Rabbit and pocket pet products to dropship in 2022

Dropshipping specifically for the owners of rabbits and pocket pets could pay off as a worthwhile niche. Since the Coronavirus lockdown, there have been some interesting trends to take advantage of.

Away from the high competition of cat and dog dropshipping products, rabbits and pocket pets are an idea to consider.

"Pocket pets" refers to small mammals as pets. These include:

Let's check some information about the global market.

The UK

In Europe, pet rabbits are very common. In the UK, there are around 1.1 million pet bunnies (2% of UK households) and 2.2 million mice, ferrets, gerbils, hamsters, and guinea pigs, according to the Pet Food Manufacturer's Association pet report in 2021.

A report from BMC Veterinary Research, 2019, found that ownership of small animals and rabbits was most common among young adolescents until the age of 12.

Germany

Germans were pet parents of 5 million rabbits and small animals in 2020. The findings from Interzoo reported that of 47% of Germany's population that own pets, small animals were the third most popular. Food for small animals increased by 4.6% (€91 million) that year.

This is the breakdown of all pets by age range:

• Gen Z (17%)
• Millennial (16%)
• Gen X (19%)
• Baby Boomer (22%)
• Builder (25%)

The US

Leading the way, there are 6.2 million small animals as pets in the United States, says a report from the American Pet Products Association survey in 2021. Their statistics state that Millennials have the highest share of pets in the North American population:

• Gen Z (14%)
• Millennial (32%)
• Gen X (24%)
• Baby Boomer (27%)
• Builder (3%)

Australia

Every state in Australia has restrictions regarding pet rabbits due to a national problem with over-population and "Australia’s most destructive agricultural and environmental introduced animal pest." Queensland is one state that has made the ownership of rabbits illegal.

Global market segmentation

Fortune Business Insights found that small animals as pets make up around 5.7% of the pet food market. This gives us an idea of the size of the market for small pet products such as habitations, toys, bedding, and accessories.

Rabbit hutch

A rabbit hutch doesn't sound very enticing as a dropshipping product, however, there are some amazing hutches on the market. Proud rabbit owners will be happy to invest in a unique palace for their fluffy companion. These hutches can range from €90-300.

Types of rabbit hutches

Basic

Standard wooden rabbit hutches are in the design of one box. It is divided into two parts, one covered area for the rabbit to sleep in darkness and an area with light to eat and look outside.

Mid-range

Slightly more elaborate designs include two tiers with a sleeping quarter for the rabbit above and a bigger running area below.

Luxury

The most impressive rabbit hutches resemble miniature houses. These models have a wooden cabin with a slanted roof, detailed decorative design, and a large playpen to exercise. The spacious outdoor run allows rabbits to safely play and run while protected from predators.

vidaXL rabbit hutch Salsa (EAN: 5411290222594)

vidaXL outdoor rabbit cage with playpen (EAN: 8719883737980)

Playpens

Guinea pig playpens are a great dropshipping product as they can also be used for rabbits and other small pets. This increases the target audience and makes the product more flexible to sell. For guinea pigs, open-top playpens are ideal to access the cute creatures for petting and playing easily.

This wooden playpen for example has a recommended retail price of €207, which is a nice price point for dropshipping.

TRIXIE Playpen for guinea pigs (EAN: 4011905624860)

Guinea pig product attributes

Cages, hutches, and playpens for guinea pigs are typically made from wood, metal, and plastic.

A safe home

Wooden hutches feature a metal grill or chicken wire to allow the animals to have fresh air without escaping the safety of their hutch. Metal playpens have high sturdy walls so guinea pigs can't climb out. Guinea pig pens and hutches have lockable doors for security.

Adjustable

Some models of playpens allow for sides to be lifted out to adjust the size of the pen. Sliding doors make opening and closing the playpen easy and quick to reduce the risk of escaping pets.

A fun environment

To give pet guinea pigs some stimulation there are hutches with play areas, ramps, and platforms.

Ferplast metal and plastic playpen for guinea pigs (EAN: 801069018497)

Ferplast cage for guinea pigs (EAN: 8010690117966)

Offering accessories for owners of small pets and rabbits is how you keep your customers coming back for more. Cages and hutches aren't purchased very often as they are durable and last for years, so having a range of add-ons in your dropshipping store will fill this gap. Proud pet owners are willing to frequently expand the collection of toys and accessories for their animal companions, often preferring high-quality, sustainable, or natural products.

Types of accessories:

• Small wooden houses and caves to add to cages
• Pet hammocks
• Playpark pieces e.g. running wheel and tunnel
• Climbing ladders
• Toys such as a ball or wooden sticks
• Harness and lead

TRIXIE Natural rodent house (EAN: 4011905619750)

TRIXIE Wheel for rodents (EAN: 4011905610351)

Many of these products sell for a good price online. A wooden house for guinea pigs can retail from €40 and a wooden wheel for rodents can retail from €20.

If these accessories for small pets sell frequently, then dropshippers benefit from regular sales and a decent profit margin.

Hopefully, this information has some helpful ideas for dropshippers interested in the pet niche but looking to find a smaller target market. Investigate this niche further by performing research and looking at the competition to decide if this is the dropshipping business for you.

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