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- Jan 3, 2010
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I know there are a couple of rabbit people on here so I thought I'd ask...
My friend and her fiance want to get a rabbit, they've been talking about it for the past few years and know what kind they want, they have the space, time and money for it as well. They've researched the breed and want to get one from a breeder, rather than someone that just slaps two rabbits together and then sells them (would that be called a rabbit mill?).
Anyways, she's asked for my help in finding a breeder - we have a few that we've found online. They show their rabbits and have good references on their websites, but other than that... I honestly have no idea what to look for in a rabbit breeder. Is there any testing that should be done? Should we ask to see pedigrees even though we don't know what we'd be look at with them? Attend a rabbit show, if there's one around and we're both not working?
She wants to get a French Lop, does anyone have any advice on this particular breed? They also have two medium sized dogs - Australian Shepherd/Lab mixes that are 2 1/2 years old (littermates). Both dogs are hyper, but have literally no prey drive or herding instincts - trust me, I've tried to bring it out in them, lol. Regardless, they wouldn't have access to the rabbit anyways.
The rabbit will have pretty much free run of their finished basement, where they spend quite a bit of time and is pretty much a dog free zone. I'm going over there in a few days to help her rabbit proof the place - make sure wires are out of reach, anything she doesn't want gnawed on it up, etc.
She has been in contact with one breeder and has been asking questions about the breed - one thing we haven't received a straight forward answer with is whether it's better to get one or two rabbits. She's read various thing on both - some say with one rabbit it will bond more with people, but if left alone too long can become destructive, if you get two they keep each other company but don't bond as well with people, one rabbit is fine by itself, two rabbits are better, etc. The breeder seems indifferent on this and doesn't seem to mind if they go with another or by themselves. Any input?
She may have the answers to some of this but it's late and she's not online right now... so I thought I'd ask incase she's missed it.
Thanks!!
My friend and her fiance want to get a rabbit, they've been talking about it for the past few years and know what kind they want, they have the space, time and money for it as well. They've researched the breed and want to get one from a breeder, rather than someone that just slaps two rabbits together and then sells them (would that be called a rabbit mill?).
Anyways, she's asked for my help in finding a breeder - we have a few that we've found online. They show their rabbits and have good references on their websites, but other than that... I honestly have no idea what to look for in a rabbit breeder. Is there any testing that should be done? Should we ask to see pedigrees even though we don't know what we'd be look at with them? Attend a rabbit show, if there's one around and we're both not working?
She wants to get a French Lop, does anyone have any advice on this particular breed? They also have two medium sized dogs - Australian Shepherd/Lab mixes that are 2 1/2 years old (littermates). Both dogs are hyper, but have literally no prey drive or herding instincts - trust me, I've tried to bring it out in them, lol. Regardless, they wouldn't have access to the rabbit anyways.
The rabbit will have pretty much free run of their finished basement, where they spend quite a bit of time and is pretty much a dog free zone. I'm going over there in a few days to help her rabbit proof the place - make sure wires are out of reach, anything she doesn't want gnawed on it up, etc.
She has been in contact with one breeder and has been asking questions about the breed - one thing we haven't received a straight forward answer with is whether it's better to get one or two rabbits. She's read various thing on both - some say with one rabbit it will bond more with people, but if left alone too long can become destructive, if you get two they keep each other company but don't bond as well with people, one rabbit is fine by itself, two rabbits are better, etc. The breeder seems indifferent on this and doesn't seem to mind if they go with another or by themselves. Any input?
She may have the answers to some of this but it's late and she's not online right now... so I thought I'd ask incase she's missed it.
Thanks!!