# Pet shops give new rabbit owners wrong info on hutches!



## 1357rabbitlover (Feb 12, 2012)

I went into my local pet shop yesterday because i wanted a small hutch to put in my rabbits 12 foot by 10 foot run..

This hutch was only 4 foot by 3 foot, and i asked them if this was a good size, they told me that my rabbit would be very happy in this cage because they have enough space, and that it is a good size hutch which could fit 2 rabbits in! I know all about rabbits but i just thought i'd see if the staff who are selling these hutches really do.. The obviously don't! IT IS RIDICULOUS!

I just thought i'd warn new rabbit owners!


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## ZRabbits (Feb 12, 2012)

Thanks for the heads up.

Here in the States, we have the same thing. There are good knowledgable people selling bunny supplies and there are those who have no clue. Just reading it off some script I guess. 

The best thing for any new rabbit owner to do is research a little about bunnies before you purchase anything. I have one cage that I would trade in in a minute but we were new and didn't know. It's good but I think we found better after we did more research. 

If you know a little about it, someone can't take full advantage of you and your future bunny.

K


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## Nancy McClelland (Feb 12, 2012)

I always refer any who ask about bunnies to some of the books we have as well as to here and HRS.Found that most at pet stores and rescues don't generally know that much, but are afraid to admit to it also.


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## LakeCondo (Feb 12, 2012)

Plus stores want to sell their stuff.


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## emily0862 (Mar 7, 2012)

I agree with LakeCondo, it's more about the sale than the well being of the animal for most stores


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## Ruki (Mar 7, 2012)

I'v done this multiple times. I know QUITE A BIT about rabbits and other small animals but when I go into pet stores I ask the employees questions, just for fun, to see how wrong they are! And they are ALWAYS wrong. Its sad.
I want to open my own pet store one day and have actual KNOWLEDGEABLE animal people working in it.
Its sad that pet stores will higher anyone off the street...


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## ZRabbits (Mar 8, 2012)

*Ruki wrote: *


> I'v done this multiple times. I know QUITE A BIT about rabbits and other small animals but when I go into pet stores I ask the employees questions, just for fun, to see how wrong they are! And they are ALWAYS wrong. Its sad.
> I want to open my own pet store one day and have actual KNOWLEDGEABLE animal people working in it.
> Its sad that pet stores will higher anyone off the street...


Agree, but that's business. And that's just not in pet stores unfortunately. 

It's for the almighty dollar. Hoping you do open a pet store with knowledgeable employees. That' would truly be a breath of fresh air. 

We are fortunately, Bill's Wonderland of Pets, are all experienced from tropical fish to wolves. Plus I like the fact that they work closely with a Rescue Group and that the rabbits sold are all rescues with background checks of the rabbits. 

AND Bill's have NO rabbits at Easter Time! Love that concept. Bill will NOT allow it. And I think the rescue group is in total agreement with that as well. 

K


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## Ruki (Mar 8, 2012)

Wow, Bill's sounds like an awesome place! I'd love to visit!!


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## hokankai (Mar 8, 2012)

That is the pet industry here in the US. Cages and tanks that are too small but are constantly recommended. You really can't trust the people working in the pet stores...they're just trying to make a quick buck :/


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## ZRabbits (Mar 9, 2012)

*Ruki wrote: *


> Wow, Bill's sounds like an awesome place! I'd love to visit!!



It's not big, but what he has in stock is what he has, so the product is always fresh. Very knowledgeable staff, most of them do some sort of rescue with different animals. Really a positive place to go to. Bill has intervene to help animals from pet turtles to purebred wolves. He works with that rescue too. Don't laugh, wolves are getting popular and that's another misunderstood animal.

Anyway, here's Bill's website. Hope you visit when you are traveling through New Jersey. 

http://web.me.com/billswonderland/Bills_Wonderland_of_Pets/Home.html

K


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## wendymac (Mar 9, 2012)

Actually, 4'x3' would be big enough for a small rabbit. Or even a large one (or 2 smaller ones) that got "out" time.


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## bunnychild (Mar 11, 2012)

I buy my cages from Kammalop or old breeders


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## majorv (Mar 12, 2012)

*wendymac wrote: *


> Actually, 4'x3' would be big enough for a small rabbit. Or even a large one (or 2 smaller ones) that got "out" time.


I was thinking the same thing.


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## Jacki-Small-Pet-Select (Mar 13, 2012)

I suppose it's all a question of how long the rabbit is being cooped up in the cage for. Of course, the bigger the better is always key - but not everyone has the space to allow their rabbits to have a mega-palace to live in 24/7. But yes, I agree that if a rabbit were to be kept in a hutch of this size for most of it's life, it'd be nothing short of cruelty. 

Rabbit hutches actually originated from Victorian times, when they were simply a place to keep them before they were eaten. So it's no surprise that these hutches were so small - and old traditions die hard.

In fact - there's no need to ever buy a rabbit hutch at all. Making one yourself is fairly simple and you can get loads of instructions at various places on the web. This is a good article http://smallpetselect.com/blog/rabbit-guide/building-your-own-rabbit-hutch about making your own.


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## JaquiVDH (Mar 16, 2012)

It's my first post on here but I felt so strongly about the topic so I hope you all don't mind.
having spent wasted hours in pet shops finding exactly as has been said on here, most of the staff seem to either know nothing or just want to sell you the most expensive hutch, and it seems the bigger the pet shop, the smaller the hutch they try and sell you ! I became more and more angry about how they advise owners. One even said 'they don't move around so much in the winter anyway' !!
Unfortunately I don't have the option of making one (or the RSPCA would definitely have to be informed given my woodworking skills) I know it's not much use to owners in the US but if you're in the UK I found a company called Happy Hutch (not sure of the website but it is def. 'googleable') I rang the company and the guy there really knew his stuff and was obviously a real animal lover. Thanks to him we now have a 5* hotel for our little 'Miss Minky' and cost much less than we expected. You should see her 'strutting around' it's just heartbreaking to think if I'd have been stupid enough to listen to the pet shops she could have been cooped up in a wooden crate and I'd have been getting out a mortgage to finance it!


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## LakeCondo (Mar 17, 2012)

It sounds lovely.

And welcome to the forum.


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## Shelbers91 (Mar 17, 2012)

Well that's like a pet stores always clipping budgie wings (callig them parakeets when they are not parakeets, and sticking 2 of them In a little house cage that even if they could fly, one couldn't even fly in it. Then trying to sell covers when no one goes out at night and covers the wild birds.. It's rediculous. Idk maybe I'm weird but even though I have a large cockatiel/ conure cage that could probably fit 10 budgies, I still couldn't coop my 2 up in it and I won't give them less then their own room/aviary to fly around in and exercise and forage. Pet stores usually have no idea what they are doing.


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## 1357rabbitlover (Mar 18, 2012)

Wendy, i asked the pet shop about a run and they said 'you could get one but you don't have to, a rabbit would have enough space in this hutch as rabbits are a lazy animal!' They probably think this because all their bunnies are stuck in a hutch 24/7 so they cant show their fun/mad behavior so they must think that bunnies are lazy.
Its shocking how little they actually know!!


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