A simple sign was plastered across the tiny wire cage, discouraging any visitors to the animal shelter to move on to the next rabbit. Inside the tiny cage staring wistfully outside the plastic window was a small Silver Marten who would grunt and lunge at anyone brave enough to reach inside her cage. Rotten food sat in her dish and there was nothing to keep her busy during the long, solitary days.

Her adopted name was Stormie.

Vet visits revealed her reason for lunging and grunting, aside from the fact that she was confined to a tiny space 24/7,  needed to be spayed and had severe arthritis. Little did anyone realize Stormie was an old girl who was in a lot of pain, pain that could be helped with medication and extra love.

Licorice

Licorice, and her brother, Bruiser, are silver martens who are currently available for adoption along with lots of other rabbits at petfinder.com.

There are thousands of house rabbits just like Stormie, forgotten by those who bought them on a whim, living in outdoor hutches or cages that are too small, suffering until, if they are lucky, someone comes along and rescues them. Those who are not that lucky die never having known the love of a real family.

Adopting and caring for an abused bunny can be extremely rewarding, but it also requires love, plenty of patience, and in some cases expensive veterinary care. There are some things you can do to make the experience better for both you and for your new family member.

Before you adopt a rabbit, abused or otherwise, be absolutely certain you are ready for the responsibility. Rabbits can live as many as 12 years or more and required specialized veterinarian care that is often more costly than vet care for a dog or a cat. Rabbits are also very sociable animals who need attention and interaction.

Once you’ve decided to adopt an abused rabbit, find out anything you can about her past, which can help you identify what triggers her behavior. For example, perhaps she lived in a home with a young child and was hit on the nose. That could be the reason she grunts and doesn’t like to be touched. Chances are, though, that you won’t know your rabbit’s past, making patience and understanding even more important.

While many people allow their rabbits to have free run of the house, once it’s been bunny-proofed, you don’t want to give your rabbit that much freedom at first. Start small, giving her access to a small area of a room and slowly allow her more freedom. Whether she will have free run or live in a pen or cage, make sure you give her a box or something she can hide in when she needs time to be alone or when she becomes frightened. (Rabbits who live in a cage or a pen should have at least four hours of play time out every day.)

Unlike their cartoon portrayal, rabbits are generally not cuddly animals and rabbits who have been abused or neglected may be even more wary of human attention, especially if they’re only used to negative attention. Don’t force yourself on your bunny; rather, allow her to come to you in her own time. A good tactic is to sit on the floor and do something, like clipping coupons or reading a book, and allow your bunny to come over and explore you when she’s comfortable. Just be sure you ignore her while she’s checking you out.

If your new house rabbit hasn’t been spayed or neutered prior to adoption, be sure that you schedule the surgery. Female rabbits are prone to ovarian cancer, and hormones can make both male and female rabbits grouchy. Altering can help calm your rabbit down and help with the bonding process between you and her.

In addition to being altered, your rabbit should get a thorough check-up by an experienced rabbit veterinarian after you bring her home to check for such problems as arthritis, malocclusion, and other common health problems in rabbits. Prey animals, rabbits hide their illnesses, in many cases until it is too late, so you must keep a careful eye on your rabbit for any sign that something may be wrong.

If you’re not sure how to care for your rabbit or how to make her more comfortable, talk with your vet or contact your local chapter of the House Rabbit Society. There are plenty of experienced bunny owners who are willing to offer advice and support, or take a look at the Humane Society’s website, which has lots of good information on caring for your rabbit.

“Say; thems fightin’ woids.” ~ Bugs Bunny