MiniLopMad
Well-Known Member
1 year ago today, after many attempts, one of my doe's gave birth to a litter of 4 kits. A black self, a broken black and two broken chocolates. She was going well - or so I thought!
By day 3, it was apparent that the 4 little bubs were not getting any milk from their mother. After unsuccessfully attempting to let them nurse from their mother, I made the decision to attempt hand raising them! I didn't expect the kits to survive - everything I had read online said it was very unlikely that they would.
All 4 kits did survive, and they grew into beautiful, bouncing bundles of joy! None of the kits met the requirements for my breeding program, so it was organised to have all 4 rehomed. I had 5 people waiting for kits, so I didn't need to worry.
When the kits eyes began opening, I noticed that one eye - the left eye of the broken choc buck - was cloudy. I suspected that he may be half blind, so I took him to a vet, where they confirmed that he was in fact blind.
He was put on a two week course of eye drops, to kill any possible bacteria and to help clear up the eye a little. We were told by the vet that Cloud would not need ongoing medication, but he would need a home that would monitor his eye closely and take him to the vet should any changes occur.
At the start of his treatment, we asked the two remaining people wanting kits if they wanted the little bunny we had nicknamed 'Cloud'. We told them about his situation, and how vet checks would be necessary, and that there was no guarantee that he wouldn't need the expensive and risky eye removal surgery.
Both people declined
As the treatment program continued, Cloud flourished into a happy, incredibly friendly bunny. The combination of being hand raised, being taken for drives to the vet and to peoples house's had made him very friendly - and us very attached to him.
After more failed attempts to find him a home, we decided that we would keep him. Not only were we madly in love with him at this point, we knew that we could give him the right care he needed.
Over the past year, I have had a few scares with Cloud's eye. On a few occasions, it was pouring out goop and on others, he refused to open it and the skin surrounding it was red. Sometimes, it was just tiny things that someone probably wouldn't notice if they weren't paying close attention. I've also had a few close calls with him getting GI Statis, getting attacked by a dog and getting lost in my house behind the tv, with all the cords.
Clouds father, Chilli, passed of aspiration pneumonia earlier this year. Cloud is one of the only things of Chilli that I have left. This makes Cloud even more special to me, and he comforts me when I grieve the loss of his dad.
Of all my 8 bunnies, Cloud is certainly the most friendly. When he is allowed to free roam the yard, he will follow me like a puppy and come when called. If he's in his cage, he binkies with excitement when he hears people and sprints along the bars.
The other kits in the litter also celebrate their first birthday today, with their families. Sadly, one passed away last week due to heatstroke Cloud is still the smallest bunny in the family and two times smaller than the others!
HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY MY LITTLE CLOUDY! You've been there for my ups and downs, and I've been there for yours! You sometimes frustrate and annoy me, but I wouldn't trade you for the world. You spray on me sometimes, and scarred my best show bunny, but I can't stay mad at you for long You mean more to me than you'll ever know and I hope you'll be with me for many more years xxx
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View attachment ImageUploadedByRabbit Forum1449493795.231812.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByRabbit Forum1449493833.914919.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByRabbit Forum1449493862.520674.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByRabbit Forum1449493903.697546.jpg
By day 3, it was apparent that the 4 little bubs were not getting any milk from their mother. After unsuccessfully attempting to let them nurse from their mother, I made the decision to attempt hand raising them! I didn't expect the kits to survive - everything I had read online said it was very unlikely that they would.
All 4 kits did survive, and they grew into beautiful, bouncing bundles of joy! None of the kits met the requirements for my breeding program, so it was organised to have all 4 rehomed. I had 5 people waiting for kits, so I didn't need to worry.
When the kits eyes began opening, I noticed that one eye - the left eye of the broken choc buck - was cloudy. I suspected that he may be half blind, so I took him to a vet, where they confirmed that he was in fact blind.
He was put on a two week course of eye drops, to kill any possible bacteria and to help clear up the eye a little. We were told by the vet that Cloud would not need ongoing medication, but he would need a home that would monitor his eye closely and take him to the vet should any changes occur.
At the start of his treatment, we asked the two remaining people wanting kits if they wanted the little bunny we had nicknamed 'Cloud'. We told them about his situation, and how vet checks would be necessary, and that there was no guarantee that he wouldn't need the expensive and risky eye removal surgery.
Both people declined
As the treatment program continued, Cloud flourished into a happy, incredibly friendly bunny. The combination of being hand raised, being taken for drives to the vet and to peoples house's had made him very friendly - and us very attached to him.
After more failed attempts to find him a home, we decided that we would keep him. Not only were we madly in love with him at this point, we knew that we could give him the right care he needed.
Over the past year, I have had a few scares with Cloud's eye. On a few occasions, it was pouring out goop and on others, he refused to open it and the skin surrounding it was red. Sometimes, it was just tiny things that someone probably wouldn't notice if they weren't paying close attention. I've also had a few close calls with him getting GI Statis, getting attacked by a dog and getting lost in my house behind the tv, with all the cords.
Clouds father, Chilli, passed of aspiration pneumonia earlier this year. Cloud is one of the only things of Chilli that I have left. This makes Cloud even more special to me, and he comforts me when I grieve the loss of his dad.
Of all my 8 bunnies, Cloud is certainly the most friendly. When he is allowed to free roam the yard, he will follow me like a puppy and come when called. If he's in his cage, he binkies with excitement when he hears people and sprints along the bars.
The other kits in the litter also celebrate their first birthday today, with their families. Sadly, one passed away last week due to heatstroke
Cloud is still the smallest bunny in the family and two times smaller than the others!HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY MY LITTLE CLOUDY! You've been there for my ups and downs, and I've been there for yours! You sometimes frustrate and annoy me, but I wouldn't trade you for the world. You spray on me sometimes, and scarred my best show bunny, but I can't stay mad at you for long
You mean more to me than you'll ever know and I hope you'll be with me for many more years xxxView attachment ImageUploadedByRabbit Forum1449493628.577928.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByRabbit Forum1449493795.231812.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByRabbit Forum1449493833.914919.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByRabbit Forum1449493862.520674.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByRabbit Forum1449493903.697546.jpg
