Project Bunny

Much to Kyle's dismay, I inherited another "project" bunny this week. And boy is it a mess....

The St. George Animal Shelter called me one afternoon and told me they had a rabbit that had been caught in a trap in the Dixie Downs area, and asked if I wanted to stop by and look at it.

I packed a couple of yogurt treats, dried cranberries, and a few other tasty morsels in a sandwich baggie and went up to take a look. When I arrived and talked to the shelter lady at the front desk, she warned me that the bunny wasn't very friendly. That was kind of an understatement, cause the poor thing was terrified as I walked up to its cage. I offered it a treat and talked softly to it, but it put its face into a corner as far as it possibly could and shook. It was caked with mud and its white fur was stained. She told me that the rabbit wasn't "adoptable" (you can probably guess what that means), and asked if I wanted to take it. Well, since I knew what she meant by saying it wasn't adoptable, I, of course, took it.

Once I got it home, which in itself was a task, and looked it over, I realized SHE needed an ear mite treatment, and a flea treatment. She is absolutely terrified of humans, and flinches everytime she is touched. When I enter the room, she bolts for the corner and cowers like I'm going to eat her. I've been spending a lot of time hanging out in the second bathroom (where her temporary home is), just talking to her softly and petting her, trying to get her used to touch. When I took her outback for some exercise in the sunshine, I realized that she can't hop very well. Her back legs seem to be weak and uncoordinated. Whether it is from not using them or some other injury, I do not know. Her fur has lightened up a bit since she has had a chance to clean herself and she is a little less scared of my voice and touch than she was when I first got her, but a LOT more work is needed.