So you've decided that you want to get into showing bunnies!  Great!  It's a wonderful hobby and you'll have lots of fun.

Perhaps you already have a "pet" rabbit at home.  That's good, because you've learned how to care for your bunny and you are ready to take on the responsibility for one or two more.

Here are some suggestions to help you shop for that first "Showbunny"!

What Breed?

Maybe you already have a breed in mind.  If not, go to a rabbit show and look at all the different breeds that are exhibited there.  Talk to several different breeders and ask them about any questions you have. 

Large breeds (Flemish Giants, Checkered Giants, French Lops, etc.) are usually surprisingly easy to handle for their size.  They do require special housing and a great deal more space.

Middle-sized breeds (Havanas, Harlequins, Silver Martins, Tans, Florida Whites etc.) can be very interesting, and can function as "meat pen" animals in 4-H as well.

Small breeds (Netherland Dwarfs, Jersey Woolies, Mini Rex, Dutch, Holland Lops, etc.) are the "toy" breeds, and are an easy size to handle and house.  They don't make good "meat pen" competitors, though, and the popularity of the small breeds means that they have some of the stiffest competition at the shows.

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Buck or Doe?

If you are only planning to show the rabbit and not to breed it, it really doesn't matter which sex it is.  (Insider's hint:  Breeders are often more willing to sell bucks than does... does have value as potential breeding animals even if they have faults, so tend to cost more.  A herd buck of excellent quality may be quite pricey, but a nice show buck that can compete well but isn't quite "herd buck" quality may be a bargain.  Most rabbit herds consist of one buck to about ten does, so bucks are "dime a dozen" unless they are totally awesome.)

If you are also considering breeding your show animals, then think about getting a "trio" (one buck and two does that are compatible for breeding).  Sometimes you'll get a discount from a breeder if you buy more than one rabbit.  Sometimes they even throw in a brood doe or little buck for free if you buy a few others.

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Buy from a Reputable Breeder

A good way to find a successful breeder is to go to the national club web site for the breed you're interested in and look at the show results for the national breed show and the national ARBA convention.  Don't overlook the youth results as well... Youth breeders often have the very same lines as the top open breeders (where do you think they got their bunnies?) and often have more conservative prices.  A youth breeder might not have the background, experience, and support you may be looking for as you start out, though.  An experienced, honest, successful open breeder who is willing to back you up when you need help or answers is invaluable.  Ask for recommendations from other kids who are showing your breed.

A good breeder will also be willing to give some type of health and quality guarantee.  Health guarantees are usually for a period of ten to fourteen days and cover pre-existing illnesses.  Quality guarantees assert that the bunny is of good show quality, with no disqualifications, and may even replace the animal if it fails to live up to expectations.

If you are buying from someone who has a good reputation, then you'll probably be alright.  Frankly, most rabbit breeders are really nice folks who just love their hobby and want to have fun.  It's rare that you run across someone who really intends to deceive, but it does happen once in awhile.  Keep in mind that even the most experienced breeder can make a mistake about how a rabbit will turn out, and it doesn't mean that they tried to cheat you.  If you have a problem with an animal you purchased, please go talk to them first and give them the chance to make it right.  Don't go off grumbling to other people and tarnishing their reputation.  (It will make other breeders reluctant to sell to you in the future...)

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Shopping for Bunnies

The best place to shop for a show rabbit is at a show.  To find out when and where a show will be held near you, go to the ARBA web site and click on the show dates schedule.  There you will find shows listed for the next six months by state.

Arrive at the show early.  Most shows don't start until 8:30 or 9:00, but the breeders are there at 7:00 or 7:30 in most cases.  The most sought after breeders will probably sell out of the show stock they brought to sell by mid-morning.  On the other hand, many breeders are willing to make a deal on any stock they failed to sell by the end of the show -- they may really need the cage space and don't want to take them home.  You might get a great bargain.  (But the best ones will be gone early, trust me.)

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How Much Will I Have to Spend?

Depends on what you're looking for.  If you want to start out with Grand Champion animals you'll have to pay higher prices (perhaps in the hundreds, depending on the breed and the breeder).  If you are willing to take a chance on a young animal, the price might be much more reasonable.  If you buy from the top breeder in the nation, you'll pay quite a bit more than if you buy from a smaller breeder or a youth breeder. 

What we are finding now in the few breeds Anna shows is that it is not uncommon to pay $75 - $100 for a medium-quality show animal from a smaller breeder.  The top breeders are all charging between $100 - $300 for their animals.  And youth breeders are generally selling show animals for around $40 - $50 - $100.  "4-H" animals from 4-H members are going for around $15 - $50. 

However, there is no guarantee that the $300 animal will win any classes, or that the $15 animal will lose any classes.  I know that Anna has sold some awesome Woolies for very little and they've gone on to win GC status for their owners.  She's also paid tons of money for some animals that just never panned out.  It's a gamble, to some extent.

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What do I Look For?

Number one:  good health.  If the rabbits you are offered are boney, rough in body and fur condition, have any sign of diarrhea, snotty noses, runny eyes, or are just plain dirty, you should look elsewhere.  People who have really good stock take really good care of their animals, and you can tell it.

Don't buy baby bunnies that were just weaned, or are less than 10 weeks old.  Not only are they more likely to get sick and die when you get them home, but even experienced breeders have a hard time guessing how a baby bunny will turn out as a show animal.  They usually have a good idea though by the time the animal is 3 to 4 months of age.

You may want to look for animals that already have "legs".  A leg is a certificate earned when the animal places first in a class of at least 5 animals with at least 3 exhibitors.  When a rabbit earns three legs (one of those must be earned as a senior) it can become a grand champion (once it is registered).  A healthy animal with a couple of leg certificates is a pretty good bet as a beginning show animal.

Look at the pedigrees of the animals you are considering.  Are they completely filled out or are there blank spaces?  Are there any Grand Champions listed or any ancestors that list outstanding show placings?  Can you recognize any of the rabbitry names in the background as ones that you wanted to buy from?  It is common for breeders to breed parents to offspring or siblings to one another once in awhile (but not in every generation).  Such breedings can set certain desirable traits in a line.  Done too often, though, it can weaken the line genetically/physically.

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Check for Type

Now you get down to the nitty gritty.   You want an animal with good type.  But what is type?  Basically speaking, it refers to how well the animal compares with the ideal for the breed.  Where do you find out about that?  Get advice from other breeders and also study up on your breed in the Standard of Perfection, published by the ARBA.  The Standard will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about every breed there is!

If you are really new at showing rabbits, you would be wise to take someone with you who knows about them when shopping for bunnies.  Try and find someone who is familiar with your particular breed.  Failing that, you will have to rely on your own judgment and the good word of the breeder you're dealing with.

Know if your breed is supposed to have compact, commercial, arched, semi-arched, or cylindrical body type. 

Here I want to offer some wonderful links to help you learn about judging type, balance, and conformation in your rabbits:

 Pencil Test  Wonderful link created by Patty Kovell that gives examples of what to look for in the compact and commercial type rabbits.  She calls it the "Pencil Test" and it really does work!  She says it better than I could.

Balance - Defining and Achieving the Elusive by Dr. Stephen Rousch

Conformation and Balance by Oren Reynolds

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Look for Disqualifications

Finally, check the rabbit over to make sure that it has no DQ's the breeder might have overlooked.  Check for:

    Teeth:  No malocclusion

    Ears:  Correct length for the breed (measure them if in doubt)

    Eyes:  Correct color for the variety

    Fur:  Correct color/undercolor/markings

    Toenails:  Not mismatched.  Especially check the middle front toenail for fading in shaded varieties.  Check that the dewclaw on the front feet is not considerably darker than the other nails on that foot.  Check that the dewclaws are not missing. 

    Bucks:  Do not have a "split penis", do not have any scabs/sores around the genital area, must have both testicles.

        These are not the only DQ's, but they are probably the most common.

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Purchasing the Rabbit

So you've decided that this is the one and you pay the breeder.  Be sure to get the rabbit's pedigree and also its registration or GC certificate if it applies. 

Get a business card from the breeder or at least a phone number/e-mail or address so that you can contact them if you have any trouble or questions.

The breeder should give you a couple days' worth of the food the bunny is presently on.  If they don't have any for you, at least ask them what they are feeding and consider picking some up to start your new bunnies.  They'll do much better if you don't change the feed completely right away.

Be sure to have a carrier for your new rabbit.  Cardboard boxes work in a pinch, but are not the safest method to transport a rabbit.  Besides, you're an exhibitor now, so you'll need carrying cages.

Thank the breeder and let them know you'll take good care of the bunny and stay in contact when it does well at shows.  Breeders like to know when their stock is doing well for other people -- it's good advertising for them.   And most of them really do care that their animals are going to good, loving homes.

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That's about it!  If any of you have any questions we didn't address here, or any other suggestions for other kids who are starting out, let me know and we'll discuss it on this page.  Congratulations on starting a great new hobby, and Good Luck!