Hepper believes in adopting before shopping, but we know that there are important reasons to buy from a breeder or store. We recommend making sure you do this responsibly. Learn more.
If you’re a fan of fluffy, floppy-eared bunnies, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans love rabbits because they make lovable, gentle, and adorable pets. Rabbits are also easy to care for, relatively clean, don’t make any noise to speak of, and can be quite affectionate with their humans. There are several excellent places where you can buy a pet rabbit, but your access to some might be limited.
Pet stores immediately come to mind, but some don’t sell rabbits. Read on to get some actionable advice and tips, and adopt a bunny to be your best buddy!
The 4 Places You Can Get A Rabbit
1. Local Pet Store
It should be no surprise that one of the best places to buy a pet rabbit is your local pet store. Most larger towns and cities have at least one, if not several, and most sell rabbits because they’re so popular. Pet stores offer many conveniences, too, when buying a pet rabbit. For example, they can advise you on many things you’ll need to know to ensure your bunny stays healthy and happy.
Pet stores also have everything you’ll need to keep a rabbit as a pet, like hutches, water bottles, rabbit kibble, toys, bedding, etc.
2. Rabbit Breeder
Depending on where you live, it’s likely that a rabbit breeder is nearby. That is especially true in many states where agriculture is a big part of the economy. A quick Google search for “rabbit breeders near me” should give you the information you need to determine if a breeder is nearby (or at least within driving distance).
Buying from a rabbit breeder has several benefits and a couple of pitfalls, too. The benefits include that a reputable, caring breeder will “breed out” genetic health issues so that the resultant bunny babies are healthy and strong. Also, some breeders specialize in a specific type of rabbit, like Angoras, Flemish Giants, and American Fuzzy Lops.
It’s best to visit the breeder and see their breeding facility. That way, you can see with your own eyes if the rabbits there are being raised with kindness and compassion and not being mistreated.
3. Animal Shelter or Rescue
Most towns In the United States have animal shelters and rescues where abused, neglected, or abandoned animals are brought for care. You can often adopt a rabbit from one of these shelters or rescues for little or no money. Some require you to pay to have the rabbit spayed or neutered before you can adopt it, but that’s a good thing. Rabbits are prolific breeders when they’re not fixed, so spaying and neutering them will reduce the population (including abandoned rabbits). Plus, it usually costs very little to do that compared to visiting your local vet.
The only drawback to buying a rabbit from a shelter or rescue is that, in some cases, the rabbit’s genes and veterinary history will be unavailable. That can be problematic because you won’t know if the animal has been bred humanely or has any health issues. However, most animal shelters and rescues do their best to ensure the animals they let people take home are safe, healthy, and ready to be your pet.
4. Online
In today’s day and age, buying a rabbit doesn’t always mean you need to find a brick-and-mortar pet store. Many people that breed rabbits also advertise them for sale online. One of the best ways to find a specific breed or type of rabbit is to search for it online and see if any are being bred near you.
As for purchasing the rabbit, that can be done online, too, but they can’t be shipped to you in the mail. That means the breeder will either have to deliver them, which could be costly, or you’ll have to go and get the bunny yourself. Some places, like Bunny Bunch Rabbit Rescue, allow you to choose a bunny on their website and pick it up in person. This is common in many areas of the U.S.
Can You Bring a Rabbit Home from Another Country?
Some rabbit species are bred in other countries. Flemish Giant Rabbits are a great example, as the best of the breed are bred in Belgium. The good news is that if you’re truly stuck on a specific breed, and it’s only available overseas, the United States has no restrictions on bringing in rabbits! If you have the means to do it, bringing a pet rabbit home from Europe, or most other countries, is not a problem as far as US Border Control is concerned.
Should You Buy 1 Rabbit or 2?
Like dogs, cats, and other pets, rabbits are social animals that interact well with other rabbits. Therefore, veterinarians and breeders recommend buying two rabbits rather than one. That way, both animals will always have a bunny buddy around to keep them company. However, buying one rabbit will work if you have the time and energy to give your rabbit 2 to 4 hours of attention every day.
Final Thoughts
Where should you buy a pet rabbit? You should buy a rabbit from any reputable, compassionate location with deep knowledge about raising and caring for rabbits. Whether that’s your local pet store, an animal shelter, or a caring rabbit breeder, the results will be the same.
You can even bring a new rabbit home from overseas if you like (with surprisingly little hassle). Whatever you decide, we hope the information provided today has given you the confidence to make your dream of buying a bunny rabbit come true.
- Related Read: Do Rabbits Fart? Facts & FAQ
Featured Image Credit: Kolomiyets Viktoriya, Shutterstock
