#A044513

Update 07/22/09
Good things happen to those who wait! Shortie, who has needed a lot of support from her foster family to help her overcome past negative human experiences, seemed to be lonely. Enter Ringo, who happens to be the longest resident in the Small Animal Room. They became immediate friends and are now a bonded pair; they must be adopted together.

Ringo, the laid back guy that he is, has become the easily-spooked Shortie protector, racing over to her when she's scared, and grooms her ears, nudges her with his nose, and stands in front of her to block her from seeing or protect her from whatever it is that bothers her. He speaks the rabbit language that Foster Mom does not, and it is not uncommon to see the two of them side by side on the floor, spread out on their bellies with back feet off to the side. They are united in their terror over vacuum noises and their obsessive love of their hidey houses. They will shove each other aside to get first claims on a single shelter! Foster Mom has provided them plenty of empty boxes to hide in, scratch, and chew, and they also love to play private investigator, supervising the rest of the family from hiding spots.

When Foster Mom has to leave the home for too many hours, Ringo's famous pout reappears, but he doesn't use it as much as he used to. Shelter life is hard for long-term residents, and Ringo has proven to follow that trend. Being in foster care has brought out the lovable Ringo that shelter workers first fell in love with when he arrived last July. Shortie's negative behavior has largely melted into a memory, while her diva-ness is still very much intact. Rabbits love to nibble and chew, and it is Shortie's favorite activity. She is happiest when she has paper or a box to shred; digging through her litter box is a favorite pastime, and she will destructively bite and chew when she is stressed. Cord covers for any wire in a new home is a must for this black beauty. She also loves chewing textiles and has made interesting patterns in her cage bedding.

While in foster care, Ringo and Shortie each have their own hidey house and crate to retreat to when its time to sleep. However, it is hoped that when placed in another environment, they will do well in a single cage, as long as they have plenty of outside-the-cage time to play and stretch out. They share their foster home with 2 cats, 2 guinea pigs, and 1 hamster. It is not recommended that other small animals be allowed the same floor space as Ringo and Shortie, as rabbits are territorial and can be quite possessive of "their spots". The rabbits and guinea pigs have not come to blows, but there have been clear signs of possible trouble, so the two sets of animals do not share the floor at the same time. Note that neither one of these rabbits are cuddle bunnies, which is a common misconception of rabbits; they prefer to have all 4 feet on the ground.

If you have a place in your hearts and home for this hard-luck duo, please call or stop by the Small Animal Room today! They are available while in foster; interested parties will need to set up a time with staff to have Ringo & Shortie brought in from their foster home.

Ringo was returned to the Animal Refuge League when his owners realized that he is allergic.This sweet year-old Harlequin rabbit is neutered after having quite the litter. Ringo loves to have his head petted and absolutely adores running around the rabbit room, doing the “Happy Bunny Dance” all the way across the floor! Ringo isn’t a ‘cuddly’ bunny and likes being held on his own terms but he won’t sit for too long. He’s extremely independent but immensely beautiful and fun to watch. He has a ton of energy and will need plenty of out-of-cage time. Are you interested in giving Ringo a permanent home? If so, come meet him at the ARL today.

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