# Sabrina's House~~The Rescue



## ra7751 (Jul 18, 2007)

Hi All,

Thanks to the very kind people on the forum that so patiently walked my very unsavvy computer self thru posting pics. So I will start posting pics and stories of our residents...but also our new rescues of both domestic and wildlife.

This little guy was being kept as a pet. The well meaning people didn't know it is illegal to hold wildlife without proper rehab permits...this bird also had a closed head injury. It probably happened when he was blown from the nest during a violent thuderstorm. She had been feeding and watering this little guy for over two days before she called for help...but she wanted to make sure she was feeding it correctly. When I explained to her the seriousness of the situation, she quickly decided to surrender the bird.

The bird's condition deteriorated rapidly. Part of it was being handled so much...but it also had a closed head injury. It coded and went into shock soon after I took custody. I treated aggressively and stabilized the bird although I listed the bird as critical. It was transferred the next day to a regional center for more advanced treatment pending future transfer to a raptor center. It died early in the morning of July 14.

Moral of this story....if you find wildlife in need and have not been trained to rehab them....please find a licensed rehabber. Most rehabbers will request that you secure the animal if possible and place in a warm and quiet area away from pets and human activity. And please don't offer food or water to any animal as this may result in major medical complications depending on what the injuries are.

_*Keep the wild in your heart...not your home.*_







Randy


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## Flashy (Jul 18, 2007)

Aw, poor little guy.

This blog is a great idea Randy


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## ra7751 (Jul 18, 2007)

This is Noah. She is a blue eyed Hotot that has suffered horribly. She is named in honor of The Ark Animal Hospital in Surfside Beach, SC. She was admitted under their charity treatment program....Noah's Fund.Based on her size and time of year, we suspect Noah was an Easter bunny that had been "set free". She was nearly starved and then got ran over by a car. A compassionate lady saw what happened and stopped to help. That is when this rabbit's luck started to change. She was badly injured but alive. And the lady took her to the one hospital in that area that had a vet capable of saving this rabbit. This lady even left a cash donation to help treat a rabbit she had never met...talk about an angel. I received the call minutes after she arrived and started on the four hour one way trip. This was a pitiful little girl. Battered and bruised all over, a separated shoulder and a badly broken jaw. We stayed with her for hours but decided she was in too much discomfort for a four hour car ride despite huge amounts of pain meds. We returned three days later to bring her home.

Today she is a very loving rabbit. Her only lingering effects are from the broken jaw. We extracted her incisors and have to float her molars several times per year and as she ages, we will extract them as they start to loosen a bit. She is nothing short of a true southern belle. Always willing to sit for hours with you. And when she runs, it's like she is flying on angel wings just floating across the floor.She is one of those rabbits that can be left in free roam and I never worry about what she is doing....she runs her little circles all over the house.She is a remarkable bunny and has paid a terrible price....but she will never be hurt again.






Randy


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Jul 18, 2007)

aawww poor birdie.


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## Flashy (Jul 18, 2007)

Noah has really striking markings. It's so good she was found by someone who clearly cared enough to help her.


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## ellissian (Jul 18, 2007)

What a wonderful ending to Noah's story, she is a very lucky bun indeed.


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## polly (Jul 18, 2007)

Wow Randy this is going to be a really interesting blog, and it will be really nice to see some of the animals you help, i feel really soory for the bird and can't beleive how lucky Noah was. She is very beautiful i always think blue eyed buns are really striking.

Major kudos to you for being an amazing individual and devoting yourself to these animals


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## Spring (Jul 18, 2007)

Aww, so sorry that the little guy didn't make it. Poor little thing .

Noah is such a beautiful little girl! Wow, amazing how much she went through, what a tough little cookie! Her eyes are so amazing! Must be a very very spoiled little girl!


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## Bunnicula (Jul 18, 2007)

YeahRandy! :bunnydance: You started a blog!!!! :goodjob

I was going to pest you about this, but knowing how busy you are actually taking care of your crew I didn't want to be a bother...

This is great. Can't wait to read more soon.

:twocentsAny current pics of Scoots will be appreciated. I've not seen her photo at the Sabrina'sHouse website:cry1: (Hint Hint). We think of her every day. :bunnyheart

Hope you're all keeping cool in NC.

Mary Ellen

PS - Bunny snuggles to Scoots, Danny, Miracle, and all the others! :bunnieskiss


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## naturestee (Jul 18, 2007)

That poor baby bird. Who looks at an obvious raptor baby like that and thinks they can raise it themselves? If it had managed to survive in their care they could have been injured by it. Wild animals have instincts, and that one comes with sharp weapons! I've seen the scars on someone I knew who did goshawk nest monitoring- not pretty!

And Noah is such a sweetie. It amazes me how some animals can go through so much and still come out sweet-natured and happy. What a doll!

I'm very glad you started this blog. I can't wait to see the rest of the residents!


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## Haley (Jul 18, 2007)

Yay! I am so excited to see you started a blog! Your stories are just amazing, Randy. Have you ever considered writing a book?

I cant wait to hear and see more. You are such an inspiration.

Haleyink iris:


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## ra7751 (Jul 18, 2007)

Hi Guys,

Talk about an intense rescue...this was our first. I don't mind telling you that the adrenalin was flowing on this one. An adult male that was chasing lunch and was hit by a car. Driver stopped to help but nobody would help him in any way. Bird was in garage for several days before I got the call. Sadly, despite ultra heroic efforts by many, the injuries were too severe.






Randy


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## binkies (Jul 19, 2007)

Oh Randy, thank you so much for sharing these stories with us. It is amazing what humans can do to animals, sometimes not even knowing they are harming them. I have to admit i've been crying as I read. Those poor things, such suffering. Thank you for the work you do.


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## LuvaBun (Jul 20, 2007)

This is going to be such an interesting (and moving) blog - thanks for sharing your stories with us.

I'm sorry those beautiful birds didn't make it, but so pleased to hear that Noah is doing so well 

Jan


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## ra7751 (Jul 20, 2007)

Hi All,

This is another one of our eagle rescues. This is a juvenile female that had a wing span of just over 7 feet and weighed 2.6kg. She flew into the path of a car and landed in the front yard of an elemetary school. This time I got lots of phone calls within minutes.She was at the wildlife hospital within hours but suffered the bird version of a stroke during triage. Most likely it was a combination of being hit by a car and the stress of everything that caused the problem and she did not survive.






Randy


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## ra7751 (Jul 20, 2007)

This isn't something you see everyday either....an adult male peacock. These birds are not the easiest to deal with. We performed this rescue at the request of CSX Railroad.






Randy


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## undergunfire (Jul 20, 2007)

Awww .

We need a surviving bird story next time!


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## ra7751 (Jul 20, 2007)

Surviving bird story??? We do have some. But something that I would like to point out to everyone is that contrary to what you see on Animal Planet....not all rescues are the "feel good" stories that are seen on TV. It has shown me just how fragile all life is and has allowed me to enjoy life more.

But I would like to introduce Pearl. She is a white dove....really a pigeon...that many people release at weddings and funerals. They are told they are homing pigeons. That is not quite correct. These birds have all been raised in captivity....just like our house rabbits. And just like our house rabbits, their survival skills in the wild leave a lot to be desired. They are a favorite target of Cooper's Hawks. Pearl is one of the few lucky ones. She came to our rescue as per request from a local vet. She had been found in someone's back yard. She was severely emaciated and dehydrated....less than half her proper weight. And she had a badly fractured leg. We triaged her and splinted her leg. We really did not expect her to survive but she did. She is now a proud and strutting young lady. She made her first public educational appearance just a few weeks ago at the open house at the vet school at NC State. She put on a show....and even is appearing in a promotional video for the college. She is a really nice bird.






Randy


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## ra7751 (Jul 20, 2007)

Birds are quite demanding...many nestlings needing to be fed every 15 minutes or so. And this little guy knows when it's meal time....anytime there is light in the house. This guy fledged and flight trained right here in our rescue. Released into a city park just a few weeks ago.






Randy


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## undergunfire (Jul 20, 2007)

How precious! I really like birds.


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## naturestee (Jul 20, 2007)

Pearl is a lovely girl! That's so neat that she's now helping educate people. I had no idea that the doves that were released were not actually able to get home, but I'm not surprised. I'm very familiar with what Sharp Shinned and Cooper's hawks can do to smaller birds.

What species is that little baby, by the way? It's awesome that you were able to raise and release him. It must be really hard with all those lost cases. Wild animals get so stressed when they are handled that I guess it's not surprising. It is sad though.


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## ra7751 (Jul 20, 2007)

The little guy is a starling. Those birds are not native and do not fall under the federal protection. They are very interesting birds and can be taught to mimic sounds...including human speech. Several of the starlings that have been thru here sound like cockatiels....lol. I have heard they make great pets should someone decide to keep one. They are very noisy, not very tidy and demand a large area to fly once they fledge.

And stress is a huge concern with wildlife. We keep them covered and sounds/voices at low levels. We also raise and dim the lights a little at a time to simulate sunrise and sunset. It also helps to play a CD with sounds that these animals will here when they are released. I have found there is so much more to rehabbing wildlife than just to force feed formula. It's amazing and I learn something new with every rescue.

Randy


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## naturestee (Jul 20, 2007)

Oh yes I know all about starlings. I can't believe some jerk imported them- twice! Because he wanted all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare to be in North America. It was an example of problems with small starting populations in population ecology, since the first batch died off but the second took over the continent.:?

I didn't know they could mimic human speech though. I learn something new every day!


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## ra7751 (Jul 20, 2007)

This is one cool bird. It's a tiny little Eastern Screech Owl in red morph....a rare bird indeed. He is about 6 inchestall. We don't really know what happened to this one but he was found running from a cat. He had some puncture wounds but nothing too serious....considering a cat was involved. He is currently relaxing, after a brief stay at Piedmont Wildlife Center (http://www.piedmontwildlifecenter.org), at the Carolina Raptor Center (http://www.carolinaraptorcenter.org) where he is being treated andflight trained. He should be releasable and will be returned here. He came from the woodsjust down the street from my house. I never knew there were owls in there.







Randy


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## naturestee (Jul 20, 2007)

OMG! :inlove:

I love this blog!


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## AngelnSnuffy (Jul 21, 2007)

This is an amazing blog, I love it! You take amazing pictures too Randy. It's a wonderful thing you do for animalkind.

I couldn't believe the Eagle pic, that must have been a bit scary, those things are huge, but beautiful.

Thanks for all you do Randy, it's really heartwarming. I look forward to lots more!


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## cmh9023 (Jul 21, 2007)

Wow...you really do some amazing work!! Do you care for the rabbits and birds in your home or do you have a separate building? It seems like you must need a lot of space. The picture of the bird that is the size of a quarter is amazing. Did the peacock survive? Again, great work.


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## undergunfire (Jul 21, 2007)

What are darling owl. They are lovely creatures. 

My friend just got an amazing owl tattoo, it looks great!


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## ra7751 (Jul 21, 2007)

Hi Guys,

Here is another one of our owls. This is a "teenage" Eastern Screech Owl in gray morph. These are the most common screechers. This one found his way into a large carpet warehouse but couldn't quite make it back out. He was there for weeks. People there gave him water....and since they were near a river and woods, he repaid them by taking care of the many rodents in the building. But he worked too well and ran out of food. So I was called in to trap this bird. Guess what??? There are no protocols for catching a raptor inside a building. Caught him roosting, blocked one of his exit paths and hit him with a bright light. He only had one way to go and we had a net waiting. Successful capture. He was only slightly underweight and a little deydrated. I triaged him and transported him to the regional wildlife center for further evaluation. He "relaxed" for a couple of weeks and became quite popular at the center. He was successfully released.






Randy


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## ra7751 (Jul 21, 2007)

This is a young Red Shouldered Hawk that got himself hit by a car. One of his wings was broken but other than that, he wasn't in bad shape. Admitted as per request from a local vet. I secured the wing and he went to the regional wildlife center and was then taken to the raptor center for further treatment and flight training. He should be releasable but it will be many months before recover is completed.






Randy


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## polly (Jul 21, 2007)

Wow it just shows you that even big predator birds are so fragile. It is such a shame they didn't make it.

I absolutely love the owl pics they are amazing. Owls are beautiful creatures.


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## ra7751 (Jul 22, 2007)

This little girl was dumped in our neighborhood and took up residence in our yard. We thought she was pregnant (she was) and sick (UTI). I am not a dog person but this girl took to me quickly. She was also very protective....nobody came into the yard and I liked that. But we didn't have the space. time or experience to keep her. We were treating a very sick rabbit for one of our vets so in return, they agreed to treat this dog. She was treated for the UTI and checked for heartworms and was negative. I did a presentation for the Animal Services Department at NC State University and her picture showed up during my speech. She was quickly adopted by the now president of the student run Companion Animals Club and is living a charmed life. She weaned her puppies and they have all been adopted and Chloe is now spayed. She is living the good life...inside the house...with a couple of college girls that really love her. She is a "Happy Tails" story.






Randy


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## ra7751 (Jul 22, 2007)

This is one of hundreds of cottontail releases. This particular group was only a couple of days old coming in. They were released as a group of four....just as they came. It is really a treat to see cottontails playing outside for the first time. This release was near a very large park with a river running thru. It has lots of prime bunny territory....water, lots of trees and brush for cover and several large fields of grass. It also has a fence running nearly the entire length of the park that works to prevent any of the animals from reaching a nearby highway. They have everything they need all around them....no need to move.






Randy


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## binkies (Jul 22, 2007)

How beautiful!!!


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## undergunfire (Jul 22, 2007)

What a beautiful dog! She looks like a Chow Chow mix. I really love dogs and I can't wait until I get my own place, so that I may adopt one.


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## ra7751 (Jul 22, 2007)

This is a very different story. This is one special little rabbit. She came to us from the Richmond, VA area. We don't know much about her previous life but judging by the way she acts, she was treated as royalty. She demands the best in everything. So what happened?

We don't have a complete story and never will. But it seems this little girl was riding in her family's car when they were involved in a horrific accident. Her carrier was crushed and the rescue people didn't know she was there. But she was.....with life threatening injuries and a broken back.....she was paralyzed. To make matters even worse, none of her human family survived the accident. It must have been a difficult situation for the emergency response team. Finally, she was found barely hanging onto life. She was quickly sent to a nearby vet that was experienced in rabbit issues. The battle to save this bunny began. She endured numerous surgeries but nothing could repair her spine. She had to drag herself around by her front legs. Finally, all the catheters were removed and the doctors said they had done all they could do.....they said only a miracle could pull this rabbit thru recovery and allow her to survive. They said her chances of hopping again were zero.

Like most animals in charity care at vets, the clinicsdon't have the time or people to attend to husbandry so they look for a rescue or foster to help. This bun was sent to a rescue in the Richmond area but they lacked the resources to help her. They asked us to take her and we agreed. We knew we had a challenge in front of not only us, but the rabbit had challengestoo. On the way home we wanted to give her a new name because we hoped it would be a new beginning for her....so we came up with a hopeful name for the situation.

We got her home and she was pitiful.....barely able to move and terrified. I parked her right in front of my sofa so I could work with her anytime I was home. As time went by, she started responding to stimuli to her rear legs....was this the start of the miracle everyone wanted? Later, she started making voluntary movements in her rear legs. We were hopeful but cautious. Then, to our amazement, she tried to right herself. That just added fuel to the fire inside of me to do more for this beautiful rabbit. So I started an intense physical therapy program. It had to be painful but she hung in there and seemed to know what was happening to her. Eventually, she tried to hop but failed....but something told be we were about to witness that miracle. In August of 2005, she came out of her very small house for a brief workout.....she had just enough room outside her door to give her a sense of freedom. It seemed to give her more incentive and she started making more movements.

In September of 2005, we had to make a gut wrenching decision. Should we let her test her spine since she had improved so much over the many months of therapy? We made the decision to allow her to live....and to roam free but we also knew we might have to make the ultimate decision should her back fail her. We decided to test the miracle we were seeing....and we were going to allow her to run free for the first time since before her injury months previous. My heart was pounding and the stress level was unbelievable as I opened the door on her small pen to allow her to come into the room. She waddled out and looked around.....obviously a little nervous. Almost on cue, she took off across the floor at a full run and did a huge binky....but missed the landing. She crumbled to the floor. My heart sunk as I ran to her side. Remember the miracle we had so hoped for? I thought it was over as she was stretched out of the floor....breathing hard and looking like she was hurt again. Just as I arrived at her side, she sprang up with a look on her face that I will never forget...and she took off again.

She still fights many issues due to her injuries including routine bouts of stasis. And she still stumbles sometimes but it still getting stronger. She is an inspiration to our rescue and I feel she is "our finest hour". But I don't think we did it alone....if any rabbit has a guardian angel....it's this one. The doctors said it would take a miracle....we knew it would take a miracle....we wished for a miracle....we got a miracle....and now you know our little miracle. Oh....remember I mentioned we named her a hopeful name on the trip home that very first day she came to us? She lived up to her name....say hello to Miracle.






Randy


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## ra7751 (Jul 22, 2007)

This is Opie. Anyone want to guess what he is? His species is only now being see in the US (domestically)and has a close relative that is native to the US.






Randy


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## undergunfire (Jul 22, 2007)

He looks like a baby african pouched rat.


My gosh do I want one of those some day.


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## undergunfire (Jul 22, 2007)

Oh, wait...I think I know now. A short tailed opossum?


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## ra7751 (Jul 22, 2007)

Opie is a Brazillian Short Tailed Opossum....Opie for short. He is one of two STO (as they are known) here in our rescue. The other is named Jombie and comes from an abuse situation. They related to the Virginia Opossum of the US. They are a true marsupial and the girls have a pouch. As small as they are, just like their American cousins, they have a full complement of 50 teeth. But, like the American version, they are harmless nomads that mean no harm to anyone. Many people think they are mean due to their "smile" when disturbed but they are about the most docile creatures on earth. Feeling is that they have not changed much at all over the eons of time. They also are quite nimble on their feet and can move surprisingly fast.

Baby opossums are extremely difficult to raise as pinkys. When nursing, the mother's nipple expands into the stomach and attaches the baby to the mom. In many road kills, the babies are still nursing on the mother and drinking spoiled milk. The only way to feed a baby opossum is by tubing.

These guys love worms....and a huge treat for them are slugs. They are omnivores....and if it looks like food, they will give it a try. They even eat carrots. Love sardines. And I have a "special needs" Virginia Opossum that loves fried chicken.

I have become very fond of opossums since I have learned more about them. It upsets me when people kill them because they are so uneducated (true with many species). But opossums are very good at cleaning up messes we make. They are also very resistant to disease....and even though any mammal can carry rabies, I have not been able to find a single confirmed case anywhere. They are also very resistant to infections....cat bites that will kill anything else can be controlled easily by minor dosing of antibiotics. The thinking is that this resistance is due to the low body temperature. 

Opossums are really cool....give them a chance.

Randy


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## ra7751 (Jul 22, 2007)

This is not a happy camper at all. It's a Canada Goose that got itself into some trouble. I was called to a local neighborhood and told there was a sick goose on the loose. Sure enough....we found him. We could get right to him and he would fly off. But I could see he was in deep trouble. Something was wrong inside his bill....it was necrotic. First thought was a fish hook. It took two days to catch him....and got threatened by a resident that I was going to be arrested,....she was calling the police because I was after "her" goose. Well...the police are the ones that called me. I explained what I do and the lady was very helpful in capturing this goose. She had been feeding him and led him directly into her garage which make things much easier....but you really have to understand what "easier" means with a goose. He was not appreciative of my efforts at all.

But we got the goose and he went to the wildlife center. It was a badly infected wound from a fish hook and attached line. Despite all the damage from the infection, the goose had successful surgery to remove the hook and repair some of the damage. After relaxing and gaining some much needed weight, he returned and was released to the delight of the neighborhood folks that gathered for the event. 







Randy


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## Roxie (Jul 22, 2007)

do these all stay in your house ????????

~Hannah and Roxie


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## LuvaBun (Jul 23, 2007)

I knew that this blog would have me in tears. What a wonderful message of hope Miracle's story was - I can only imagine how worried you were when you gave her the chance to run free.

We don't have opossums in the UK, but I have to say they look really cute, and I think any creature should be given a chance.

Thanks, randy, for all you do to help these birds and animals, and sharing their stories with us

Jan


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## Bunnicula (Jul 23, 2007)

Well, Randy, you've done it again...gone and shared a wonderful story that's made me cry into my coffee.

Though I've heard Miracle's story before, I can't help but be amazed at her recovery. She's a blessed little girl for ending up at Sabrina's House.

I'm so glad you're sharing your experiences with all the animals...not only the rabbits.

I'll go make another pot of coffee and wait for more...:bunny19

Mary Ellen


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## ra7751 (Jul 23, 2007)

Thanks for all the kind words guys. And all these animals stay in our house....actually we have onlya very small part of the house and it really belongs to them. We try to get the birds to the regional wildlife center....especially the bigger birds as soon as we possibly can. They have staff there nearly around the clock in prime rescue season and that is very important to the baby birds since they have to be fed so often.

Our numbers are finally starting to drop a little as we have released most of our opossums and rabbits. Three more opossums, a pair of cottontails and a squirrel should be released over the coming week.

More stories are on the way.

Randy


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## ThatsMySimi (Jul 23, 2007)

This thread has got me in tears. The story of the bun had me crying within the first 2 or 3 lines. Great Thread, and YOU are a GREAT person! You are doing what I will always wish I can do someday, and in my book anyone who takes the time and love to do this for aniamls who can't help them selves is a hero. You like my new fav person  

SSS


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## HoneyPot (Jul 23, 2007)

Wow, that story of Miracle has me in tears too! I wish everyone could understand the joy of rescuing a bun and more people would do it. Resuce buns are so awesome.

_____________
Nadia


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## ra7751 (Jul 23, 2007)

This little guy is a Hotot named Zakk. He, along with two of his siblings, we dumped in the yard of a local dog rescue. The person at the rescue called me in a panic as one of the rabbits had already died and this one was not looking good. Since I am not a vet, I can't legally treat someone's animal. But this lady had called nine different emergency clinics looking for help. Nobody would look at this rabbit. We had actually gone to pick up an injured turtle from her that night and she asked again if we could do something as he was getting worse. She said she would do whatever it took to get him help. So, he was surrendered to us immediately. He was near death and had very faint life signs. I didn't think he was going to live long enough for us to do anything for him. And his friend, a butterscotch colored lop, was freaking out. But we got him home and spent the next couple of hours with him. He was very underweight...bordering on emaciated....and terribly dehydrated. But he was with us the next morning and made a complete recovery. He has a very quirky look and personality....but he is a healthy and happy rabbit now.

This picture is of him just minutes after arriving here for treatment. I think you can tell just how dire the situation was.






Randy


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## ra7751 (Jul 23, 2007)

Isn't this just too much? These guys are so cute in rescue and love to play. I had one that learned to ring a bell when he was ready for dinner. This little guy is obviously enjoying his life here.






Randy


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## polly (Jul 23, 2007)

Poor Zak, you can really see it in his eyes how ill he was. Does he still stay with you or has he been rehomed? Lovely looking wee guy.


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## ra7751 (Jul 23, 2007)

This is a squirrel that we named Issue. He got that name because he had so many health issues coming into rescue. He was taken to a local vet because he "didn't look right". That part was correct. This is a case of a well meaning person unintentionally causing harm. Contrary to what most will tell you, Goat's Milk and KMR will not save the world. In a squirrel's case, the nutrition is so poor in those milks that it causes a condition called Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). It results in weak bones and inhibits growth. This squirrel was about halfthe weight that it should have been. The lady originally said she had the squirrel for a couple of days but then admitted it had been weeks. This little guy was struggling. His development was severely inhibited but eventually we caught him up. He was released in a protected area with another rehabber that takes special needs that are releasable.

This is another example of why an untrained...albeit well intentioned....person attempts to hand raise wildlife.A squirrel requires very specific formulas for the first four weeks, then a slow conversion to another of differing nutrition as the squirrle develops....and finally weaning onto proper squirrel solid foods. Seeds and things are fun to watch them eat....but they are junk food.






Randy


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## JadeIcing (Jul 23, 2007)

Just wow. This is the best blog.


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## ra7751 (Aug 11, 2007)

Hi All,

Sorry I haven't posted any pics and stories recently. Been very busy with rescues....and we were hit by lightning, had a little fire and it killed the air conditioning while we are experiencing record heat. But everybody survived. More pics and stories are on the way.

Just wanted to ask for everyone's healing thoughts for a rabbit that is coming our way. Efforts to provide transportation from Florida to North Carolina are nearly complete and JoJo should be here soon so was can start treatment. Check out his story at this link

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=8754687

Randy


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## ra7751 (Aug 11, 2007)

Hi All,

You might remember Zakk...he is the Hotot that came in so sick. Here is a picture of this little guy now. He is perfectly healthy and has mastered the art of lounging around not doing much. He has a very quirky personality and is fun to watch. His spotted ear bounces when he does his huge binkies. He has fully recovered from his original health issues, has been neutered and is perfectly happy here.






Randy


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## ra7751 (Aug 11, 2007)

Hi,

This beautiful lady is Angel. The local city pound received a call about a dead white rabbit in someone's yard. She wasn't dead but was very close. She had been "set free" and was not doing so well. She was nearly starved and totally dehydrated when she was admitted. Notice the spots on her side? She was being eaten alive by warbles...which are basically maggots. They are huge and are the larvae of a large fly. She was so overwhelmed by them, she was totally paralyzed and could only lift her head. Over the next couple of weeks, we removed 24 bots from her body. She started eating as soon as I got some fluids and pain meds in her....but she was on her side with no use of her legs. Over time, she regained her motor skills but went hormonal on us. She would attack herself. She was so violent that I had to do the inital anesthesia at the vet since she would have hurt somebody. And she hated females. Makes me wonder if a female human did something bad to her.

She has fully recovered from her ordeal and surgery. She is now living up to her name. She is no longer aggressive toward anyone. She will be getting a friend as soon as he is neutered. She is a rather large girl...typical New Zealand....and she has something special for a little Polishguy that weighs just over a pound...go figure. Loves her hay and greens. And now, she always has her nose available for petting. This picture was taken after about 2 weeks in rehab and she was just starting to heal up and recover the use of her legs.






Randy


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## SOOOSKA (Aug 11, 2007)

Hi Randy,

You are an absolute Godsend to the animal word. Honestly the world needs more people like you. 

I read the story of Angel and was in tears reading it, then got to the end and had a big smile on my face. You did a wonderful job with her (and all your animals), I bet she is looking forward to getting a boyfriend. LOL 

I really don't understand how people can do these horrible things to helpless animals that give unconditional love back to their owners. This is why we need much stricter laws about abuse of animals. (Sorry I didn't mean to rant on in your blog)

Susan and her Gang:running bunny


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## Bunnicula (Aug 11, 2007)

*ra7751 wrote: *


> Seeds and things are fun to watch them eat....but they are junk food.
> 
> Randy


Randy,

Issue is an adorable squirrel!

You know my obsession with providing for the wildlife that make their home in our yard. The squirrels raid the bird feeders (which we, of course, absolutely allow...we just fill them more often). We have a HUGE squirrel population for a suburban yard. Besides the bird seed and some occasional dried corn and peanuts, is there some more nutritious (non-junk) food we can keep available for the squirrels? I especially want to make certain their needs are met this winter.

Thanks!

Mary Ellen


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## Bunnicula (Aug 11, 2007)

Randy,

I just read Jojo's story. Thanks for taking him in. Do you think that Dr. D or another vet in your area might actually be able to remove the tumor or attempt another treatment? I know the site said it was inoperable...but I've known you to attempt (and succeed at) the "impossible."

Let us know when he arrrives safely at Sabrina's House. And give him special bunny snuggles and kisses for me when he gets settled in!






-Mary Ellen


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## ra7751 (Aug 11, 2007)

Hi All,

Guess what happens in August when you get lots of severe thunderstorms??? You get lots of squirrels. These guys are from two separate rescues. There are seven total in this group. An entire family of babies and two from another family. Unfortunately the other three did not make it due to head injuries. Should anyone find a baby squirrel, it is vitally important to provide supplemental heat. They will also cry for their mother. Sometimes, it is possible to reunite the mom and her babies. We did attempt to do that with both these families but there was too much human activity cleaning up from the storms. So here they are.

And to Mary Ellen....from the way things look, I think JoJo's problem is a mandibular abscess due to a molar impaction. My first treatment will be to attempt to halt the growth of the abscess and hope the bone has not suffered major damage. From the last message I received, transport plans were in the final stage so we are going to make the final leg of the trip from upstate SC. I will post a bio on him when he arrives.

And for adult squirrels....the primary food source here post-weaning is rodent block. It is not expensive and is carried in most pet stores. Same stuff that is fed to pet mice and rats. And something most people don't know....squirrels will also eat fruits and veggies. Like all of us.....they need a well rounded diet to insure they are healthy. Many squirrels that are raised on goat's milk and/or kitten milk replacer develop Metabolic Bone Disease and are generally unhealthy. It also can lead to some bone disorders that can have disasterous results if they fall....and usually results in a broken back. In addition to the rodent block, I do offer them some acorns and other seeds. Carrots and greens are also a favorite among our squirrels. And they love Oreo cookies....but they are really unhealthy for them....but a little treat every now and then should be OK.

Here is a picture of our new arrivals. They are about 5-7 days old....the group of five may be the younger while the group of two are just getting a little fuzz around their nose. They had their first meal of diluted formula just a couple of hours ago and it's nearly feeding time again. It is important not to offer full strength formula to allow their digestive system to adjust. Wish them well....they are at a very delicate stage right now.






Randy


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## JadeIcing (Aug 11, 2007)

Me oh my! Cute!


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## ellissian (Aug 11, 2007)

*ra7751 wrote: *


>


Oh they are so precious, I hope they all make it! Sending good thoughts.


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## slavetoabunny (Aug 15, 2007)

*ra7751 wrote: *


> Just wanted to ask for everyone's healing thoughts for a rabbit that is coming our way. Efforts to provide transportation from Florida to North Carolina are nearly complete and JoJo should be here soon so was can start treatment.


I am going to be part of the bunny-train transporting JoJo! This will be my first transport (there are not that many transports out of Florida) and I am so excited to be taking part. I will be transporting JoJo from Jacksonville to Savannah, GA. I only wish I could be taking JoJo all the way to NC so I could meet Randy.


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## JadeIcing (Aug 15, 2007)

*YAY for heroes!*

slavetoabunny wrote: [/b]


> *ra7751 wrote: *
> 
> 
> > Just wanted to ask for everyone's healing thoughts for a rabbit that is coming our way. Efforts to provide transportation from Florida to North Carolina are nearly complete and JoJo should be here soon so was can start treatment.
> ...


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## ra7751 (Sep 4, 2007)

Hi All,

Today is a sad day, a happy day and a day of remembrance here at Sabrina's House. One year ago today, Sabrina came back for her soul mate Yoda and he made the journey across the bridge. He is very much missed by us and I would like all of you to know this wonderful bunny.

Yoda was the first of our rabbits in the "modern" era. Prior to Yoda, we just assumed rabbits sat in their hutch and ate and pooped. Yoda was our first real indoor rabbit. And he put on a show the first night he came here. He would run and do binkies and have a good time. He would play tag and chase with me. And he learned to play catch.

We found a vet to neuter him as soon as he was old enough. He had already developed a wonderful personality. Soon, he met his first love, Sabrina. He seemed to know she was sick. He was a perfect gentleman to her and they bonded immediately. She didn't seem to know how to be a rabbit. I watched him teach her. It was amazing.

But early in 2004, Sabrina lost her battle to all her ailments. Yoda was heart broken. I remember the night we lost her. I brought her body back so Yoda could spend time with her. He came over and sniffed her and sat right beside her. Then he turned and just stared at her empty house. That was very difficult to deal with. He knew.

Soon, Yoda became quite ill. We came home and felt something wasn't right with Yoda. We put him on the floor and he started a violent spin. He was in a panic and so were we. We rushed him to our vet. He had a fever of nearly 105 degrees. That indicated a major infection. It was his ears. He tilted fully but never did his spirit break. Even our vet was ready to administer last rites and we discussed the ultimate decision. But I asked Yoda and he wasn't ready to give up the fight. And fight he did. He overcame this problem after eight months of treatment and returned to his old self. But not for long as he began a series of bacterial infections that ravaged his body. We ultimately found the infections were due to a compromised immune system....he was fighting EC too. He lost the use of his left rear leg but made a remarkable comeback as we aggressively treated his problems. But as we know, EC is a wasting disease and each improvement was followed by a worse infection. We intensified the treatments and developed new protocols for dealing with this. Yoda fought a hard battle for over two years.

Finally, he told me he was ready....and I had promised him that I would honor his wish at any time. The final night, he slept in the bed with us. Early the next morning, he woke us up and we knew the time had come. My wife held him and then he wanted to come to me. He looked up at me and I felt Sabrina there...she had come for him. I told him it was OK for him to go with her. And then an amazing thing happened. He looked up at me again....but it wasn't the tired and sick rabbit he had become. That howdy-doody face, those perfectly lopped ears and those huge deep brown eyes were there for a final time. It felt like he was saying "thank you". And he nodded his head as I felt his last breath.

Yoda and Sabrina are our inspiration in this rescue and why I am so determined to find out all I can about EC. The spirits of Yoda and Sabrina live in every rescue we do. And oddly enough, we just got in a rabbit that has severe head tilt...just like Yoda suffered.

I take comfort in knowing that things are back as they should be. I miss him terribly. But Yoda and Sabrina are back together again...and this time it's forever.

I always called Yoda the "Captain" of our rescue and always left him with a standing order when we left home for any reason..."Yoda, you have the bridge". And he will always be in command of our rescue. Until we meet again little buddy.






The entire crew at Sabrina's House


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## Haley (Sep 4, 2007)

Oh Randy, what a touching story and beautiful tribute to your little man. Im in tears here.

You aretruly such a wonderulperson and such an inspiration. Each animal who comes into your care is so lucky to be given a second chance at life. 

Sabrina (and Yoda) sound like amazing bunnies, as do all the ones you tellus about here in your blog. You are a wonderful writer and person.Thank you for sharing your stories withus.

Haley


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## Bunnicula (Sep 5, 2007)

*ra7751 wrote: *


> Hi All,
> 
> Today is a sad day, a happy day and a day of remembrance here at Sabrina's House. One year ago today, Sabrina came back for her soul mate Yoda and he made the journey across the bridge. He is very much missed by us and I would like all of you to know this wonderful bunny.





> Randy, I remember receiving your email last year that Yoda had gone to be with his "Breenie Girl." I cried then and share your tears again today. How fitting it is that you share a tribute to him on this anniversary of his crossing.





> But early in 2004, Sabrina lost her battle to all her ailments. Yoda was heart broken. I remember the night we lost her. I brought her body back so Yoda could spend time with her. He came over and sniffed her and sat right beside her. Then he turned and just stared at her empty house. That was very difficult to deal with. He knew.





> I, too, can remember when we placed Stewart's lifeless body down next to Gingivere. How she groomed him and nudged him...wanting her sweet friend to wake from his "sleep." She sat for weeks in the areas of the house that had been their favorite snuggle corners...staring off...longing for him to be there. It nearly broke my heart. And to this day I am certain she still misses her dearest friend. _"My heart has joined the thousand, for my friend stopped running today."_ - That heartfelt quote of Hazel in _Watership Down _on the loss of his friend seems to sum up all the emotion of such grief.





> Yoda and Sabrina are our inspiration in this rescue and why I am so determined to find out all I can about EC. The spirits of Yoda and Sabrina live in every rescue we do. And oddly enough, we just got in a rabbit that has severe head tilt...just like Yoda suffered.





> I, too, am thankful for the lives of Sabrina and Yoda. Because of Yoda's fight with EC you have been determined to research this dreaded condition. It was your wise words just months ago that compelled me to have an EC titer drawn on Gingivere. Her strong positive was a blow. And though she's not developed any of the neurological symptoms to date...I know that should that happen you will be there with more words of experience and comfort that will help me yet again. All because Yoda was your teacher in life. Our household is indebted to him.





> I take comfort in knowing that things are back as they should be. I miss him terribly. But Yoda and Sabrina are back together again...and this time it's forever.





> And I take comfort in knowing that Stewart waits with them for his Gingivere to join him when it is her time.





> Again, my thoughts are with you. Your rescue work is a tribute to the bunnies who inspired you. Their spirit lives on in all you do for the others who come into your care. -Mary Ellen


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## SOOOSKA (Sep 5, 2007)

Hey Randy I sent you a PM a couple of days ago.

Susan:bunnydance:


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## TinysMom (Sep 5, 2007)

*ra7751 wrote:*


> He looked up at me and I felt Sabrina there...she had come for him. I told him it was OK for him to go with her.
> 
> 
> *OMG....Randy.....this was exactly the way I felt when Puck died and when SugarBear died. Crazy as it sounds...it felt like GingerSpice was there. Those three had been really close when they were young and they played together and slept together.
> ...


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## slavetoabunny (Sep 5, 2007)

That's a beautiful tribute to Sabrina and Yoda. They were very special and much loved bunnies and knew it.


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## ra7751 (Sep 5, 2007)

Hi Everyone,

Remember group of squirrels...the Magnificent 7....from earlier in the blog? They are now the Great 8 as the group accepted an orphan. They have all their fur and their eyes are open. All are now in transition to Stage 2 Formula which has a different fat and protein content. I am also introducing them to solid food. They are not eating yet, but they will know the smell. For the first few weeks, they will get only healthy food...in this case, rodent block.






Randy


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## ra7751 (Sep 5, 2007)

You know, it's true...you can't fix stupid. Here is a baby snapping turtle. A lady and her kids found the nest while at a pond and she decided to "teach" her children. Well, hope she is nota real teacher because when she disturbed the nest, she broke open this egg. He has been in rescue now for over 100 hours. His yolk sac came off yesterday and he munced on a piece of sardine last night. He will stay here a few days and be released.






Randy


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## ra7751 (Sep 5, 2007)

Sparky needs your healing vibes. This is a beautiful bunny. He has a terrible case of head tilt. He is part Hotot....the "down" eye has black eyeliner....and his eyes are bright blue. He is being treated here at the request of an area Petco. He became sick while at the store. I am impressed that he was immediately taken to a vet and they spared no expense in his treatment.....I know the vet and they showed me thecharges....and gave me all the meds for him. But this seems to be a difficult infection that is not responding to normal protocols. So, the managers at the Petco called and asked if he could come here. No way was I turning this guy down. He has been here 3 days now and has already improved. He is eating aggressively. He has also been digging and grooming himself despite his problem. He has a long battle ahead of him but I think he is up to it. His face has changed since he came here. He has already learned his name and comes hopping (reallyhopping too) over to us when we come into the room. Please keep him in your thoughts and we fight this infection with him.






Randy


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## polly (Sep 6, 2007)

Hugs and thoughts Sparky, If anyone can help you Randy can.

Randy your story about Yoda made me cry, what an amazing bond you have with your animals


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## naturestee (Sep 6, 2007)

Poor little Sparky. I'm guessing he's one of those "Peters Rabbits" from Marshall Farms? Not a good start to life at all. Give him a hug for me!

Oh, and way to go with the baby squirrels! They're so cute! So is that teeny-tiny turtle. I thought turtle eggs were more leathery, how did she break one open? On purpose? Boy am I glad my parents taught me not to touch nests or baby animals when I was little! There's enough stupid in this world as it is...


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## ra7751 (Sep 6, 2007)

You're right about Sparky beinga Marshall Rabbit. We also have a couple of other Peter's Rabbits and both of them are very aggressive. We can already see a little bit of correction in the degree of tilt so I am hopeful....but if nothing else, he is such a fighter. He is still spinning around...but in a good way....he is totally surrounded by a buffet of healthy foods and he is enjoying every bit of it. And he can have all he wants.

And the turtle eggs are leathery....and I have no idea how this lady "accidentally" broke open the egg. She also had a bird egg. I "counseled"her (sternly I might add as only I can do) about the morals and legalities surrounding her actions. But again....you can't fix stupid....and what she did is stupid.

Randy


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## Bunnicula (Sep 9, 2007)

Randy,

The baby squirrels are so adorable. And I've looked for the rat block you suggested for our squirrels, but so far am unable to find it. I will continue the search, though. Is there a company name I should look for?

We all send our thoughts Sparky's way...wishing him a full and speedy return to health! Will he go back to Petco when he's recovered?

And is Jojo with you yet? I'm anxious to hear how that is going.

Mary Ellen


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## Pipp (Sep 16, 2007)

Hey Randy, I hope all iswell at Sabrina's House.  

I have a soft spot for squirrels, I have one living in my false ceiling, although I may have messed that up.  She had a litter (I think she only has one or two), I decided to put some squirrel food up there. When I moved the tile, she came charging over and grunted and growled at me. But she did eat the seeds. I tried again a few days later, leaving a small tray of them up there, but these time she seemed even more upset, and I haven't heard much from her since.  (Before she was clomping around the ceiling like she was wearing army boots, and I heard squeaks from the baby(s). Now nothing. Just a light pitter-patter every once in a while. I hope I didn't do damage to the family. 

Insult to injury, I had a VERY loud and active family of raccoons in my bathroom ceiling, they never seemed bothered by human noise, butI vacuumed the ceiling of an adjoining closet, and they all left. 

Here's a pic of my squirrel (although the colours are all off).I kept forgetting to get one of the raccoons, and I never seem to have my camera when I'd run across them on my back porch. 

Oh well. 






Anyhoo, just bumping this thread and thanking you once again for everything you do! :bouquet:



sas :hearts


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## ra7751 (Sep 20, 2007)

Hi All,

Just wanted to share a couple of recent rescues with you. We have a cottontail that is paralyzed in the rear legs. Wildlife Center asked if I would attempt treatment. Just something about this bunny that told me he wanted to live. So I took him. I think something good here is that I got the injury soon after it happened. Started him on Metacam for swelling. Started getting some response to pain in the left rear leg after a day of meds...and today we got reaction from the right rear leg. Off the Metacam and is now on steroids. This is a very controversial treatment that can lead to some problems if used improperly...but I have one of the best vets in the world looking in on this one. Hopefully we can get a good resolution on this one. I would say his prognosis is guarded at best. But he is eating well....and can move quite well on the front legs.

The actual problem is similar to what happens in domestics when they suffer spinal trauma. Rads on the cottontail showed a fracture at L4. Appears to be cracked and swollen but not misaligned...but it appears the inflammation is pressing on the nerves.

And I am including a picture of a rescue tonight. Not too much I can say about this...the picture says it all. Makes no sense to allow this to happen.






Randy


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## AngelnSnuffy (Sep 20, 2007)

Sending vibes for Sparky and the resuce bunny. That is horrible, those teeth.:grumpy:

You do awesome work, Randy!


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## JadeIcing (Sep 20, 2007)

Question can I beat the person who did that?:grumpy:

Give him a pet or two from me. We are sending him tons of love.


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## slavetoabunny (Sep 20, 2007)

Eeesh.........those teeth!ssd: How did that poor bunny eat? At least he's in good hands now.


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## ra7751 (Sep 20, 2007)

Hi All,

The bunny with the tooth problem is named Yoshi. The girl that had him was in a tough situation and was trying to find help for him. She was referred from a local vet. She did donate all his cages and supplies. He was probably wondering what was happening to him last night. He had dental work, manicure and some minor surgery to extract a nasty (and well fed) tick. He started working with that tongue. The upper molars were actually longer than the lower and were just about to cut the roof of his mouth. He is a tad underweight (imagine that) but is already enjoying his new pearly whites and is happily munching away. He seems to like it here. More on him later.

Randy


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## Haley (Sep 20, 2007)

Oh poor Yoshi! I was wondering what his uppers were doing if his lowers looked like that! Yikes. He must be so happy to be able to eat now!

Is he a lionhead? He looks a little fluffy around the face from the pic.


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## Bunnicula (Sep 20, 2007)

Randy,

So, is Yoshi going back to his original owner at any point? What's his health like other than the teeth?

Give him special bunny snuggles for me!

-Mary Ellen

PS - What's the scoop on Jojo? How are Danny and Miracle? Any updates on Scoots? (My, but I am pesty! :stikpoke)


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## ra7751 (Sep 22, 2007)

Hi All,

Another introduction to a recent rescue. This is "Lovey"...so named by her rescuers because she was so happy to be found. This rabbit was found in a yard near Raleigh, NC. Since she was found outside, the people that found her called Piedmont Wildlife Center and asked for help. Due to her appearance, they assumed she was a cottontail and admitted her. But she isn't a cottontail...and even though she is domestic, this center will treat domestics in an emergency and then transfer to local rescues. This time, they called me since Lovey seems to be sick. Their initial thought was a back injury since that is so common in cottontails. She couldn't move her rear legs. So instead of releasing her to some of the rescues in their area, they called me since they know I live for this kind of thing. She is covered in warbles...many of them between her rear legs and one huge bot near her left front leg. She does have some possible EC issues but time will tell on that. She is already nicely settled and eating well. Her gurgling upper respiratory has cleared up. She is going to the vet on Monday night for an "exam". These are senior vet students that we help train with exotics. The doctor said they have never extracted warbles in school so far...guess what? These particular students don't know me so we are going to do something a little different. The real doctor is just going to supervise the students. Since they don't know me, I am taking my bunny in since she "doesn't act right". This won't give them any clues to what the concerns are which should lead them to a correct path of diagnosis which should include questioning me extensively about what is going on with her while doing the exam on her. In a few months, these doctors will be out in the real world working on real animals...not lab animals and this is the type of thing they will hear and see.

Say hello to Lovey.







Randy


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## Haley (Sep 22, 2007)

Wow she is beautiful Randy. 

What an awesome thing youre doing with these vet students. Youre making life easier for all of us rabbit lovers by helping educate our future vets.


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## Bunnicula (Sep 22, 2007)

What a beautiful girl! Congrats on the new addition to Sabrina's House!

-Mary Ellen


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## slavetoabunny (Sep 23, 2007)

JoJo.....JoJo........JoJo............We want to hear about Jojo!!!!!!!!


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## ra7751 (Sep 30, 2007)

Hi Guys,

This little guy is named Thunder. He is a smaller rabbit with a huge ego. He is one of the "factory" rabbits from Marshall's. He was at a Petco in the Raleigh area. He doesn't play well with others....and that is an understatement. They knew that he was so aggressive that he would never find a home unless it was with someone that really understood rabbits.So Petco asked ifhe couldcome to our place.He has been a challenge. But he is getting better and is not as aggressive now....in fact, he doesn't bite now since he has learned that you don't bite the hand that feeds you. He actually enjoys being petted....once you win the battle to get your hands on him without bloodshed. But as I said...he is getting better. He has some striking markings. Say hello to Thunder.






Randy


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## ra7751 (Sep 30, 2007)

Update on JoJo.

Some of you may remember a sick rabbit that was coming to us from Gainesville Rabbit Rescue in Florida....and one ofour forum members....slavetoabunny...assisted with the Bunderground transport.

JoJo has settled in here. Recently was moved into the "Rabbit Room". It was quite a treat to watch him take it all in with all these rabbits. He ran and did one huge binky after another. He is always ready for attention and loves every minute of it.

JoJo has a huge jaw abscess on the lower right jaw bone. We started treating with a slightly less aggressive treatment than I normally do. This was to make sure his overall health was good enough to withstand all the drugs. The original treatment has resolved about 85% of the abscess. There is no visible swelling externally but the skin is sagging due to being stretched by the infection. We took him in to our vet last week so that we could get a better look at what was actually happening....and we had a group of vet students doing clinicals. This procedure would give them the opportunity to see the diagnosis protocols thatare not taught in vet school. We did a series of x-rays (as soon as I get them available...I will post them so everyone can see what a jaw abscess looks like) and along with a visual found that he does still have some infection. The root cause in this case is really a root cause. One of the molars on the lower right arcade has a root that is actually hooked almost at a 90 degree angle which results in an impaction. The long term infection has damaged the bone but it appears we have halted that decay and the bone is regenerating. Problem with that is that it usually leads to some malocclusion issues. The lower right incisor is also involved and is infected secondarily.

The plan of action at this time is to step up the drug therapy to the full treatment. We are documenting all our work. My vet is willing to validate the treatment should it completely eradicate the abscess...and if it does, and is proven clinically,we will get the information out (under her validation) to the various information networks many of the vets use. Unless the abscess worsens...we will do more x-rays in about 2 months to verify any progress that has been made.

As far as JoJo himself....he seems to be in no discomfort at all. He will crunch any kind of hay you put in front of him. He has also learned to drink from a bottle...and he is a drinker and that is good for him. Unless things totally collapse....this should not be a life threatening issue and he hopefully will fully recover without surgery. More update and the x-rays soon.

Randy


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## ra7751 (Sep 30, 2007)

This is Simba....he was our very first lionhead. He is another of the "factory" style Marshall rabbits and came here with a "'tude". He was just plain mean. It was a huge issue just to get your hands on him. And he seemed to have more nails and teeth than the normal rabbit because you could be assured that anyone that tried to touch him was going to bleed. It was a major battle to trim his nails...we nearly had to have him sedated the first couple of times. He is getting older now and still will make a lunge for any hand coming into his kingdom....but now it's to be petted. He has dociled out and is a very nice rabbit now. And has a beautiful mane and skirt. Say hello to Simba.






Randy


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## ra7751 (Sep 30, 2007)

Hi Again,

This mature gentleman is Mr. White. He is an older lionhead. He is going blind. A breeder asked us if we could try to help him. This is some type of mucus that is nearly covering the cornea of his eyes. There is a long name for the condition but I couldn't even start to spell it. Only about 25% of his vision remains. There is a surgical procedure that could possibly correct the condition. But all of use involved, including our vets, feel that Mr. White is too old and not strong enoughtto withstand the sedation. So we have decided to make the necessary husbandryadjustments to deal with a blind rabbit...we also have another totally blind bun. Being an older rabbit, he prefers to lounge about....but he still has his moments when he comes out to roam around. He eats anything we offer him. We do keep his eyes lubricated. The only other thing we have to do for him is to let him know when we are going to pick him up. As long as we talk to him, no problem. We let him do most anything he wants....we just want him to enjoy the autumn of his life. Say hello to Mr. White.








Randy


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## ra7751 (Sep 30, 2007)

Hi All, 

Would like everyone to meet Andre "The Giant". Like his namesake the professional wrestler...may he rest in peace....Andre is a real gentle giant. As you can tell by his ears....me might add some more size before he is fully grown. To give you reference to his size....his kennel is over 5 feet long and nearly 3 feet wide. His litter pan is one of the huge ones that restaurants use to bus tables. He loves to go for stroller rides around a local lake and really enjoys all the attention he gets. What a great rabbit.






Randy


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## ra7751 (Sep 30, 2007)

Here is a face only a mother could love. This is one of several Virginia Opossums that we worked for Piedmont Wildlife Center. This young man is rare...he is totally black except for the stripes on his face. And he is the most aggressive opossum we have had thru here. He was recently released in a large city park. It has miles of riverfront land that is perfect for the grubs, worms and bugs these guys like to eat.






Randy


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## naturestee (Sep 30, 2007)

Beautiful beasties Randy, and such great stories! I hope the treatments work well for JoJo, not just for him but because I would love to see more info on the treatments you are using. Jaw abscesses seem to be so common and with the bone involvement surgery isn't always an option. Anything that will give a beloved pet a better chance at life!


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## ra7751 (Sep 30, 2007)

This is a rare bird around these parts...first time I have ever seen one. It's a Clipper Rail. This little bird suffered a nasty head injury. I triaged her and managed to pull her thru the first 72 hours in rehab...and I was quite surprised thatshe survived. She was transferred to one of the vets at a local emergency clinic that loves working birds. She was eating and starting to fly recently. Should be a successful rescue.







Randy


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## cmh9023 (Sep 30, 2007)

Hi,

I saw Angela's note... Is there a thread somewhere about a bun named JoJo who is being treated for a jaw abscess? I have a girl who has one and had 3 molarspulled about a month ago and is scheduled to go back to the vet dentist in November. I try to read whatever I can find about this topic but I don't remember seeing that story.

Cara


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## slavetoabunny (Oct 1, 2007)

I just love reading all of your rescue stories, Randy. You do such amazing work and all of these animals are so blessed to have found their way to you.

Has JoJo met his bride-to-be, Katrina, yet?


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## Bunnicula (Oct 1, 2007)

Thanks for sharing more stories, Randy!

I was wondering...

A while back you had told me you were doing some large group play sessions with your buns. Do you? I realize you have many bonded pairs, but do you have any larger groups that are together all the time?

We added a mini Rex to the brood here (hopefully will be a partner for Gingivere once he's neutered). And I was thinking it might be worth the work to see if all four of our buns would enjoy life together - or at least play time...

Any advice suggestions about this would be greatly appreciated.

Oh...and how is Scoots?

-Mary Ellen


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## slavetoabunny (Oct 1, 2007)

*cmh9023 wrote: *


> Hi,
> 
> I saw Angela's note... Is there a thread somewhere about a bun named JoJo who is being treated for a jaw abscess? I have a girl who has one and had 3 molarspulled about a month ago and is scheduled to go back to the vet dentist in November. I try to read whatever I can find about this topic but I don't remember seeing that story.
> 
> Cara



You may of missed this on the previous page. Here is Randy's update on JoJo:

Update on JoJo.

Some of you may remember a sick rabbit that was coming to us from Gainesville Rabbit Rescue in Florida....and one ofour forum members....slavetoabunny...assisted with the Bunderground transport.

JoJo has settled in here. Recently was moved into the "Rabbit Room". It was quite a treat to watch him take it all in with all these rabbits. He ran and did one huge binky after another. He is always ready for attention and loves every minute of it.

JoJo has a huge jaw abscess on the lower right jaw bone. We started treating with a slightly less aggressive treatment than I normally do. This was to make sure his overall health was good enough to withstand all the drugs. The original treatment has resolved about 85% of the abscess. There is no visible swelling externally but the skin is sagging due to being stretched by the infection. We took him in to our vet last week so that we could get a better look at what was actually happening....and we had a group of vet students doing clinicals. This procedure would give them the opportunity to see the diagnosis protocols thatare not taught in vet school. We did a series of x-rays (as soon as I get them available...I will post them so everyone can see what a jaw abscess looks like) and along with a visual found that he does still have some infection. The root cause in this case is really a root cause. One of the molars on the lower right arcade has a root that is actually hooked almost at a 90 degree angle which results in an impaction. The long term infection has damaged the bone but it appears we have halted that decay and the bone is regenerating. Problem with that is that it usually leads to some malocclusion issues. The lower right incisor is also involved and is infected secondarily.

The plan of action at this time is to step up the drug therapy to the full treatment. We are documenting all our work. My vet is willing to validate the treatment should it completely eradicate the abscess...and if it does, and is proven clinically,we will get the information out (under her validation) to the various information networks many of the vets use. Unless the abscess worsens...we will do more x-rays in about 2 months to verify any progress that has been made.

As far as JoJo himself....he seems to be in no discomfort at all. He will crunch any kind of hay you put in front of him. He has also learned to drink from a bottle...and he is a drinker and that is good for him. Unless things totally collapse....this should not be a life threatening issue and he hopefully will fully recover without surgery. More update and the x-rays soon.

Randy


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## polly (Oct 1, 2007)

I know this will probably sound very dense (but forgive me as i am in the UK) but what is a marshall rabbit and how do they get away with what they do??

Wow Randy you need to come over here and educate our vet students

I love the new additions they are gorgeous. Hope everything is going well for you


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## Bo B Bunny (Oct 1, 2007)

I didn't know you did other rehabs! They are so beautiful! Even little oppossum! I love them! look at those cute eyes and pointy nose! 

I'm so glad you found and helped that bird!!!


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## ra7751 (Oct 2, 2007)

Well...this isn't your every day garden variety rescue. This isa red headed vulture...or better known in these parts as a turkey buzzard. This guy was hit by a car and was in shock when I got to him. We had him in triage in less than an hour after his accident. Within three hours, he was alert, standing and just generally being the nice birds that vultures are....right. They have a very unique means of defending themselves and I can assure you that it is effective. Anyone know what that defense is?

His care was transferred to Piedmont Wildlife Center and he will be transferred to Carolina Raptor Center in a few days.







Randy


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## Spring (Oct 2, 2007)

Aww! What a handsome little guy in his own sort of way! Poor guy!

I had to google it, but do theypukeas a defence?That's odd!


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## YukonDaisy (Oct 2, 2007)

*I can't believe I just found this blog! It's great!*

*That vulture has beautiful plumage, I don't think I've ever seen one up close before.*


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## Bo B Bunny (Oct 2, 2007)

Oh, that baby is UGALEEEEEEEE!!! lol

We have those everywhere here. Never used to, but they came back just like the blue herons.


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## Bunnicula (Oct 2, 2007)

*ra7751 wrote: *


> Well...this isn't your every day garden variety rescue. This isa red headed vulture...or better known in these parts as a turkey buzzard. This guy was hit by a car and was in shock when I got to him. We had him in triage in less than an hour after his accident. Within three hours, he was alert, standing and just generally being the nice birds that vultures are....right. They have a very unique means of defending themselves and I can assure you that it is effective. Anyone know what that defense is?
> 
> His care was transferred to Piedmont Wildlife Center and he will be transferred to Carolina Raptor Center in a few days.
> 
> ...



Don't they throw up and then pretend to faint?

I may have a strange eye for beauty...but he is a handsome fellow. Are his feathers soft? They look as if they would be. What are you feeding him?

One of these days we have to get down to the Raptor Center. Seems like it would be a fascinating place to visit.

-Mary Ellen


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## Bo B Bunny (Oct 2, 2007)

*Bunnicula wrote: *


> I may have a strange eye for beauty...but he is a handsome fellow.
> -Mary Ellen



Would you care to borrow my glasses? rivateeyes



lol I know what you mean but that face... man! 

His feathers are absolutely beautiful tho. I love t see them fly as well. I just can't love that head and face.. just not good. LOL!


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## ra7751 (Oct 5, 2007)

Now isn't this little guy just too cute? I hope we can pull this one thru. A sibling did not survive the cat attack. This guy has a leg injury...and we all know the bacteria that a cat has in it's mouth. I already have him on antibiotics....and he ate his first meal in rescue tonight. Anyone know what this is?






Randy


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## Greta (Oct 5, 2007)

Is it... a flying squirrel? looks like one by the ears. I really hope he pulls through, what a cutie!

Randy, I also want to tell you how much I admire everything that you do for the animals. The world needs more people like you, willing to open their homes and their hearts to animals in need. :big kiss:


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## tundrakatiebean (Oct 5, 2007)

it looks quite a bit like a sugar glider to me but without the markings, so I have to agree with Greta on this one.

Randy - I just wanted to say that you amaze me...


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## ra7751 (Oct 5, 2007)

Thanks guys. It is a southern flying squirrel. It does closely resemble a glider...think I will do some research over the weekend and see if there is any relationship. Most of the gliders we have dealt with have personality....bad ones. I understand from the people that care for them that they do require a lot of attention to have good social skills. Right now, this little guy has personality and a very good one. He is still quite young for a flyer....maybe about 30 days. Only weighs 27g. He is quite active in his temporary home but had rather spend his time curled up in the warmth of your hand. He does not care for the taste of the antibiotic (I did flavor it for this morning's dosingso we will see how that goes...grape is the flavor of the day) but he really enjoyed his diluted formula. Since he would be a single here....in spite of our desire to keep him, we are going to transfer him to a rescue that already has a group of flyers about his age. It isusually best to raise wildlife in groups of their own kind. Being with other flyers is in his best interest and that is ultimately what our goal is....what is best for the patient.

Randy


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## naturestee (Oct 5, 2007)

What a darling little baby! And no, not related to sugar gliders at all. Sugar gliders are marsupials and are more closely related to possums.

I've never seen a flying squirrel in person, but I would love to!


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## ra7751 (Oct 5, 2007)

I never knew gliders were marsupials. Learn something new every day. The do look a little alike. This little flyer is quite a character. I can see evidence of a cat encounter today. No major sign of infection. He is eating well. Sleeps a lot...but quite active when you pick him up...but he is looking for a place to sleep. He just curls up on you. So cool. This is one of the more interesting animals I have had.

Randy


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## tundrakatiebean (Oct 5, 2007)

how did the grape meds go down?


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## ra7751 (Oct 6, 2007)

The grape didn't go over so well. Doing better now but takes the formula much better. Good thing FlavorX comes in a variety of flavors. Next batch will be flavored something different.


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## ra7751 (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi All,

Wanted to introduce you to one very special bunny. Her name is Scoots. She comes to us from nothern Kentucky. She is very grateful to a member of this forum...Bunnicula...for her very generous sponsorship to help with Scoots' medical treatments.

Scoots suffers from severe physical problems due to genetic errors....most likely inbreeding. She is a hermaphrodite. She is genetically female but does have small and misformed male parts. She has no sockets in her hips so her rear legs are forever dislocated but she does have some use of them. Her spine is curved and compressed severely near her tail. Her genitals and rectum are far up on her abdomen and there was a flap of skin that tended to trap her poops and bedding which can result in infections. X-rays show her GI tract is twisted abnormally and her cecum appears to be compressed and folded over on itself. Scoots was in terrible condition coming in and the doctor in Kentucky suggested euthanizing was the only humane way to handle her. The people that had her refused and asked if we would admit her. We met at a restaurant in Asheville, NC. We triaged her right in the parking lot and drew an audience. She was scared and in pain. Her ears were bleeding from a nasty infestation of ear mites. She was underweight and very dehydrated. We administered fluids and pain meds...and cleaned those ears. She became very sick just after she arrived and we were concerned she might not survive. But we found her problem....she had a major case of hookworms. We treated that and she has thrived since.

Since she has never known any difference....she thinks she is normal. She has developed tremendously strong muscles in her front legs and can get around quite well. We do have her on a solid bottom and have to pay extra attention to sanitation. She still has some more procedures to go in an effort to reform the genital area to a more normal state in an effort to prevent infections. She is a fantastic eater and loves hay. The only major husbandry modification we do is that we have to clean her ears since her rear legs can't reach them. She is a wonderful bunny that doesn't let her disability get her down. We don't know what the future holds for Scoots. We are fully expecting some arthritis and/or joint issues due to her deformities. We also don't know exactly how her body will react to the hormones of her sexual identity. So we make every effort to make sure she enjoys every minute of the time she has with us...and we hope she is with us a long time. And Scoots sends bunny hugs and kisses to Mary Ellen for doing so much to help her.






Randy


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## Haley (Oct 9, 2007)

Wow what an amazing girl! I had to look twice to be sure I was looking at a bunny, Ive never seen splayed legs so bad.

Ive seen bunnies like that use a cart (sort of half wheelchair)to get around- have you guys ever done anything like that?

Sending lots of prayers and well wishes to Scoots. :big kiss:


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## ra7751 (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi Haley,

We have looked into carts for some of our EC buns. Some of them are very technically advanced....custom built and balanced. We are also fortunate in having a world renown animal physical therapist that is associated with the vet school. In Scoots' case....she is not a good candidate for a cart due to the way her legs are fused and the way her hips are misformed. She can only move her legs forward and back...sorta like boat oars. She can't get them to go straight back at the same time. She is a beautiful rabbit....the pic I posted is not her best but does show the full splay. We are taking some time off work next week and are going to be doing portrait quality shots of our rabbits and I will post a close up to show everyone how beautiful she really is. Her fur is so soft and jet black with silver tips. Her love of life is unbelievable and she lives life to it's fullest. If I can find my video camera...I would love to get a video of her "scooting" across the floor at a high rate of speed.

Randy


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## naturestee (Oct 9, 2007)

:shock::shock::shock: Holy cow, that's a long list of genetic problems! She must be such a fighter to still be a happy girl in that condition.

Kudos to Bunnicula for helping pay the bills for this sweetheart!


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## ra7751 (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi Everyone,

For those of you that have been following our blog....you will remember a squirrel that is fast asleep under a blanket. That was Issue...so named because this was one sick squirrel when admitted. I finally found a picture made after months of rehab....and just a day or so before release. One of the best squirrels we have ever had. Fought so hard to live...and Issue won the battle. Was released with a fellow rehabber that has a protected area for special squirrels. They still run free but are protected and cared for.







Randy


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## slavetoabunny (Oct 10, 2007)

Scoots is such a beautiful bunny! What a little fighter. Big kudos to Mary Ellen for helping out this special bunny.


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## ra7751 (Oct 10, 2007)

Umm....we are an Equal Opportunity Rescue. Now what?






Randy


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## Bo B Bunny (Oct 10, 2007)

Oh boy! I had chickens in my house one winter! The school decided to get an incubator of eggs from Purdue University for the kids to watch hatch and all..... FIFTY EGGS..... and when they hatched the teachers found out we had to find homes! I got 4 thanks to being volunteered by my son. 

I came home and had chickens roosting on my diningroom chairs one day. :shock:


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## polly (Oct 10, 2007)

wow bunnies and squirrels are one thing but you are so brave taking in chickens!! my mum had chickens and they used to chase and bite me i wbic of them now!!

Poor Scoots what a wonderful bun i can't wait to see more pics

And Issue is gorgeous


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## ra7751 (Oct 10, 2007)

Chickens in the house....I bet that was fun. Tidy is not one of their virtues by any means. These guys had been abandoned inside city limits...which it is illegal to have farm animals inside the city here. They were very hungry and dehydrated. We are feeding them scratch and they are drinking water but we are limiting their food intake to allow their systems to adapt to having food again. As soon as they get back to normal, they are headed to live with some friends that have other chickens. They are really kinds cool to have around. They are talking back to me when I speak to them.

Randy


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## JadeIcing (Oct 10, 2007)

I love chickens!!!! When I was in 4th grade I lived in Puerto Rico for 6mnths. We had chickens....we were so homesick we named them after the states when we ran out of those we named them after major cities.


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## ra7751 (Oct 11, 2007)

Hi All,

We need healing vibes sent to a pair of buns that were admitted as emergencies tonight. Both are boys...one is a rex and the other is a fuzzy lop. Both are paralyzed. The people that had them are very experienced rabbit people and were getting them ready for the State Fair. Someone had shown these people how to burrito a bun but they didn't secure that back flap and I think maybe the towel they used was too small...and it appears the buns kicked and popped their back. The rex is totally paralyzed at this point. No sensation at all in the hind quarter. But he is enjoying the alfalfa hay we have and is also eating pellets. The fuzzy lop does have some sensation in his rear quarter but appears to be in some degree of pain. Both rabbits were surrendered voluntarily. I have already starting treating using a somewhat controversial protocol using steriods. The steroids can be good and bad. The idea is to suppress the immune system so the body doesn't start attacking itself in an effort to heal the damage. But by doing this treatment, the depressed immune system can also allow opportunistic bacteria to raise it's head and may cause some infections. We are also putting them in a cooler area of the house to slow things down a little as far as metabolism.

The next 72 hours are going to be critical if these guys are going to regain mobility. I would say their chances of hopping again are quite slim.....especially the rex. I am hoping the spinal cord is not damaged and can recover by reducing the inflammation. We are going to go at this one full speed ahead and treat as aggressively as possible.And I am going to try to get one of my vetsto donate some x-rays if they have anything left in their charity accounts....I have spent a lot of their charity accounts for them this year.This appears to be our most challenging rescue yet.....I just hope we can help these little guys.

Randy


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## AngelnSnuffy (Oct 11, 2007)

Oh man, Randy. I have seen buns snap (My own:shock without any harm to their backs, eek.

ray:


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## Bo B Bunny (Oct 11, 2007)

*ra7751 wrote: *


> Chickens in the house....I bet that was fun. Tidy is not one of their virtues by any means. These guys had been abandoned inside city limits...which it is illegal to have farm animals inside the city here. They were very hungry and dehydrated. We are feeding them scratch and they are drinking water but we are limiting their food intake to allow their systems to adapt to having food again. As soon as they get back to normal, they are headed to live with some friends that have other chickens. They are really kinds cool to have around. They are talking back to me when I speak to them.
> 
> Randy



Lucky for me - one of my outlaws worked in a box factory and made me really TALL boxes until they got to where they could get out of those - the day I found them roosting in my diningroom- it worked. That was in March I believe and they went to a farm.

They stink! I had to clean them all the time.

I love when they talk back! It's such a soft, and comforting sound almost..... It's so funny! Poor things! People are awful!


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## ra7751 (Oct 11, 2007)

Update on the paralyzed buns....

The rex ate well last night. Still showing major deficiencies in the hind quarter. However, he is grooming his rear legs. He does not appear to be in pain...or even really bothered by his situation. 

The other rabbit appears now to be a Jersey Wooley. Last night, probably due to stress and pain, he wasa lop. This morning, he is a very fuzzy upear. He is sitting in an almost normal position this morning and is moving his legs....I view that as a positive. He is eating. He presented his head to be petted. Does not appear to be nearly as stressed as last night. I would estimate his rear motor skills at about 50%.

Will try to get some pics tonight. Keep these guys in your thoughts. Will be contacting my vet today to further discuss additional diagnosis such as x-rays and to set up a treatment protocol. I hope the fact that I started treatment so early in the event will have a positive impact on the results....just trying to stay positive about this.

Randy


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## slavetoabunny (Oct 11, 2007)

Those poor bunnies. I always worry when I clip nails that they are going to squirm and hurt themselves. I really shouldn't try and clip solo.

Their progress sounds promising. I hope these guys can be helped.


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## Bo B Bunny (Oct 11, 2007)

Randy, from what you mention I have a question:

Do bunny's ears drop or droop if they are ill or something?


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## ra7751 (Oct 11, 2007)

Well...to try toanswer the question about ears....something we are trained to look for with wildlife is body posturing. I have been doing this so long it seems that the animals "talk" to me....I'm probably crazy. But many rabbits do things when they are sick that will catch your attention. Gut pain usually results in a hunkered down and compacted posture usually with eyes partially shut and ears back and cold.. When Yoda...our little angel that was so sick....his lop ears would actually fold back against his body. Extreme pain...like a traumatic injury such as a bite or broken bone....ususally results in up ears and wide open eyes....panic. I don't know if all of this means anything...but posturing usually leads me to a problem. I really don't know how to explain it....it's just a feeling I get.

Randy


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## Haley (Oct 11, 2007)

oh wow, poor bunnies! Sending lots of good thoughts and prayers your way!


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## Pet_Bunny (Oct 11, 2007)

Having one bunny get hurt is bad enough, but two at the same time.

Hope for positive things and that the vet is generous enough to give them the proper treatment.


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## slavetoabunny (Oct 11, 2007)

Have you named the paralyzed bunny boys yet?


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## ra7751 (Oct 14, 2007)

Hi All,

Thought I would post some pics of our rabbits that were admitted this past week with spinal trauma. The Jersey Wooley is showing some nice improvement. He can posture normally for a short period of time and can move his rear legs when he tries to hop. The Rex isn't doing as well and I am not optimistic for him regaining use of his rear legs. Something is going on with them since he is grooming them...but he is also chewing on his toes and has started to bleed. We just cleaned them up and I will be bandaging those rear feet. If all goes well, we should be getting some x-rays tomorrrow evening and that will tell me if we have any possibility of a good resolution with these guys. Keep them in your thoughts. They are very cooperative and seem to know we are trying to help.











Randy


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## slavetoabunny (Oct 14, 2007)

Oh my..........that rex is absolutely stunning! Such beautiful fur. Sad toes, though.
Keep us updated on the x-rays.


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## ra7751 (Oct 14, 2007)

We have his toes all cleaned up and bandaged now and he is making no attempt at chewing the area...for now anyway. I am a little nervous about what the x-rays are going to show. Hopefully will know tomorrow evening.


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## slavetoabunny (Oct 18, 2007)

How are the two spinal trauma buns doing?


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## ra7751 (Oct 18, 2007)

Both of them are doing better than expected. The Jersey Wooley does have movement in his rear legs and is getting stronger. I doubt he will ever fully recover but he can use those legs. The rex is hanging in there. Since his spinal cord is severed, there is no hope for him to regain any function in the rear legs. He is off the steroids since they won't do any good for him. We have him on metacam right now. The only sign of discomfort he is showing is a condition called phantom pain in which he thinks he feels pain or some discomfort in his feet. This leads to self mutilation. We are working with dealing with that as well as controlling any possible infections. I have worked up a plan that might help him overall by having a catheter inserted into his bladder to help him empty it easier and not all over himself. We can deal with the bad legs. One of my vets is looking into doing a catheter for him. Time will tell. He had adapted well. Allows us to do anything we need to without protest even though some of the stuff has to hurt. And then he licks us when we are done. We're going to do everything we can to help both of them.

Randy


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## Whiskeylousmama (Oct 18, 2007)

I have completely fallen in love with the Rex, please keep us updated on both! I hope so much that they both find perfect forever homes that can deal with their handicapps!



Ande and Whiskey Lou


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## slavetoabunny (Oct 19, 2007)

I glad to hear that they are doing better. That poor little rexie! Such a sad case. I hope that he has a favorable outcome. I know you'll do everything you can to help. Do these sweet boys have names yet? Keep us updated.


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## Whiskeylousmama (Oct 20, 2007)

How is my favorite Rexy doing? Has anyone seen the Drew Carey show? He had a dog with a hip problem named speedy, and speedy had his back end suspended in a little cart to help him get around... Do you think it'd be possible to do that for this little boy?

Please send us more pics! I just LOVE that sweet little boy!


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## MsBinky (Oct 20, 2007)

Oh what a beautiful Rex! I'm sorry about the wooly I really hope things work out for the other though. Sending lots of good vibesyour way!


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## Whiskeylousmama (Oct 20, 2007)

http://cgi.ebay.com/HANDICAPPED-PET-DOG-WHEELCHAIR-CART-EDDIES-WHEELS-20-LB_W0QQitemZ170160327846QQihZ007QQcategoryZ20745QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem



What do you think about this? Brand new they run $275, so this would be a great deal if it fits the little sweetie. I just want to see that precious baby happy!!


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## Whiskeylousmama (Oct 20, 2007)

I found more! These are made by a vet, and are rather inexpensive... If it is an option, I think it would make his life a lot more fun!



http://dogstogo.net/index.html:brownbunny

PLEASE UPDATE!!!:mrsthumper::bunny18:big kiss::bunnybutt::happyrabbit:


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## ra7751 (Oct 21, 2007)

Thanks for the site on the cart. That is in our plans for him if everything goes well. We have contacts with an animal physical therapist in the Raleigh area and he has worked with some of our buns previously. They have told us before that they have a couple of clients that have some smaller carts that might be willing to let us use. And the site from the vet you sent is very interesting and I will look into that. 

In the immediate future for Rembrant is a surgery to insert a catheter into his bladder. That will eliminate the constant leakage and also me having to manually express his bladder for him. We also hope to route the cathter in such a way that his bladde will void away from his body preventing scald and other issues. A couple of my vets are working on ideas for that right now. Then, we plan to have have spine staibilized and fused to prevent further injury down the road. Needless to say, there are risks involved in each of these procedures. So, we plan to do what is in his best interests for his long term well being. Right now....he is eating well and seems to have adaopted quite well to his situation. He is a fighter and as long as he wants to fight...we will be right there with him.

Randy


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## Bunnicula (Oct 21, 2007)

Randy,

Does the catheterization open up more risk for bladder/kidney infections? Also, what would you have to do to make certain that Rembrandt wouldn't pull or chew at it? Just wondering.

I know how much work it can be to express a bladder - have had to do that for 2 kitties in the past...one quite long-term...and he was very moody about it. Hope it's "easier" with a bunny.

Glad to know both he and the wooley are hanging tough.

-Mary Ellen


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## ra7751 (Oct 21, 2007)

Hi Mary Ellen,

Those are topics of discussion with the vets. This might be a situation where we have to take the lesser of the evils. I am concerned about the catheter causing an infection...and the location of it to prevent him from chewing it. I have mentioned those concerns to both doctors that are working on a surgical solution to this challenge. But you are so right...those issues do come into play and will be discussed...quite a bit I'm sure.

Randy


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## ra7751 (Oct 24, 2007)

Hi Guys,

This little guy needs some healing vibes. Came into rescue a few days ago. Has a severe head injury. His head was so swollen that he could not open his eyes. I really didn't expect him to make it thru the first night. I treated him for shock and pain and tried to make him comfortable. He ate a little the next morning but was not in good shape. Over the past few days, he has been making remarkable progress. He is showing some neurological deficiencies. Possibly some brain damage or impaired vision. He tends to wander and turn in circles. I will have him looked at by the vet at the wildlife center in a few days. I don't think his life is in danger now but I am not not optimistic on his prognosis. But, he has fooled me so far....maybe he will recover fully and be released.







Randy


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## Whiskeylousmama (Oct 24, 2007)

Aww! What a sweetie! He looks like he is napping! I hope he pulls through alright!

How are the two bunnies looking? Has Rembrant had his surgery yet?


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## ra7751 (Oct 25, 2007)

Hi All,

This is something a little different from us. This is a video of a pioneering surgery on one of our rescues. For those of you that like PBS, it was originally broadcast nationwideon NOVA some time ago. The surgery is being performed by Dr. Greg Lewbart of the College of Veterinary Medicine at NC State University. His wife is our primary vet for all of our critters. The surgery is for a mass on the side and back of a rather large goldfish named Comet. While some question spending this type of research money on animals like this...it was a win-win for all. Comet got state of the art surgery to repair the growth, the staff at CVM got some experience on a cutting edge procedure and the lessons learned are applicable to human medicine. In fact, every procedure and drug usedare being used in human medicine.In many lab tests, the animal is sacrificed. In this case, Comet came thru with flying colors and spent his retirement happily swimming in a very large tank. He has since crossed the great waterfall (due to a drastic pH crash in a tank that had been up for years)but his contributions will ensure his legacy.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3214/04.html

Randy


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## polly (Oct 27, 2007)

That is so clever Randy its amazing how far animal surgery is going and what they can do!!


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## ra7751 (Oct 31, 2007)

Hi All,

Tonight is a very special evening of remembrance here at Sabrina's House. On Halloween night of 2000, a very special little girl came into our lives and became the namesake and inspiration of our rescue.

We already had a rabbit..a neutered Holland Lop named Yoda. He was the first of our "modern" era rabbits. He was the first that was neutered and the first to live his entire life inside. He had a huge condo. And we found he loved to play with us. But that particular night, we went to the local mall. It was fish night at the pet store and I wanted to see what new salt water fish came in. We got there right in the middle of the trick or treaters. Right out in front was a tiny little black lop. She was terrified. She was so stressed that she was wet all around her nose and mouth. And her left rear leg was dragging....we were told her leg might be broken and that we could have her since she most likely wouldn't make it thru the night. The leg was just a clue of what was to come. I picked her up and calmed her down. I held her for nearly half an hour. When I put her back into the pen, a most amazing thing happened....I could swear that she talked to me. I was thinking maybe I was working too hard. But to this day, I can still hear that squeaky little voice...."please don't leave me here...I'm scared". Before I knew what happened, I had me another bunny. In total disregard for mall rules, I held her in my hands as we left the mall. And I made her a promise that she would never be treated like that again.

We were thinking about names as we came home. We had left the TV on for Yoda while we were gone. When we got back home, the show "Sabrina-The Teenage Witch" was on. Umm....Halloween and a black bunny...her name is Sabrina. We introduced her to Yoda and the bonding was instant. And their bond became tighter each day...but we also saw that something was terribly wrong with Sabrina. She started getting sick. And you only think it's hard to find a rabbit vet now....it was nearly impossible back then. She started staying wet all the time and her urine was quite smelly. Another clue of things to come. Her teeth grew at really odd angles....she had incisor malocclusion. Later she developed molar spurs. She sneezed and did something that sounded almost like a cough....except rabbits can't cough. The pupils of her eyes starting filling with white flakes. She started showing some neurological issues...she would pull and eat her own fur and she started having seizures.

Late in 2003, her problems accelerated and we went to numerous vets looking help...but none was to be found. Nobody knew what was wrong with my little girl. Just after Christmas of that year, she lost her appetite and started losing weight rapidly. A huge bulge came into her side. Her liver was cancerous. I was going to lose my little girl.

On January 13, 2004 I got to hold my little girl for her last moments on earth. I never knew that the tiny little bunny I brought home that night could mean so much to me. She went peacefully during emergency surgery. I was devastated and couldn't believe that I lost her. As we got her body ready for me to bring her home, I couldn't help but notice the other animals in the kennels. Not a bark, not a meow as we walked by. They were all sitting at the front of the kennels....it appeared they knew. On the way home, I really thought I had lost my mind. I felt Sabrina there....and like so many times before, I heard that little voice again. She told me not to worry about her...she would always be with me. She told me that she had been here longer than planned due to our love for her....and that love allowed her to go to a special place where she wasn't sick or hurting anymore. She said "help others like you helped me...I'll be waiting". I really felt I needed professional help. I made it home with her body and brought her over to Yoda. He came over and sniffed her body and groomed her. He then turned around and just sat staring at her empty condo. He knew what had happened. That was tough. The next morning, we took her body to a pet cemetary to have her cremated. It was there that I saw the Rainbow Bridge Poem for the first time. And it all suddenly made sense. "Help others like you helped me..I'll be waiting". It was then and there that I decided to start rescuing rabbits...and especially the "special needs" rabbits that remind me so much of my little girl.

Sabrina's House Rabbit Rescue was born....and it will always be a labor of love for my little girl.We now know that my precious little bunny suffered fromE Cuniculi. Had we known then what we know now...we could have helped her. But her life still has meaning as she is a part of every rescue we do no matter what the species. We also lost Yoda just over a year ago due to complications and infections brought on by EC. I am determined to continue my research into the treatment and prevention of this devastating disease as well as any others that affect our rabbits.

Sabrina's body was cremated and she is in a beautiful pink marble urn that stays right beside my bed. And I have a special little key chain that has some of her ashes that stay with me all the time. I think about my little girl all the time....and I miss her just as much today as I did when we lost her. But you know...I look around here at all these bunnies....and she is here, maybe not in body but certainly in spirit. Many people ask me how I know what to do with these rescues no matter what the species or what the issue with them is....it's that little voice in my head....it's Sabrina guiding us on our rescue.

Sabrina will always be a very special little bunny to us....and now you know some of the specialthings about my beloved "Breenie Girl"

Randy


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## tundrakatiebean (Oct 31, 2007)

What a sweet and touching story.

I really enjoyed reading that Randy and I am so glad that Sabrina came into your life so that you could help so many other bunnies, bird, squirrels and everything in between


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## MsBinky (Oct 31, 2007)

[align=center]:cry4:[/align]

[align=center]That made me cry...[/align]

[align=center]What a sweet yet sad story.[/align]

[align=center]I have always admired the work you do and I wish one day to have even helf the knowledge you have order to help animals the way you do![/align]

[align=center]RIP Sabrina[/align]

[align=center]:rainbow:[/align]
[align=center]Ps: How is the lil squirrel doing? [/align]


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## AngelnSnuffy (Oct 31, 2007)

That is a very sweet story Randy. I totally believe the voice too. You came into her life her a reason, and her into yours and you know why...:hug:

RIP sweet Sabrina:rainbow:


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## ra7751 (Nov 8, 2007)

Hi Everyone,

Please meet a very special rabbit....Danny. He is a real fighter. He was found by a young man named Daniel. This rabbit had been abandoned outside and had to fend for himself. He was nearly starved, very dehydrated, had no fur due to parasites and urine scald and his eyes and ears shut from infection. He was found under a car after a storm...wet and hypothermic. He was in such bad shape that the young man that found him didn't know it was a rabbit. But he made it into a rescue and then was transferred to us. We started him on an aggressive treatment and he responded well. He gained weight immediately. But the ears and eyes were a problem. His ear drums were destroyed. He is now totally deaf. His eyes were severely infected and the right cornea was collapsing. We cleared up all the infections except the one eye. Many of you have heard me mention about resistant bacteria and my disdain for using the common antibiotics like Baytril. We cultured his eyes several times...and grew pasteurella each time...including after he had been on Baytril and Septra for several months.This was a truly resistant bacteria. We have some very graphic pictures if anyone would like to see them.But if we didn't heal that eye, he was going to have to undergo surgery to remove it. Finally, after much discussion, I convincedmy vettogive me some Zithromax as a last ditch effort to take care of the infection...and it did. Danny responded immediately and has been healthy since then....over three years ago. Danny is a very good bunny. He is getting on up there in age now and has slowed down quite a bit...but he is always ready to be petted or to be held. His once damaged fur has returned and is just so soft. He has a young girl friend now that keeps him young at heart and she is very protective over Danny. She seems to know that he is getting older and she is right there with him...and she is a rescue herself. Say hello to Danny.






Randy


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## SOOOSKA (Nov 8, 2007)

Randy, Danny is adorable. Once again you worked miracles. Great work.

Susan:apollo:


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## Haley (Nov 8, 2007)

Wow he is beautiful. It warms my heart to think how you saved his life. Hes a very lucky bunny.


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## ra7751 (Nov 8, 2007)

Hi All,

This very handsome young man is Joseph. He was originally rescued by some good friends of ours that are breeders. This rabbit was at another breeder and they were going to allow him to die. Why? If you look closely, he has head tilt (wry neck). It was caused by an ongoing infection secondary to an infestation of ear mites. Had the mites been properly treated, there would most likely have been no infection. Our friends asked us to take him as the tilt worsened. We have it corrected about 80% but I don't think it will get any better. It doesn't seem to cause Joseph any real issues at all and he can run and play with the best of them. The good thing is that the infection didn't seem to leave him with any hearing impairment. He is a very laid back young man that just likes to go with the flow.







Randy


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## ra7751 (Nov 8, 2007)

Here is another one of our residents. This young lady has been thru a lot. Her name is Katrina. She survived the catastrophic hurricane that hit the Gulf Coast area. She is named in honor of the victims...human and animal...that suffered thru Hurricane Katrina a couple of years ago. She is one of two buns we have that were evacuated from the Gulf Coast after the storm. Along with Mo, she arrived safely but very stressed out. It took quite a bit of time for her to trust us but she has really blossomed into a very beautiful Southern Belle...and she is very prim and proper.She is nothing short of a perfect lady at all times.She is absolutely perfect with her litter box and eagerly anticipates being petted. She has the most perfect dark gray rex fur. She comes to us from Magic Happens Rabbit Rescue in Louisiana. This is the very first picture we had of her before she ever started the trip north and east.






Randy


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## slavetoabunny (Nov 8, 2007)

Katrina is beautiful!!!!! Are you still planning on bonding her with Jojo? How is Jojo doing, BTW?


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## ra7751 (Nov 8, 2007)

We are doing the JoJo-Katrina bond slowly. JoJo still thinks he is a stud...and Katrina isn't very interested in that kind of activity(smart girl...lol). I think it will work. JoJo is doing great. The abscess appears to be totally healed. He is off all the drugs for the first time since he arrived. The only complication we had, and it was minor, was some small skin abscesses from all the injections. That is the first time we have had that...but we also shot him much more than others too. We will probably do another set of x-rays in a few weeks to see exactly how things are going. He is such a clown....with those long ears and that inquisitive face. He is a great bunny.

Randy


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## Bunnicula (Nov 9, 2007)

Randy,

What an awesome photo of Danny. I remember your picture of the goopy eye...ugh! He's a wonderful success story. We think of him often here. Something about his situation just always tugged at my and Gary's heart. Glad to know he's got a gal to look after and love him.

Yesterday was an exciting day here...our Sabrina's House calendar arrived in the mail! It's great! Having Yoda wind up the year as the December picture seems so fitting.

Hope all is well with you.

Give special snuggles to Scoots for us!

-Mary Ellen

-How is the squirrel w/ the head trauma?


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## ra7751 (Nov 9, 2007)

Mary Ellen...Danny has a way with people...everyone that meets him just loves him. One of our friends that is a vet student justadores him and holds him everytime she gets to see him. He sits on her shoulder like he is king of the world. It was also good that she got to see us develop the drug protocols to treat his very nasty eye infection.

Scoots is doing great. She has grown into a very large bunny and just as sweet as she can be. And despite all her problems, she is a very docile and loving rabbit. Her favorite time of the day is meal time....and she is not a picky eater at all. We are so happy she came here.

And the squirrel with the head trauma is doing well....he is all boy and all maturing squirrel. His preferred place is to be crawling all over me. He is in that very playful stage right now but it is only a matter of time before he decides he wants to be a squirrel. He is eating almost totally on his own now...a little ahead of schedule. He should be ready for release sometime in mid-December.


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## Bo B Bunny (Nov 9, 2007)

WOW! my heart just did a flip when I saw Katrina. She is just so beautiful. I wish so much I had a place for more rabbits - she is definitely special! I'm very happy she's with you and doing so well along with the others.

Please give her a nose rub from me....


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## ra7751 (Nov 9, 2007)

Hi Everyone,

Please send healing vibes to this little guy. He was admitted just a few minutes ago. It is a juvenile Eastern Screech Owl in red morph. He only weighs 132g. He flew into the path of a car. My initial exam shows possible internal injuries, an injured wing and most likely a head injury. He has some neurological issues right now. I have just treated him for shock and put him on some pain meds. He will relax here tonight and be transferred to the wildlife hospital tomorrow morning if all goes well. But this little guy is in trouble and his prognosis is not good. We will do everything we can for him....but keep him in your thoughts.






Randy


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## naturestee (Nov 10, 2007)

Oh ouch! Poor little guy. I hope he pulls through. Teeny owls are so cute!

So Randy, where do animals like that go if they heal but can't go back to the wild? I know the wildlife center in Green Bay has a small zoo-type place open to the public and they do education stuff. One of their permanent residents is this poor cougar someone _declawed_ and kept as a pet.:shock:


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## JadeIcing (Nov 10, 2007)

Ohh he is in my thoughts. Come on little guy.


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## ra7751 (Nov 20, 2007)

Hi All,

I think the squirrels are trying to displace rabbits as the most prolific breeder in the wild. We now have several gray squirrels for what appears to be third litters this year. Unprecedented. But the Southern Flying Squirrels don't want to be left out. And here is a group of 4 flyersthat just came in yesterday. The smallest weighs 13g...the largest is 16g. They have quite a fight ahead of them....wish them well.








Randy


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## ra7751 (Nov 20, 2007)

This wonderful elderly gentleman is Dusty. He was found sitting in the middle of a street in a neighboring town. The people that found him have little...but went searching for help for Dusty....they knew he was in trouble. At the time, a friend of ours was working at the local Petsmart and overheard the people asking if they knew any vet that could help him. So she called us and put us in contact with the people and within an hour, Dusty was with us. He was emaciated and so dehydrated that he bent a 19g needle. But we knew immediately that Dusty was a very sick rabbit. One of his testicles was the size of a golf ball and very angry. We knew he had testicular cancer and knew that time was not on his side. We designed the most aggressive drug and husbandry protocols we had worked up until that time to get him ready for surgery. In consulting with our vet, we decided that Dusty could wait no longer and underwent an emergency neuter five days after he arrived here. He was so weak that we feared that he would not survive...but he did. He is cancer free now....and enjoying being here. He is a wonderful rabbit that just gravitates to attention...and eats it up. Dusty will spend the rest of his life living here with us.






Randy


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## Bunnicula (Nov 20, 2007)

Randy,

Dusty is so very handsome.

What happened with the screech owl? Did it go to the Raptor Center or elsewhere? I am hoping that all went well there.

Owl question: would it be unusual to see owls "hunting" over cornfields during the early light morning hours? There is an owl that I have seen for days on my way to work. He sits atop some wires/poles on the side of a road that is surrounded by recently cut corn fields. I presume he is hunting the mice that abound there...but I've never seen an owl seeking prey in the light of morning. I am keeping an eye out for him each day, as I'm concerned that this habit might be a sign that he's in some type of distress. Should I be worried?

Bunny snuggles to Scoots, Danny, Miracle, and all! Wishing you a wonderful, peaceful Thanksgiving.

-Mary Ellen


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## ra7751 (Nov 20, 2007)

This is Penelope.....our "nut case" rabbit. This is her position for extended pets on her head. She will sit for hours if you will only pet her head. And she is our biggest hay eater. She has never met a hay she didn't like....and isn't at all picky about any other meal either. She is very demanding and can throw a tantrum when she is not pleased. But she is a great rabbit.






Randy


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## polly (Nov 25, 2007)

Penelope is soooooo gorgeous. how are the flying squirrels?


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## binkies (Nov 28, 2007)

Oh my gosh I am in LOVE! I want her!! But don't tell my husband, I may get divorced for just thinking about another rabbit. Teehee

I would love to know how the squirrls are doing? They look (and I guess they are) so tiny and helpless.


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## TinysMom (Jan 10, 2008)

Bumping for more stories and pictures....


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## ra7751 (Apr 1, 2008)

Hi All,

Haven't posted any pics in a while but thought you might like to see some of the critters that have been coming thru. This is a cottontail that had been attacked by a cat. Just ayear or soago this type of attack would have meant certain death for a cottontail....or a squirrel or small bird too due to the infections passed by a cat bite. Even a nick of a tooth can cause a life threatening infection. And sometimes it is quite hard to see a cat bite since their teeth are so pointed. But we have learned a lot about controlling these infections.This is one of the first group this year that received a modified diet in an effort to manage that all important wean conversion in the gut. This cottontail was successfully released with a larger group.

This is just a request....if you find injured wildlife, especially cat bites, the best thing you can do for that animal is to get it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible so proper antibiotics can be administered.






Randy


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## ra7751 (Apr 1, 2008)

This group is one of the most aggressive cottontails we have ever seen. There were three in this group...and a single has been added to them. They came in as "pinkies"....no fur and eyes shut. They were pulled from their nest by a dog. The issues with dog encounters are crush injuries from being picked up in the dog's mouth. This is the "Ring Leader" and he is the first to take a run at me when it's feeding time. These are also the first cottontails that have ever bitten me....and they know how to use those tiny incisors. If the weather is good during the upcoming weekend, they will be released.







Randy


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## ra7751 (Apr 1, 2008)

This little guy is a hatchling wood duck. This bird needs some healing vibes. Wood ducks live in trees....and this guy was found all alone. That usually means something is wrong with him and his mother pushed him out of the clutch. Since that usually means a bit of a fall, these birds generally don't survive as they suffer neurological injuries. And this one is showing some neurological deficiencies. He is fighting. But he is so small....only 23g. We are going to do everything we can to help him. I usually take birds to the regional wildlife center but have decided to keep this one....at least for the time being....to spare him the stress of the long road trip to the hosptial.






Randy


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## Bunnicula (Apr 1, 2008)

What cuties all your recent rescues are! The little attack bunny story makes me chuckle. I am glad to know that you could help.

We are still in the process of trying to gain the confidence of the "freed" pet bunny who has taken up residence in our yard. I am only hoping to be able to catch him or her before a similar injury occurs.

Thanks for all you do!

~Mary Ellen


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## Bo B Bunny (Apr 1, 2008)

When I woke up this morning and turned my calendar and saw the little sweet baby cottontail digging for some goodies in her salad....... it made me smile! I remember sweet little Clover when she was that age and so cute ...... 

and then I read about ATTACK BUNNY! :laughsmiley:I know it's not funny when they bite but it sure gave me a giggle. Tough little guy isn't he!?

That duckling is adorable I hope he does ok!


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## ra7751 (Apr 1, 2008)

Duckling-->:rainbow:

:bigtears:

We see this all too often with these delicate little wild animals. It is why the successes areso sweet.

And some cottontails will be taking their place in the world early on Wednesday morning and more will be released during the upcoming weekend. Squirrels out on soft release for the upcoming weekend if the weather cooperates.

Randy


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## Bo B Bunny (Apr 1, 2008)

It's so hard to see them. I feel so bad but you know he wasn't out in the cold on the ground and alone. You gave him comfort in his last hours.

Yesterday Lexi got so angry with me because there was a bird sitting on a fence with an injured wing. I told her that it would probably stress it out or even kill it to try to catch it. It might try to do something it shouldn't and we might get pecked or anything. It's sad but nature does happen. We can only try to step in and help sometimes with the little ones and the endangered ones. She hated me for the day *sigh*


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## Bunnicula (Apr 1, 2008)

Sorry about the duckling. ray:


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## ra7751 (Apr 14, 2008)

Well...wildlife season is here....like it ever stopped. It's been very busy for us and for all of our friends in battle. We are swapping animals between us to make sure we get the best coverage and best treatment for the animals. Had over 20 admissions over the past weekend. I needed to take a short break so I thought I would share some pictures.
















Randy


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## naturestee (Apr 14, 2008)

BABIES!!!:inlove:

What kind of bird is that? And I'm so sorry you lost the wood duck. They're beautiful little critters.


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## trailsend (Apr 14, 2008)

Randy - I just read through your blog and I so enjoyed it and I learned a lot! You do such great work and a lot of it, and I loved reading all the stories about the many critters you have cared for and do. Those babies are some kind of cute!


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## ra7751 (Apr 14, 2008)

Hi Naturestee....we think the bird is a Barred Owl. It doesn't show in the picture but it's face is "framed" so that leads me to think it's a Barred Owl. I am thinking maybe about 3 weeks old or so.

Hi Trailsend...Glad you enjoyed our blog. It's an amazing feeling to have these tiny creatures in your hands and know that their very life rides on the decisions we make. For the cottontails in the picture....it's "showtime" for them. It is still difficult to let them go....but if the weather improves, they will take their place in the world tomorrow morning.

The little guy being fed is a 12g female Southern Flying Squirrel. She was blown out of her tree over the weekend by a nasty thunderstorm. She aspirated rain water into those tiny lungs. And the people that found her tried to feed her...and to make things even worse they fed her whole milk. That is not good and she had a really messed up gut but she is stabilizing. What you can't see in the picture is that she is being fed thru a flexible catheter that is placed directly into her stomach. That not only makes sure she gets the right amount of formula (the correct formula) but it prevents additional fluid issues in the lungs. If all goes well with her, she will clear emergency care by the weekend and I will transfer her to a rehabber that has a colony of flyers so she can learn to be a flyer and not a human.

Randy


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## Bo B Bunny (Apr 14, 2008)

OMG Little cloverbunnies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :hearts:

THey all look really healthy! Good work! :hug:


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## LuvaBun (Apr 14, 2008)

Woah, 20 in a weekend - I guess you are going to have a busy season!

That owl has such a disapproving look . And that poor squirrel. It just goes to show that, even with the best intentions, you can do more harm than good when you don't know what you're doing. 

Good luck with all your new arrivals

Jan


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## TreasuredFriend (Apr 14, 2008)

First time I'm catching your blog Randy. Man, missed a lot. Will add Sabrina's blog to RO bookmarks so I can hop in more often. Thanks for the images. Golly, i need catch-up time. Please keep up your fabulous rehabilitation devotion ~ you are a mentor. 

When I picked dandelions and greens for several hours in drought season one summer, enough to fill three 2 gallon plastic bags and was traveling to wooded parks to find enough lush nibbles for cottontails, ... well, it stretches your back and finger muscles.  Then they eat it all in 48 hours. :biggrin2: Love to your patients...


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## ra7751 (Apr 14, 2008)

Our numbers just increased by 7. These are Virginia Opossums. They are the only marsupial native to North America. This was a "pouch dive" rescue. This is something most people won't do because you actually have to reach inside the pouch and extract the babies. These babies are not in good shape. They are about 40g. They were hypothermic...just got them warm. Very dehydrated. A "pouch dive" rescue opossum is a rare success story since they have usually continued to nurse on the dead mother.....and that means that many times the milk is spoiled. Most of these guys are lost to liver failure. And we usually use Lactated Ringers in most animals but that solution is too strong for these guys....so I am doing something I rarely do....I am giving plain water sub-q. Send them healing vibes....they really have a challenge in the days ahead.






As you can see...this guy doesn't look well at all....and his litter mates are all just like this one.

Randy


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## Bo B Bunny (Apr 14, 2008)

OMG! I would help if I could - he's adorable!

My daughter's friend saved a cottontail last week. I guess a baby was grabbed by a hawk but it was dropped. It had an injury so they took it to a vet who cared for it and will release it when it's all better.


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## tundrakatiebean (Apr 14, 2008)

ray:I hope they make it! He looks so cute :biggrin2:


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## Bunnicula (Apr 14, 2008)

Hey Randy!

I loooooove the opossum pic. Am sending positive thoughts their way. Looks like the forecast is good for the weekend, so that should bode well for the cottontail release.

Just returned home to find a squirrel tail on the street in front of our driveway. Don't know where the rest of the squirrel is...not sure I want to. It looks clean (no blood, no carcass, no entrails, etc), so I guess I am headed to the yard to do an all-out search.

I'm glad you share your wildlife tales, but I'm looking forward to an update on the buns (hint-hint). Snuggles to Yoshi, Danny, and the rest of the gang.

~Mary Ellen


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## ra7751 (May 4, 2008)

Some of today's rescues






And here is a face only a mother could love.






Randy


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## Bunnicula (May 4, 2008)

The baby birds are so sweet. Bet they are keeping you busy, though.


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## LuvaBun (May 5, 2008)

I love baby birds - they are all open beak and cheaping . What are those?

Jan


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## ra7751 (May 5, 2008)

The tiny babies are Chickadees. They weighed only a couple of grams each. Sadly, they were fed water by syringe before I was called. One died shortly after being admitted and one of the ones in the picture was very weak at last report. The larger bird is a fledging Common Grackle.

And another request for those that find wildlife. Please contact a licensed rehabilitator when you find an animal. We have had numerous rabbits and birds that were "critter-napped" by well meaning people....but the animalswere just "learning the ropes" and should have been left alone. And don't offer food or water to any animal. Many of these animals are cold and/or stressed. Feeding orgiving water....particularly to birds...is almost always a death sentence. I have held many birds, rabbits, squirrels and opossums as they struggled to breathe due to fluid in their lungs/airsacs due to improper feeding. Working wildlife is much different than treating domestic animals. Most states have web pages that will lead you to licensed rehabilitators. And if you find a bird out of it's nest and don't see any obvious injuries....either leave it alone as the parents are most likely nearby and it's fledging..... or if it's younger bird and you can safely reach it's nest....put it back in the nest. The old tale about "having human's scent" is just that...on old tale as birds have a poorly developed sense of smell for the most part. Same rules for rabbits. Squirrels will return for their babies if the area is safe and quiet. But if you find a baby opossum, they always need to get into rehab since if they fall off their mother before they are fully weaned, they will die without help.

Randy


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## ra7751 (May 10, 2008)

Forget the peanuts....give us those fresh strawberries.


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## ra7751 (May 10, 2008)

This is a small blackbird known as a common grackle. This picture doesn't do justice for the vivid purple this bird displays in bright sunlight.


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## ra7751 (May 10, 2008)

This is a hybrid duck....part wild, part domestic. He has been a fixture in a local neighborhood pond for several years. He was found in serious condition trying to get to his mate. This duck is not capable of flying but theinjuries point to be run over by a vehicle. Apparently some kids driving a golf cart illegally intentionally ran over this duck. The neighborhood is outraged and I would not be surprised if these kids are charged with animal cruelty. He has a severely broken wing, a possible femur fracture and a nasty laceration on his thigh. His life is very much in danger. Since he requires surgery, he had to go to a vet. Since he is not technically wildlife, he can't go to the wildlife center. A near by educational facility has agreed to take him. The owner's daughter is a licensed vet. But I am sure his care will be expensive regardless. But we can't let this duck think that all people are like those unruly kids...we have to try to help him. Please send healing vibes.


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## ra7751 (May 12, 2008)

My most excellent adventure....well, it's really my very first adventure. This little guy is out exploring and eating clover and grass less than a day after his eyes opened. He loves meal time.


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## Bunnicula (May 12, 2008)

Randy,

That squirrel pic is fabulous. There are many squirrel nests in our trees now, so I think this will be a big year for them. I am a little worried because some cat has been stalking them.

Sorry to hear about the duckling. We have a pair of ducks that come up from a local farmer's pond every spring and visit the yards in our neighborhood. They are a lot of fun...and thankfully our street is pretty calm. It is a shame that people deliberately hurt animals.

Thanks for all you do to make a difference.

~Mary Ellen

P.S. How are the domestic buns of Sabrina's House doing?


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## Jenk (May 13, 2008)

*ra7751 wrote: *


> Finally, (Yoda) told me he was ready....and I had promised him that I would honor his wish at any time. The final night, he slept in the bed with us. Early the next morning, he woke us up and we knew the time had come. My wife held him and then he wanted to come to me. He looked up at me and I felt Sabrina there...she had come for him. I told him it was OK for him to go with her. And then an amazing thing happened. He looked up at me again....but it wasn't the tired and sick rabbit he had become. That howdy-doody face, those perfectly lopped ears and those huge deep brown eyes were there for a final time. It felt like he was saying "thank you". And he nodded his head as I felt his last breath.
> 
> Yoda and Sabrina are our inspiration in this rescue and why I am so determined to find out all I can about EC. The spirits of Yoda and Sabrina live in every rescue we do. And oddly enough, we just got in a rabbit that has severe head tilt...just like Yoda suffered.
> 
> ...


Randy, I've onlyjust now read your story about Yoda; the tears are falling unchecked. :cry1:Your little guy couldn't have had it any better, but I completely understand the loss that we feel on "this side" at the departure of our furry loved ones. 

Still, I'm smiling through the tears at the thought of Yoda and Sabrina being together again, both entirely healthy and full of life. :bunnyhug:Of course, Yoda's perfect health now allows him full command of the rescue. I'm certain that he's doing a wonderful job. 

Jenk


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## ra7751 (May 13, 2008)

Thanks for the kind words Jenk. Yoda and Sabrina are still very special rabbits to us and always will be. It's like they charted a course for us. It has been a most interesting adventure for us....and we have learned a lot. And just a few months ago, a "special needs" Holland came into our lives. He looks like our Yoda.....but more amazing, he acts like him. We went all the way from NC to IL and back for him....a full two day trip. He has a personality just like Yoda. And the way he carries himself is the same. And he likes to be held in a somewhat unusual position...just like Yoda. We named him Deuce. And you are so right...Yoda will always have the bridge.

Randy


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## ra7751 (Jun 13, 2008)

Hi All,

You know, sometimes nature provides such beauty that words just don't do justice....and this is one of those times that we can just admire the beauty of what nature has provided.






Randy


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## Haley (Jun 13, 2008)

Wow, Randy, he/she is just beautiful. What this gentle soul's story?


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## ra7751 (Jun 13, 2008)

This little fellow, named Bambi by the vet staff, was "parked" in a grown over field that was being mowed. He got spooked and took off and went into someone's open garage. The people did the right thing by allowing him to calm down and then putting him back where he was.....minus the tall grass. Mom didn't return. A dead doe and fawn were found in the road not far away so it was assumed this was his mother and sibling. He has been on an IV drip for a couple of days for dehydration. He ate well late this afternoon. His gut (very delicate just like a rabbit) appears to be in good shape and he is digesting the formula well. I transferred him to my primary fawn rehabilitator and he will join a small herd of fawn about the same size. His chances for a successful release appear to be very promising.

Randy


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## Jenk (Jun 13, 2008)

Oh, to kiss that sweet fawn face! :kiss::inlove:

Randy, remind me to tell you of the time that I had a fawn on my head.... 

Jenk


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## Haley (Jun 13, 2008)

Oh wow what a lucky guy. He sure is beautiful. 

Deer are just so majestic- we have about 7 or 8 behind our house that come out sometimes. I could just watch them for hours.


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## LuvaBun (Jun 13, 2008)

What a precious baby. How sad about his mother and sibling, but how wnderful that he was saved, and that propects look good for him.

Jan


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## Jenk (Jun 13, 2008)

*Haley wrote: *


> Deer are just so majestic- we have about 7 or 8 behind our house that come out sometimes. I could just watch them for hours.


What is it about deer and rabbits that speak to some of us so deeply? Is it the softened expressions and large, innocent eyes? Is it their quiet nature? 

I've long loved deer and have alwaysfound rabbits adorable. Now that I better understand rabbit motivations/behavior, they are even more dear to me. And I can't help but wish that I lived in an area where deer roamed freely onto my property (which, of course, would also be _their_ property).


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## TreasuredFriend (Jun 16, 2008)

Jenk, can you tell all of us about the fawn on yer head?
Haley, you are lucky to see a few behind your house! I wish I could visit with trailsend (Donna) for a while to see the deer by her place!

Thanks for posting story and photo, Randy. 

This Saturday I ran out for errands driving the usual winding road. Right past a bend in the road there was a fawn downed on the road, ... the sun brightly displaying the hit & run encounter that had occurred. I traveled about 2 minutes further up the road wrestling with my conscience because I didn't initially pull over at a convenient available spot. 
[ Would I be too late getting the groceries? 
What if the fawn was just recently hit? 
What if a driver ran across the body on the center line, not swerving a bit to the side?! 
- Take in mind I'm the retired rehabber/humankind who stops to safely help... when somebody's plowed into a squirrel, woodchuck, chippy, rabbit. The old towels and plastic garbage bags, gloves, are a regular car kit item. ] 
I swung a U-ey. 
Getting back to the impact spot 4 or so minutes later, another concerned person - caring for the fawn - braved the busy traffic and had stopped to carry off the fawn's delicate frame and lay it on the gravel shoulder. RIP. Made for a sad day and sober time shopping for bunny greens at PickNSave.

On May 24th, our neighbor's left a voice mail because we were out for a while: "Mr. and Mrs. S, there's a baby deer sitting on a porch at our neighbor's. Very still. Should we call the wildlife center?" When Karl and I returned from helping our son move that day, a follow-up phone call with the neighbors revealed: "We saw the adult mom come back later in the day to get her little one on the porch, and the two moved on."
--------------------------------------------------------

THANKS RANDY, I need to see that Picture!! Yo, we have no cottontails by us now, so keep sending e/c pics too. :smile:


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## TreasuredFriend (Jun 16, 2008)

Jenk wrote: What is it about deer and rabbits that speak to some of us so deeply? Is it the softened expressions and large, innocent eyes? Is it their quiet nature? 

I've long loved deer and have alwaysfound rabbits adorable. Now that I better understand rabbit motivations/behavior, they are even more dear to me. And I can't help but wish that I lived in an area where deer roamed freely onto my property (which, of course, would also be _their_ property). 
------------------------------------------------------------
^ yah that ^ - tf
----------------------

Many e/c's rehabbed & released years ago led me to adopting our first bun SnowB from the shelter in 2003, after volunteering.:brownbunny ... domestics have most definitely _changed_ our mindset AND fill our world with happiness. (albeit some work, too. ::wink:

Randy, with all the flooding here in surrounding counties my mind wonders how many nest babies will survive?


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## ra7751 (Jun 16, 2008)

I've been watching the flooding situation and am concerned both for human and animal issues. We were devastated by Hurricane Floyd here some years ago....and the real story never got our as we were basically under lockdown. Untold numbers of animals died...both domestic and wild. The owners of a local pet store got arrested while forcing their way back into their store in aheroic attempt to save as many animals as possible. The police did allow them to attempt as many rescues as possible and then arrested them. We saw people standing in water on the roof of their house....and horribly, we saw bodies floating in the flooded creeks and rivers. My wife asked why we werenot doing anything to help them....in such an emergency, you have to use your resources to help those that can be helped. I have never seen anything like the flood following the hurricane....and I watch in horror as things develop in the midwest. The people and animals need any help we can provide.

Anda brighter note, here is a young fellow that came in over the weekend....another busy weekend. This is a young male Red Tailed Hawk with a fractured left ulna.....one of the bones in the wing. He was found ona huge property owned by a major corporation and their concern andassistance made securing this hawk much easier than normal. His prognosis is quite good for a successful release.






Randy


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## Jenk (Jun 16, 2008)

*TreasuredFriend wrote: *


> Jenk, can you tell all of us about the fawn on yer head?


Sure can.  

At age 17, a friend and I attended a week-long summer camp designed to introduce young people to veterinary medicine (at the U. of Wisconsin-Madison). We followed the vet on her rounds (to farms, the zoo, and even observed a few surgeries). It was great!

The fawn had been anesthetized while the vet inspected an issue with her tail. When the little one came to, she was inside a circle of us students. Without warning, she regained full use of her legs and leaped over my head, landing on me somewhat. It was crazy, but thrilling. :biggrin2:


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## Alexah (Jun 16, 2008)

I'm always so touched by your blog, Randy. I typically cannot read it without crying and today was no exception. Your love for humans and animals alike is tangible and it's something I feel should be recognized as it unfortunately isn't the norm in today's society.

The hawk is absolutely stunning. I'm so happy that he has such a good chance of being healed and returned to the wild. Thanks for all you do and keep the heartwarming stories coming.


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## ra7751 (Jun 17, 2008)

First one of these we have had.....a thrasher.







A successful release. This group is seen eating each morning and evening. Released at a friend's house.






These are some cottontails that just opened their eyes....and started nibbling on small pieces of alfalfa hay almost immediately.


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## LuvaBun (Jun 17, 2008)

That's a handsome looking bird - I've never heard of a thrasher! And Yay for another successful release .

Jan


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## ra7751 (Jun 26, 2008)

These three young ladies were admitted in very bad condition. They were terribley emaciated and had major gut issues. I really didn't think they would survive. But they did.....and the girls are about the most beautiful opossums we have ever had here. These pictures don't do them justice at all. Each of them has a round patch of white fur on their sides....a birthmark. They were all released to take their place in the world on June 24.
















Randy


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## Alexah (Jun 26, 2008)

How wonderful that those sweet (and adorable) girls were able to be rehabilitated and released. It's so sad to hear their stories, but then when you get to see the happy endings it makes it all worth it...and more.


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## Bo B Bunny (Jun 26, 2008)

Those baby opossums are just precious! How can anyone not love them?! 

How's the fawn?


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## Jenk (Jun 26, 2008)

Those three girls are super cute! I just want to scoop 'em up and cuddle them (as if they'd sit still for that :biggrin2. 

I _love_ opossums. Sadly, my friends and family don't share my enthusiasm. "They have rat tails," they say. _Bah_. They _are _cute. The Jenk has spoken.


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## ra7751 (Jun 26, 2008)

The fawn, and another that came in a few days later, have been successfully integrated into the rehab herd and are doing well. They are so neat especially when they are that young. They trust you unconditionally....which unfortunately is a bad thing sometimes.

And these opossums loved attention. They were handled so much because they were so sick when they came here that they really didn't mind contact. I hope they stay near their release point. It's a great location with animal loving people that is far from a road. And while she doesn't interfere with the wildlife, the lady that lives there does make it a bit easier for them to find food. Opossums have a bad rap. They are actually very helpful animals as they clean up the messes. People think they are dumb because they get hit by cars so often. Actually, they don't have really good eyesight so they probably don't see the car coming. They have changed little in their time on earth.....and that dates to the time of the dinosaurs.....they are living history. They also have an unusually high resistance to infections. Cat bites that would kill most other animals in a few days don't usually do that with opossums. Their body temperatures are much lower than most other mammals. And they don't usually contract rabies even when in direct contact with a rabid animal. We do "pouch dives". When you see a fat female dead in the road....many times the babies in her pouch are still alive. The milk spoils quickly and the babies can suffer severe brain and/or liver damage if they continue to nurse spoiled milk. We stop and pull the babies from the pouch. Hopefully we can do something to save them....but in some cases all we can do is make the ultimate expression of our love for them and humanely euthanize them to prevent undue suffering. But these guys are wonderful animals. I have one on loan to an educational facility that was a pouch dive that suffered brain damage. She is terribly cross eyed and can't be released. But she will sit in your lap....and I have fed her directly from my hand. She is a great teacher. She has a purpose and is living a charmed life.

Randy


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## Jenk (Jun 26, 2008)

*ra7751 wrote: *


> I have (an opposum) on loan to an educational facility that was a pouch dive that suffered brain damage. She is terribly cross eyed and can't be released. But she will sit in your lap....and I have fed her directly from my hand. She is a great teacher. She has a purpose and is living a charmed life.


:inlove: 

It's great when the best possible outcome is achieved in the face of a less-than-stellar situation.

It would be great if the education facility would forward pictures of her in action (teaching others); that way, you could then share them with us.


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## ra7751 (Jun 26, 2008)

Noah's Landing is run by some fine people. We have known them quite a while. They hold camps all year to teach kids about wildlife....and this place is hands on whenever possible. Not only do they have Virginia, our opossum, they have a homing pigeon we rescued and soon will have a squirrel. This squirrel is so beautiful....she has red on her sides and tail. I named her Lucy (after our all time favorite red head..Lucille Ball...and I am telling my age here). She suffered a fall....most likely from the nest....and she suffered a nasty mandibular fracture. Squirrels have open rooted teeth just like rabbits so if there is a problem with the jaw which affects occlusion of the teeth....their teeth will overgrow just like a rabbit. Think trimming your rabbit's teeth is a challenge? Come give Lucy a try. But she knows that she will get her all time favorite treat after her dental work...a big juicy strawberry. You can visit their site.

http://noahslanding2x2.com/

Several cottontails were released his morning and more for tomorrow morning. Hopefully the squirrels and opossums are done for a few weeks...mostly fawn, rabbits and birds now.

Randy


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## Bo B Bunny (Jun 26, 2008)

Horse barns hate opossums. They can carry EPM and it gets transferred to horses and it's a horrible disease for them.

Otherwise, I would feed all the ones I see out here LOL! 

My mom has a couple of "pet opossums" that come up and eat the scraps she puts out in special areas of her yard. It makes it easier for them also and then they are less likely to be harmed by someone else. She had a small wooded lot next to her and they live in there.


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