So,  you've finally decided to buy youself a bunny......but wait.......there are over 40 breeds of rabbits!!  Which one will be the best for you?  Do you want long hair or short hair.  A large, medium, or small rabbit?  Upright ears or lop-ears?  Did you want pet-quality or show/breeding quality?   I'll bet you thought that choosing a breed would be easy!!

     What I usually suggest doing is visiting as many rabbit shows as possible to find out which breed would suit you the best.  At these shows you will see the breeds that are readily available to you in your area.  Some of the less common breeds will require a little more persistance on your part to acquire one.

     Now that you've narrowed it down to a few breeds,  it's time to visit breeders.  Common courtesy dictates that you call in advance,  and besides that,  many breeders are off showing their rabbits on the weekends.  When the time comes to visit, look closely at all of the animals.  Are they clean?  In good condition?  Are the cages clean?  Ask as many questions of the breeder as possible.  Such as, what are the grooming requirements,  how often are the cages needed to be cleaned out?  Most of us breeders would answer rabbit questions all day.

     Now that you've,  hopefully,  narrowed it down to one breed,  it's time to pick out your rabbit.  Don't be in a rush to get your bunny, you have to remember that this animal is going to be with you for 8 to 10 years.  This is not a commitment to be taken lightly.  Large breeders will have bunnies available most of the time,  but this is not always the case.  Sometimes mother nature interferes with our plans.  I find that everyone wants baby bunnies(not that I blame them, there is nothing more cute than a six-week old bunny), whereas I recommend slightly older rabbits.  Older rabbits, say three months and up, are able to withstand stress better.  I also find that temperments will not vary as much with them.  Sometimes the cutest,  sweetest baby bunny will turn into a monster by the time it is six months old.   And for those who would like to breed or show,  a baby bunny, unless the breeder is EXTREMELY talanted, is nothing like what it will be in four months time.   When you see a six-month old rabbit,  in temperment,  as well as looks,  what you see is what you get.

       I try not to recommend pet stores as places to buy your rabbits from, although there are some good ones out there.    Most rabbits are quite young when they are sent to the stores, and this increases the chances of them becoming ill.  It is also not possible, in a pet store, to see where your rabbits are from and to see what conditions the rabbits are kept in before they were shipped to the stores.   I realize that stores TRY to buy from reputable breeders, but this is not always the case.  It is always necessary, if you are buying from a breeder OR a pet store,  for the buyer to beware.

  Member of the ANDRC, ARBA, & OC of RC