Bunny questions?

[Shadowspider]

The thing with buying *any* animal from a pet store is you have absolutely no idea where the animal has been, how it was cared for, what kind of health and/or behavioral problems it might have or even what its genetics are. Pet stores are, IMO, the single *worst* place to get a pet because they buy animals from back yard breeders.
NO pet store, especially outlet and chain stores like PetCo and PetSmart, buy animals from responsible, reputable breeders because NO respectable breeder would ever sell any of their animals to a pet store. It doesn't matter what the store tells you about the animals they sell; if they don't come with full AKC certification (if applicable), pedigree and verifiable health certificates from a reputable vet.... they're BYB animals plain and simple. Pet stores are *only* looking to turn a profit and will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you to buy their "products".

If you got one from a pet store you could be looking at spending a lot of money on an animal that may very well have a whole host of health as well as behavioral problems.

If there are no reputable breeders in your state, look in the surrounding states and have it shipped if need be. Yes, it can be expensive but the bottom line is... you get what you pay for.
If you go the cheap route, you're going to end up spending *a lot* more money at the vet's office. If you take the time to search and research and dish out the $$$ for a high quality, sound animal, you've saved yourself a lot of money, time and heartache because you *know* that animal is healthy and of good blood lines and was not inbred, thus, it is more likely to have a longer, happier life with you.

[wolfy-hound]

AKC is no guarentee of anything either. Larger breeders will have a file of papers and will send in paperwork on litters that were never born, so they have papers for whatever breed they can pass the puppies off as. The easiest examples are the "little white fluffy puppy" A small white fluffy pup can be either a maltese, poodle, bichen, pekeneise, havanese, :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r:-a-poo(or other poo mix), or a couple others. The normal public will see small fluffy pup. The people will pull out whatever papers you like.
Rabbits are no better. A underage bunny will be sold as a dwarf. A fluffy bunny sold as a angora.
Be sure you know your breeder. Be sure you have money for vet visits, in addition to regular maintanance expenses.