Rabbit Parties...

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Does anyone here have experience with offering to bring rabbits to birthday parties, get-to-gethers, etc.? I'm wanting to offer this, but need some advice and lots of bullet-proofing before I actually begin to offer it.

What would be a good price to charge? I was thinking a $20-$30 base fee which would basically cover gas, and then something like $5 to $10 an hour? Or should I charge per hour AND per bunny? Should I charge the base-fee as a reservation type thing, and then collect the hourly fee at the end of the party/my time there?

I've come up with a few terms so far:
1. No parties in the summertime until after 6pm, or the temperature begins to decline, or unless the party is being held in an Air Conditioned building. (Mainly this is so I'm not sitting out with rabbits and we're melting in the middle of the hottest summer day... :roll: )
2. I will bring my most "Child-proof" bunnies available at the time. You cannot choose which bunnies to bring, this is at my discretion as I know my herd/rabbits, and first and foremost they ARE show/breeding rabbits.
3. Minimum number of rabbits to bring to an event is ?? and maximum is ??
4. I will not bring rabbits to parties for children under the age of 4. (Little toddlers are hectic, and they don't know manners around animals...)

Should I have a minimum of 1 hour, and a maximum of something like 3?

I'm sure there's LOADS more I need to put in...especially a disclaimer about possibly being nipped/scratched...but what else?

Any advice/tips? Suggestions?
Thanks guys!

 

[rabbitgeek]

When we let people touch our rabbits at shows or fairs we try to switch off between rabbits. Let one get petted and let the other one rest.

Have a good day!

 

[eco2pia]

No offense meant, but this sounds to me like a nightmare. You must have nerves of steel and the patience of a saint.

Bunny scratches somebody....somebody injures/terrifies bunny...birthday boy's pet schnauzer launches at the bunny and eats it....I would put a big clause in the WRITTEN agreement that rabbits are living unpredictable animals, and you are not liable for any damage they may do to person or property, and that if any safety rules you choose to institute are not met, you and the bunnies will be leaving immediately, and retaining your full, non-refundable deposit.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Eco2pia, that's why I'm wanting some feedback. I will most definitely have a written agreement stating such things. And thanks for pointing out the dog thing...that completely slipped my mind, but I will definitely make sure to write that in there.

I'm just mainly looking for people who might have experiences with doing such a thing and have some good tips.

Emily

 

[BoxerMom]

The only thing I find disconcerting is not allowing under 4 to participate. Not every child is unruly and disrespectful, and it would be a good learning experience for them to learn how to treat and respect animals. Maybe write in the clause that you reserve the right to end any contact with the rabbits if anyone touches the bunny innapropriately, and retain the money.

 

[eco2pia]

Eco2pia, that's why I'm wanting some feedback. I will most definitely have a written agreement stating such things. And thanks for pointing out the dog thing...that completely slipped my mind, but I will definitely make sure to write that in there.

I'm just mainly looking for people who might have experiences with doing such a thing and have some good tips.

Emily

Well, if it is paranoia you are looking for, I'm your girl! :lol: I tend to spin big long what-if scenarios...a recommendation to the parents that they check for allergies among guests might be nice too.

I think you would have to be friendly seeming, but still cover all possibilities, and that I could not do--I'd cover the possibilities and seem like such a mean lady they wouldn't want me at their party. :?

I just don't think excitable pets and small children go well together, but I am not actually much of a kid person--other people's kids almost always seem out of control to me. :roll:

 

[ladysown]

sounds over all like a good plan to me. Something i do frequently but have never charged for. It's an excellent way to generate bunny sales.

Pick your calmest rabbits. THOUGH... depending on the group you have in mind...it's excellent training for the slightly spazzy bunnies.

Make sure folks know that rabbits are living beings, you need to be there, and you control who gets to handle what and how.

NO other pets to be in the same room/area that the bunnies are in.

You will have a contained area. (aka.. if on a lawn you will have a bunny proof pen the bunnies sit in (really easy to make out of office cubes)

Bunnies come in carriers that YOU are in charge of (even to putting a twist tie on to prevent "can I get this one out").

Do not freak out if child picks up bunny wrong as long as bunny is not hurt it's all good. Just emphasize...do not pick up by ears.

Teach LITTLE ONES.. so basically anyone under age five and small children -- the ones that look size wise to be less than 4.5 feet tall or are tiny built, to carry bunny in their shirt (roll up the bottom so bunny can sit in their shirt). They get a kick out of this.

Teach the littlest ones to use TWO hands around the bunnies tummy to pick them up. This keeps them AND the bunny safe from bunny feet. OR even better...have a bunch a little towels that you can put bunny on to deposit a bunny in a child's lap.

I may think of more things as the day goes on. But these are the rules I use when I bring bunnies visiting or when I have children over to look at bunnies.

I use three things for a bunny play pen. A pen made out of office cubes and zipties (anything under 8 weeks of age). An old dog kennel (juniors of any breed other than polish). and an exercise pen (adults and meat juniors). Depends on the size of the bunnies involved.

 

[arachyd]

I think it would be a good idea to have a set fee that will be charged in the event one of your rabbits is injured or lost due to failure to follow the agreed-upon rules. You might want to include as regular part of your service a short training session with each child before he/she gets to hold a bunny. They'll feel more knowledgeable about handling rabbits and more confident/less nervous human = calmer, safer bunny.

 

[Jessykah]

do not bring kits that are too young. My friend's kid dropped one once. It landed on it's feet and seemed ok, but was dead shortly after. Bringing young ones is ok, just not too young. I have brought weaned kits to a nursing home a couple times. It helps to get the kits more used to being handled, so they make great pets for selling... and they're so cute when they are youngsters and can sometimes be easier to handle. I like to bring the doe and kits in the same cage, because they like to see who the kits' mother is... And I bring a few small ziplock bags of carrots, pellets, hay, etc. as an educational bonus so they can see what they eat and maybe feed a treat (if the rabbits are already used to treats).... and I bring along a bunny harness, but stress that we don't walk bunnies, they walk us (we can't walk them like a dog).

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

You need Liability insurance!!! Sorry-- anyone who routinely exposes their animals to the public needs to have something that is NOT attached to their home liability insurance! Rates can be extrememly high-- A friend, who does pony rides at fairs-- MUSt carry Liability-- this is why-- THE FAIR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE UNTIL THE COURT SYSTEMS SAY SO!!! So, if an animal thing is next to say, where the parachutists are supposed to land, the wind shifts, and a parachutist lands on the kid and animal-- the owner of the animal is held responsible, weird set of rules, but that is the way it is-- you could have the rabbits at some birthday party, a car going buy slams on the brakes and crashes into the yard, -- rabbit scratches in fright- You, as the owner of the rabbit are responsible, even though the driver of that car failed to control the car, causing the rabbit to react. See the Pandora's Box here?