Bakersfield, California

Netherland Dwarf Breeders

What to look for in a Netherland Dwarf breeder, what to ask before you pay anything, and where we fit.

A good Netherland Dwarf breeder will let you ask anything and will tell you when the answer is no. They will know the parents, give you a date of birth rather than an estimate, and be willing to say a rabbit is wrong for your house.

Arlen Rabbitry is a small Netherland Dwarf breeder in Bakersfield, California, breeding since 2020. Five litters a year, raised in the house. One person answers the messages and it is the same person who raised the rabbit.

Five questions worth asking any breeder

  1. How old is it, exactly? Not "about eight weeks". A breeder who raised it knows the date it was born.
  2. Can I see the parents? Photographs at minimum. A breeder who cannot show you the mother is not the breeder.
  3. What is it eating right now? Changing a rabbit's food abruptly causes gut problems. You want to leave with the same pellets it has been raised on.
  4. Has it been handled? A rabbit that has been picked up daily since it was small is a different animal to one that has only been fed.
  5. What happens if it does not work out? Anyone breeding properly will take a rabbit back rather than see it go to a shelter.

What should make you walk away

Rabbits available at any age on demand. No date of birth. Pressure to put money down today. An unwillingness to answer questions about the parents. Anything sold as a "teacup" or "mini" version of a breed that is already small. See this page for why that phrasing is a warning rather than a feature.

Also: a rabbit that is ready at six weeks. Eight is the earliest a kit should leave its mother, and earlier than that causes problems that show up months later.

Buying from us

Netherland Dwarfs here are $250. Everything on the site is ready to leave now, and if the list is short some weeks, and that simply means the next litter is still growing. See what is available.

Reserving, and what the deposit is for

If a bunny is ready and you want it today, pay in full and take it home. There is no deposit on a same-day collection.

The deposit is only for holding a bunny to reserve a bunny or hold one for a later pickup date. It comes off the balance, and the rest is cash when we meet.

It is not refundable. Saying that plainly matters more than making it sound softer: a held bunny is one nobody else can buy, and that is what the deposit pays for. If you are not certain yet, do not put one down. Ask your questions first and put a deposit on nothing until you are sure.

Talk to a Netherland Dwarf breeder directly

Write to Arlen. There is no team, no autoresponder, and no sales pitch waiting at the other end.

Ask about a bunny