# handicapped Bunny needs new home..911..do not want to put to sleep



## BeanieLover12 (Dec 5, 2008)

I have a 3 year old named Beanie who hurt herself 6 months ago. Back went out, back legs almost useless.
Since, she has gained weight, mostly my fault. I want to make her feel good, so Ive Craisined and yogurt/hayed her to obesity.
shes gotten worse, she falls over now onto her back and cant get up.

I will drive the bunny to you!
Ive seen pics of buns in wheelchairs. Thats what she needs. But I dont have the time to take care of her. This has become a full time job, and I cant do it anymore.
I dont want to end her life. She is responsive. She loves her craisins, yogurt covered timothy hay treats. she eats hay fine, she goes no. 1 and 2 fine. She even eats her cecals just fine. She needs to lose weight.

PLEASE DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A SHELTER THAT IS NO KILL that will let her live her natural life out with a wheelchair or better?


Thanks
Mathew


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## Maureen Las (Dec 5, 2008)

Before I move this to the rescue section of the forum I want to emphasize that I hope that she has been receiving veterinary care for her injury . if she was injured and didn't get proper care it could have added to the problems that she is having now .

have you been seeing vet? Do you know exactly what happened to her. Is she on pain medication at all ?

It also would help if you added where you lived in your profile so if anyone could take her we would know where you are. 

This is very tragic but a handicapped bun does reqiure a lot of care. Possibly the support of a forum for people with handicapped rabbits and /or our forum could help you decide that you want to keep her. Maybe with support you would have more energy to care for her. 
you really sound like you love her a lot. 

Sounds like a hard decision to make .....

Your bunny has a stong desire to live , a strong spirit; which is good


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## slavetoabunny (Dec 5, 2008)

Where in Florida are you?


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## Maureen Las (Dec 6, 2008)

I think that BeanieLover12 is looking for a new home so I'm going to move this to rescue...


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## gentle giants (Dec 8, 2008)

Your odds of finding a shelter that will not put her to sleep are very slim. If a rabbit is not adoptable, and a severly handicapped one is considered that way by most places, that makes it a "liability". 

I want to ask again what angieluv asked, has a vet been consulted, x-rays done, etc.? I would think that if she was in a wheelchair it would make her care easier.


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## BethinIrving (Dec 8, 2008)

*gentle giants wrote: *


> Your odds of finding a shelter that will not put her to sleep are very slim. If a rabbit is not adoptable, and a severly handicapped one is considered that way by most places, that makes it a "liability".
> 
> I want to ask again what angieluv asked, has a vet been consulted, x-rays done, etc.? I would think that if she was in a wheelchair it would make her care easier.



There are wheelchairs for rabbits? Where?


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## tonyshuman (Dec 8, 2008)

Treasuredfriend has experience with bunny wheelchairs. I think they have made some themselves out of PVC pipes with wheels, and have used wheelchairs made for very small dogs.


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## BeanieLover12 (Dec 9, 2008)

I am in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, and am willing to drive up to say 100 miles or so to deliver her.
She does not have any diseases or anything, but something happened that caused her to have some hair removed from her top of her head. its starting to grow back.
I have to strap a sock to her left side to prevent her from ending up on her back, where she gets trapped.
The only bright side to that, not to say there is, but she has no hair on one leg now because of probably urine. I change her fleece bottom now every other day. I give her plenty of room to move, and I see evidence that she does move.

She is drinking water.
She is Pooping just fine.
amazingly, no secals, she is eating them, which is awesome.
But she always lays on one side and that side is always down.
She need physical therapy.

I cannot afford to take xrays and stuff.
I know this sounds bad. I have moderate experience with Rabbits, and I honestly feel that my rabbit can have a good rest of her life at a place where someone can devote the time she needs, wheelchair, PT, ect.
She was obese, and is doing better in that regard. 
as per many articles i have read, I have cut down her pellets to barely 1/16th of a cup, with good oxbow timothy hay daily, one craisin per day for a treat, and some greens at night.
She is losing weight slowly but surely.

anyone able to help and take her after the holidays when Im able to bring her?
Beanies owner!


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## BeanieLover12 (Dec 9, 2008)

Thank You, but this is actually not my rabbit. I have rescued her.
I cannot afford vet bills, I have medical problems myself that I am ignoring right now. we all live in tough times, Im sure we will agree.

Im in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.
I want to make arrangements to find someone who can take her and let her have a better life.
She had a visit to a vet when she initialy had her back problem. Vet didnt know what happened. She actually has some movement in her back legs.

so to sum
1) I cannot care for her..
2) I can tell you that with her appetite, no problems with cecal intake, no problems with poop of any kind, she is otherwise healthy
3)needs help soon, as she has lost hair on her leg from probably staying in one place too much. I try to move her. but she always ends up on the same sideways laydown where she is happy.
4)she is still sweet. she has signs of enjoying life. she does not show any signs of being in pain or distress.

I am willing to drive even up to 100 miles or so to deliver her or so.
after xmas of course.

Beanies owner


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## BeanieLover12 (Dec 9, 2008)

tampa bay area.
do you know someone who is able to help and take her?
im available for communication if you want to.


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## tonyshuman (Dec 9, 2008)

Is anyone in a disabled rabbits online group as well and could cross post this there? Also, you might want to PM the member Treasuredfriend who has experience with disabled buns. I don't think she could take her in herself as she has a full house with her rescue and is currently caring for a disabled bun herself, not to mention how far away (WI) she lives, but she might know someone closer to where you live.

Best of luck


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## kherrmann3 (Dec 10, 2008)

TreasuredFriend has two disabled buns. Whenever I go over there, they seem happy and as healthy as possible. I know she has a cart for one, but the other is a bit... voluptuous. (Sorry, Tam!)

If you look up wheelchairs or "karts" for small dogs/cats, you can use those for rabbits. 

I hope she comes on here and reads this or contacts you. She is the only person I know with "scooter buns".


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## TreasuredFriend (Dec 10, 2008)

You girls are so sweet. So are you, Mathew.

Tamm forgives you -k- for being called voluptuous.

Carts? Doggon Wheels, or dogstogo.net ... we needed to modify both to fit the needs of Karla as her back legs and front legs declined in ability to support herself.
Tamm gets scoot-around time on the carpet on her front legs to slenderize her belly bulge (until she gets a specialized cart). And I massage her plumped up figure with my hands.

I can't hug you enough, mathew, for not wanting to end her life and giving her every option available. Caring for disabled bunns, one or more, takes a LOT of time. 

As tonyshuman mentioned, our sanctuary bunns, family and rescues and 2 disabled girls won't allow us to take on another. I can give you tips though on caring for her -- for the interim -- and keep my ears tuned to other resources or sanctuary homes with special needs' knowledge. Let me know if I can send the link to disabledrabbits forum. Ideally to find someone, a dedicated sanctuary caregiver, closeby would be best. The sanctuary moms I know of are at capacity, yet I'll keep my ears on alert.

Will have to research more on the Carolina (?) refuge/shelter, that Caroline Gilbert started, or other special needs' places.... disabled rabbits forum is a good suggestion.

Lots of love,


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## slavetoabunny (Dec 11, 2008)

Have you contacted the Tampa House Rabbit Society?


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## TreasuredFriend (Dec 11, 2008)

http://www.adopt-a-rabbit.org/

For plus-size voluptuous Tamm, our vet has prescribed unlimited quality hay & a handful of wet low-calcium greens (to help with sludge concerns and immobility). 

She may get a 1/2 teaspoon of Oxbow BBT pellet strands per the vet's recommendation, especially on the days when she has kitchen playtime or physical therapy scooter-time (thanks, KH!), in the front lawn with her helper human.

Via a house rabbit society referral like slavetoabunny suggested, or private rescue, special needs' caretaker, I am ray: she'll see many years ahead of her in good spirits and affection. You are a kind person, Mathew, to see her rescued and well-cared for!


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## slavetoabunny (Dec 11, 2008)

I did consult our program director at Gainesville Rabbit Rescue. Not only are we full, but we do not have anyone who would be able to care for this type of disability.

I can tell you love this bunny. Finding a home for a special needs rabbit is difficult at best.


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## ec (Dec 12, 2008)

Have you checked with the rescues listed on this page?
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/adoptabun.html

There is a disabled rabbits group on Yahoo; I'd definitely join and see what the folks there would suggest.


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## TreasuredFriend (Dec 12, 2008)

[email protected]


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## ec (Dec 12, 2008)

Thanks!

You can also subscribe (and read/write posts) at the group's home page: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/disabledrabbits/


TreasuredFriend wrote:


> [email protected]


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## Strongheart (Dec 16, 2008)

I specialize in handicapped rabbits and had one such rabbit under my care recently featured in Lucile Moore's new book, When Rabbits Need Special Care.

If someone can get her up here (western Maryland), I can take care of her. I go to the top notch vets in the mid-Atlantic who will vouch for me.

I do not like the little wheelchairs either.

Bright Eyes Sanctuary
http://brighteyessanctuary.org


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## gentle giants (Dec 16, 2008)

*Strongheart wrote: *


> I do not like the little wheelchairs either.
> 
> Bright Eyes Sanctuary
> http://brighteyessanctuary.org


Just out of curiosity-why not? I have never had an animal that used one, so I have no experience on this one.


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## Strongheart (Dec 16, 2008)

They hate them. With a passion.

You can check out my article about it:
*http://tinyurl.com/6mbkpb*


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## gentle giants (Dec 17, 2008)

That's very interesting. I had thought that they liked getting their mobility back. I just saw a video on here somewhere with this little rabbit that was zipping around all over the place in her wheelchair, and I have seen other videos and pictures that appeared the same. If the wheelchairs are bad, what would you do for a rabbit that is disabled this way? Especially if it is not likely to regain the use of it's hindquarters?


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## kherrmann3 (Dec 17, 2008)

Maybe some-buns like them?


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## Strongheart (Dec 19, 2008)

The only ones I've seen like them are mini-lops, those high energy goofballs.

Rebecca was motivated by her loathing of her wheelchair to participate in her physical therapy and do her best to hop around even if her hind end dragged. Eventually she was hopping on the bed and made a full recovery.

She was an extraordinary rabbit with an ironwill and heart of gold. So sweet. I will never forget her.


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## werecatrising (Dec 29, 2008)

What ever happened? Is Beanie in a new home?


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## Pipp (Jan 2, 2009)

What happened with this bunny? She seems to have some options, any follow-up? 

Another option MAY be contacting one of our members, StephieMarie, who recently lost her own disabled bun, Coco. 

Please update! 


sas


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## TreasuredFriend (Jan 7, 2009)

Bumping, hoping she is okay.


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## pla725 (Jan 21, 2009)

Bumping again for an update.


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## Poetman (Jan 29, 2009)

For what it's worth~

My daughter's bunny (age 3) was hopping around the apartment and went under her bed. Well, the frame was unsteady so my daughter was trying to get Butters out. The bed frame snapped and hit Butters in the back. She now can't move her rear legs. I took her to the vet the next morning, and Butters was put on Prednisone for pain/inflammation~for the next 3 weeks~with a secondary Rx to restrict movement as much as possible.

Butters is eating well, she's going to the bathroom fine. She eats her turds, snuggles with her stuffed Koala, and lets us give her a bath (really quite necessary!). I read on the web that newborn disposable diapers are a good way to deal with the mess. Cut out a spot for the tail, tape it around like you would on a baby, and then let bunny scoot around the apartment. She did scoot a bit earlier today when we were transferring her back to her cage~that bunny can MOVE. 

So I wanted to put the diaper option out there for you. A lot cheaper than a bunny wheelchair AND would increase the exercise she gets without costing your carpet.

Good luck!


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## irishlops (Feb 3, 2009)

benie lover has only made 4 posts.... on here... my be the bun is in a new home..


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