I now feel like a massive a-hole.
A lady emailed me asking for bunnies for her two boys who are going to start 4-H this year. Keep in mind that the teacher in me LOVES introducing 4-H kids to rabbits. Its sort of my favorite thing to do.
I said great, I have these two Harlies (this was a month and a half ago).
She saw them on my website, loved them, and asked for info on how to care for them, what kind of feed they need, where to get cages, etc. I didn't hear back from her for a month so I assumed they didn't want them anymore and I sold them.
I just got an email that she and her boys have their cages and are very excited and ready to go, when can they come get the bunnies?
I feel like a jerk. Actually, I cried, because I felt like such a jerk. It might be PMS though.

the good thing about rabbits is that they reproduce FAST. So you surely have MORE bunnies that they can choose from. You made an honest mistake and the thing that I would learn from this opportunity is that next time I have a similar experience I will add one more step. I will let the people who contacted me first know that I have someone else interested. Or, I will let them know that I will hold the buns with a deposit.

If you are looking for advice about what to do now then I'd suggest something like:

I hadn't heard from you in a month and assumed that you weren't interested. I wish I had check in with you but didn't want to be pushy. I've really learned that I'll do that next time. The harlies are sold. I'd love to show you ... If you and the boys would be interested. I'm available...

I told her that I was very sorry and I gave her the contact information for a couple of nearby Harlequin breeders. I wish I had something else to sell, but I don't and won't for awhile :/

I also offered to help her find some good rabbits at the upcoming state 4-H show. I do feel like a butthead though.

Sounds like you handled it. Doesn't really help to name call yourself though...I'd say it will make you more thoughtful and that will be a good thing. We don't know what we need to know until we do it and find out it didn't "feel right" then we KNOW how we want to do it the next time we have the chance.

no need to feel like that.

Her lack of communication with you....not yours. The only thing you might have done differently was to contact her before you sold them.

With bunnies it's always... first come first served. People can keep you hanging, they can change their minds (without telling you), it's like with any business...unless you put money down to hold them you might not have them available by the time they get around to getting them.

So Please... Do NOT beat yourself up for this.

It speaks well of you that you feel bad about it, but seriously I don't think you should. The lady apparently never gave you a firm commitment, and clearly never left any kind of deposit or made any arrangements to hold the rabbits. A few days is one thing. A month with no word is, to me, way more than long enough for you to believe she was no longer interested. If it had only been a day or two then yes, checking with her before selling the rabbits would have been proper. But if she had been that interested, she had a responsibility to make more clear arrangements than she did. I haven't had rabbits to sell, but we constantly hit this problem with bottle calves. People will come look at the calves, tell us they will take them and be back the next day to pick them up, and we never hear from them again. It's gotten so bad we sell to the first person willing to actually pay for and take them. I will hold a few days with a deposit. But I make that clear whenever someone calls. It's sad that it has to be that way.

So it sounds like you've done the best you could to help this lady given the circumstances. I truly don't see that you have anything to feel bad about.

I would tell future buyers that it is first come, first served unless they make a non-refundable holding deposit, and pay board for the rabbit until picked up. For example, if they want to buy a GALBAR Registered 'Holland Loop' for $50, but can't pick it up for 2 weeks, ask for $20 down and $1 a day for board, so $34. If they get flaky and don't come as scheduled you either pocket their down payment and board, or if they have a reasonable excuse tell them you will apply the balance toward future board, so they have another 20 day window to pick it up unless they send more cash. You're boarding charge could also adjust up or down depending on your circumstances at the time- if you have a bunch of empty holes, $1 a day, more if cage space is getting tight.

*Dollar amounts purposely kept simple- everybody knows you can't find a Registered Loop for $50!

It was very nice of you to offer help in finding good rabbits for them- it's not your fault in any way, Cait.

Don't feel badly, they didn't give you a deposit and disapeared for a month without making clear plans with you, NOT YOUR FAULT. I've seen this with our 4h kids, with free rabbits within the club. They think they have all the time in the world to think about it, they and their parents don't consider that your housing it and feeding it and its taking up space that you need for another rabbit. Then they come days or weeks later and say they do want it after all and you have to tell them I gave it away, I sent it to auction, I ate it etc. Its a hard lesson for some to learn but a necessary one. I've become very clear with the kids/parents when I'm donating a rabbit to them, it will be available until this date, I will bring it to this meeting etc, after this time it goes wherevever. Even on my internet ads when I'm selling I sometimes put that I'm clearing out these rabbits, will be butchering soon, just wanted to see if anyone can use them in their breeding program. That way people do not drag their feet, they get in touch with me if they truly want them. I've held rabbits for weeks with no deposit this way, as long as I know they are going and someone really wants them. Particularly with the Silvers I don't like to have to butcher them if someone can use them. But please don't feel bad, the error was on their side not yours, you did nothing wrong. Now they know you snooze you lose, its a lesson we all need to learn in life eventually.

Please don't feel bad...a month is ridiculous. And I'm sure she knows it.