Hoppenings at Hopper Haven

[HopperHaven]

I have had real trouble in the past getting this forum to work on my kindle fire, which is why I have't been able to post. But today I followed the link from an email and it logged me straight in. Yay:) And the post I attempted worked:) So I will now try an update.

So far this year we have taken in 27 guinea pigs and 19 rabbits, with places promised to another 5 rabbits plus there is a litter on the way. I'm getting rather worried about where the future arrivals are going to live. I may have over extended a tad, but the hardest thing about running a sanctuary is saying no to animals in need. And sadly although we don't have room right now we will before the end of the winter as it is inevitable we will lose some of the older rabbits. We have 25 rabbits that are over eight, that is a quarter of our rabbits!!

In the short term I need to do some creative bonding, and borrow a stable from the guinea pigs for mum and babies to spend the winter in. The piggies will be warmer in hutches, or at least thats what I tell myself to try not to feel so guilty. It isn't ideal, but what could I do when someone turned up on the doorstep with a box of rabbits found dumped in a field, especially when the two babies were skeletal and both they and mum were a filthy mess with scalded feet and what looked like diarhhea all over them, but which given how quickly she cleaned herself up was probably mud, fortunately.

Of course they had to arrive only a few days after I had taken in two pairs that had been waiting since Feb when I took two single rabs and 2 piggies from their owner, and after I had promised places to three singles. There are so many out there. For each one I take there are at least twenty that I can't:( It is not quite as bad with guinea pigs but we aren't going to be able to take more this winter.

This is the difficult side of running a sanctuary. The upside is things like watching Eric practice his helicopter binky - with his legs extended to the sides like rotor blades, or his special 180 degree one straight over Sassia's back. And watching the half wildies get progressively more orange as their burrow goes deeper into the clay. And seeing the look on Moonriver's face when I first opened her hutch door in the morning and she realised that she was allowed out, then again when she realised she could jump on top of the hutch and argue with the neighbours. And being followed about by the robins while I clean hutches. And seeing snuggling rabbits in odd corners where there is a patch of sun. Being yelled at by the guinea pigs as soon as they think it might be dinner time.

There are a lot of these good bits to compensate for the hard work and for the difficult bits, for the times when you see that somebun is not behaving as usual. This week we have had three rabbits fall seriously ill. Campanula was not at all interested in her dinner one night, but ignored me and sat out in the run. I crawled under her rosebush and fished her out and administered metacam and cisapride and fibreplex the usual recipe that sorts out their guts and put her to bed. But in the morning she still wasn't eating. She is a lop. So I immediatly suspected ear trouble. Sure enough that was the prelude to an onset of headtilt. She is now being treated for that and has been moved to a single story hutch, although today she managed to get on top of it as she is already feeling better. The next night it was River who didn't want to eat. Same routine, metacam, cisapride, fibreplex, again no improvement overnight, and now it is obvious her chronic snuffles is in a flare up. Zithromax for her, she too is feeling much better today. The next night it was Maestro. He is still not right, and I am afraid it is simply his age catching up to him. He is at least nine, and has never been ill previously and is not improving despite being treated with the usual painkillers, gut stimulants plus antibiotics and steroids, I have brought him inside to keep him warm too which I rarely do as most rabbit trouble can be treated where they are most at home with less stress. Then there is Jacinta with a chest infection and dodgy guts, plus all the oldies with their chronic conditions, Juniper has chewed the end of his tail again, and Lucy pig has a bladder infection. And of course there are about a dozen lops with ear abcesses to be managed. Plus all the guinea pigs need bathing every other month and the rabs need grooming, some of them frequently. Lots of work, but worth it. The animal care and cleaning is my side of thngs but there are lots of other things needed too.

Caroline and Jennifer, the two other trustees, take care of other essentials like getting the covers on for the winter, doing repairs, building runs etc, filling in rabbit excavations when they threaten to undermine the paths or lead to bunny wars by going between runs, fundraising, trying to keep the place presentable, ferrying me to the vet with the critters, buying the hay and veg, basicly the many many other things that keep us able to look after the rabbits and guinea pigs in our care. I couldn't do it without them.

I'll try and check in every so often now the forum is working for me. Pledge a pound is a great scheme and we are grateful for the supoort it gives us. Thank you all.

[sdf76]

Thank you so much for the interesting update Louise. I know it's important to all those who donate to Pledge a Pound to know how the money helps the rescues and sanctuaries . You all do a fantastic job and I'm sure the rabbits and guinea pigs are grateful for your care and compassion. Pledge a pound has raised a very good amount in the Christmas fundraiser this year, so hopefully that will help with the cost of all your new additions.
well done for saving so many.
sue

[Apache]

Thank you for the update x

[Foofy]

Thank you so much for the update Louise

We love to hear about the Rescues that Pledge a Pound supports and the latest goings on, and also how our donations are able to help

[Hunnybunny2007]

Thank you so much for the update

It's sad to hear that so many rabbits and guinea pigs are given up so easily, especially if they have health problems, thank goodness there are places like Hopper Haven and your wonderful team to help these animals in their time of need

[bunlover]

Lovely to read your update x

[susie bun]

I missed this thread, but thank you for taking the time to post an update.