		
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Another of my rants entirely haha! To be fair, respectable aquatic shops don't sell unfiltered tanks and don't sell Goldfish to small tanks either. My local is the flagship Maidenhead Aquatics, not a fish bowl in sight and plenty of BIG Goldfish too.



GinaB said:



			I can handle her enough for basis checks and she comes to call for me (but runs from people she doesn't know) but I don't handle her unless necessary as its not fair on her.

A previous bun, Joey, I got off a family. The kids had gotten bored of him within months. Such a shame, one of the sweetest little buns I've ever known. He died quite young though  vet reckoned heart issue as it was so sudden.
		
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Aww, my two are the same, wary of strangers and hate being picked up, but if you settle they'll come for nose rubs. Poor little Joey!


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## GinaB (23 April 2013)

Oh yes, Panda loves an ear rub AMD Daltry likes nose rubs. I was working in their run earlier and he was trying to climb my back!

Currently waiting on my new hutch to be built, can't wait!

The rescue I got Daltry from is bursting with bunnies  one of the most recent came in heavily pregnant. Sad thing is, the babies will get homed before the mum as they're cute and small etc, justlike the puppies and kittens get homed easier.


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## heebiejeebies (23 April 2013)

I've bought two pet shop rabbits in the past, although one was at the pets at home adoption centre. The previous owner had bought a 'female' rabbit, took it home to her neutered male as a companion and they fought. The rabbit was still advertised as a female and I had to point out to the staff that it was in fact male, and showed them how to sex a rabbit 

The second rabbit I had been keeping an eye on for a while in a different chain of pet shops, it had red, runny eyes, runny nose and was very itchy. I asked them if they had ever considered it might be allergic to the shavings, I was told it wasn't (and essentially mocked for being so dumb). I bought the rabbit, changed it's bedding and lo and behold after a week or so all it's previous problems had disappeared. 

All the other ones I have got from rescue centres.


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## fallenangel123 (25 April 2013)

Funny how people are so anti puppy farming and wouldn't consider buying a pup without seeing mum but don't apply the same logic to other animals.


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