Urgent- My Local Breeder Is Lying to Me!!

[Grace]

I have an urgent question for all you bunny  owners (esp Holland lop owners)! As some of you know, I have recently purchased/reserved a holland lop baby from a local breeder who is charging me $300 (!!). She is giving me a deadline to pick up the baby by Easter, saying that she will charge me extra each day after that. She is claiming that the bunny is 7WEEKS old and is ready to go home next week.

**BUT** I am almost POSITIVE the baby is not anywhere close to 8 weeks yet!! It is not weaned and does not seem ready to go home. So I am very frustrated with the breeder that she is trying to charge me extra when she is supposed to keep the baby with its mother anyways. I am including a picture of what the baby looks like now so you can have reference to what I am talking about. It is illegal to sell baby rabbits until they are 8 weeks old, I’m sure as you know.

What should I do?? I fear for the health of my future holland lop ): you all seem knowledgable about this so I’d like your advice. Thank you so much!!!

[Boston's Mama]

If that is what the baby looks like now it is barely 4weeks old – likely 3-4 weeks

[Boston's Mama]

[Grace]

Posted By Oakley and Boston’s Mama on 4/04/2017 9:09 PM

If that is what the baby looks like now it is barely 4weeks old – likely 3-4 weeks

Yes that is what the baby looks like now. I visited her a few days ago and that  is a picture I took on my camera. The breeder is trying to tell me we can separate her from the mother next week and she will charge me (a lot) more money if she keeps the baby bun for the next few weeks ))):

[Boston's Mama]

Here was my Oakley at 2weeks ^

And here’s him at 8weeks below

Yours is inbetween – I would say almost 4 weeks old
At 5 weeks they look like a mini version of their adult self – it’s a good time at 5weeks for beeeders to get an idea of what they will develop into after the “uglies”
by 8weeks old their ears look to big for them and they start the “uglies” as they are called in holland lops – not a chubbybhead anymore ( it goes fine looking through the uglies) and ears look to big for them.

[BunnyFriends]

First of all – that is just too cute

I don’t own any Holland Lops but I agree with Oakley’s Mama, it looks like a three week old to me. Some pics here of different ages –> https://truluvrabbitry.com/2009/01/01/how-does-a-8-weeks-old-look-like/

Personally I would buy from a different breeder… that money is onky going to sell more under-age rabbits and your rabbit will be missing much of what it needs from its motherat that age.

[Boston's Mama]

[Grace]

Posted By BunnyFriends on 4/04/2017 9:17 PM

First of all – that is just too cute

I don’t own any Holland Lops but I agree with Oakley’s Mama, it looks like a three week old to me. Some pics here of different ages –> https://truluvrabbitry.com/2009/01/01/how-does-a-8-weeks-old-look-like/

Personally I would buy from a different breeder… that money is onky going to sell more under-age rabbits and your rabbit will be missing much of what it needs from its motherat that age.

I was thinking of that but I already gave her a lot of money for the deposit and I have grown quite attached to the baby bun as I’ve been following her growth since she was born ): I don’t want to call her out on this and pretty much call her a liar because I don’t want her to neglect or be mean to the baby bunny because she doesn’t like me. I’m just frustrated and unsure of what to do

[Boston's Mama]

I would report her if is illegal where you are ( unfortunately it isn’t illegal here and my Boston went to a petstore at 5weeks and he was sick )
Oakley -pictured above was from a great breeder and he came to me at 8 weeks

I would report her and go elsewhere
I know it’s sad to leave that baby but it’s a huge risk getting one from someone selling unweaned underage babies and it will just continue unless someone complains

[Grace]

Posted By Oakley and Boston’s Mama on 4/04/2017 9:21 PM

I would report her if is illegal where you are ( unfortunately it isn’t illegal here and my Boston went to a petstore at 5weeks and he was sick )
Oakley -pictured above was from a great breeder and he came to me at 8 weeks

I would report her and go elsewhere
I know it’s sad to leave that baby but it’s a huge risk getting one from someone selling unweaned underage babies and it will just continue unless someone complains

Who should I call/contact and report this to? I checked the New Jersey law on WabbitWiki and it is indeed illegal in our state.

[Boston's Mama]

Only other thing you could do is take the baby and then complain to appropriate place since it’s illegal there
Given she may sell it to someone else to young – But you may get heart broken
And it’s risky.
But you def need to report her! Or you are supporting here by purchasing from her
You don’t want to do that.

If you take the baby you will need to contact a rabbit vet and find out all you can on how to care for her and get her eating etc
It’s a horrible situation.

I want to say cancel it – report her and sue her for the money back given she is in breach of laws where you are
But i purchased Boston from a bad situation to save him too so I understand how hard it is to turn away

Supporting her isn’t good – but if you report her and fight her for money back and have authorities start looking into her then you aren’t supporting her.

[Boston's Mama]

Do you have rspca there? I would ring them

[meridiian]

Apart from greed, of course, what does she say to justify the demand for more money?

You’ve made a deposit, so the ‘sale’ if safe from her POV. Since you are clearly attached to this little bunny (she is gorgeous btw) this is sounding very much like emotional blackmail.

This is hard for you, I see that. Should you decide to move on, make it clear to her you will report her and publicize what she does to future buyers.

She should be put out of business. She is endangering these poor young bunnies.

[Grace]

Posted By meridiian on 4/04/2017 9:33 PM

Apart from greed, of course, what does she say to justify the demand for more money?

You’ve made a deposit, so the ‘sale’ if safe from her POV. Since you are clearly attached to this little bunny (she is gorgeous btw) this is sounding very much like emotional blackmail.

This is hard for you, I see that. Should you decide to move on, make it clear to her you will report her and publicize what she does to future buyers.

She should be put out of business. She is endangering these poor young bunnies.

She says it’s a “boarding fee” since she has to buy food for the bunny. I will definitely report her (although it creates a lot of pressure on me because her rabbitry is very famous, has almost 100,000 followers on instagram) but I am considering actually paying her the extra money, begging her to keep the baby bunny with her mother to nurse for the next few weeks and then reporting her after I pickup/rescue the baby bunny so I am so attached to her. I’ve played and held her before, and she already captured my heart ): 

It seems that she usually sells bunnies at a very young age because they’re at their “cutest”. She calls them “teacup” size. I really want to rescue my bun first after it is weaned before reporting her. 

Also, there is no RSPCA near me because I do not live in Europe/UK! I live on the East Coast of America. Does anyone know who I should contact??

[Boston's Mama]

I’ve sent you a message grace

[Mikey]

It is possible you can contact the police, emergency line or nonemergency line, to report illegal animal keeping/selling like this. I have to agree that she is way too young and looks about 4 weeks old, at best. Being that she also is not weaned is dangerous as babies need to be weaned slowly to avoid stomach trouble.

I got my nethie from a breeder(certified) family owned pet store; the breeder told them him and his siblings were about 12 weeks, but it turned out he was only 5 weeks. The store did cut with that breeder and notified police. My bun was not weaned and needed to be syringe fed for the first few weeks as I slowly weaned him onto hay. I completely feel for what you are going through

[meridiian]

Boarding fee? Unreal, since she is charging 300 dollars already. That bunny is a baby, the amount of food she would consume at that age is minimal. This is a total joke. I feel for you.

You wrote: “I will definitely report her (although it creates a lot of pressure on me because her rabbitry is very famous, has almost 100,000 followers on instagram)”.

Famous for what? I’ll keep an eye on this. Maybe 100,000 people are being misinformed about her TRUE practices. That can actually hurt her.

“she usually sells bunnies at a very young age because they’re at their “cutest”. She calls them “teacup” size.’

That is obscene. Says a lot actually. Doesn’t encourage the ten year (or more) commitment that a bunny can represent.

Good luck and keep us posted. xx 

[Boston's Mama]

Lots of followers does not mean good breeder or reputation – it usually means they take good photos of young bunnies… sadly
People are drawn in by 2-6week old animals naturally – babies draw the “awww” “ooooo” and the “click share!” Button and “follow” button out of everyone

We all like to see cute photos
And lots like to see them in weird photography poses – in teacups or in flower pots and with teddies and dressed up etc etc
It does get attention – but it does not tell those serious about purchasing anything at all about the health , quality and personality of the breeder and her animals at all.

One of our worst breeders over here who sells bunnies with all sorts wrong / doesn’t supply the paid for pedigree papers and something even sells crosses as pedigrees has heaps of followers!!! Because of her photography of young bunnies. Nothin at all to do with her or her bunnies supplied. There are a lot of upset buyers and even anti her pages.
That’s over here – and that is one breeder – but it goes to show you can’t trust a book by its cover ( or page by its Facebook page!)

[BanditCamp]

I sent you a message grace. One of my former soldiers is a fish and game warden in New Jersey and he’s very interested as am i.

[SeeShmemilyPlay]

Contact your local police on the non-emergency line. Just tell them what’s going on and ask if there’s anything that can be done. No harm in that!

I would also non-rudely send her pictures of actual 8-week-old bunnies and say that your bunny looks much too young, and just ask her what’s up.

[Author]

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