- Sep 12, 2012
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Sadly, NOT dying the chicks won't really help the impulse buy issue. Prior to raising chickens, I raised pet rabbits - dwarf breeds. I raised them for 4H clubs and for shows, but got a HUGE percentage of the buyers during the easter season. I stressed many times to everyone that I would take in any rabbit that they later decided they could not keep. But I still often found my rabbits with a rescue center later on (I worked with the rescue center as well, both adopting out THEIR bunnies, and taking my own back in). I didn't dye my rabbits, but the local feed stores did. However, it didn't stop the number of people wanting bunnies for Easter AND for Christmas, without doing the research on them, and seriously considering the implications of a pet rabbit. They were still buying on impulse when mine weren't dyed.
"Oh, I'm sorry ma'am, you didn't know rabbits chewed....EVERYTHING?"
I would put people on a waiting list, just to see if they'd stick around. I'd try to educate them about a rabbit's lifestyle but they often ignored it. I tried to get all of their information, and even tattooed the rabbit's ear just to keep track of who adopted who. I would even try to sell older rabbits, not the cutesy little babies that I knew they would simply "fall for".
The rescue center was glad that I DID work with them to keep my rabbits out of their hands, and happy with the tattoo practice. And eventually they all did find very good homes (I even keep in touch with several who adopted my brood rabbits). But there was just nothing I could do to stop the Easter sales from parents wanting to surprise kids. When they want to make their kids happy, they will fool you as much as possible to get what they want, and they will do their best to SEEM like a good family for a pet.
But a few months later, the story always ended the same. One of my tattooed rabbits would show up at the shelter from a family who got it, just to surprise their child for Easter.
Eventually, I got smart about it. I would raise the prices of the rabbits for Easter to HELP weed out the non-serious ones. I'd be charging up to $300 for a tiny bunny. Tattoo the little guy and send him on his way. And with the packet I sent home with him, it stated I would even take a healthy rabbit back into the rabbitry WITHOUT A REFUND. I figured by charging so much, the rabbit would technically be paying for its own care for a year or so, as I waited to adopt it back out. Even if they showed up at the shelter, I'd still have the money to care for it when I took it back in from them.
That was really the only solution against the impulse buyers.
"Oh, I'm sorry ma'am, you didn't know rabbits chewed....EVERYTHING?"
I would put people on a waiting list, just to see if they'd stick around. I'd try to educate them about a rabbit's lifestyle but they often ignored it. I tried to get all of their information, and even tattooed the rabbit's ear just to keep track of who adopted who. I would even try to sell older rabbits, not the cutesy little babies that I knew they would simply "fall for".
The rescue center was glad that I DID work with them to keep my rabbits out of their hands, and happy with the tattoo practice. And eventually they all did find very good homes (I even keep in touch with several who adopted my brood rabbits). But there was just nothing I could do to stop the Easter sales from parents wanting to surprise kids. When they want to make their kids happy, they will fool you as much as possible to get what they want, and they will do their best to SEEM like a good family for a pet.
But a few months later, the story always ended the same. One of my tattooed rabbits would show up at the shelter from a family who got it, just to surprise their child for Easter.
Eventually, I got smart about it. I would raise the prices of the rabbits for Easter to HELP weed out the non-serious ones. I'd be charging up to $300 for a tiny bunny. Tattoo the little guy and send him on his way. And with the packet I sent home with him, it stated I would even take a healthy rabbit back into the rabbitry WITHOUT A REFUND. I figured by charging so much, the rabbit would technically be paying for its own care for a year or so, as I waited to adopt it back out. Even if they showed up at the shelter, I'd still have the money to care for it when I took it back in from them.
That was really the only solution against the impulse buyers.
