Foster Carer Guide
Advertise
After all vet work is completed, a Bunny Tracker will let you know when it's ready for adoption and the time has come to advertise. From that moment on your rabbit will appear on the website as ready for adoption.
What are we asking of you?
- Please check The Rabbit Sanctuary website and make sure your foster rabbit is represented with a nice profile photo and a good description.
- Please advertise your foster rabbit on our Facebook Group 'Rabbits for Adoption'. Post cute photos and videos you have taken of your foster rabbit over time, and tell people what your rabbit is like. Include the phrase: "Apply to adopt on rabbitsanctuary.com.au/adopt". If you are not on Facebook, or need help with photos or telling the story about your rabbit, please contact a Bunny Tracker.
- Additionally, if you can also set up an account on Instagram, and post photos of your foster rabbits - we have seen a lot of adoptions thanks to Instagram! If you want help setting up an Instagram account for your foster rabbit, please ask a Bunny Tracker.
- Please be prepared to answer questions about your foster rabbit, if adoption applicants reach out to you!
How to take good photos
For advertising your foster rabbit you need a couple of photos, and having 1 or 2 short videos would be great too.
There is not much science to it. At a minimum we recommend the following:
- One really good portrait photo of your rabbit
- One photo (or video) showing the rabbit with a human (e.g. you are someone from your household patting or holding the rabbit or getting kisses …) – this gives potential adopters a feeling of how it would be like if it was their rabbit!
- One or more photos that show how the rabbit behaves in its environment (e.g. eating, playing with toys …)
Examples: Trooper and Black Beauty:
Portrait photo
Interacting with human
Being cute
Interacting with human (video)
Portrait photo
Interacting with human
Being cute
Interacting with human (video)
How to write posts that make adopters fall in love with your foster rabbit
You do not have to be a good writer in order to write a great post about your foster rabbit in our Rabbit For Adoption Facebook Group! It is actually quite easy.
The basics first:
- Make sure you spell the name of your foster rabbit exactly as it is shown on the website.
- Mention the sex and age of your foster rabbit, and the breed if known.
- Mention your location (city, suburb and/or region)
- Be honest! Do not say your rabbit is cuddly and playful when it is not. You want potential adopters to know what it is like to have your foster rabbit as a companion pet.
- Include this phrase at the end: Apply to adopt on www.rabbitsanctuary.com.au/adopt
Here is a formula you can use:
- Meet [insert name]! OR: Introducing [insert name]
- [Insert name] is a [insert age], [insert sex] [insert breed or ‘small/medium-sized/large bunny’], currently being fostered in [insert location].
- He/She is [insert 3 adjectives, e.g. sweet, playful, cuddly…].
- Share what you love about your foster bunny! E.g. he/she
- loves being patted
- enjoys playing with toys/kids/other pets
- does zoomies, binkies, flops
- gives you kisses
- jumps up the couch to be with you
- follows you around
- comes when called …
5. Optional/if applicable: Share traits that are in high demand but not that common:
- Doesn’t mind being picked up
- Doesn’t chew
- Gets along with cats, dogs, other bunnies …
- Not afraid of travelling
6. Optional/if required: Share anything else an adopter should know (good or bad), e.g. he/she
- gets scared easily
- doesn’t like to be patted
- does not get along with kids/other pets/other bunnies
- can be shy
- has a medical condition …
7. Optional/if required: [insert name] would be perfectly suited for a home [insert criteria], e.g.:
- where he/she gets a lot of attention
- where he/she has a lot of space to free roam and explore
- with kids
- with other pets
- with a husbun/bunwife
- with no other buns
- that’s quiet …
8. Apply to adopt on www.rabbitsanctuary.com.au/adopt
How do you advertise a foster rabbit that is not cuddly, affectionate and playful?
First of all, all rabbits have good sides about them. Highlight them! E.g. maybe they make the best binkies and zoomies? Or they don’t chew, travel well or get along with other pets? Or they might make the perfect husbun/bunwife?
Here is some advice in case you have a not-so-perfect foster rabbit:
My foster rabbit is …
- Aggressive: It might be too early to advertise. Talk to your Bunny Tracker to discuss next steps.
- Destructive: Adoption applicants are aware that rabbits chew things, and that they are meant to bunny-proof their home. However, if your foster rabbit is a “destructo-bun” please mention it, e.g. by saying: the rabbit loves to chew on things, so you need to bunny-proof your home.
- An escape artist: Please mention it, e.g. by saying: The rabbit is very curious and has escaped a few times, so you need to make sure you home is escape-proof.
- Very easy to scare: Please mention it, and point out that the rabbit is best suited to a quiet home.
- Shy: If you have seen any progress, focus on that, e.g. by saying the rabbit was very shy at the beginning but has slowly come out of the shell. Point out that the rabbit is best suited to a quiet home and/or that adopters need to be patient with it. You could also point out it would make a good husband/bunwife.
- Not interested in interacting with humans? (and no sign of progress): That’s tricky! Talk to a Bunny Tracker.
In all cases, highlight the good things about your foster rabbit first!
