Noelle's Page

About Noelle...

Date of Birth: October 15, 2024

Parents: Henrietta & Gumption

Color: Solid lilac

Gender: female (doe)

Status: Available to home with approved New Bunny Questionnaire status

Availability: Any Time

Placement Fee: $175

Noelle is a fabulous little doe whose curiosity got the better of her when she was just shy of four weeks old.

A bit of backstory about Noelle: This inquisitive, spunky girl escaped the baby-safe exercise pen and got too close to another pen Bun, Francesca. (We aren't 100% certain this is what happened, but this is where the evidence is pointing.) Francesca defended her territory, as any self-respecting doe would, and gave Noelle a bad bite just above her left eye. The bite left two wounds: a smaller hole above the brow line, and the other one impacting the eyelid.

We took her to see Dr. Emerman at Avon Lake Animal Clinic on Thursday, December 5th. She is optimistic that the upper wound may fully close on its own over the next couple of weeks. It's largely hidden by her fur and the doctor has to search carefully for it. The lower wound impact is much more noticeable. Scar tissue has built up above the eyelid, which causes her to not be able to close it fully, except when she's stressed about something. The good news is that, with careful massage a couple of times each day, the scar tissue may break down and allow the eyelid to have more elasticity, giving it the ability to close more naturally and protect the eyeball itself.

The doctor did a stain test to look for any damage to the eye itself and she found nothing wrong. There is no sign of scratches or ulcers. She believes Noelle has at least partial vision in the left eye. (We think she has closer to full vison, as nothing slows her down!) The eyeball itself sits in an offset position, so she has a bit of a quirky look. We are to put moisturizing eyedrops 2-3 times daily in her left eye, to help it remain comfortable. Other than that, she has a completely full bill of health. The eyedrops can be purchased at any drugstore, and are non-prescription. They are the same type a person could use when experiencing dry eyes.

While we begin the work of massaging her eyelid and continuing with the eyedrops, we are going to be seeking a very special family who is interested in adopting this little doe. She is completely healthy, playful, sassy, and fun. Her injury doesn't hold her back at all. She would love to be a free-roam girl eventually, and possibly a bonding buddy in the future, as she loves to snuggle with her mama and littermates. If the upper wound on her head does not close on its own, the vet suggested having it surgically closed at six months, at the same time she is in for her spay. She is currently far too young to undergo anesthesia, and having both the spay and the eye repair done at the same time would be very beneficial to her well-being. Until she is old enough for surgery, she will need a very dedicated family who will watch over her and her eye carefully, making certain to give her the eye drops on a very regular basis, as part of her daily care routine. It just takes a moment to put the drops in, but they make her feel so much better. She usually binkies and zoomies afterwards.

Noelle is a fun-loving little doe and bounces and binkies happily. She zooms about with her littermates, and can frequently be found cuddled up with one of her siblings or her mother, Henrietta, when she decides to take a rest.

New situations give her pause and she is rather wide-eyed and a bit timid until she feels safe and knows that all is well. The majority of her littermates (and both parents) exhibit the same trait, so it runs in the family. She warms up quickly, though, and is ready to bounce and play in a confident manner, once she has been reassured that she is safe.

Once you gain her trust, Noelle is very happy to sit and cuddle in a warm, cozy lap. She is not intimidated by dogs or cats, and might be a perfect bonding buddy for another rabbits, once she has been spayed at six months of age.

Among her photo gallery, you will see the first nine images are prior to her injury. The next set (on the teal blanket) are a couple of days after the injury occurred. The next six photos (on the dark background) only show her right side, so no images of the injury are visible. The next set, on the light grey blanket, are of the day she went to the vet. You can see a closeup of the tiny injury in her fur. It's very small...smaller than the tip of my pinky, and I have little hands. The other images are the most graphic. Her eyelid did not stretch and grow because of the scar tissue, so we are trying to help her be able to close her eyelid naturally. You may see some greenish coloring around the eye. This is not a sign of infection, or anything worrying; it's simply the residue from the stain the doctor used to check the overall health of her eye. Future pictures will hopefully indicate some progress being made in breaking down the scar tissue. She's always going to look a bit wonky, but we know she's beautiful inside and out.

As the Hot Cross Buns are raised to be pampered pets, we do require the signing of a Spay/Neuter Agreement as part of our placement paperwork. Please speak to your rabbit-knowledgeable vet to inquire about their services and fees.

All of the baby Buns go to their new homes with a bag full of goodies including: a packet of bunny care information, a small bag of transition food and hay, a snack baggie of old-fashioned raw oats for treats, a toy, and a fleece snuggle mat.