Pocket Pets and Exotics
Hector - Davenport, Iowa (8/30/20)
Meet Hector! He is a 5 yr old, 3 lb, neutered male mini-lop bunny.
This tiny guy is a fighter. And he is the sweetest fighter ever! Hector came to us with very bad double eye infections, digestive issues, and was severely underweight. It looked like he would need to have at least one eye removed, so we scheduled him for surgery right away. The day before his appointment, he started going downhill and developed some head tilt. Our director and his foster home worked with the vet to stabilize him enough to make it to surgery, but then while under anesthesia, Hector’s heart stopped. Amazingly, the vet was able to restart it AND save both his eyes!
She discovered that the main issue causing the eye problem was actually his teeth. She removed some and filed down others. It has been a very long and slow recovery for Hector, who was on meds for well over a month. It’s been about 3 months and Hector continues to improve. He has put on weight and his eyes are clear and beautiful. His head no longer tilts and he gets around really well.
Despite all he’s been through, he has a zest for life and his trust in humans is unwavering. He is one of the sweetest and most snuggly bunnies we’ve ever known, and charms everyone he meets. He loves running around and exploring and then always comes back to collapse with his head in your lap for pets. He will, however, need some specialized care for the rest of his life. He is not litter trained (although we have seen some progress!), and tends to get a messy bum and feet, so his litter and pen need to be cleaned daily. We use a combination of low entry litter boxes (with paper bedding only – any other kind is too rough), washable pee pads, and blankets. He will need occasional butt baths to keep his back paws and bottom clean, too.
Hector will need to stay connected with a very good vet, as we are monitoring his kidney levels currently and he needs to have bloodwork done again in October. Although it’s a lot of work to take care of Hector, the love that he gives in return makes it all worth it! If you are seriously interested in adopting Hector, we will connect you with his foster mom so she can go over the details of his care with you. Hector seems interested in having a bunny friend, but has not been around dogs, cats, or children, though would likely do well as long as they are calm and bunny friendly. Hector's favorite things are oats and snuggles.
For all information about Hector, you may email: adopt@iowarabbitrescue.org, or for serious adopters please fill out an application at www.iowarabbitrescue.org/adopt. This rescue adopts throughout the US but the adopters must come to meet and pick him up.
Charlie - Coralville, Iowa (8/30/20)
Meet Charlie! He's a 4 yr old, 4 lb, male mini-lop.
Charming Charlie was brought to us by a fellow bunny lover when she saw him being given away online. It was clear from the photos posted that Charlie needed medical attention, so this kind woman contacted us to see if we could help, then graciously drove the 6+ hour trip to pick him up and bring him to us!
Charlie arrived to the rescue with a significant head tilt and a gigantic abscess between his left eye and ear. The abscess was so severe, it extended all the way down into his inner ear! This poor little guy had to have the abscess drained on 4 separate occasions and was on various antibiotics for almost 2 months. During this time, he suffered trauma to his left ear which result in the tip of it falling off, he lost a significant amount of weight, and spent several weeks subsisting on critical care because it hurt too much to eat anything.
Fortunately, Charlie has managed to pull through all of this and is now looking for a home that will continue to pamper him for the rest of his days! Because of his history, Charlie will need a more experienced bunny owner who is willing to help him continue gaining weight and make sure he stays healthy. He will always have a head tilt from the damage done to his inner ear, but he can get around just fine and will often run laps when he gets super excited.
Despite all the things he's gone through, Charlie is one of the sweetest rabbits we have ever met! He loves all people, and instantly loafs the moment you start petting his forehead! The only thing Charlie loves more than attention is oatmeal. He has been getting oatmeal with his pellets in order to help him gain weight, and he clearly approves of this new diet! Charlie gets so excited that he will actually dig through his pellets after inhaling the majority of the oatmeal to make sure he got every last flake!
This adorable little boy is partially litter trained and will need a low-sided litter box that he can get in and out of easily. While he hasn't been exposed to dogs or cats yet, he has done amazing with other rabbits and calmer children, so he would likely do well with pretty much anyone interested in being his friend. While he may not be the most beautiful bunny out there, he is most certainly one of the most loving, which we think is much more important.
For all information about Charlie, you may email: adopt@iowarabbitrescue.org, or for serious adopters please fill out an application at www.iowarabbitrescue.org/adopt. This rescue adopts throughout the US but the adopters must come to meet and pick him up.