The problem with pet stores is that, first of all, those babies are removed much too soon from their mothers, usually at 3wks of age because that's when they are cute and adorable and they literally sell themselves.

Second of all, the pet stores price them inexpensively enough so that they are usually an impulse purchase with the buyer having no idea how to care for them and the pet store not bothering to give out care information.

Third of all, the bunnies that don't get sold are returned to the breeder and the usual practice is that they are destroyed. Usually the reason why those bunnies are in the pet store in the first place is that the breeder is going for a "look"...they want the perfect color, the perfect body and head shape..and the pet stores usually get the ones that the breeders decide aren't suitable for their "purposes".

Fourth, there is a WEALTH of misinformation out there on how to care for rabbits. I've read some absolutely horrible books written by a so called "experts" (they are among the worst offenders) and the information on diet alone is horrible, let alone their advice on the proper way to pick up and handle a rabbit (one actually said it was ok to pick them up by their ears!!!!!!!).

Then there are the breeders themselves. For show rabbits they want a shiny coat, which means they are going to give (and recommend to people who buy their bunnies) their bunnies alfalfa pellets. For rabbits under one year of age alfalfa pellets are fine but once the rabbit gets to be one yr old they no longer need the extra calcium in the alfalfa. That extra calcium goes in to the bladder where much of it is excreted, but what isn't excreted forms in to crystals and eventually in to bladder stones. Some rabbits are more suspectible to stones than others. Bladder stones are of course incredibly painful, and rabbits, as a prey animal, do not show signs of illness until they are very sick indeed. If you want your bunny to have a short life, or a shorter life than most normal rabbits these days, feed them the alfalfa.
Rabbits with a good genetic background, properly cared for and given a diet of fresh dark green veggies, no pellets and unlimited amounts of timmy hay are living 7-11 years.

I could go on and on about pet stores and breeders but won't bore you anymore. If you want a rabbit your best bet is to
1. read up on them by going to the House Rabbit Society website at www.rabbit.org Any question you can possibly think of is answered there, then
2. go to an animal shelter, rabbit sanctuary or human society and

Give A Bunny A Second Chance.