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| 12/16/2011 08:07 PM |
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So now that my neighbor has gotten a rabbit, it's made me feel the gap in my life where a small furry animal should be. I hate being bunny-less! But I will be graduating college in May and will be going home after that and may only be at home for another 15 months. Due to this, I cannot actually adopt a bunny due to not being sure where I'll be living 19 months from now.
So I am considering fostering bunnies for those 15 months after I get home in May. There are two small shelters in the area (southeast Michigan) that place rabbits in foster homes, Michigan Rabbit Rescue and Rabbit & Small Animal Rescue. So I sent both of them emails about 2 weeks ago asking if 15 months starting in May is long enough to be eligible to foster at their shelters. Hopefully they get back to me soon! ^_^
Sadly enough for me, the biggest rabbit shelter in my area, Midwest Rabbit Rescue & Re-home, doesn't foster rabbits, it keeps them in the shelter. I wish they did, because they have some of the most adorable bunnies on Petfinder! Look at these two stunning girls!: www.petfinder.com/petdetail/8105299 And this giant beautiful boy!: www.petfinder.com/petdetail/15549099
Anyway, since it'd be a foster, I'm thinking about fostering the type of rabbit that needs it the most, the rabbits that tend to get overlooked and sit in shelters the longest. So I was wondering if anyone who has worked at shelters knows the rabbits that are overlooked the most, like certain colors or breeds? I've made a list of what I know so far, but I'd love if anyone could add to it!
Overlooked rabbits:
Older rabbits
Bonded rabbits that must be adopted together
Large rabbits
Red-eyed rabbits
Solid black rabbits
Now, I love larger rabbits, I prefer bonded pairs, and solid black rabbits are one of my favorite kinds! So I might be on the lookout for a bonded pair where at least one is large and black. ^^ I'm willing to foster any bunny/pair of bunnies though, especially ones that have been at the shelter a long time! |
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  FrankieFlashMichigan
729 posts  | |
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| 12/16/2011 08:32 PM |
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I'm from MI too! I think it's great that you wanna foster. I'm not sure what is overlooked in shelters so sorry I can't help with your original post but there's actually 3 rescues in MI (that I know about) and I couldn't tell in your post if you knew about all 3. There's Midwest Rabbit Rescue, Michigan Rabbit Rescue and Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary (I'm going there tomorrow- it's in Willis). So I thought I would mention them in case you haven't heard of one. I wish you mucho success! |
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| 12/16/2011 08:33 PM |
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which ever one you get will be a lucky bunny.
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  MonkeybunHillsboro, Oregon
9147 posts | |
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| 12/16/2011 08:35 PM |
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I have found while volunteering at the humane society here, that the big red eyed white buns are the most overlooked. We had 4 lovely ladies there for over a year before they got adopted, it was quite sad to see them every day there  |
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 LittlePuffyTailNew Brunswick, Canada
 Forum Leader 6645 posts | |
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 QueensbunQueens, NY
127 posts | |
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| 12/17/2011 08:13 AM |
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Agreed. I love my REW!!!  |
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QueensbunQueens, NY
127 posts | |
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MonkeybunHillsboro, Oregon
9147 posts | |
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| 12/17/2011 08:22 AM |
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My next bun is going to be a big REW I think  Of course, I will need a house so Monkey doesn't have to worry about getting squished. |
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| 12/17/2011 08:50 AM |
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Agree - the bigger REWs are stuck in shelters so long! That is how I got Powder.. he'd been there for 6 months in this tiny cage and he was a big old 6lb REW. The volunteer that showed us the rabbits said children were scared of his eyes, so no one wanted him, so I took him home within about 2 minutes of meeting him. And he's been the perfect bun, except he ate my phone cord once because I forgot to cover it, haha. Oddly enough, the smaller red eyed bun that had some black markings on him as well (mixed breed I guess?), was so loved by children at the same shelter they even took him to schools... go figure. :s
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 Sarita(Dallas)
Forum Leader 12597 posts | |
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| 12/17/2011 10:28 AM |
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REW's for sure. I love them. Most any large rabbit really. Also black rabbits. |
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| 12/17/2011 09:13 PM |
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Posted By FrankieFlash on 12/16/2011 09:32 PM
I'm from MI too! I think it's great that you wanna foster. I'm not sure what is overlooked in shelters so sorry I can't help with your original post but there's actually 3 rescues in MI (that I know about) and I couldn't tell in your post if you knew about all 3. There's Midwest Rabbit Rescue, Michigan Rabbit Rescue and Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary (I'm going there tomorrow- it's in Willis). So I thought I would mention them in case you haven't heard of one. I wish you mucho success!
Well, I would need to go through a rescue that fosters buns rather than houses them in one localized shelter. Both Midwest Rabbit Rescue and Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary appear to house the rabbits in one centralized location, so I wouldn't be able to foster through them, I think. But if I'm mistaken on this, please let me know! Michigan Rabbit Rescue does fosters though. The other rescue I was referring to, Rabbit & Small Animal Rescue, is not exclusively for rabbits but half their animals are rabbits and they foster!
Sounds like the overwhelming consensus is that large REWs tend to be the most overlooked. I have to admit that while I'm okay with solid white REWs, for some reason I find Himalayans and Californians extremely unappealing. I don't like how the spot on the nose looks. Maybe I just need a good one to win me over, though! If I'm able to end up fostering, I'll ask in particular if there's any certain bunny that's had trouble being adopted, but if not, I'll look out for a large REW, whether single or bonded to another bunny.
Thank you for the advice, everyone! Hopefully everything works out and I am able to foster. *fingers crossed* It's tempting to adopt, so I'm actually glad I can't (due to my living circumstances), as I think ultimately I could be of more use to the bunnies right now through fostering rather than adopting. |
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Sarita(Dallas)
Forum Leader 12597 posts | |
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| 12/18/2011 10:11 AM |
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I love the Californians and Himalayans very much. I've had a few and they have been such good rabbits, I would get one of them again in a heartbeat if I were to get another rabbit.
I think it's normal though for people to have an idea of what they like as far as looks go. |
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 bunnyfriendWisconsin
1963 posts | |
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| 12/18/2011 12:33 PM |
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My shelter is filled with large red eyed rabbits, they are just sitting there. Large rabbits are awesome. I definitely plan on adopting a large REW the next time I adopt. |
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RIP Tigger Wilbur Totoro |
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 LoveChaChaRabbit Warren
5857 posts | |
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| 12/18/2011 12:36 PM |
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When the time comes, I have no issue if my Diva chooses a solid black or REW bun, or even a large one. That means mommy has to buy more veggies and hay. |
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 ElrohwenDanbury, Connecticut
Forum Leader 6178 posts | |
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| 12/19/2011 09:53 AM |
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If you're able to deal with behavior problems, I think those are often overlooked rabbits (in addition to all of the other types you posted). A rabbit can be very territorial and scary in a shelter, but might be fine in a large cage in a home. Most people looking for a rabbit aren't going to want the one that charges and boxes in their cage, but seeing that same rabbit in a foster home with far fewer behavioral issues could make the difference. |
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| - Elrohwen |
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 RabbitPamFlorida
Forum Leader 8758 posts | |
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| 12/19/2011 11:19 AM |
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That's a good point, Elrohwen. After the REWs (I can't understand that at all. Love them.) the biters seem to be dropped off at the shelters pretty quickly. Often by people who gave them very good reason to bite. So a scared, biting, growling, unsocial rabbit is going to thrive with the right care. Also those who cannot be litter trained easily don't get homes. The hard part is not taking in a tough rabbit, it's giving it up later on.  |
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Samantha Bunnykins, Private Eyeliner  |
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| 12/19/2011 12:09 PM |
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I've heard numerous times that REW rabbits are viscous. It's a prevalent folktale. |
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Sarita(Dallas)
Forum Leader 12597 posts | |
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| 12/19/2011 12:19 PM |
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LOL, that is definitely a folk tale abut the REW's being vicious :~) They are probably some of the most laid back buns I've ever met...now those Netherland Dwarf's, those are some vicious buns...they hate to be laughed at though when they think they are being vicious, they want to be taken seriously :~) |
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 FluffyBunnyColorado
1108 posts | |
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| 12/19/2011 12:45 PM |
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I'd have to say, from my experience volunteering at an HRS shelter, that the most overlooked bunnies are:
-REWs (except for dwarves and angoras)
-Big bunnies
-Bunnies with any sort of health problem (even something like a weepy eye or a missing tooth)
-Aggressive/shy bunnies
-Bunnies over 4-5 years old
-Trios & groups
-Same-gender bonded pairs
I think that if I was going to foster a rabbit, I would look for an aggressive or shy bunny. There's a lot of wonderful "unadoptable" bunnies at shelters who just need to spend time in a good home. Most aggressive bunnies will start getting friendly within a few weeks or months of being adopted or fostered. |
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Click on the kissing bunnies to see their bonding journal!
Here comes Mr. Bunny-tail,
hoppin' down the rabby trail.
Hippity hoppity, binkitty floppity,
Bunbun's on his way.
And then comes in a Rabby-girl,
hoppin' down the bunny
trail. Hippity hoppity, binkitty floppity,
Rabby's on her way. |
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| 12/19/2011 09:07 PM |
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theres a bonded father and son pair at tranquility trail named bilbo and frodo, and bilbo had really bad head tilt from a respiratory infection when he was first rescued from a 132 bun backyard-rescue (in july phoenix temps) . he never fully recovered from it, but he can get around just fine now. he's not disoriented or anything.
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MonkeybunHillsboro, Oregon
9147 posts | |
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| 12/19/2011 09:47 PM |
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Oh yes Sarita. Monkey is oh so scary. Theres a REW in the small animal room at OHS right now who is a doll. His name is Mallow, and he is suuuuch a love bug. He's been there a few months now, poor man It's sad to see such a snuggle bun be overlooked! |
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RabbitPamFlorida
Forum Leader 8758 posts | |
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| 12/21/2011 04:56 AM |
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LOL I immediately thought of Monkey!
BB's Vivian is a perfect example of an aggressive bunny who totally adapted to a loving home.
I wonder if REWs got their rep because they seem to be the lab test bunny type of choice. I'm sure that's because they ARE so laid back and adaptable before being studied by scientists. Please guys, don't let me be starting a discussion of all of that here. I'm just making the point that the general population may associate them that way.
If any of you are new this year and never saw K&K's bunnies Chuck & Noot, they are a heartwarming story of a blind bunny with his geriatric companion that thrived in her home and cared for each other. We don't bring up old posts, but go into her profile and read some of her older posts from years back. |
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| Samantha Bunnykins, Private Eyeliner |
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 RobertaWanneroo, Western Australia
152 posts | |
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| 12/21/2011 05:01 AM |
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My two baby (oops) REWs got adopted tonight, they came for the Himalayans then the pink eyed cherubs binkied across the day bed. Love at first sight, when the younger girl sat down and picked one up and put it in her lap for cuddles the other one bolted over and jumped in her lap too. So much for the aggressive reputation. |
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RabbitPamFlorida
Forum Leader 8758 posts | |
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| 12/21/2011 05:20 AM |
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*Melts* That's wonderful! |
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| Samantha Bunnykins, Private Eyeliner |
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LittlePuffyTailNew Brunswick, Canada
Forum Leader 6645 posts | |
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RabbitPamFlorida
Forum Leader 8758 posts | |
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| 12/23/2011 09:08 AM |
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REWs aren't actually vicious - they just play them in the movies. (see Monty Python) |
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| Samantha Bunnykins, Private Eyeliner |
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Sarita(Dallas)
Forum Leader 12597 posts | |
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| 12/23/2011 09:12 AM |
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That's true, they are great actors and actresses. I've known of a few REW's that have won Oscars and Emmy's. |
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| 12/23/2011 09:19 AM |
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Vicious? Oh my. Powder is the most laid back, gentle, loving bun you could ever ask for. lol I don't think I could ever pet him as much as he wants me to, my arm would fall off trying. The thing that turned people off at my shelter from the beautiful REW that I was more than happy to take home wasn't that he was mean, he would let anyone pet him, but that his eyes were "scary". Just like albino animals and albino people "scare" most people from being different - it's something alien to them to have such an odd coloring, it is all they see. "We fear what we do not understand". Honestly, I am a sucker for hard cases, so I am one of those people that would go into a shelter and ask "what animal has been the hardest to adopt?" and that is the one I would take home, without even looking. lol My first dog was a pure blooded chow-chow who would bite anyone who got near her, because the owners didn't understand how to handle a chows temperament. I was 4? and had to learn how to tame a "wild beast" so no animal has ever scared me, except a horse who tried to kick my head in, but that was more a fear of the moment of danger. |
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RabbitPamFlorida
Forum Leader 8758 posts | |
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| 12/23/2011 09:24 AM |
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Stickerbunny you win brownie points in Karma Heaven for that attitude. *mwah* 
I had a red-eyed albino guinea pig as a teen and she was just beautiful. |
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| Samantha Bunnykins, Private Eyeliner |
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Sarita(Dallas)
Forum Leader 12597 posts | |
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| 12/23/2011 09:28 AM |
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I agree Stickerbunny, the world needs more people like you. I'm a sucker myself for the REW's and if I ever got another rabbit that's what I would get. I've had a few in my past and have just loved them.
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