Adopting your Rabbits or Hamster

Rescue
If you are considering adopting or buying a rabbit or hamster, please consider rescues first and make sure you are 100% committed, are allowed the type of animal in your accommodation and will commit for their full life, as best you can. (Obviously some situations do change, but you will do your best to make it work when and if you can.) Hamsters around 2-3 years, Rabbits can live up to 15 years.
Most rescues will ensure that you have the correct set up and the right animal(s) are right for you and your household. Some myths about rescues is that the animals there are older, have issues or there must be a reason why they haven't found a forever home or were given up in the first place. This is completely untrue, some rescues even have baby rabbits and hamsters for rehoming, as they often have to cope with a lot of unexpected pregnancies and litters coming in, they also have a lot of rabbits and hamsters that come in as the animal in question 'didn't get on with the others' - for rabbits, this is often because both rabbits are not neutered, haven't been neutered for at least 8 weeks prior or they haven't been bonded correctly. For hamsters it is usually because their species is solitary or their robo or dwarf hamsters didn't have the correct set up for multiple hamsters or even just because most hamsters thrive living on their own.
One of the most saddest reasons that people give up their pets is because of their aesthetics, maybe their rabbit's ears are up and they were hoping they would have lopped (as lops are born with up ears and they usually lop, as they get a bit older) or they are white with red eyes or completely black, which can be scary for young kids in the dark.

Rabbits
Sadly, rescues are overflowing with rabbits and because they don't go into heat and can breed as soon as they have given birth, so many just keep having babies, especially if people adopt a young pair, that are different genders (sometimes miss sexed)
Rescues can seem a little pricey, sometimes being three times the price of a store bought rabbit, but it will actually work out a lot cheaper for you in the long run, as they are usually already neutered and fully vaccinated, often they have already got a bonded partner or friends, which will save you a lot of time and effort, trying to bond them and you won't come to the issue where you have two separate bunnies that won't bond.
If you already have one neutered rabbit, rescues usually also have single rabbits, looking for their perfect partner or group and the rescues can even help find the right suitable partner or friends for your bunny and even help bond them for you (sometimes this will be an additional small donation.)

The only downside I can see from rescuing is that you can't always choose a breed or colour of rabbit you prefer, but you do have a huge selection on offer to choose from usually and personality trumps looks any day for me. I've yet to see an ugly rabbit - even those without ears, as some mother rabbits over groom their babies and can chew off their ears, when they are in their nest.


Hamsters
Because of hamsters short lifespans, there are not as many in rescues, but they do over populate quite quickly and sadly also given up quite a bit, as a child got bored with them or they never see them as much as they had hoped or even that they are scared they are going to get bitten or have been bitten.
With all animals, hamsters are all individuals and some prefer less contact with humans and most are active more at night, when the humans are sleeping, it is quiet and the lights are out. Others love attention and when they see or hear their owner/s they come running to the door, they can sometimes get used to your schedule too, so if you fill their bowl up or give them a treat a certain time of day, they may come to you. Rescues get to know the animals that come in and tame them as best they can, but are also aware that some just aren't particularly people lovers, so they can find the right hamster for your household.

Give an animal another chance in life and a living forever home by rescuing - if for whatever reason you can no longer look after that particular animal, due to money changes, life changes, homelessness or whatever reason. Then please contact the rescue you got them from, they will often take them back into their care and try and find another suitable home, but unfortunately you wouldn't get your money back.

Adoption/Rehoming
I'm grateful that some sites like eBay and Facebook have banned the sale of animals, others like Gumtree, putting a fee in place for those trying to sell or rehome their pets. But second hand selling sites are very popular when it comes to finding an animal a home or if you are looking for one, but please be very careful, there are so many lost and stolen pets being sold on them, always get them vet checked and their microchips checked, if you take one on, pretty soon after you take them in (obviously this doesn't apply to hamsters, as they can't currently be microchipped) but you may have bought or adopted someone else's beloved lost or stolen pet, hoping to find their way home. The sites are also hot spots for backyard breeders, trying to make a quick buck

Although there are dangers, second hand selling sites like Shpock, Gumtree, Preloved, Pets4Homes etc. are a good way to give an animal a second, third, fourth, however many times they have been homed, another chance in life. You may not know the correct age of the animal, you can only go by what they say (With hamsters there is no way of telling unfortunately and rabbits, a vet can give a rough estimate) you may not know much about their past experiences or genetics, but what you do know is you may be able to give them that loving forever home they need, often giving them an improved life, with a better enclosure and with the love you have to give.

But please be prepared for surprise vet bills (this may not happen and can happen with wherever you get your pet from, but especially those you don't know much about) and if they are female, make sure they aren't pregnant (Hamsters pregnancy generally lasts 16-22 days, depending on the species, rabbits pregnancy generally lasts 28-32 days)

Breeders
There aren't as many ethical breeders as many people think, a lot found online breed as a hobby and don't know much about the full genetics or history of many of their animals that they breed, this isn't always with bad intentions.

Ethical breeders can take years getting to know their breeding animals and lines, they will learn about behaviour, genetics, colour lines and general past histories of their animals. With hamsters they need to know things like, not to breed two banded hamsters as this can cause eyeless hamsters and other issues. They will also know not to continue the line of hairless animals, as most hairless female hamsters can't actually feed their young, due to not being able to lactate, so the babies will then starve. 

An animal from an ethical breeder, usually tend to have what most people would suggest as desirable aesthetics and tend to be bigger and heavier naturally. 

Please do not attempt to breed yourself.

Pet Stores
Unfortunately rodents and rabbits are still some of the animals being allowed to be sold in pet stores around the UK.

I would only recommend getting an animal from a pet store, if they are in an adoption section, where the money goes to charity, these are often store hamsters that are no longer able to stay with the other babies, until sold, for medical reasons or as they are now too old, some are even handed in, to find a home due to their previous home, no longer being able to or want to keep them. If I knew the pet store and they are very responsible and get their animals from an ethical source and tame their animals suitably before finding them a home, then I wouldn't mind so much either, we have a lovely lady in our local pet store, who breeds in house, she will only breed a certain hamster once or twice maximum, they know the hamsters previous genetics and family tree and make sure they can be handled and find them a suitable home.

Large chain pet stores on the other hand, worry me, I've heard and most pet stores won't allow you to know where their 'stock' has come from, that they usually come from an unethical source, including rodent farms/rabbit farms - these are places that have many animals crammed in tiny cages, made to basically constantly breed, the hamsters are often a lot smaller than hamsters from proper breeders and often come with bad genetics and illnesses.

I wouldn't recommend getting a pet from a chain pet store and if you do find a suitable independent store, with animals you'd like to adopt, then please ask plenty of questions and do your research. 
If you see an animal in a pet store with an unsuitable set up - please don't think you are saving them or rescuing them from a bad situation, as a lot of stores will just fill that space with more unethically bred animals and make a profit from it, you will be supplying the demand.





YES ALL ANIMALS DESERVE A LOVING, FOREVER, SUITABLE HOME, NO MATTER WHERE THEY COME FROM - But please consider the overflowing rescues first and do not contribute to the overpopulation of animals and filling the pockets of those that are uneducated or appear to not care.