Want to buy bunny for a pet - Which breed?

[sdray]

Anybody out there know about rabbit breeds??? And no, not the ones out there eating all your flowers :-)

I have been researching all day and there are soooo many breeds, that I am sooo confused. There are mini rex, mini lop, dwarf lop, polish and holland, and so on...
We want to buy a baby bunny for our daughter who will be turning 12. We only want one. What we are looking for:

- doesn't get any bigger than 3-4lbs (so basically one on the smaller breed size)
- good temperment with kids
- likes to be held a lot (lap bunny I guess you would say)
-easy to potty/litter box train (I read some are easier than others?)
- I read some can be moodier than others and bite due to moodiness... don't want that!

Any help/suggestions from rabbit owners, would be greatly appreciated.
thanks!

[mommyx2]

I just read an article that said a lot of rabbit rescues are full now due to the Easter season over and now those cute bunnies are not wanted..

Maybe check and talk to various rescues.

[rayearth]

If I were buying a rabbit, I would buy a show rabbit so I could have the option of taking it to shows. It's a great hobby for a kid your daughter's age. When I was into showing rabbits almost 20 years ago you could take any rabbit to a show but it's nice to win a ribbon once in a while. A young rabbit from good stock does not cost very much. I have won ribbons with rescue rabbits but you have to know what you're looking for. Show rabbits also have to be able to sit quietly and pose so they MIGHT have a tendency to be calmer. The mini-rexes were my favorite. I also raised mini-lops and Californians. The mini-lops were always quiet and good natured. Someday I am going to get one of the dwarf breeds as a pet and show it for fun...many years ago I heard that they were mean but perhaps that has been bred out of them by now.

If I were you I would go to a rabbit show... 20 years ago there were often rabbits for sale at shows. Even if there aren't any rabbits for sale at the show you would learn a lot.

[melmax]

As a kid I used to raise them. The lop ear ones seemed to be the friendliest ones I ever had. The Dutch all seemed to have a mean streak in them, but you also can get the common New Zealand whites or reds, they were all nice too. You can litter train rabbits, but I don't suggest it as when they are in the home they will chew up wires, carpet, walls, etc., ( they are rodents- the truth of the fact is) They do live for about 10 years, so be prepared to enjoy them for a long time.

Also, please don't worry about a rabbit getting big, the nice ones I ever had were big, but you learn how to hold them so it's not a big deal.

[rayearth]

Yeah, my Californians were really laid back and while they're bigger than 3-4 pounds they're not hard to handle.

[sundae]

Adopt from a reputable rescue. Not only can they tell you all about that pet's specifics, but if the adoption just isn't working out, they generally ask that you return the rabbit to them, which is a nice safety net.

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TX168.html

[river1]

Channel 5 just had a story on last week about a Rabbit Rescue group in Denton with hundred of Easter Rabbits that need homes.

[sundae]

Originally Posted by river1

Channel 5 just had a story on last week about a Rabbit Rescue group in Denton with hundred of Easter Rabbits that need homes.

That's the link I just posted right before your post. Easter is a terrible time of year for bunnies.

[Eagle_rc]

Rabbits are destroying my yard... I want to eradicate them.. but they are very cute..

[PugLover]

You had better pick one (or none) that has a short life span as it will be yours in 3 years!