The very first thing you should do is decide what breed of rabbit you want to get. This is a very important decision as it will decide what your rabbit will look like. There are fourty-five different breeds of rabbits recognized by the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association) at this time, ranging in size from dwarf (2 lbs.) to very large (12 lbs. +). You must consider how much space you have for the rabbit and, of course, which breed you absolutely adore. Check out the variety of rabbit breeds. Many breeds are depicted in various books on rabbits you can pick up at a bookstore, library, or pet shop.
Before you go looking at rabbits you need to familiarize yourself with what a healthy specimen of your chosen breed looks like. Now you must find someone who raises the breed of rabbit you want so you can purchase your pet.
You have five choices:
pet shop
breeder
flea market
animal shelter
rabbit rescue
Unfortunately, most pet shops nowadays do not take much notice of the quality of the animals they bring in, and many rabbits are pulled from their mothers as early as 3-4 weeks old. No rabbit should be sold under 6 weeks old. It is preferable to get a rabbit at 7-8 weeks. Many petshops do not inform their customers about the care required for each animal, and they often buy from the lowest-priced breeder. There is no guarantee that the pedigree handed to you is valid, thus there is not even a guarantee that the animal is a purebred. Ask questions. If the employees cannot intelligently answer your questions about the rabbit, do not buy from there.
A breeder is probably your best bet, if they’re responsible breeders. There are some out in this world that will cheat you if they can, but this should not allow the majority of breeders to get a bad reputation as a result. A good breeder will tell you all you need to know about general care as well as answer any questions you have. Though this is not a requirement, some may choose to give you an information packet to take home and read through. You should not allow anyone to push you into buying a rabbit you don’t like. However, some breeders refuse to send a pedigree with a pet quality rabbit. This does not make them a bad breeder. As long as they are willing to let you see it as proof that the rabbit is of pure blood, you don’t need the pedigree.
A flea market is even worse than a pet shop. You have absolutely no guarantee of who you are buying from, where they are located, and whether the rabbits they have are from a good quality line or not. Buying from there is the riskiest thing you could ever choose to do.
A shelter is a good place to find bunnies whose former owners did not judge rabbit ownership carefully enough. There is no guarantee of purebreds, but even the mixed breeds will give you plenty of love and affection.
A rabbit rescue is an even better place to get a rabbit than a shelter because the workers and volunteers there specialize in rabbits. In most rabbit rescues each rabbit gets individual attention. However, it is often hard to locate a rabbit rescue, though the benefits often outweight the inconvenience.
When you locate someone who has what you want, set up a time when you can visit them and look at their available rabbits.
When you take your visit, decide right away whether you want a male or female. My recommendation is to spay or neuter your pet, so most times it is merely preference that helps you to decide what gender you wish to have. Many say females are better because of their motherly instinct. Many others say that males are better because they are more easy going. It’s totally preference and each rabbit’s individual character.
Whatever rabbit you choose to purchase, make sure it is healthy and has no genetic flaw. The eyes should be bright and clear. The teeth should have a slight overbite (the top teeth should overlap the bottom a little). Do not buy a rabbit with malocclused teeth (the bottom teeth overlapping the top). There should be no sore on the hocks (hind feet). Check the ears for mites - the inside of the ears should be smooth. See if there is any evidence of diarrhea. If the rabbit suffers from diarrhea, there might be clumps of it sticking to the fur around the genital area.
If you choose to buy the rabbit, do not take it home unless you already
have the proper supplies. Many places will not send a purchased rabbit home for
a day or two anyways, and some breeders will let you make a deposit and come
a day later for the rabbit. The supplies you need are listed and described in the
next chapter.
