Hope for Hares Rabbit Rescue
I run a small private rabbit rescue out of my home as well. I got into rescuing rabbits in big part because there are very few rescues or shelters within a hundred miles of here that take in rabbits, and even fewer that actually know how to handle them. That meant, sadly, that a lot of unwanted rabbits were being dumped on the side of the road, or even sold for meat. Since I began to take in rescues, the word has spread, and I get quite a few calls from people wanting me to take in their unwanted rabbits. There are only a few reasons that I really hear about why people need to find new homes for their pet rabbits, so here I have compiled a short list of the top three reasons and what you can do to solve the problem without re-homing your rabbit.
1. "I/we don't have time for it anymore/it doesn't get enough attention here." This is where planning BEFORE buying comes in. Obviously you know what your schedule is like already. If you will not have extra time for things like cage cleaning and play time, PLEASE don't get a rabbit! Or any other pet, for that matter. Rabbits do need a lot of attention, simply buying it a cage and feed and leaving it at that will make for a very unhappy bunny, and may even cause behavior issues.
2. "Don't have the money/can't afford to take care of it." Sometimes there is nothing you can do about this issue, I know that it is quite possible for a financial situation to change unexpectedly. However, if you already know that you can't afford things like medical care and daily expenses like feed, bedding, toys and such, then getting a rabbit is a poor choice. Medical care for a rabbit is also more expensive than a cat or dog, because they are considered an exotic pet. Plus not all vets will or even should see them, so that can make it difficult to get them proper care.
3. It has gotten mean and is biting us now." This goes back to a couple of the earlier issues I mentioned. Not enough time out of the cage to play and run around can cause what is called cage aggression. It is possible to re-train and stop this behavior, but it is difficult. NEVER hit or yell at a rabbit, this will only make the bad behavior worse. Another possible cause of aggression is hormones. A rabbit's whole system is designed to reproduce, and they are good at it! Unspayed does especially often become aggressive once they reach breeding age, around six months or so. Spay/neuter is the only way to change this behavior, and it takes about a month for the hormones to totally leave their systems.
The basic nutrition needs of a rabbit are fairly simple. Most important is plenty of a high quality timothy or grass hay, and small amounts of a good rabbit pellet feed. Rabbit pellets with colorful bits of carrot, apple, etc in it are NOT a good choice. Your rabbit will learn to pick out the treats and will fill up on those, without getting the nutrition it needs from the actual feed.
1. "I/we don't have time for it anymore/it doesn't get enough attention here." This is where planning BEFORE buying comes in. Obviously you know what your schedule is like already. If you will not have extra time for things like cage cleaning and play time, PLEASE don't get a rabbit! Or any other pet, for that matter. Rabbits do need a lot of attention, simply buying it a cage and feed and leaving it at that will make for a very unhappy bunny, and may even cause behavior issues.
2. "Don't have the money/can't afford to take care of it." Sometimes there is nothing you can do about this issue, I know that it is quite possible for a financial situation to change unexpectedly. However, if you already know that you can't afford things like medical care and daily expenses like feed, bedding, toys and such, then getting a rabbit is a poor choice. Medical care for a rabbit is also more expensive than a cat or dog, because they are considered an exotic pet. Plus not all vets will or even should see them, so that can make it difficult to get them proper care.
3. It has gotten mean and is biting us now." This goes back to a couple of the earlier issues I mentioned. Not enough time out of the cage to play and run around can cause what is called cage aggression. It is possible to re-train and stop this behavior, but it is difficult. NEVER hit or yell at a rabbit, this will only make the bad behavior worse. Another possible cause of aggression is hormones. A rabbit's whole system is designed to reproduce, and they are good at it! Unspayed does especially often become aggressive once they reach breeding age, around six months or so. Spay/neuter is the only way to change this behavior, and it takes about a month for the hormones to totally leave their systems.
The basic nutrition needs of a rabbit are fairly simple. Most important is plenty of a high quality timothy or grass hay, and small amounts of a good rabbit pellet feed. Rabbit pellets with colorful bits of carrot, apple, etc in it are NOT a good choice. Your rabbit will learn to pick out the treats and will fill up on those, without getting the nutrition it needs from the actual feed.
These are two of the rabbits I have available for adoption right now. The one on the right is Angel, she is a six or seven month old Dutch doe. The one on the left is Buddy, a handsome medium sized buck that I think also has some Dutch in him. He is a laid back guy, with the most gorgeous blue eyes! His age is unknown, he was left at the local animal shelter.For details about these bunnies and to find out what others I have available, check out the "Contact Me" page. Put "Rabbits" or "Adoptable Rabbits" in your subject line.
