The Nature Nook

08/04/2025

We are really sad to announce that the gorgeous Dandelion passed away yesterday.

Dandelion came to the rescue last year at less than a year old, already suffering with several health issues including muscle wastage from a lack of exercise and being confined to a small cage for the majority of her life.

The decision was made to keep her as a sanctuary case due to her health issues, and she has spent the months since intake being spoiled rotten and loved more than any rabbit has ever been loved by Sophie and her new family.

Losing animals is always hard, particularly when they are so young and have so much life ahead of them. Rescue work has so many highs and lows, and unfortunately one of the lows is meeting sick animals who capture your heart. In spite of everything she had experienced, Dandelion was one of the sweetest, most loving animals we have ever taken in. She will be sorely missed by all of us.

Dandelion's case might have been avoided with improved welfare standards. Pet shops urgently need to stop selling small cages and unsafe foods, if not for the little lives who suffer, then for the rescues left brokenhearted by these losses.

07/04/2025

Morning all!

General order going in today, please get in touch if you need anything ☺️

06/04/2025

Happy Sunday all!

We're planning to host a fair with stalls selling small pet supplies in Newton Abbot sometime in August. There will also be talks geared towards reptile and small pet owners, small animal rescues, themed food, and lots of other things happening on the day.

If you'd like to give a talk, have a stall, or have any suggestions for things you might like to see at an event like this, please let us know!

It's the first year I'm attempting something like this so any suggestions are welcome! Stay tuned for more info as we get to organising 🐹

06/04/2025

Once in a while people contact us trying to donate the remaining items from their deceased rabbit, and we're deeply moved by their loss. However, we always ask the cause of death to ensure that nothing contagious is brought to the rescue.
In this particular case, a lady's bunny, who was only 5 months old, had a severe intestinal blockage.
In rabbits, a blockage in the intestines can cause a rupture if it leads to a build-up of gas and fluid, leading to severe distention and potentially fatal complications.
She was able to bring her bunny, Danny, to the vet, but he passed away despite all the medical attention.
According to the lady, the veterinary was stunned to see how distended the poor Danny's belly was.
Upon necropsy undigested seeds and corn kernels were found inside his digestive contents.
Upon reviewing what could possibly be the cause, she then realized that what had changed in his diet was the addition of a corn treat, which unfortunately is widely sold in pet stores and not safe for rabbits, despite the fact that the bag has a picture of a rabbit.
Said treat might be safe for rodents, but definitely not for rabbits, who are lagomorphs, and their digestive system is designed for processing fibrous plant matter, not seeds.
Some seeds, like corn kernels and Canadian peas, have hulls that are indigestible and can cause life-threatening intestinal blockages.
Let's learn from this heartbreaking experience and make a conscious effort to provide our rabbits with a safe and healthy diet.
Let's be their voice and advocate for their well-being.
They only have us to care for them and ensure they live a happy and healthy life.

04/04/2025

04/04/2025

I don't really like to talk too much about money online as I know times are tight for everyone, but this is probably one of the worst weeks we've had at the shop since opening back in 2021 (when we had a quarter of the stock!)

Just a reminder to check in with small, local businesses where you can. Thankfully we've been doing a lot of online orders in the last few weeks, but without the ongoing support of local people, we'll lose the small businesses that make our communities special.

The Nature Nook doesn't really turn a profit as it is, a good week for us is just a few hundred pounds, but we can't afford to have many more weeks like this one if we want to keep rescuing. It would only take a few additional customers a day to take us from survival mode to a thriving little business. Your money won't make a difference to a million pound business, but it will to us.

We'll be open as always from 9.30-4 on Saturday and offering a 10% off discount to try and drive some business our way.

04/04/2025

Everyone's out and about today!

04/04/2025

Check out the size of this scratching post🤯

Perfect for all those fat cats!

04/04/2025

Morning all!

We currently have the following animals looking for new homes:
- 2 friendly male guinea pigs (looking for an indoor home with a 6x2 c&c cage
- A 6 year old bearded dragon. He is very spicy and will need an experienced owner to continue work on socialisation
- A 6 year old Hermann's Tortoise. He will need a large enclosure with overhead heating and UVB strip. This can be purchased from us if needed
- A large, friendly, normal morph ball python. She needs a minimum 6ft enclosure
- A friendly snow corn. Minimum Viv size of 4x2, but bigger preferred
- 2 male gerbils. Need a large tank- minimum 100x50 with plenty of bedding to create their amazing tunnels!

03/04/2025

Hello Mr Schue 💇

02/04/2025

Lots of lovely bark in stock!

29/03/2025

Opening late today as GWR can't seem to fix the signals between Newton Abbot and Paignton!

28/03/2025

Saw the Gerbs today for the first time in ages! They are definitely making use of the space/bedding!

Get a load of those tunnels 😍

28/03/2025

Vivs vivs vivs!

We have lots of small (3ft and under) vivs that are looking for new homes! Most are in new or nearly new condition.

Just looking for a £20 donation per vivarium for anyone who can use them 🦎

27/03/2025

Guess who's officially out of hibernation!!

27/03/2025

26/03/2025

Well, the good news is that Rocky has gone from 2.6kg to 2kg!

The bad news is that his flat nose is causing some issues. Much like pugs, shih tsus etc, Rocky is brachycephalic (flat faced). The vet took a look at his nose and said he thinks the problem is that the mucus is getting trapped in-between the folds in his nose, causing the dry, crusty, scabby and red areas we're seeing.

It seems like the best solution will probably be to clean his nose once or twice a day, plus a course of antibiotics. We've also been recommended a medication called Bisolvon which might be the next port of call!

26/03/2025

Another vet appointment!

This time we have a rat with head tilt (likely an inner ear infection) and Rocky, who has a scabby nose.

Rocky has already had a round of antibiotics but it doesn't seem to be clearing things up properly so we have concerns that whatever the problem is, it may be something more serious.