Hamish House Rabbit Rescue Alliance

10/09/2025

Our fosters and adopters take Dolly’s free class and for good reason. Watch their story here.

09/09/2025

🐇 **Let’s Talk Bunny Heels** 🐾

Here’s a helpful article on sore hocks (pododermatitis):
👉 [https://rabbit.org/health/treating-sore-hocks/](https://rabbit.org/health/treating-sore-hocks/)

We check every bun’s feet during nail trims to be sure their heels are healthy. Every bun *we know* has a callous on each heel… even the ones who’ve never set paw on carpet, hard floors, or wire!

What to watch for:
✨ Pale pink = likely a callus
✨ Bright pink = time to step in before things get worse
✨ Red or hot = painful, requires immediate attention
✨ Open = very painful + high risk of infection and harder to treat! Get to the vet!

💡 Pro tip: Save the fur you brush or "pluck" from your shedding bun. It makes great little heel pads to cushion and protect their feet. Soft, fluffy, and best of all FREE!

Healthy heels = happier hops. 💕

We have hock socks and coban on standby. Our socks were custom made for us by SomeBunnySpecial. Fortunately, no bun has needed them yet!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/4356712487/orage-holiday-prints-custom-rabbit-hock?ref=share_v4_lx

07/09/2025

🐰 Adopt a Rabbit ! They're AMAZING (and we love helping with your buns!) 🐰

We’re big on helping out fellow bunny parents! From nail trims to training tips, we’re here for everyone — even if you didn’t get your bun from us. Need help picking up your rabbit safely? We’ve got you. Trust us, they might not love it, but it’s part of the gig.

Speaking of buns, we recently bun sat our first-ever foster bun, the giant grey bunny Ennie 🐇💙—he's been living his best life, taking over half his mom’s apartment (and most of our kitchen) while she’s out of town. This loveable fluffball has turned into the ultimate little spoon, demanding his boops until you pet him again. It’s a full-time job, and we’re honored to spoil him!

Now for an update on our namesake Hamish: after nearly a YEAR of dating, he finally seems to be ready to move in with his lady love. Some pairs just take longer to bond, (when you're a chicken at least) and that’s why adopting from a rescue is so great—the bonding stress is behind them!

After a "vanilla" date and good behavior at True Hearts, these two had a perfect session… once we got home? Cue the drama. Hamish still likes to nibble her bottom (it’s a dominance thing, don’t ask), and when she’s not feeling it? Well, a little tiff breaks out. Our friends at True Hearts realized what a nervous nelly I can be for not feeling ready to leave them alone (True hearts are speed dating experts, Hamish house is still novice at best), but there ARE reasons to hesitate -

Meet Maeve and Mozzey, mother & son, who've been bonded peacefully for over a year. A fight over one "rare morsel of carrot" turned into Mozzey biting off part of Maeve’s cheek 😱. It’s wild - even bonded pairs can have moments - like the rest of us. HUGE thanks to our vet for getting us in fast and saving the day with 3 sutures and aligning the wound margins so well! It's unlikely once all healed that we'll ever even know it was there!

If you've got a singleton bun looking for their forever partner, don't hesitate to reach out to True Hearts for a speed dating session. They've got countless successful pair bonds under their belt, and numerous singletons to select from, and they really know their stuff! Check them out and come see us all at their Fundraiser Dinner on 9/27! Tickets are available now - and sold out quickly last year!

We hope to reveal our mystery girl’s name soon, and will keep you posted on the latest bonding adventures! 🐇💕

31/08/2025

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

https://www.facebook.com/100077200095893/posts/787785747138088/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

🎟️TICKETS ARE LIVE!🎟️

We are incredibly excited to announce our second annual fundraiser and silent auction! This year’s event will be held at the Intermountain Therapy Animals space and once again catered by the amazing !

Please come join us and support the bunnies. This event is so much fun, and nothing is better than bringing our bunny community together in order to be able to rescue even more rabbits!

Tickets are available via Venmo and PayPal.
Venmo: $35 | truehearts-rescue
PayPal: $36 (processing fees) | [email protected]

We sold out super quickly last year, so if you’re thinking of joining us, don’t wait to get your tickets. We can’t wait to see you!

20/08/2025

https://www.facebook.com/100064721524897/posts/1214089380758435/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

19/07/2025

Oh piggies!

https://www.facebook.com/100064769586854/posts/1172582371577405/

18/07/2025

https://www.facebook.com/100044249508306/posts/1307600630724908/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

‘Brachycephalic Syndrome’

Many people are now familiar with the term ‘brachycephalic’ in reference to flat-faced dog and cat breeds, but did you know, this same condition impacts small mammals too?

Rodents and rabbits are increasingly being bred with unnaturally short, flattened skulls in pursuit of a ‘cute’ baby-faced look. This often comes at a serious cost to the animal’s health and welfare.

Some of the potential medical problems include:

🔸 Dental Disease: Shortened skulls mean overcrowded teeth, poor occlusion, and overgrown molars are more likely.
🔸 Difficulty Thermoregulating: Narrowed airways and malformed sinuses can increase risk of heat stress, especially in warm weather or during illness.
🔸 Increased Anaesthetic Risk: Due to compromised airways and abnormal soft tissue structures, airway control may be difficult during even routine procedures.
🔸 Chronic Respiratory Issues: A compromised upper airway may leave these animals more vulnerable to infections and ongoing breathing difficulties.
🔸 Jaw Misalignment: Skull abnormalities can cause painful joint strain during chewing and grooming.

Please avoid supporting unethical breeders or pet shops, always do your research and don’t be afraid to ask questions!
If you already care for a brachycephalic rabbit or rodent, they absolutely deserve the same love and compassion as any other animal. That’s why it’s so important to understand the potential health issues they may face. Knowing what to watch for and ensuring they receive regular veterinary check-ups can make all the difference to their comfort, wellbeing, and quality of life. 💞

(Image credit of rabbits: RWAF)

11/07/2025

https://www.facebook.com/100064782966204/posts/1150436407125781/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

Help us bridge the gap in small animal adoption awareness!

How is it that pet stores constantly sell out of small animals—restocking weekly or monthly—while local small animal rescues sit with the same overlooked animals, day after day, waiting for homes?

A conversation with a friend this morning really hit this point home.

She’s a local pet sitter, and I told her I had recently referred one of our past adopters to her. But I don’t get to do that often. Why?

Because most of our chinchilla adoptions (and other small animal adoptions) go to families outside our immediate area—well beyond her service range. And she asked, why is that?

It’s not intentional. But here’s what we believe is happening:

1. Small animal adoption isn’t top-of-mind.
When people think of pet adoption, they think dogs and cats. Small animals like chinchillas, guinea pigs, hamsters, reptiles, and others? They’re often an afterthought—if they’re thought of at all.

2. Convenience trumps compassion.
Walk into any chain pet store, and you can walk out with a small animal, no questions asked. No screening. No education. No foster process. Just instant gratification.

3. Distance is a barrier—but maybe not how you think.
Many of our adopters do travel hours to meet and adopt the right pet. But there’s still a large portion of the population that simply won’t. And unlike cat/dog rescues, small animal rescues are few and far between.

4. People only seek out rescues... when they’re surrendering.
Most local folks who contact us aren’t looking to adopt—they’re looking to rehome. That already takes them out of the adoption pool.

5. The bystander effect is real.
You post an animal online and 100 people comment that they want it—but they’re scattered across the country. Locals scroll past because they assume someone else closer has already stepped up. But no one has.

So how do we fix this?
How can we educate more people—especially locally—that small animal rescues exist? That these animals need homes just as much as those in shelters? That adoption is an option?

We're open to ideas, because these animals deserve better than being forgotten while retail shelves get emptied over and over again.

08/07/2025

**“My Bunny Just Skipped Breakfast” … and Other Famous Last Words 🐰💨**

GI stasis sounds fancy—but it's just a terrifying way of saying your rabbit’s gut has *slowed down or stopped entirely*.
And trust us: in a prey animal, this is **a full-on emergency**, not just a moody moment.

Luckily for one very observant foster-to-adopt bunny parent today, they noticed something off:
No p**p, no appetite, a little lethargy… and they didn’t wait to *Google it into the void*.
They called us, and we got to work.

Here’s what early intervention looked like:
🩹 Sub-q fluids (to rehydrate and get things moving)
💊 Pain meds (because GI stasis *hurts*, and pain slows the gut more)
🧪 E. cuniculi treatment (since that can sometimes be the culprit)
🥄 Critical Care by syringe (like bunny Ensure, but greener)
💨 Gas drops (simethicone—considered benign, and hey, why not?)
🌡️ Re**al temperature taken (she was a very good sport)
⏱️ A whole lot of waiting, hoping… and then?
💩 *P**P. GLORIOUS P**P.* By late night, we had a bun eating and p**ping like a champ.

**Early signs of GI stasis include:**
• Not eating their usual favorite foods
• Sitting hunched up, hiding
• No p**p or tiny dry p**ps
• Grinding teeth (pain)
• Low energy, acting “off”
• Cold ears or body (hypothermia can set in fast)

**Why act fast?**
A rabbit’s digestive system is like a conveyor belt. If it stops, gas builds, bacteria overgrow, and within hours you can go from “meh, maybe she’s just tired” to **serious medical crisis.**

We know it’s scary—but acting early can save a life and save *you* a major vet bill.

This is your sign to:
✅ Know what your bunny’s *normal* looks like
✅ Have a rabbit-savvy vet already picked out
✅ Keep Critical Care and a syringe on hand
✅ Learn how to check temp, do a safe burrito, and give meds
✅ Never wait overnight “to see if they perk up”

And hey—if you’re not sure? CALL. MESSAGE. ASK.
We’d rather you feel silly and have a healthy bun… than wait too long.

Because with rabbits, sometimes the difference between heartbreak and happy ending is just a few hours. 💔➡️💩

Photo of a bun belly pressing in pain... but looks a lot like a belly flop. The difference was the overall picture - not eating - lethargic - no stools - audible gurgling sounds - bloated abdomen - and visual peristalsis (gut moving) seen from across the room. This little one's bowels flipped creating a blockage. Force feeding would not have helped, but made things worse. This is where having knowledgeable & experienced friends on hand can make all the difference!.

08/07/2025

**Nail Trims, Bunny Burritos & Big Bunny Energy 🐇✂️**

Tonight we had an absolute *blast* empowering some wonderful bunny parents with hands-on skills! From mastering the art of the "bunny burrito" (yes, just like my NICU babies), to giving sub-q fluids, taking a re**al temperature (glamorous, we know), safe nail trims, positioning, and safely scooping up a bun without triggering a full-throttle panic spiral—we covered it all.

One of the biggest reasons buns don’t like being picked up?
**They're not being picked up in a way that makes them feel secure.**
Once you learn the hold that says “you’re safe” instead of “abduction is imminent,” it’s a game changer.

Shoutout to Padma and Winston, our patient little demo bunnies, who allowed us to poke, prod, pet, and practice. They were absolute stars—even if Winston gave us some “Do I *look* like I consented to this?” side-eye.

Remember:
**Your bunny can have attitude. It’s how you *channel* it that matters.**

Huge thanks to the lovely couple who reached out and gave us the chance to share our nerdy bunny knowledge.
We *love* seeing people grow in confidence and connection with their animals.

Let us know if we can help you master a skill—because everybun deserves a confident human!