Satchel and his brother, Hanny, were left on someone's porch while she was away on vacation!  That person came home to a pair of cold, very thin rabbits and didn't know what to do.  They took the bunnies to a dog and cat shelter who in turn contacted us.  There are no other groups in Indiana County that cater to small animals and when we met the bunnies we discovered that poor Satchel had been getting into fights with his brother because of their confinement to a tiny cage as they came into adolescence and sexual maturity and begain vying for the rank of top bunny in a TINY cage with NO food, hay or adequate water supply!

Those days of homelessness were rough on the bunnies.  Though he never fought back, Satchel's ears and rump are scarred and a bit tattered but he has healed and is a normal, healthy rabbit despite the trauma he went through.  He's so easy going that he takes his antibiotics by lapping from the syringe eagerly without even having to be picked up and restrained- he loves med-time!  He gets a little upset when you pick him up, probably because his whole body hurts, but accepts gentle petting and is getting more and more confident every day as he feels better and better.  In the meantime, he loves his salads and plays with any toy you give him, often getting a bit carried away with throwing them in the air.  He's adorable and if you shake a toy at him he'll run up and box at it before carrying it off to throw around.  SATCHEL IS NOW LITTER TRAINED!  YAY!!  Cage cleaning is much easier when the bunny keeps most of its waste to a litterbox.  Thank you, Satchel, for being such a good boy!

Satchel is neutered and microchipped and has had a clean bill of health by the vet!

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Rabbit FACTS:

Rabbits can live 10 years or more with proper care.  Where will you be in 10 years?  If you don't see a rabbit in your future, don't bring him home now (or consider adopting a senior bunny.) They are considered by our rescue to be house pets, not outside pets, and they will not be adopted to live in hutches, garages, barns, or cellars (unfinished basements).  They need to be with their people daily!

Rabbits should see a bunny-savvy vet annually for checkups just like a dog or cat.

Rabbits need lots of time out of their cages to see the world, explore, run and play.

Diet consists of mostly greens and vegetables with high-quality pellets being more supplemental than a staple.  Quality timothy or orchard grass hay and fresh water should be available AT ALL TIMES!  This is very important! 

Grooming a bunny is very simple.  Routine brushing and nail clipping, checking teeth and ears, and providing a tidy habitat in which to live will all help your bunny stay healthy and clean!

We have a special application for bunny adopters which can be downloaded here: http://www.starfishtothesea.org/info/file?file=s148m5394.doc

Satchel's brother, Hanny (adopted) can also be seen on our website.