Current Animals Here at the Rescue
Scroll down to the foot of the page for guinea pigs
If you need to find a new home for your rabbit, have a look at the re-homing article listed under the "Information" section.
We have rabbits and guinea pigs coming in regularly so please phone me for the latest details on 01373 864222. New rabbits and guinea pigs usually appear on the animals available page within 24 hours of arrival. They are re-homed in compatible pairs, but we usually have single rabbits available for match-ups with your lonely bunny if required.
What you need to adopt rabbit from CottonTails
You will need a large hutch (at least 5' long) with the run permanently attached at all times, so the rabbits do not need to rely on you for their exercise. As the rabbits must have access to their run even at night, the run must be safe to make sure the rabbits can't dig out out or foxes to dig in. Siting the hutch and run on a patio is often the safest idea, and this also makes cleaning out easier too.
A Wendy House or suitable shed leading onto a safe garden is also suitable, so long as the rabbits are not shut in to a hutch within the shed at night. Please note that most two-storey hutch-run units (with ramps) are NOT suitable for rabbits as not only are they not big enough but the rabbits can receive serious injury from twisting or slipping on the ramps. You will find several excellent examples of rabbit accommodation ideas in the rabbit care information article on this website, and below you can see a photo of the sort of accommodation we use here at CottonTails. Ideally the run should be bigger if the rabbits are not going to be running around the garden during the day. Please note that the run top has been removed so you can see the set up better, but usually the top is on securely otherwise the rabbits could jump out!
The tops that we use here are made of plastic sheeting (the type used on conservatory roofs) attached to a frame of wooden batten, secured by the clips you use on dog leads (available from pet shops). The catches should be heavy buty bolts to prevent foxes from opening them, and the wire should be heavy duty (not chicken wire) and securely attached to the frame so that the rabbits cannot chew their way out or predators push their way in.
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The photo below shows the same hutch with the run lid in place.
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House Rabbits
I am happy for rabbits to be adopted as house rabbits, but you need to be aware of how destructive rabbits are, that many will still leave droppings on the floor even if they are good with their litter training, and that they still need access to daylight on a regular basis to keep them healthy. Also, they must not be shut into a cage as this defeats the whole object of making sure they have access to exercise 24 hours a day! However, being confined to a particular room is practical and will give a pair lots of room to exercise and play. They are healthier if allowed access to the outside on a regular basis. Contact me for advice if you would like to consider adopting rabbits as house pets if this is a new concept to you, and I will be delighted to help.
Click on the link below to view a short video about what you need to provide to be able to adopt rabbits from CottonTails. You will also find many useful tips about rabbit welfare:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhLYMBEEXvk
Video link about diet:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa1cRkr1sbU
You will also find other useful video links about topics such as matching-up your bunny (for example Jll meets Leo parts 1 and 2) on the video links page.
If you are bringing your lonely neutered rabbit for a match-up, you will find it useful to read the match-up article on the website as it explains the basics of what to expect when matching up rabbits. Basically you would bring your bunny with you and we would put him or her with the new friend in a neutral pen together and watch them for a while, usually about 20 minutes or so. This is usually long enough to tell if the pairing has a chance of working or not. On the basis that all goes well, they then travel back home together in the same carrier and then into neutral territory that you have prepared earlier, somewhere your rabbit has never been before such as a shed, garage, conservatory, spare room etc. It needs to be a safe area that they can be together for a few days, but must be big enough that they can get away from each other if they want to (that means not shut into a hutch!). Once they have settled down and bonded they can be moved into the area you want them to live in permanently. Please note that it is not a good idea to attach a water bottle to the carrier or cage during transit as the water bottle will leak due to the movement and the rabbit will get soaked! If it is a warm day and you have a long journey, stop and offer the bottle whilst stationary.
The Minimum donation fee is £40 for male rabbits, £45 for females, making a male/female pair £85. This includes neutering, full vaccination (VHD and Myxomatosis), and treatment with the product "Advantage" to ensure that the rabbit has no fleas, lice or fur mites. Our rabbits are also fully screened for dental disease whilst under anaesthetic for neutering, although this does not guarantee that dental disease will not appear in later life. Rabbits with dental disease or temperament problems are not offered for adoption.
As the parasite E. cuniculi is now known to be present in at least 50% of all rabbits (not just those here at CottonTails but all pet rabbits), we now give medication (a 9 day course of Panacur) to every rabbit as a precaution prior to adoption.
The minimum donation fee for guinea pigs is £10 each, £15 for a neutered male. Guinea pigs are available in compatible pairs or small groups, or as singles if needed to match with a lonely guinea pig. The guinea pig section is towards the foot of the animals available page.
Click on photos to enlarge, scroll down for guineapigs.
Rabbits for Adoption
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There will be lots of new little faces arriving from 24th August onwards. Our neutering run is booked for the 8th September, so there should be bonded pairs as well as singles for match-ups available shortly after they have recovered from their operations. There will be mixed ages and various breeds/colours, so there should be lots to choose from! September is a good time to adopt as most people have had their annual holiday and the weather is usually still very good without the very high temperatures that we have had in the height of summer. |
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Zonda and Bentley are a very attractive neutered female/male pair. Zonda (the netherland dwarf) is about 3 years old, and Bentley is 2 years old. They are very happy together and appear to be content.
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Zd6GcAYDc
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Nero and Mischief's owners have decided to return home, and sadly their country will not allow them to take the rabbits with them. Although they are not leaving for a few months yet, they have asked me to list Nero and Mischief on the animals available page just in case a suitable home for them becomes available in the meantime. They are a delightful strongly bonded neutered male pair, lively and curious and always ready to get up to mischief (hence the name!). They currently have free run in a conservatory so are used to lots of space, and would make good house bunnies, ideally with access to a garden as well. They are 18 months old.
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I have 1 inside cage and a few carriers (various sizes) that are surplus to requirements. The cage is small-medium (donation of about £8 would be good) and measures 28"x18"x15". The photo is only an example to illustrate the sort of cage that is available, the actual colour of the tray being light grey. The carriers vary in size, from guinea pig sized ones to larger carriers suitable for a pair of rabbits. A donation of around £4 per carrier would be appreciated. |
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We have had four little baby lops in today, all males, 5 weeks old. Apparently mum had another litter a week ago so her first litter had to move out. It was the usual problem of the owner buying a pair of rabbits from the pet shop and it proved to be a proper pair and not two of the same sex as they had been promised. All four babies are very pretty, three harliquins and one white with grey smudges and blue eyes. I intend to put them up for adoption as two pairs of brothers as they will be neutered as soon as it is possible to prevent fighting. It is likely they will be ready about the beginning of August. Our other foster carer Emma has taken them on until they are old enough to return for castration, and she will decide on some temporary names for them in the meantime. I will take some photos when they return next week for their myxomatosis injections. UPDATE: New photos are below, and Emma and family have chosen the babies' temporary names: Stripes, Sherbert, Butterscotch and Pumpkin!
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Gemini originally arrived with his brother but sadly due to dental disease Gemini is now on his own. He has been neutered and has now been introduced to a new neutered female friend. It is not a match made in heaven as yet but it is early days. I am hopeful that they will start to accept each other during the next few days, but will update the entry as and when I have news.
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QXbrkng8rc The photo below is Gemini's new friend. She is about 3 years old and is very pretty!
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Misty and Toffee are a brother and sister pair and are 15 weeks old (23rd June). Misty (the grey male) is now neutered but as his sister is still under 1 kg she has not yet been spayed. She is booked in with the vet for her operation on the 28th July. However, I am happy to take a reservation on this lovely pair if someone is keen to adopt them.
This delightful pair are now reserved! |
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This delightful little group of four babies are 6 weeks old (20th July) and so long as all goes well they will be neutered on the 8th September. There are two males and two females (I will double check the females in a few weeks time however, just to be sure!). So long as none of them prove to have dental disease, they will be offered for adoption as two brother/sister pairs, which means that a white one will be paired with a magpie (white and grey) one. They are quite small for their age so I do not think they will be very big when fully grown at 6 months.
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Guinea Pigs for Adoption |
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Oliver and Henry are two bonded males (brothers?) about 2 years old. Although they very frightened when they first arrived, they are now settling in well and I am confident that with careful handling they will tame down nicely. The white one (Oliver) is particularly nice to cuddle and will sit very well whilst stroked. They are fit and strong and should make good pets once they have settled in.
This pair are now reserved and will go to their new home on 1st August. |
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Harry is a handsome neutered male, ready to match with a lonely female or females from about mid August onwards. He was living with his brother but sadly they started fighting and even neutering did not resolve it. Don't worry about the long fur - a quick snip around the rear end once every 3-4 weeks is all that is needed to keep him neat and tidy! Full instruction provided if required.
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 "Dates for new bunnies!")
 "Zonda and Bentley - why are they still here?")
 "Nero and Mischief")
 "Inside cage and carriers")
 "Four new babies!")
 "Gemini and new friend?")
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 "Misty and Toffee - reserved")
 "Four babies, ready approximately 12th September")
 "Oliver and Henry - reserved")
 "Harry")
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