Things learned selling pet bunnies

The positives

1. tell people a good safe treat to feed for the first week at new digs. I recommend parsley. WHY? if you say no treats people ignore you OR get all concerned over nothing. So.. I tell them.. give the bun some parsley and he'll be a happy bunny with a good treat.

2. You will meet some really neat folks.

3. given added value not only helps make up for increased feed costs, but it makes people really happy. They LOVE getting hay, and pellets enough for a week.

4. having a varied market is useful in educating people to the multi-purpose nature of rabbits.

5. teaches a body to develop a back bone.

6. helps one develop good policies.

the negatives
1. people LIE. Oh my goodness that amount of lies I've been told throughout the years. I don't get it. Just be honest about your experience with rabbits and I'll do my best to match you with the best bun for you. If you lie it's not my issue if the personality matched isn't the best one suited.

2. being stood up. Stinks. That's all I can say.

3. goes with number 5 and 6 above. Developing a back bone is due to the "let's negotiate totally unreasonably" people that you meet: can you deliver for free, can you discount, can you give me ____, can you hold for three weeks, can you ...... (my answer is NO) First come first served


So tell me.....what has dealing with the pet public taught you???

Dealing with the public has taught me to have all buyers SIGN a copy of your sales policy... That was a tough lesson.

But on the positive side, I have met some wonderful people and have actually become good friends with a few of my "customers"! I have even had some super sweet people bring me homemade jams or homegrown fruit or even an embroidered handkerchief (rabbit design of course) when they came to pick up their rabbits!

Sometimes it just takes one person to restore your faith in the goodness of mankind.

You can trust no one and no one trusts you.
Some people will do anything to get what they want.
You can't please everyone.
You have to be firm in your beliefs and willing to stand up for yourself.
Some people are greedy and will try to take advantage of honest generosity.
People are fanatical about their beliefs, and will talk down to you if you dare to disagree.
I am the only person in my area of Ontario that knows how to use mapquest.
People get really mad when you send them a link to mapquest when they ask for directions.

I also learned that talking to children is generally easier than talking to their parents.
Nothing beats the feeling of seeing a child's face light up when you put their rabbit in their arms.
Teaching kids about rabbits is very rewarding, they listen intently, and want to see all that I have to show them.
People can be as honest, generous and friendly as I am.
That I can stick with something I truly enjoy, and that I can stand up for myself when need be.

And most importantly(but not directly related to pet sales),
That RT is the best internet community I've ever had the pleasure of being involved with.

Dealing with the public has taught me to have all buyers SIGN a copy of your sales policy... That was a tough lesson.

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what is the importance of this?
how did you learn this was important?
I've never had someone sign a copy of my sales policy so I'm not sure why it would be important.

I am the only person in my area of Ontario that knows how to use mapquest.
People get really mad when you send them a link to mapquest when they ask for directions.

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I get this from people coming from Toronto/Hamilton area. They make a choice NOT to listen to me and therefore make the trip take an extra hour. When I have people coming from that direction I let them choose to ignore my advice, but then I have a copy of my version for them on the way home. They tend to listen to me then. Though personally i strongly dislike mapquest and will use google maps instead.

That I hate dealing with people, but, I already knew that one...
All kinds of people, half the time, never show, don't call, nothing, they just *poof* vanish.
They want the best/most for the least amount of dough and will pester you until you cave.

ladysown":3vp9e6s8 said:

Quoteealing with the public has taught me to have all buyers SIGN a copy of your sales policy... That was a tough lesson.what is the importance of this?how did you learn this was important?I've never had someone sign a copy of my sales policy so I'm not sure why it would be important.

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I am interested in the why as well.

ladysown":n88cxgqz said:

I am the only person in my area of Ontario that knows how to use mapquest.
People get really mad when you send them a link to mapquest when they ask for directions.

Click to expand...

I get this from people coming from Toronto/Hamilton area. They make a choice NOT to listen to me and therefore make the trip take an extra hour. When I have people coming from that direction I let them choose to ignore my advice, but then I have a copy of my version for them on the way home. They tend to listen to me then. Though personally i strongly dislike mapquest and will use google maps instead.

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I am really bad with directions... Like, have to look at my hands to figure out left/right. If you start adding north and south and stuff like that, I'm completely lost, and useless. Whenever I give someone my address, I tell them I'm horrible at directions, and they should use mapquest or something to get directions. If they ask me again for directions, I send my address, and a link to mapquest. That's my go-to for directions, anyway!

ladysown":36khlah2 said:

Dealing with the public has taught me to have all buyers SIGN a copy of your sales policy... That was a tough lesson.

Click to expand...

what is the importance of this?
how did you learn this was important?
I've never had someone sign a copy of my sales policy so I'm not sure why it would be important.

I am the only person in my area of Ontario that knows how to use mapquest.
People get really mad when you send them a link to mapquest when they ask for directions.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

I had someone claim that they had never seen my sales policy and when their rabbit got sick (they didn't quarantine from their other rabbits who had been known to have wry neck before) then they threatened to sue me. They said that they saw a 30-day health guaruntee on my website and that I was responsible for the rabbit 28 days after they had taken it home. My sales policy clearly states that there is NO health guaruntee once the rabbit leaves the premises.

So now I require ALL buyers to sign my sales policy so that no one can claim that I "changed it" after the sale or that they "didn't see it".

30 day guarantee on a rabbit!! I don't think so!

I'll give a 10 day guarantee if the don't have any rabbits at home and are buying a new cage, but if they already have a bunny or are puting it in a used cage then no guarantee. Of course I need to casually find this out before I agree to sell them a bunny.

Same as others. I've had that issue too with the sales policy, but told them that it is not my fault they did not read clearly. I have that noted on my policy as well as I can change it as I need to. I've gotten the opinion any more, if you don't like how I do things, go buy from Joe Joe down the street then cause if I had never had problems or others I've known had problems then I wouldn't have to have a sales policy in the first place.

I've had to add and consider stopping all pet sales, unless they're altered first. I haven't sold many pets in the last year, last babies I had were last spring, but the ones I did the new owners felt it was "ok" to have "just one" litter and it isn't.

I like meeting new people and making them happy with a new family member or friend or new herd addition...which ever the case may be. I hate the drama, ignorance, and immaturity it brings out in some though.

Rebel.Rose.Rabbitry":2n2xwtg2 said:

Same as others. I've had that issue too with the sales policy, but told them that it is not my fault they did not read clearly. I have that noted on my policy as well as I can change it as I need to. I've gotten the opinion any more, if you don't like how I do things, go buy from Joe Joe down the street then cause if I had never had problems or others I've known had problems then I wouldn't have to have a sales policy in the first place.

I've had to add and consider stopping all pet sales, unless they're altered first. I haven't sold many pets in the last year, last babies I had were last spring, but the ones I did the new owners felt it was "ok" to have "just one" litter and it isn't.

I like meeting new people and making them happy with a new family member or friend or new herd addition...which ever the case may be. I hate the drama, ignorance, and immaturity it brings out in some though.

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I'm just wondering why you say it is not okay for the new owners to breed their rabbits.

Bad Habit":39n4hpec said:

I'm just wondering why you say it is not okay for the new owners to breed their rabbits.

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She's probably talking about people who want the "miracle of life" experience for their kids, and breed just so their kids can see baby rabbits... but having no idea what they're going to do with the babies when they aren't babies anymore.

Its not that I care if some one breed rabbits for different purposes. Breeding for other purposes is fine of course. What Miss M said is what bothers me too but what I was talking about is when I get told I want a pet, I sell a rabbit that is suited for a pet and pet only and the rabbit ends up bred and I get phone calls from that person or people they've sold the offspring to wanting pedigrees so they can show or breed as they were told the original was out of such and such line or had relations that were shown. I do terminally cull for things, but there are some that have the friendliest nature that I'd prefer go to good pet homes since I know there are good ones out there. I explain, when I do get the calls, as nicely as possible that I can't do that, the original rabbit was not suited for breeding and given the original, those kids are probably as bad if not worse in build. Its not a guarantee of course as far as those kids in build etc, some not so goods produce some of the best I know, but that original was not meant to be bred. If its not good enough for me, its not good enough for another. If I sell a rabbit as brood I may not use it in my breedings as I kept a better sister or brother or its not a color I work on, but it's at least a rabbit that if I didn't have that other from the same breeding or was doing that color I would be willing to try to breed. Same idea as ones I sell as show prospects, I can't make any guarantees as every one's opinion/environment is different, but its at least a rabbit I would put on the table myself. My pets have traits that even pet breeders I don't think would want in their programs like severely pinched hips, rough bony hindquarters, poor body structure for the breed in general, non lopping ears on a lop breed, very large false dwarfs with poor body build, and such.

I hope that makes better sense

I don't like selling pets that much. I will not sell pet pairs. I don't want my pet quality bred because they just don't fit the standard. You can have none or just one. If you decide to get another somewhere else or down the road, that's fine, but my conscious is clear and I advise to not get another for unwanted pregnancies. If I have a bad customer, sometimes I won't think twice putting culls in the freezer to be used for one of my reptiles,feed my dog, or to feed my family.

I had one person contact me to purchase an unrelated pair of pet quality to produce pet quality. I politely told them to go somewhere else. Pet quality happens in even the best show pair breedings, BUT my ultimate goal is to have less pets and more show quality, you can appeal to not just the pet crowd, but people that show and need nice stock for their program.

I had to have a good talk with an FFA kid that I sold a very nice jr buck to and she's on her 2nd accidental litter (1st was a litter of 2....now a litter of 7 ). I was ready to buy back my buck when I saw these photos on facebook. I produce mutts, but I eat them. They don't ever leave. That's not something she would do. She was then talking about possibly raising a few and breeding for pets and we had a discussion that there will be more then enough pets to sell after you start a rabbitry.

Pet sales can be nice, but that shouldn't be how a rabbitry survives

My rabbitry survives on pet sales. What's wrong with that? Our netherland dwarf sales as pets far exceeds our large breed sales or show animal sales. I get maybe 1 in 5 looking for show quality so even some of my show quality stuff goes to pet. Most people just want something small with a nice attitude and we've found the pet quality netherlands do a better job of that than the typical show stock. However I have to say it's really not worth it. Dealing with people is so annoying and half of them go missing in the middle of a deal. The other half try to talk down the price or want cages to go with instead of buying their own. If my husband gets another job and the rabbitry doesn't have to support itself we will definitely cut down on netherland breeding and dealing with even the show crowd for sales.

My rabbitry survives on pet sales. What's wrong with that ?

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nothing is wrong with that and I don't think anyone is saying there is. But not everyone is comfortable with their stock being bred and that is their right as well.

I breed purebred Mini Lops for the pet trade, they would be laughed off a show table, but they have perfect pet temperaments and most people just want a healthy, friendly, clean companion and could care less if they are too long in the loin, or have slipped crowns.

I also breed purebred dogs and any pups that are not going to show homes must be neutered because I don't want me or my kennel name to be associated with some backyard breeder who wants their kids see puppies be born. If you don't like my sales policy then don't buy my dogs.

just curious.... can you legally take a dog back if isn't neutered? is it really a breach of contract?

Not trying to start a problem, just wondering what the legal ramifications of that are? After all possessions is often 9/10th's the law and not neutering isn't harming anyone ultimately...

ladysown":3dr4w09b said:

just curious.... can you legally take a dog back if isn't neutered? is it really a breach of contract?

Not trying to start a problem, just wondering what the legal ramifications of that are? After all possessions is often 9/10th's the law and not neutering isn't harming anyone ultimately...

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I know some pet stores in the area basically add the cost of neutering to their dogs, then give you a certificate for a free or very low-cost neutering from a vet they have on contract. So it's not forcing anyone to neuter their pet, but strongly encouraging it. And of course, shelters neuter and tack the cost onto their adoption fee (again, usually cheaper than an independent vet). On the other hand, I knew a lady who raised and sold high-quality quarterhorses, and she learned that someone who bought a 2 year old mare bred it immediately (which can cause back problems as they are not really fullgrown until age 4, sort of like a 13 year old girl having babies), and next thing I know, she had done the "repo man" routine, and had it at her vets under full care. The law did NOT come after her for repossessing the horse, though I think if she'd been caught in the act it might have been different. I think basically it amounted to "yeah, I committed a minor crime (how she got into the buyer's barn), but press charges and I'll bring the horse welfare people down on you and you will never ride, show or own horses again". Not sure if that can be done with rabbits, but maybe?

Most show dog breeders will register pet quality under a limited AKC pedigree, so it's offspring couldn't be registered at all. Many also so have a signed spay/neuter contract. I think it is not unheard of for the breeder to go down that route...small claims etc.

I guess I see things differently. Everyone has to start breeding somewhere. My original rabbits were pets, bred by people breeding for pets. Yes, they're poor quality, and the offspring produced was poor quality, but I've learned so much, and didn't risk expensive high quality rabbits to learn it. I don't encourage anyone to breed, but if someone is interested in breeding, then I will provide them with information, links, and encourage them to thoroughly research before making the choice to breed or not. Even if I don't approve, they're going to do it anyway. The least I can do, if only for the sake of the rabbit, is do my best to provide guidance.