RSPCA Norfolk West Branch

Setting out to acquire your rabbits is always a very exciting time, but unfortunately it is one where your head is often overruled by your heart.

Rabbits and especially baby ones (kittens) from around 9 weeks old easily sell themselves, as most people who have looked at them in pet shops and garden centres will testify. It is this cute and cuddly appearance coupled with the easy availability and often “no questions asked” approach that is the cause of so much suffering that we have personally seen.

We have included this page in our web site in order to firstly sell ourselves.

All our rabbits are vaccinated against myxomatosis and, where age permits, neutered.

We only re-home as pairs, or multiples to outdoors, and we insist they go to loving homes that are already set up to the correct standards (see other pages on the site).

We ask that new owners provide proof, either by photos, video or personal visit of their facilities, and we go to great lengths to explain what the requirements of the rabbit are from first principles to prospective owners.

We specialise in house rabbits (we have 5 of our own) and likewise ensure the new owner is well aware of what to expect.

Lastly all new owners enter into an animal adoption agreement with us in which we clearly set out how we expect our rabbits to be looked after with the final reassurance that if, for whatever reason, it does not work out and the rabbits can no longer be cared for we expect the rabbits to be returned to us at the RSPCA.

This might sound rather draconian to some but many other RSPCA rescue centres and other rabbit rescue centres around the country adopt similar standards and practices and provide similar correct information to back-up new owners. If you cannot come to us do please take the time to seek out the others - they are out there and they will welcome your call.

However if you must buy your rabbits from another source we hope the following questions you can ask might be useful and the following points worth bearing in mind. A huge proportion of the rabbits rescue centres see (and we can certainly vouch for this) originally come from pet shops and garden centres, where the buyer has had little or no guarantee or back-up. Often these rabbits are a “spur of the moment” purchase and we have had people explain to us they just felt sorry for the animal on its own and had to “rescue” it! In addition these establishments as a rule make little or no contribution  to the care and re-homing of their mistakes. Personally speaking we can state that over the last 3 years we have not received a penny in the way of support from these places in spite of taking in around 400 rabbits, a significant proportion of which were theirs.

From a Breeder
Breeders fall into many categories, from some who are excellent and offer a similar sort of service in all respects to good rescue centres, to those who we sometimes come across who can only be described as “idiots” who know nothing about rabbits or their care and ultimately only want your money with no come back. Make sure of the following

Can you see both parents and what is their size? Dwarf rabbits seem to carry a price premium and we are constantly amazed at the amount of medium and large rabbits that are passed off as dwarfs to unsuspecting new owners. Remember to a new owner nearly all rabbit kittens look small!

Are the parents related i.e. brother and sister? The “idiot” will often buy two rabbits from the same source and litter and then breed with them. All interbred animals of any species carry a greater risk of congenital defects. In rabbits sometimes these only become apparent with time and can cost you in veterinary treatment, in the case of congenital rear dental problems there is no real cure and an owner can get frequent high bills and an animal that is constantly suffering. You have been warned!

What back up does the breeder offer? True enthusiastic breeders will often take their rabbits back at a later date if there is a problem. - Ask!

Are they vaccinated? (They all can be from about 6 weeks). A sure sign of a reputable breeder who can simply pass on the cost and the certificate to you with all the correct information. There is not really a good reason why all rabbit kittens offered for sale are not vaccinated.

Are they neutered? Males can be from about 14 weeks (when their testicles descend) and females can be from about 6 months.

Will they supply you with a single rabbit? Breeders who supply single rabbits to live in isolation outside are showing no consideration for the rabbit’s basic need of companionship. It is our opinion that rabbits should only be re-homed singularly as house rabbits where large amounts of company and attention from the owner is guaranteed. In addition to this will the breeder rehome a rabbit to live with a guinea pig? This combination is not recommended by the RSPCA. These are all signs of a breeder who is not putting the interests of the rabbit first and is indifferent to the suffering that can result to the rabbit or the guinea pig.

Does the breeder ask you any questions? The more they ask, the more likely it is that they are responsible and do care.

A few final questions we would like you to ask them. What will happen to the parents when they have finished breeding with them? How many litters is the female likely to have? Will they live out their retirement happily as a neutered pair together in reasonable conditions?
If you do not get the answers you like, or you think it is probable the person you are dealing with is not telling the truth, you know what to do....

Buying from a Pet shop or Garden centre.
Ask all the questions you would of a breeder. If you do not get the correct information, are dealt with by a person who does not appear to have a clue, can be given no information about the specific rabbits you are interested in or you generally have misgivings, then walk away.

And finally above all do not buy rabbits from any source because you feel sorry for them. You are not saving them from cruelty you are simply condemning another rabbit to fill its place and similar treatment. If you really feel their treatment is cruel call the national RSPCA phone number on 0870 5555 999 and be prepared to make a complaint which can be investigated.

Also consider the following; premises that buy back the mistakes from wrongly sexed pairs sold to previous owners are frequently selling the result of brother and sister pairings. This is not good aftercare service, this is an admission that they were incapable of sexing animals properly in the first place, and it does not take a lot of imagination to see that it can happen more than once!!!!! The more an animal is interbred the higher the chance that there will be problems.

From “accidental” litters.
We frequently come across people trying to re-home rabbit kittens which have come about through no real fault of their own, it must be said these are often as a result of being sold a pair of rabbits that have been wrongly sexed with the seller making the disclaimer “We cannot guarantee the sex of our rabbits”.
In these cases the questions you would ask and the knowledge you would expect of a breeder or pet shop, etc obviously will not be there and the new owner has to take each case on its merits and get what answers they can in the circumstances.

If you want practical advice then please contact us and we will certainly give you our opinion.