I am working on a rabbitry over haul from nose to tail. The only thing that's not going out the window are the buns. SO I would like to know what other people do as far as their sales poliy goes? I've listed the one I'm thinking of using below, problems/thoughts on it? I know I can't cover every lil thing and I want to keep it under a page in length for print out and simplicity reasons.

Thanks in advance!


Proposed Policy:

Upon payment the buyer agrees and understands:

All rabbits are sold on a first come first serve basis, and all sales are final. Rabbits can be returned at any time, but I will not refund any money on the rabbits or expenses.

All sales are to 18+ persons for legal reasons. Youths must have their legal guardians purchase rabbits for them.

Rabbits will be at least 10 weeks of age at time of pick up. I will not sell a rabbit younger then the specified age.

I operate a closed door rabbitry for bio security reasons. If this bothers a potential buyer, I can refer that person to several other places but I make absolutely no guarantee on the quality or health of what that place has available for purchase.

I make no guarantees on show, breeding, future disqualifications, future faults, temperament, or the like as they are affected by other opinions and environmental factors beyond my control.

I will only replace a rabbit with in seven days of new ownership if the rabbit is proved ill because of my breeding or care. I will not replace a rabbit after that time nor will I replace a rabbit that becomes ill because of feeding the wrong diet, over stressing, improper quarantine, accidents, abuse, neglect, or the like.

I will accept payments in the form of exact cash in person. All rabbits must be paid for in full before I will let the rabbit go to a potential new owner.

A deposit will hold a rabbit for fourteen days for pick up. The deposit and rabbit after that date will be lost. The rabbit at that point will be relisted with no notice.

Pick up date, time, and place need to be made before a deposit is placed. I will bring rabbits to Glenville, Weston, or Gassaway West Virginia for pick up free of charge on weekends (Friday evening, Saturday, Sunday). I will also bring rabbits to any show I attend free of charge for pick up. Any other transportation is at the expense of the potential new owner.

Deposits can be made by PayPal or certified mail money order at the expense of the potential new owner. Deposits will not be refunded if the potential new owner cancels the sale for any reason.

I will wait approximately thirty minutes after the agreed upon time for a buyer. After that, the potential new owner has cancelled the sale and lost any right to the rabbit(s) plus any payment made is lost.

Papers that are sent home with sold rabbits are not to be altered or other wise falsified (putting my pedigree on some one else’s rabbit, etc.). Pedigrees or birth certificates may have a senior weight or given name added to the correct place. My pedigree prefix “Country Paints” is to stay on all given paper work. If there is a miss print, please contact me before changing it to make sure it is a miss print and so I can keep good records.

Tattoo ear numbers are given to all sold stock, pet/brood/show, and should never be changed. If a tattoo fades completely I will be happy to re-do that tattoo for free if the rabbit is brought back to me to do so.

Once a rabbit is picked up by the new owner I am no longer responsible for the rabbit’s care. It is up to the new owner to provide correct care for the rabbit at their expense and labor.

In the event of rare extreme cases, I may make exceptions to the above at my choice only; for example I incorrectly sex a junior rabbit.

I reserve the right to cancel a sale at any time. If I cancel a sale, I will refund the payment received for the rabbit(s) in question only.

I like that,
it makes a lot of sense, but I
don't understand why no rabbit will be sold under 10 weeks old?
Ag and marketing laws are eight weeks/two months of age.
I wean my kits at six weeks so that at eight weeks
they are well adjusted to the feed regimen,
eating and drinking and overall well adjusted to cage life.
I guess everybody just has their own way/system of doing things.
Ottersatin.

I go with 8 weeks as minimum age but I can see waiting until 10 especially for some breeds. The rabbits would handle changes in feed and environment stress better the more mature they are. I've had some problems with major feed changes on 6-8week olds.

I would explain a closed door policy briefly. Most people looking for pets don't know what that means and many breeders apply a different level of strictness while using the same term.

Sell your rabbits at the age you feel is best, especially since you have no health guarantee.
Overall, I think its a good policy. Well done.

Thanks, never thought about more explaining on closed door, will do that. I do guarantee health for 7 days, just it has to be my fault and not because fluffy wasnt fed and watered every day. A later date is a thinking on thing for me. I usually start weaning at 4 weeks giving a little more depending on kids and doe. I know they are perfectly fine by 8 weeks to go to a new home but some of mine are still very very tiny at that age and I dont want any one to think that they arent old enough when they are. Or is this even a big problem with pet buyers as long as the bun is in good health? I dont intend just to hand over and forget them, questions are welcome at any time although I encourage research first.

Thanks again...will remember to add a few things and think more on the age part.

i would reduce your seven days to three days. anything from your herd should show up within the first three days. AND they need to prove it was from your herd....several breeders now insist on a vet check with their pet rabbit sales. This is a pet rabbit policy correct? Therefore asking for a vet check is not unreasonable. I have a different policy for breeder sales than I do for pet rabbit sales.

as to dealing with small kits. My policy here is they leave when "I" say they are ready to leave and not a day sooner. So half a litter might be ready at __ weeks of age, and others of the same litter might have to wait another week or two. If you say they can only leave at a set age, then some kits you'll be feeding longer than perhaps you need to. So you can revise your policy to say that no one leaves before 8 weeks of age, but for the health of your rabbits YOU will determine when they can actually leave due to size/weight/health requirements (or however you want to word that).

Ah ok. I understand that now on the small kits and the age. It definately would take a HUGE bite out of my feed bill that's for sure that way. Even though they're small it amazes me how few it takes to go through a feeder of feed in a short time.

As far as a vet check goes, would it be worded as to their expense or ? I've seen it done that way on other sites before but it seemd odd to me. Is it so there is certified written proof so that if it wasn't the breeder's fault the owner knows or is it more for the breeder to cover them selves in the event of a problem owner or are there are reasons?

Whats the difference between a pet policy and a breeder/shower policy ? I pretty much figured I'd keep one general policy to cover any sales to try to keep it as simple as possible (or is that a bad idea?), (pet or other wise speaking in bunnies, although I have had a spike in pet sales as of last few months compared to show sales since I haven't been traveling), since rabbits that I have for 'show' could just as well be purchased as a pet. If some one decides they wanted to pay the price for one of my show hopefuls as a pet, I wouldn't turn them down just because they're wanting that bun for a pet I just don't sell them with their pedigree as pets get a birth certificate. Or is this some thing that happens...pets are just sold for pets and 'show' rabbits are just sold to 'show' with a seller saying only these are pets etc? Or does it even come up?

I guess its a little more confusing then I thought it was.

breeders I assume know how to feed and care for a rabbit. Perhaps wrongly, but generally speaking they do.

pet people... I DO NOT assume that AT ALL. Whereas pet people, I educate them, I tell them, but I still get them saying things Like....I let the bunny loose in the garden and now he's dead. It's like well.... I told you NOT to do that! I even wrote it down for you. So no, not replacing that rabbit for you.

So breeders I'll cut some slack. Part of that is because I've had breeder folks go out of their way to help me with problem rabbits. Some rabbits simply, regardless of age, do NOT transition well, so with breed folk i'll give advice and if the rabbit simply doesn't come around, you get me the rabbit back, I'll get you a new rabbit or refund your dollars.

As to expenses...it is ALWAYS the expense of the person purchasing an animal. Just like a pet store or the humane society. They need to get their rabbit vetted, it's their expense. They choose not to do that. I don't need to replace their rabbit.

as to why to do it... if for instance the diarrhea is due to coccidia..you as a breeder want to know this. If it's diarrhea due to diet change... well..that's on the owner.

i give out a detailed paper on how too care for the bunny.sometimes i forget everyone wasnt raised on a farm.i give a 7 day garauntee.

Yes, you could make the vetting of the animal optional. If they choose not to do so, it "voids the warranty" so to speak.

I dont breed the rabbits I have now. As a teen I did, and ran into problems because I fell in love with them all and could not sell them. Any way with any new pet get I take it the vet, you never know what that animal could bring to your family. If they dont want to take it to the vet I would void the warranty.

Hmm I understand the vet part, will be putting some thing into the effect of my examination or a vets written report for illness and cause though I think. From helping a few customers with rabbit savvy vets, there is not one with in an hr's drive, its almost 2 hrs to a vet (only know of 3 in WV that Ive had good reports on). I would hate to have it written as by a vet and then some one just not be able to. The vets I know are usually booked well in advance and I know waiting can be the deciding factor with health issues at times.

So back to the drawing board again with some things to think about. Thanks