Big Blot Entry!

Well, today has been another one of those days. I took in 11 rabbits this morning, one has died since then. I got a phone call yesterday re: someone needing to place 9 baby bunnies, too familiar, right? A man called yesterday, said he use to belong to Hop-Line and his rabbit is neutered, and it just turned into a very bizarre conversation. Well, his girlfriend/wife (not sure) called today and was so all over the place in the conversation with exactly what they had, that I asked if I could go and see the babies. Ok, Room #1: neutered male, a female with her four 5 week old daughters, and newly neutered male (the dad - and I bet anything she is pregnant again - they didn't wait the 30 days for the sperm to dry up). She was picking up the babies quickly by the scruff of the neck, and letting them jump down out of her arms at the height you would a cat. Please know I was very aggressive in speaking with her about all this, and everything else I saw. I was talking to her about breaking their bones, and she proceeded to tell me that she figured out their bones were fragile when she was washing the foot of one before between her fingers and broke the bunnies foot. She also gave the last 7 born to a breeder. All the bunnies in this room are still running around together, and one of the 5 week olds had been attacked by one of the other rabbits and had a piece of it's eyelid hanging off, so get ready for this, she shaved around the eye, and took off the piece of skin hanging off the eyelid with a razor blade! We then went into room #2 where a neutered male lop lives with his female (un-spayed) bond mate (apparently these are his bunnies, the rest are hers). She went behind some piece of furniture and opens a cage, takes out an adult rabbit, grabs a handful of baby bunnies and drops them on a newspaper on top of the cage and proceeds to roll them up in the newspaper to carry them to the other room. OK, this might not sound bad, so let me explain. A folded newspaper, rolled up, both ends open for the babies to slide out. I told her it wasn't a good idea. Room #3: The bedroom... On the bed was a cat looking out the window, a very afraid looking adult rabbit, and some sheepskin thing that had long hairs (like a shag rug) that 5 babies were tangled up in and very dehydrated looking. She thought she was helping to keep them warm this way. I told her the moms needed to be in the cage with their babies (don't know which babies belong to which mom, and there is at least a weeks age difference) to keep warm and be fed. I went home, and then called back and told her I wanted the two moms and the infants. I rushed down to Norwalk where Linda and I gave them 2 cc's each of lactated ringer solution and fixed them up in a cage until I go home tonight. 1 baby was dead by the time I got to Linda's. I knew that they wouldn't all make it, and I still have doubts on 4 more. I have made a baby bunny formula, but one of the moms seems to be grooming the tiny little ones. I will assist where I can, but know that nature will take it's course no matter how I try to interfere. I am certain that there is probably (with my luck the past couple of months) going to be another litter from whoever had the litter that looks over a week old. They never separated them from the dad, and for anyone who doesn't know, rabbits can get pregnant within 3 hours of giving birth.

On a lighter and very kind note, I dropped of Mr. Uggs and Casper to be neutered today, and when I was unloading them from the car, a woman was putting a carrier into hers, she said that she was dropping off her rabbit to be spayed. I shook her hand and told her who I was and the name of our organization, she is an HRS member (love hearing that!) and then we said goodbye. She came back into Dr. Piepers office and told Sandra that she would cover the cost of our 2 neuters! I had tears, it was so very kind! I mean, WOW! It's so nice when you see people who really do care. There are angels among us! OK, well, who knows what the rest of the day shall bring, right? Just pray for these little ones that whatever is best for them is what happens. It's in God's hands ultimately, as are we all!

At Linda's, Pumpkin has started treatment for EC. The other day he started acting like he had injured a leg, then started flipping, of course she rushed him to the vet. He has been on meds less than 48 hours and is already walking around and acting like a normal bunny again! Claire is pooping again on her own and off the Reglan and force feeding. At my place, Bubba is getting daily butt massages (oh, Joy!) to work the medicine into his little area, Juliet and Cleopatra are now on Zythromicin, Acorn is on his ear drops, and Stormy (whose eye is looking SO much better) is still on his eye drops and he, Acorn and Bubba will all have a follow up visit in the next two weeks. All the babies that we have had with us the past month are doing great! You can see them listed on our web-site under "Adoptable's" at www.hopalonghollow.org. Oh, and Sheffie is back to his old-doggie self!