- Frequently Asked Questions -
Where are you located?
Sherborn Woods Rabbitry is located in Sherborn, Massachusetts.
Do you ship?
No.
I am interested in a bunny.
Great. Thank you for your interest. The first step is to send in the application on our Contact and Forms page.
Can you please email me when bunnies are available?
Unfortunately, no. The best thing to do is keeping checking our website.
We are hobbyist breeders with very busy lives... kids, work, etc. We get too many requests from all directions to alert folks about so many different aspects of our bunnies. We just don't have the time or organizational system to do this.
Do you keep a waitlist?
Unfortunately, no. While we do take deposits to reserve a current or future bunny, we get too many future-based requests (e.g., let me know when pictures are up, let me know when a certain color bunny will be available, please email me when a litter is born, etc.) to manage. Since we are hobbyist breeders (i.e., we have full time "non-rabbit" jobs, active kids, etc.), we cannot keep track of every request to get back to folks in the future. We realize this may limit our ability to find families, but we are ok with that. Please, do not ask us to contact you in the future with a particular piece of information. We will always reply, "it is best to check our website from time to time." We are always happy to answer questions about our current rabbits and bunnies.
How do I secure or reserve a bunny or rabbit?
When reserving a bunny or rabbit, we require both an application and deposit to be submitted in order to secure the rabbit. This applies to "Post-Pick" bunnies, ones that have already turned 8 weeks old or have already been released to be sold. VERY IMPORTANT: If you ascertain that a bunny is available and that no one else is about to place a deposit, you need to get your deposit in quickly. If you wait until the next day, the bunny may already be reserved by someone else, and your deposit will still be non-refundable. Check with us right before you go to put down your deposit. For the last 2 years, all of our Winter bunnies were under reserve by the end of November.
If you are choosing a bunny that is still in the nest box, an application and deposit are also required. Once we receive both, you will be put on the "PICK LIST," based on the date your deposit is received and cleared (checks have to clear first). During the bunnies' 5th or 6th week of life, we will have "PICK DAY" where buyers on the Pick List will be contacted to choose their desired bunny, by order of deposit date. Pick Day happens ONLINE, and not at our rabbitry. Please, don't confuse this with the day you come and pick up your bunny.
Since reviewing your application can take a day or two, we recommend getting that in as soon as possible. Also, since March, 2020 (start of pandemic), we are receiving quadruple the amount of applications as usual, and the number of applications far exceeds the number of bunnies we have available. As such, please expect delays in processing your application.
How do I submit a deposit?
These instructions will be given directly from SWR.
Do you accept Venmo?
Yes, but please do not send in a random deposit.
What if I want to reserve a particular bunny?
It is the buyer's responsibility to find out if a particular bunny is available prior to putting down a deposit. If a particular bunny is requested prior to Pick Day, and the buyer does not have an early pick, that bunny cannot be guaranteed. If there are two buyers interested in the same bunny, we are happy to talk to the buyer with higher priority and let them know someone else also wants that bunny, in case that buyer has no real preference.
What if I'm not ready to choose a bunny on Pick Day?
If you do not submit your choices by the end of the day on Pick Day, you are at risk for losing your turn in line. If there are 15 people on the Pick List, and you are number 3, it is not fair to hold up the assignments for days or weeks. We ask you to decide ahead of time which bunnies you want, in order of preference.
Can I come see the bunnies before putting down a deposit?
Pre-weaned bunnies (<8 weeks) may not be visited. Buyers who prefer to see a bunny before putting down a deposit can either wait until the bunnies are 8 weeks old or choose an older bunny, if available. Most often, nearly all the bunnies are on deposit before they turn 8 weeks by families who do not need to see them in person. If it is important for you to see a pre-weaned bunny before putting down a deposit, we are sorry we will not be able to accommodate you.
Why do you have Pick Day? Why not just let buyers choose rabbits before then?
There are certain qualities on a bunny that are not apparent until the 5th or 6th week. While we do not keep bunnies from each litter, there are certain litters for which Sherborn Woods Rabbitry maintains first pick once these qualities emerge. For buyers who also seek such qualities, it can be a risk to put down an early deposit. Since we are committed to finding homes for all of our bunnies, we need to invite potential pet owners to put down deposits as early as possible.
Most often we can guarantee basic traits such as color and gender to potential buyers if their standing on the Pick List is high enough. However, it is the buyer's responsibility to ascertain this information.
When is Pick Day?
Pick Day is generally around the bunnies' 5th or 6th week birthday. At that time, we post individual photos under the "Current Bunnies" heading. On that day, we hold off on taking new deposits until families who have already submitted deposits choose their bunny.
How much is the deposit?
The deposit is generally 50% of the cost of the bunny, although we sometimes round up to make it easier (e.g., $30 instead of $27.50 for a $55 bunny). If you pay by Paypal, please expect to add a small fee to cover those expenses. If you use VENMO, there are no associated fees.
VERY IMPORTANT: The amount you put down to be on the Pick List will limit you to only bunnies that match your deposit. For example, if you put down a $30 deposit, on Pick Day, you can only choose bunnies that cost up to $60. If at that time, you decide you want a more expensive bunny, you would need to increase your deposit and your priority on the list would move down to reflect the date the deposit is completed.
Does putting down a deposit guarantee I'll get my bunny of choice?
If the bunny is already released, meaning that Sherborn Woods Rabbitry has already made their choice of which bunnies to keep, then yes, your deposit will guarantee a chosen bunny as long as you put down your deposit immediately after ascertaining the bunny is, in fact, not already taken.
If the bunny is still in the nest, and Pick Day has not occurred (generally the bunny will be in a group shot with its litter mates), then no, we cannot guarantee any bunny. You would be put on the Pick List to choose once we know which bunnies are going to be released (around 6 weeks of age). Please remember, that putting down a deposit to get on the Pick List is a GAMBLE. It is the buyer's responsibility to ascertain the likeliness of obtaining a particular rabbit, certain traits, or a particular price based on their Pick List placement... just email us. If you put down a $30 deposit and there are no more bunnies at or under $60 left when your turn comes up on Pick Day, the deposit is still not refundable. At that point, you would either forfeit your deposit or add to it and choose a bunny when your turn comes up again. Please, please, if you can only buy a $60 bunny, email us before putting down your deposit to find out how many people are on the list ahead of you.
Can I put down a deposit for a future litter?
Yes, but we cannot guarantee what the prices will be until after we see the bunnies. Our prices do not vary much, and we will do our best to estimate prices and stick as close as possible to that price. It is the buyer's responsibility to discuss pricing and range of pricing of future litters before putting down a deposit.
Can you hold my bunny while my deposit check is clearing or while my deposit in on route via US Post?
Unfortunately, no. We've had too many people provide a "bad check," or change their mind when the deposit never arrived. If you wish to submit a deposit via US post or with a check, you risk the chance that someone else will get a secure deposit (e.g., Paypal) in before you. The best thing to do is ascertain that a bunny is "available," and then immediately submit a deposit via Paypal.
The website says my bunny is available on a certain date. Why can't I pick up on that date?
Sometimes you can, and sometimes you can't. The "Ready on" date is the day the bunnies turn 8 weeks old, and should be taken as "Ready on or after."
We are hobbyist breeders, so outside our rabbitry, we work full-time, have kids, and participate in a lot of our children's activities. We do our best to find a mutually agreed upon time for adoptive pet owners to come pick up their new bunny, and generally, most families are able to pick up on or within a few days of the "Ready On" date.
