Wellington Rabbit Rescue

12/07/2025

🥗 Vege Market Day!! One of our favourite days of the week.

On tonight's menu, we have: chicory, wild fennel, coriander, celery leaves, carrot tops, long fresh grass, kale, baby spinach, small brocoli leaves, and of course - plantain ✨️ Garnished with a single baby carrot to be shared between four rabbits 😅

There was a time WRR didn't feed vegetables outside of treats. The focus instead was to favour herbs and foraged plants. This was due to messaging in the community and a coincidental influx of rabbits who reacted badly to them. And, it was also due to the practicality of operating a foster network where we couldn’t feasibly deliver fresh foods safely. But, what we realised was the consequence of this messaging meant some rabbits were missing out on fresh foods - either because people were scared to forage the wrong things, or they didn't have access to a safe outdoor space with a decent variety of w33ds.

While it's true that some rabbits will react to veges, the vast majority won't, and having access to a balanced variety of plants is vital for the health and wellbeing of rabbits.

So, if your rabbits lack fresh foods in their diet, we encourage you to give vegetables a go!

A safe way to begin, is to follow "The Rule of Thumb" by starting with no more than one thumb's length amount of a dark leafy vegetable. If they don't have a reaction, then you can introduce something else in 24-48hrs hours time.

Repeat this until you have a good list of vegetables, herbs, and safe foraged greens to choose from, then alternate 3 - 4 options daily throughout the week to ensure a good variety in safe moderation.

🥬 Rabbit-savvy veterinarians recommend that all rabbits over 6 months of age should eat 1 - 2 cups of dark leafy greens per 1kg of their body weight, each and every day.

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📸 Galen, enjoying his evening salad at The Burrow, where he is staying this week.

10/07/2025

🐰 It’s no secret we’ve struggled in recent months, but last week started out particularly rough - and only got worse. So, to arrive home on Friday to an unexpected box of goodies from Forage NZ was a very welcome surprise.

It meant we were able to put together a medley of recovery herbs and rose petals for one of our very sick friends – along with some extra yummy treats to help them feel as special as they are.

Then, yesterday, a box of fresh hay for The Burrow arrived, alongside another box brimming with hay feeders for the rescue bunnies – a generous gift from The Bunny Bach

It’s not just the practicality of these donations that is so appreciated; it’s the unspoken message of solidarity that comes with them.

Nicki and Jojo not only constantly support other rescues, but they also make time to be available to the humans who run them, too. They provide a sounding board to bounce ideas off, to share information, and to simply listen on those days when everything seems impossibly hard.

Having people like Jojo and Nicki in the rescue world is invaluable - and kindness like theirs is always worth celebrating.

💚

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📸 Rosa is a big fan of her hay feeder 🥰

08/07/2025

We're often told that our adoption requirements are the reason we're failing to find homes (and thereby failing rabbits). Yet, Latte and Bunza's adoption is a classic example of what happens when we don't listen to our instincts.

Latte was abandoned to breed on the streets before she was rescued by a lovely human, along with her sister and their babies. We agreed to support them with vet care and food, so long as they didn't come directly into our already over-burdened foster network. Their rescuer did an amazing job, and eventually, Latte and her new husbun Bunza finally went out on trial adoption.

During our vetting process, we make it very clear that we will only adopt to families who include children, if it is done so with the full expectation that the adults are responsible for the lives they're committing to.

Sadly, this time, that message didn't sink in, and Latte and Bunza were soon returned. Unfortunately, due to the current animal welfare crisis, their original rescuer had already filled their foster space, and we didn't feel we could return them when she already had so many lives to care for.

It's lucky that Latte and Bunza were adopted through an ethical rescue, instead of a breeder or pet shop who would have wiped their hands clean the second the payment cleared. But, now, not only have they been uprooted once again, but our volunteers wasted precious hours and resources, and our foster network is now worse off than when we started 😮‍💨

Please, if you can not guarantee that rabbits will continue to lead fulfilling lives if your child loses interest or moves out of home, don't get them! Rabbits aren't toys; they're sentient beings who deserve to spend what little time they have in safe, stable homes with people who adore them.

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🙏 If you are able to offer a temporary indoor foster home to rabbits in need, or if you're interested in committing to rabbits for 10+ years, please message us directly 🐇

06/07/2025

We need cheering up. If you have a silly, funny, or wholesome rabbit-related story, please share it with us 🙏

We'll start!

While out foraging, our good friend Alex was approached by police officers. A few rather odd questions later, Alex discovered that concerned passers-by had requested a welfare check for a woman who was seen picking grass and "muttering angrily to herself"... not once, but twice 😅

The things we do for love 🐇

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📸 The small but mighty Chico enjoying a rose from 💕

02/07/2025

⛈️ Severe weather events around the country this week serve as a scary reminder about the importance of preparing for emergencies ahead of time.

Swipe through to find out how we stay as ready as possible, knowing that in the event of an evacuation, every second counts 👀

01/07/2025

❗️ Found Rabbit - Stokes Valley.

Please contact if you can help reunite this bun with their whānau.

Another good reminder of the importance of microchipping 🐇👀

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BLoaqtv8J/

UPDATE: Owner Found

🐇 FOUND RABBIT 🐇

This cute little rabbit was found last night at the beginning of stokes valley road.

She is not microchipped.

If you know anything about her or her family please call us on 04 563 6826 ☎️

27/06/2025

🐰 Update: Reunited!

Please be on the lookout for this little guy if you're in the Kārori area. His whānau is very concerned for him, especially given the weather as he is used to living inside 💔

10/06/2025

🐰 Boarding available for rabbits and guineapigs 🐰

To avoid losing HQ's emergency foster space to a paying flatmate, our Chair, Carley (aka Kat), now offers casual boarding for rabbits and guineapigs.

We know first hand how difficult it can be to travel when you have rabbits. Especially as it often means leaving them in the care of people who may not be able to identify or respond to medical emergencies. Having lived with bunnies for 30+ years and with close to a decade's worth of experience volunteering in rescue, Carley also hopes to provide peace of mind for families who struggle to access rabbit-savvy care.

"The Burrow" was built with the help of her brother and Purrfect Palaces, who generously donated their time and skills to create safe, secure runs that are fit for purpose 🐇 With only three spaces, guests also have the opportunity for daily exercise in a large indoor playroom with some undivided love and attention.

📧 For more info, please email: [email protected] ⚘️🐇

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As a means of giving back to the amazing people who support rescues, Carley offers a daily discount to rabbits who were adopted from WRR ♥️

09/06/2025

🐰 Unlike pet shops and breeders, ethical rescues take animals back if circumstances change, or an adopting family discovers their home isn't quite the best fit. This has been the case for our sweet girl, Elska ♥️

Elska has spent the last few months on trial adoption in a slowbond with a gorgeous flemish giant. Although we could have persisted with their bond, both the family and our team could see Elska was having trouble adjusting to her new environment.

As heartbreaking as the decision was for them to say goodbye, we're grateful the family recognised Elska wasn't as happy as she could be and wanted her to have another chance to find her forever home. Thankfully, she was able to return to her previous foster family, where she quickly settled in as if she had never left 💕

When Elska is ready, we'll try again. But for now, she's very content to spend some more time with some of her favourite humans.

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Although we continue to honour our lifetime commitments, our foster network is currently under enormous pressure, and we're desperately searching for stable foster homes.

Please message us directly if you have a safe indoor space and can make a temporary commitment to rabbits who need help 🐇

02/06/2025

🐰 We love getting updates from adopted bunnies, and this one is particularly special to us.

Mogu originally came into WRR under urgency, along with her husbun, Mochi, to escape a violent home. Thankfully, they were spared any further upheaval when their beloved foster parents adopted them. After a few happy years together, Mochi sadly passed away, leaving a big bunny-shaped hole 💔 In time, Mogu's humans felt they were ready to welcome another bunny who needed them.

Along came Tommy, a solo hutch-bunny who had never known the kind of devotion he now experiences daily. Tommy was an anxious little guy but is now almost unrecognisable in his newfound confidence.

Shortly after bonding with Mogu, Tommy was rushed to Kelburn Vets, where he underwent life-saving blockage surgery 😬 It was touch and go, but Tommy survived and is now back to causing adorable mischief with his lady Mogu. Under the care of their humans, we know these two are thriving in a world where they are safe, loved, and respected 💕

Thank you to everyone who helped these two get their well-deserved happily-ever-after 🐇

01/06/2025

🐰 We couldn't agree more with this post from .rabbitrescue about the risks of keeping rabbits on slippery floors.

Even if your rabbit is confident on your wooden or linoleum flooring, it is best to discourage them from spending more time than is necessary on these surfaces.

We've seen everything ranging from dislocated toes to serious spinal and head injuries from rabbits who unexpectedly slid out and impacted against walls or other hard objects.

It's always better to be safe than sorry by providing as many non-slip surfaces as your home allows 🐰

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1RJEDN12HK/

We have observed numerous posts, pictures, and videos featuring rabbits being kept on slippery floors, which poses a significant danger to them.
It is essential to recognize that rabbits lack paw pads, unlike cats and dogs, which provide traction and grip on various surfaces. As a result, bare floors are hazardous, and uncarpeted stairs can be fatal.
Additionally, rabbits hop rather than walk, relying heavily on their front legs for landing, making slippery surfaces a significant threat to their safety.
Slippery surfaces can lead to slips, falls, and even fractures, particularly given the fragile nature of rabbits' bones compared to those of cats and dogs.
This vulnerability is attributed to their lighter bone structure and lower overall bone density relative to their body weight, rendering them more susceptible to injuries such as fractures, especially from accidental falls or mishandling.
Furthermore, the thin padding on their paws, combined with a natural distrust of slippery surfaces, exacerbates the problem.
Hard floors can also cause sore hocks, a common condition in rabbits, and slippery floors can aggravate arthritis in older and bigger rabbits.
Slippery floors can contribute to and potentially worsen splay leg in rabbits, a condition characterized by a rabbit's legs splaying outward, often due to weak joints or congenital issues.
Slippery surfaces can hinder rabbits' ability to maintain proper posture, placing additional stress on their joints and potentially leading to splay leg or exacerbating an existing condition.
Rabbits born with weaker joints are predisposed to splay leg, and slippery floors can worsen this condition, causing the splay to deteriorate or become permanent.
To prevent splay leg, it is crucial to provide rabbits with surfaces offering good traction, such as textured mats, blankets, or rugs.
If a rabbit exhibits signs of splay leg please consult a veterinarian experienced in rabbit as soon as possible.
It is our responsibility to ensure their wellbeing as they rely solely on us for care.
Thank you 🙏

24/05/2025

If anyone ever wants to buy Rosa's love, we know a way 😅

Historically, it's been so difficult and expensive to source quality timothy hay in Pōneke, that most WRR bunnies exclusively eat meadow. But with a recent donation from The Bunny Bach , Rosa has had her first taste of timothy hay, and she is OBSESSED!

It turns out she'll eat it while traveling in a car, inside a vet clinic, and even immediately following an unexpected mani-pedi 🫣 In fact, Rosa loves this hay so much, that she will choose it over pellets 👀

She's so determined to get her paws on it, that we actually had to hide the box!! Needless to say, she'll be going back to her foster home with a fresh bag of her own, thanks to The Bunny Bach 💚

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