Rescue buns - your experiences

Please share your your experiences of having rescue buns, the pro's and con's, and anything else, like medical probs that you've taken on board etc. and how you've overcome any trauma's etc. Thanks

Hi Jay

Well I have only had Carlo, and I have had very good experiences with him, he was a little timid and slightly needed feeding up and getting into condition as he had such a long stressful bond with Bobby.

I have had him since April and he is just such a sweety, loves me so much he is nervous at first but very food orientated, and will come sit next to you and lick you incessantly once he trusts you.

I love the fact I can stay in contact with his Foster Mum and Jill to give them updates. They have also been able to help me understand why he does certain things, like poop all over the floor

Shellypops wrote:like poop all over the floor

Don't all bunnies do that mine do a lot of the time but not all the time but they never pee over the floor though

All three of mine are rescue buns.

Wolfie came to me in April 2007 when he was a young un. He was born in Wick in the very far north of Scotland and was brought down to the SSPCA centre at Inverness for me. I reckon he was born in December 2006, but don't really know, he could be older. He was absolutely fine from the beginning, learned to use a litter tray really quickly and has been fine healthwise.

Gloria came to me in August 2007 following the sudden death of Hollie who was Wolfie's partner. She came from the SSPCA Centre at Dundee and was thought to be about two. She was abandoned with another rabbit (possibly her sister). They were together initially but then started to fight. She was very very timid and absolutely hated being touched. Over the last three years so had started to tolerate a gentle stroke, but generally doesn't like anyone going near her too much and is very wary. She can get stressed and sometimes goes into stasis if it is too much.

Felix just arrived in our street in January 2009. He was bouncing around the street having either escaped or been dumped. He had a weepy eye and does have a problem with a peg tooth which is under control now. He was thin and scruffy and needed a lot of TLC.

The only problem is that you don't know how old they are unless they have been born at the centre or the owners state how old they are. Also, you don't know why they behave as they do. I don't know if Gloria was badly treated or is just a timid bun. She is also terrible with food so might have been starved at some point - although you wouldn't know that now!

All are hale, hearty and very happy now and safe for the rest of their lives.

If you called call adopting rescued aswell then I have adopted Holly, Hazel & Stacy was adopted. They are all very friendly although yesterday Hazel decided to attack Paris through the bars on Paris cage while Hazel was out so I had to take Paris out and let her in the living room away from Hazel.

I have Vince who was in PaH rescue/adoption section. He had been living with his brother but had started fighting with him so he ended up back at PaH till I spotted him and took him home.

Faline and Hazel were looking for new homes as they were being attacked by the other rabbits they lived with. Hazel had a nasty bite to her privates which had gone untreated and her nails were a bit too long and she has chunks of fur missing from her back and no whiskers where she has been barbered. Both are settling down now but shy.

Pom and Rio are both rescue buns.

They are both gorgeous, larger than life characters and we love them to bits. They were both from unwanted litters and both had very difficult starts to their lives. Rio was born at the rescue and was very poorly as a kit although you wouldn't know it now as he is very large and, touch wood, very healthy. Pom came to the rescue with the rest of her litter when she was about a month old. They had all been kept in poor conditions and all had eye infections. As a result, Pom has permanently blocked tearducts and her eyes have to be regularly washed and cleaned which she hates. In addition, she recently had a tooth abscess which may have been related to the problems with her tearducts. Although the tooth and abscess have been removed, she is now on antibiotics for the rest of her life. She has cost us a small fortune in dealing with her health issues but we were aware that she had problems when we agreed to have her. She is a darling, happy little rabbit and we feel honoured to have been able to give her a caring home despite her health issues.

The pros - the feeling that by giving a home to an unwanted bun you are part of the solution rather than part of the problem; ongoing support from the rescue in terms of advice, boarding, etc.; buns had already been neutered.

The cons - it's a bit of a hassle having to go through homechecks, etc., although I absolutely support the rescue's right to do them; the cost associated with taking on a bun with known health issues although, again, to us the pleasure we get from having her far outweighs the cost issues.

I really needed to read these, and remember the good that goes on. It's nice to have one thread for them, as their stories can sometimes be scattered around and may loose their impact.

Have been having very low thoughts in relation to animal welfare of late, sparked off by some truly dreadful stories.

I hope we'll get some more posts, it's very uplifting

Well I nave never gotten a rabbit from a rescue as such, but I 'rescued' Cid and now Daisy from my sister.

I did get rats from my local rescue though, and they are lively, freindly, curious and greedy little things. I love them very much & I would never have has these 3 boys of not for the rescue :-) The people there were also really helpful, so all in all a good experience.

Its worth pointing out though that my boys were an unwanted litter, so they were teeny things when I got them with no problems at all - not an older rat who had been abused in any way, so, I suppose that makes a difference to thier temprament

In future (Hopefully a long time yet) I will rescue buns. My dream is to build an animal sanctuary for ill/disabled cats & rabbits that people cannot cope with and unwanted aswell.

Velvet.Tears wrote:

Shellypops wrote:like poop all over the floor

Don't all bunnies do that mine do a lot of the time but not all the time but they never pee over the floor though

Well Bobby is litter trained and that's his wife, he goes poo poo in his tray and wee wee's but he does like to scatter and gove me something to do