Small Pets-Big Hearts, Inc.

Jake

2012-02-01T17:55:00.000-08:00

Jake the guinea pig was adopted today!! :)

Feed the Ferrets

2012-01-27T19:59:00.001-08:00

We have a "surplus" amount of ferrets right now. We simply have more at the rescue right now than we normally do. No worries though, they have it good and are soon on their way to forever homes. We would love help in the form of Ferret Food. We feed the foster ferrets the 8 in 1 Ultimate Crunchy. We don't like to change their food on them and upset their tummies. If you would like to donate a bag or two of this food to the fuzzy ferrets, that would help us A lot! Or monetary donations to help us buy their food would also help the same way. Thank you everyone :) Your the best group anyone could ask for.

Adoption Event at PSP

2012-01-27T18:57:00.001-08:00

Small Pets - Big Hearts will be at the Pet Supplies Plus in Buffalo, from 11AM to 4PM, on Sunday (January 29th). We will have Gravy the hamster, Wesley the guinea pig, Cedar and Jasper the rats and Misty the rabbit with us. We are hoping to find them homes.

Kiwi

2012-01-27T18:20:00.000-08:00

Kiwi the guinea pig was adopted today!! :)

The Four Ferrets

2012-01-25T17:57:00.000-08:00

The four ferrets have arrived! Beth did a great job of picking them up, driving them and caring for them. They are all 4 years old. There are two males and two females. All of them are sable in color , so, it is going to take me a bit to be able to tell the difference between them. After I get to know them, I will certainly see differences in them. They did not come with names. I need help with that. Please e-mail us with name ideas at - rachel@smallpets-bighearts.org

Thank You!!

2012-01-24T17:24:00.000-08:00

Big Thank yous to Beth for volunteering to pick up the 4 ferrets and bring them to Small Pets - Big Hearts tomorrow! :)

Please Help with Transport

2012-01-24T12:31:00.000-08:00

We are looking for someone who is willing to volunteer their time ( as some gas mileage) to pick up four ferrets from the Chautauqua county SPCA , located in Jameston NY. And bring them to us in Cheektowaga. Their hours are - Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday – noon until 5. Thursday and Friday – 1-6 Please let me know if you can help.
Call us at 716-634-2462 or e-mail at - rachel@smallpets-bighearts.org

Adoptions this Weekend

2012-01-22T21:13:00.000-08:00

Sonia and Kelly the guinea pigs were adopted yesterday . Juliet and Treasure the rats were adopted today! :)
We have found a small lump on the underside of Veronica the rat today. It is most likely a tumor that will need to be removed. poor girl, she is only a year old. We hope that once she has it removed that she will be tumor free for a long time.
Valor is doing wonderfully. After that extensive surgery to have the abscesses removed, he has really bounced back nicely. He remains active and eats like a pig, a guinea one, that is. He still has over 2 weeks of antibiotics to go and will need to have his stitches out in a week and two days time.

Mighty Mouse

2012-01-19T19:39:00.000-08:00

I have some sad news. Might Mouse passed away while at his foster home. He was with his foster Mom for nearly a year and was surrounded by love and comfort.

Boo

2012-01-19T11:35:00.001-08:00

If everything goes as planned, Boo the guinea pig is going to his forever home on Saturday. Boo is a special needs guinea pig. He has Hydrocephalus which is water on the brain. He is also blind. The hydrocephalus caused his blindness. Despite his disabilites, Boo has a good quality of life and can manage most things. Such as ; eating from a bowl, drinking frmo a water bottle, etc. He has found a wonderful person who loves him as he is and will give him the best of care.

Update on Valor

2012-01-18T19:27:00.001-08:00

Valor is back home! There were two abscesses. Dr.T was able to completely remove one of them. The other one was too difficult to take out, so he drained and flushed out that one. Valor now has an antibiotic that he hasn't been on before to try and keep out all infection and not allow an abscess to reappear. The little guy has been eating and drinking very well tonight. Dr.T said he should be feeling pretty good with all that infection out of him.

Valor's Surgery

2012-01-18T13:04:00.001-08:00

Valor the guinea pig is at the vet today to have his abscess removed. Last night it felt like the one abscess turned into two. And the origincal abscess was a lot larger than it was when Valor arrived at the rescue. I do hope he is okay and the surgery was a success. I will update when the little guy is home later today.

Rabbit Altering

2012-01-17T17:21:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, Winston and Jester the male rabbits were neutered. They are doing well, eating and going about their business as if nothing occured. We now have 6 out of the 10 rabbits that we fundraised for spayed and neutered. The rest will be done in the near future. We now have two more rabbits added to the amount. We took in Lola who needs to be spayed and a large male rabbit we named Cadbury, he will need to be neutered. Donations are always welcome to help out. We are on a mission to alter every bunny at SP-BH.

Update on Fig Newton and Chocolate Chip

2012-01-13T15:43:00.002-08:00

Fig Newton and Chocolate Chip were laying side by side on their fleece pillow this morning. They are eating their green pepper and cilantro right now with gusto. I didn't doubt these boys ate well, they are large and round, a good sign of a hearty appetite!

Valor

2012-01-13T15:43:00.001-08:00

A little, young guinea pig just arrived. He has an abscess on his neck area that didn't respond to treatment with Baytril. It will need to be surgically removed, he han appointment on Wednesday to take care of it. Although , He is much sicker than what was thought. He breathing is labored, he shows signs of pneumonia. Thankfully I have antibiotics on hand. I just gave him some and I will give him steam therpay to open his airways and help him breathe better. This little guy needs a strong name to pull him through. I am thinking "Valor" , what do you think?

Two New Guinea Pigs

2012-01-12T17:49:00.000-08:00

Two new arrivals today. They are two adult , male guinea guinea pigs. One is a silkie/sheltie all white with a brown faced , he is now named Fig Newton. The other is a short haired calico, but mostly black, he is now named Chocolate Chip. They were both abandoned at a local pet store :(
Sierra has been doing great. Her incision area looks good and she has been leaving it alone to heal. We just hope that no other tumors pop up on her.

Adoptions and Sugar Gliders

2012-01-11T20:18:00.000-08:00

We had 184 adoptions in the year of 2011! That is fantastic! We thank everyone who supports our cause and adopts. That is many happy and loved little ones with forever homes. All of us at Small Pets- Big Hearts are thrilled and overjoyed. I know I am .

Two of our resident male sugar gliders have just been neutered. Ollie and Echo are their names. Echo is bonded to his sister, Peek-a-boo and needs to be adopted with her. They will both be adoptable in two weeks after Echo has had time to recover from his surgery today. Although he is bouncing around like nothing even happened! Ollie is bonded to female sugar glider, Gypsy , and he must be adopted with her. Gypsy has two babies that just came out of pouch on December 1st. She arrived to us with babies already in her pouch. Once her babies are weaned and she has time to recuperate from feeding two extra mouths , both Ollie and Gypsy will be adoptable. With Ollie neutered, Gyspy won't have to go through this ordeal ever again.

Sierra the rat's surgery

2012-01-11T20:15:00.000-08:00

Sierra the female rat went in for surgery today to have a tumor removed. The procedure was more involved than we thought, the tumor was wrapped around a vein. Her incision area is quite large :( She must be so sore. We have a smaller cage for her to recover in with lots of fleece fabric for cuddling and sleeping. When she is all healed she will go back to the tall cage with her two sisters, Savannah and Kenya.

New Arrival Hamster

2011-10-10T19:18:00.000-07:00

A new arrival today. His name is spunky and he is a male syrian hamster. He has short fur. His colors are brown and white. He is 4 to 5 months old. He was brought to us because he wasn't friendly enough with children. Yes, he is cautious with hands and being picked up. I see a lot of potential in him , with patience and a tender touch, he will warm up to people.. I am sure of it.

Fundraising for 10 Rabbits

2011-09-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

We currently have 10 rabbits within our foster network that needs to be spayed or neutered. We spay and neuter rabbits before they are placed up for adoption. We have Thumper, Simba, Penelope, 4 lionhead rabbits that haven't been named yet, Grace, Misty and Todd. Neuters cost $85 and spays cost $110. This surgical procedure will help calm a rabbit and take away bad behaviors (such as spraying, cages aggression, etc) and help with good behaviors ( such as using a litter box). There are also health benefits. It is a known fact that spayed/neutered rabbits live longer and healthier lives. Thank you for supporting us and the 10 bunnies.
You can use the ChipIn link below to Donate. Thank you everyone! We couldn't do this without you support :)

Tax Exempt!!!

2011-08-24T16:41:00.001-07:00

Small Pets-Big Hearts is now officially a 501c3 Tax Exempt organization!!!!!!!! YEAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pheobe

2011-08-04T14:14:00.000-07:00

I have some terrible news. We lost Pheobe the ferret, she passed away. She saw Dr.T yesterday, she had low blood sugar, he suspected insulinoma, a tumor on the pancreas. He told us to start her on Prednisolone and get some food in her if she isn't eating. I gave her the meds last night and syringe fed her some chicken baby food. She perked up , seemed to gain some energy after that. I went to bed late last night and woke up to find that she had passed.

We will miss her terribly, and so will Rufus and Crimson the ferrets.

A Nice Sunday

2011-07-31T21:21:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day of July, and it turned out to be a great day. And not just because I didn't have to work today.
In the afternoon Charity the guinea pig was adopted. And Miles and Mitchell the rats were adopted, their new family traveled all the way from Ohio to meet them and take them home.
The rest of the afternoon was spent cleaning some cages and letting the rescue ferrets romp around the living room.
In the evening, we had one of our bi-monthly board member meetings. Great discussions and new ideas formed for the rescue.
The rest of the night was spent cleaning cages and loving the animals. I surrounded by utter cuteness tonight. Dominic and Rufus the ferret were spooning each other and using each other as pillows. Cora was grooming Midge the rat's face while they snuggled in a hammock, everywhere I looked I was "aawwwwing" over so much adorable little ones. Our family cats were even curled up in their beds, and Randy the cat was laying on his Daddy, Ray, they were both asleep. It all warms the heart.
Good night everyone, we hope for an equally wonderful month for August.
PIctured above is Charity and Miles.

Degu, Adoptions and Blake

2011-07-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

5 rats went home over the weekend. Amos, Bryers and Cody went home after they were neutered. Devon and Ryder were also adopted. All very cute boys that now have wonderful homes.
We have a new arrival today. A degu! Sh has been shuffled from home to home, and wound up at our neighbor's house. They weren't ready to care for a degu, so they called us for help. Poor girl lost her past history during all the home changes. We do not know where she originated from, or how old she is and she doesn't have a name. She's been investigating her new cage and eating all the good stuff I offered her.
Blake the mouse does not seem like himself at all tonight. We will take him along to our vet appointment tomorrow that is already scheduled.

Orbit and Xena

2011-07-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

Orbit and Xena the guinea pigs were just adopted today! We are truly happy for them! :)

5th Annual Run for Rover

2011-06-29T18:37:00.000-07:00

On July 10th Small Pets- Big Hearts will be at the Run for Rover. We will have some adoptables and plenty of information. We hope to find some homes for the littles ones. If you are running, please stop by our table and say "hello."
http://www.petemergencyfund.org/events.html here is a link to information all about the Run for Rover and the Pet Emergency Fund

June Adoptions

2011-06-20T09:17:00.001-07:00

It has been a slow month so far for adoptions. Until yesterday when Mocha, Violet and Dazzle the rats went home! The three girls are quite spoiled and happy.
Crimson and Pheobe the ferrets went to the vet this morning for their surgeries. I will post soon once they are picked up later and we have details on how everything went.

Updates on the four ferrets

2011-06-11T20:46:00.000-07:00

Rufus the ferret has gained some weight! He now weighs more than his cage mates; Pheobe , Crimson and Dominic. He received a Lupron shot at the vet to help alleviate some of the symptoms of his adrenal disease. It will take away the awful itching and he may grow some fur back. Although the shot will not stop the progression of the adrenal disease, it will help him feel more comfortable. I wish so much that his adrenal tumor could be removed. We would do anything to make him better. We do understand that the tumor is inoperable. If Dr.T even attempted to remove it, Rufus wouldn't make it. Our focus now it to keep Rufus well fed, loved , happy and comfortable.
Dominic is doing fabulous after his tail and tumor removal. He has so much energy and spunk. He has healed quickly and I already see some fuzzy fur growing back in where he was shaved for the surgery. We will get him vaccinated very soon and have him adoptable.
Crimson and Pheobe are scheduled for their adrenal surgeries on June 20th. I have high hopes that they will have successful surgeries and they will then be completely healthy after they recover from surgery. We would also like to adopt out Crimson and Dominic together. They are play and wrestling buddies!
Please help us with the expenses of surgeries and care for these four fabulous ferrets. Please click on the Chipin we have provided and donate. They are truly wonderful. Thank you for helping us to help them :)

More on the Ferrets

2011-05-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

It has been a little over a week since the four ferrets arrived at Small pets-Big Hearts, Inc. After an initial vet exam we soon found out they had ear mites, mites and need to gain weight, they are much too thin! Besides this, three of them have adrenal tumors and one had a tumor at the base of his tail. These are pictures taken of Rufus and Dominic right before they went in for surgery. They were in Dr.T's examining room, waiting to be taken in for surgery. Dominic is the one with all the fur, he had the tail removed as well as a tail amputation to make sure none of the tumor was left behind. Rufus is the bald one from the advanced adrenal disease. You can tell just how skinny these ferrets are! It is unfortunate that after exploratory surgery it was found that Rufus's adrenal tumor cannot be removed. He will stay at Small Pets-Big hearts, or with a foster Mom and receive Hospice care. All ferrets have received Revolution for mite treatment and have ivermectin ear drops. They are also eating a much better diet, and in time we hope to see them fill in. Next in line for surgery will be Pheobe and Crimson, they also have adrenal tumors and will need surgery to have them removed. We are raising the funds for their care, please help us in any way you can. They are sweet and deserve every bit!
you can donate on our Chipin web site for the ferrets. Just click - " Chipin"

Rufus and Dominic Had Surgery

2011-05-17T14:17:00.000-07:00

Two of the ferrets just had surgery, but we are still fundraising. Dominic had his tail amputation plus the tumor removed. Poor guy has a bald tushie, and it looks sore, and no tail!! But our vet is certain he got all of the tumor and all the tumor cells GONE. So hopefully it didn't spread anywhere else and no other tumor pops up. Rufus the bald ferret,due to the adrenal tumor, also went in . HIs outlook isn't as good. His adrenal tumor is very large and it is on the right adrenal gland, the more difficult one to remove. It is difficult to remove because there is a main vein running right through it. And Rufus's tumor is wrapped around that vein :( He would loose his life if the vet even attempted to remove that tumor. Our vet said his liver also didn't look well. SO, he closed him back up and stitched him.. If only Rufus had come to us sooner, before that tumor grew so large and wrapped around the vein and before it invaded the liver. If only... Rufus will be staying with us for hopice care, to live out his remaining life in comfort and love. Next, we will be taking Pheobe and Crimson to have their adrenal tumors removed, we hope they are on the left hand side and can be easily removed. I will keep the Facebook page as updated as we can, and will continue to post our Chipin website where donations can be made. My husband also took pictures of them today while at the vet, you will see their cute faces very soon

Chipin

2011-05-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

Donating for the Ferrets

2011-05-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

Please help us with providing surgery for four rescued ferrets. You can donate and read about them at this web site. -
http://smallpetsbighearts.chipin.com/mypages/view/id/766f741e18ad7841

The Four Ferrets

2011-05-11T15:59:00.000-07:00

The ferrets saw the vet today and all 4 ferrets need surgery ! Two need immediate surgery, and will be going in next Monday. The two going in on Monday for surgery are Rufus and Dominic. Rufus has advanced adrenal disease. It is causing difficulty with urinating. He will have the tumor and adrenal gland removed. Dominic has a tumor as the base of his tail, he is having the tumor and his tail removed! It we wait too long for the surgery the tumor will start growing towards his anus :(

The other 2 ferrets, Pheobe and Crimson also have adrenal disease , just not as advanced at Rufus's. They will eventually need surgery.

We will also be doing our best to fund raise for the little guys. Anyone who wishes to donate for the ferrets , please e-mail me at rachel@smallpets-bighearts.org

.

Updates

2011-05-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

We are happy to announce that we did find enough foster homes to be able to commit to rescuing the 6 rabbits. It is unfortunate that only 3 of the rabbits were able to be "pulled" from the home. We now have the three, 3 and half month old rabbits. They are little and cute, and seem to be in good health. They have been playing and eating very well. We will determine their sexes very soon and come up with names. In the meantime, they are separated to avoid/prevent/stop any pregnancies.
Yesterday we took in 4 ferrets. Rufus is a 7 year old male, he is thin, and most of his fur missing. Pheobe is a 6 year old female with some fur loss, hind leg problems and she is thin. Dominic is a 7 year old male , he is thin and has fur loss. Crimson is a 5 year old male, he is bulkier than the others but is still thin and he has fur missing at the base of his tail. They are also very itchy.
They will need a lot of vet care and TLC.. they will receive and abundance of this at SP-BH. They enjoyed romping around the living room today, we were happy to see they have great spirits and energy. All four ferrets now have a vet appointment for tomorrow at 5PM.
On Sunday, Mother's Day, Ben and Sandler the rats were adopted together!! YAY!

We Need Help for Rabbits

2011-05-04T16:57:00.000-07:00

Would anyone be available and/or willing to foster a rabbit for Small Pets-Big Hearts?. We are located in Cheektowaga, NY which is near Buffalo. There are 3 adult rabbbits, all living seperately for now. And three, 3 and half month old rabbits. There is a possibility females could be pregnant. These bunnies need a place to go after they are rescued.

we cannot commit to their rescue until we know they have a place to go. We can only house one these rabbits ourselves. Thanks.
Please e-mail- rachel@smallpets-bighearts.org or call (716)634-2462 or (716)472-2415

More Adoptions!

2011-05-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

The past couple of days has been fabulous! On Sunday, Jupiter , Trigger and Frito the rats were adopted. And yesterday, Monday, Reginald and Nugget the rats were adopted. We love when the rescued little ones find their loving homes! Thank you to everyone who adopts!
Pictured above is Reginald and Frito.

Foxy Brown

2011-04-29T21:45:00.001-07:00

Wonderful news today!!!! Foxy Brown the rabbit has been adopted. His family already loves him, he is going to a very happy bunny! YEAH!

New Arrivals- Hamsters!

2011-04-16T10:05:00.001-07:00

We have three new arrivals! They are sibling hamsters. They were born a month and a half ago. Someone got a "male" hamster, they soon found out they actually have a female when they found a nest of babies with her. The person found homes for three of the babies, but the other three needs our help with finding them loving homes. Pictures will be posted soon. And I will be coming up with some names for them.

Rats!

2011-04-08T13:49:00.000-07:00

Big group of rats coming in today to the rescue! They will be needing foster homes and/or adopters. If you were thinking of a new rat friend or companion to a rat you have , now is a great time to adopt. They are three months old and there will be a mix of boys and girls ( were kept seperated , no possible pregnancies) and variety of colors and cuteness.

Please contact me at rachel@smallpets-bighearts.org if you wish to know more about them. Or to set something up. I will also need many male and female rat names, please help!

Toy and Tofu Donations

2011-04-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow supporters :) I want to thank everyone for following our blog and keeping up the love and support to the rescued little ones.
We are looking and asking for donations of human infant/baby toys for the bunnies to play with. All plastic toys work the best, like rattles, keys, rings, etc. We also would love some plastic whiffle balls for bunny toys too.
We would love some tofu for the rats, mice, hamsters, and gerbils. They LOVE tofu, and it is a healthy source of protein for them.
Thank you!

Chazz's Surgery

2011-04-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

We had a rescue rat go through tumor removal surgery today. His name is Chazz, he is a one and a half year old, pink eyed white boy. A lump had formed on his back and it rapidly grew to a large size. After a vet visit, it was diagnosed a skin tumor and we decided it was best to have it removed since it was growing quite large. Chazz now has a large/long incision across his back , it has dis solvable stitches and surgical glue keeping it together. Chazz is back to his usual self, he isn't acting like he had surgery today. He is feeling pretty good and is happy to be free of the tumor.

Ferret Experience

2011-03-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

Small Pets-Big Hearts, Inc. is currently searching for a person or family that has a lot of ferret experience. As either a foster parent or family or an adoptive parent or family. We recently took in 2 ferrets from a local shelter. They are both 3 years old and are bonded to each other, so they must stay together. Their names are Masi and Beatrice. Beatrice has a history of biting , this is what led her to be transferred to Small Pets-Big Hearts. She has also bitten while in our care. Masi does not bite. Beatrice is a red eyed white ferret. She isn't deaf , but her vision is limited. She bites the most when you enter her cage, especially is she has just woken up. She will take treats gently from your hand, and you can handle her and pick her up while she is munching on a treat. We would also like to see both of them transition to a much better food than what they are eating now. So far, they are stubborn about eating anything else other than Marshall's food.
We would love to have someone take in Beatrice and Masi. Work with Beatrice and hopefully rehabilitate her. Just be forewarned, a bite will happen. Please if you are interested in fostering or adopting these girls, please e-mail us at rachel@smallpets-bighearts.org. Or if you know someone that is full of ferret knowledge and is great with them, please pass the word to them. Thank you.

Mindi's Babies

2011-03-09T09:32:00.001-08:00

We have named Momma guinea pig , Mindi. Mindi's skin looks so much better, she doesn't have any scabs anymore, and I can see some fur growing in where she is bald. Her babies are at the point today where all sons need to be taken away from Mom, because they are officially sexually mature. After sexing all 5 babies, Mindi has 4 boys and 1 girl. Her sons are now in a seperate cage from their Mom. And, her daughter is staying with her. Now, I need to come up with suitable names for the babies.
We have a few new arrivals here at the rescue. We have two ferrets that were transferred to us from a local shelter. Beatrice is a 3 year old, white with red eyes, ferret. And Masi is a three year old Sable ferret. Beatrice has a history of biting people. We plan on training and correcting her during her stay at the rescue, and hopefully finding an experienced Foster parent or adoptive parent for her. So far, she is taking ferret treats gently from my finger and letting me pet her white she munches the treat. She does seem to go for my arm when I pick her up. I plan to start picking her up during the sessions with the treats, and hope she will learn that picking up is fun and good. When she attempts or does bite, she will get a "time out" in a carrier. Another new arrival is a female dwarf hamster that was abandoned at a local pet store. We have named her Cici, and she is a friendly and active little gal.
We also have had some adoptions. Mack the hamster was adopted. Sam and Charlie the ferrets. Mona Lisa and Aurora the rats. And Goober the guinea pig were all adopted. Himi the rat and Might Mouse the mouse are now in foster care. And Franklin and Freddie the ferrets, Molsen the ferret and Esmerelda the rabbit are adoption pending.
We have been very busy. But that business is a great thing for all the little ones. We love when they go to their forever homes or foster homes.
Pictured above is Goober the guinea pig. He is now loved by every member of his family.

More Adoptions and a Momma G-pig

2011-02-22T10:06:00.000-08:00

Over the week , Sam and Charlie the ferrets were adopted. Rambo the male degu was adopted and also Mira the Holland Lop rabbit.
We also took in a Mom guinea pig and her day old babies. Their previous owner was having difficulty distinguishing males from females and unwanted/accidental babies were being born. Momma has a mite infestation. She is missing a lot of fur, has many scabs on her body and was even bleeding on the day she arrived. She has been treated and looks better already, her sores and scabs are healing. Once her babies are old enough they will also be treated for mites. Her babies are now 6 days old and doing well. Momma is very attentive to them and is taking good care of them. It will be weeks before Mom or the babies are old enough and in good enough health to be adopted.
Pictured above is Mira, isn't she absolutely adorable?

Budha adopted!

2011-02-17T21:33:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to announce that Budha the Panda colored hamster has been adopted! Everyone loves him. He is a fantastic hamster, he loves attention and he is very gentle.

More Adoptions and New Arrivals

2011-02-07T20:29:00.001-08:00

Over the weekend, we found homes for 4 female mice. Also, Tia and Mia the sister hamsters were adopted by a wonderful family. And Salem the chinese dwarf hamster was adopted. We are happy with their new families. Adopting truly does save lives! :)
We also have 2 new bunnies and 1 guinea pig here at Small Pets-Big Hearts. I am not sure if I have mentioned Esmeralda in the blog yet. Esmeralda is a female Holland lop rabbit. She is a dark brown color with white. She is really sweet and is litter box trained. She will need to be spayed before she is adoptable. Mira the female Holland Lop rabbit also arrived. She is calico colored, she is beautiful and stunning! She is loving her new two level cage she has here at the rescue. She will adoptable very soon. Then yesterday we took in Bella the guinea pig. She is a cream colored piggie girl with pink eyes. She is still getting used to a new environment and home, I know she is a lovely girl.

Derby

2011-01-31T21:58:00.000-08:00

Derby the guinea pig had his surgery today. The lymph node abscess was removed, as well as his lymph node. Dr.T wanted to make sure the abscess wouldn't reform. In order to remove all of the abcsess, the lymph node needed to be removed as well. Derby was squeaking and talking in his carrier on the way home. He started eating as soon as he was settled back in his cage. He is still on antibiotics for a while and will have his stitches removed in 10 to 14 days. He has bounced back so well, it's as if he didn't even have surgery this morning :)

Athena

2011-01-31T21:42:00.000-08:00

A little less than a week ago we took in two female guinea pigs that were not being cared for by the children they were bought for. After they were surrendered , we instantly noticed that one of them has a head tilt and her left eye is cloudy. The girls came with the names Daisy and Buttercup. I felt that the head tilted girl needed a stronger name to go with her special needs/disability and to help overcome her physical obstacles. I renamed the head tilted girl, Athena. And her cage mate that has no obvious physical ailments ( just overgrown nails that are now trimmed) , Xena. After picking up and watching Athena , we also noticed how thin she is. She also would stay quiet in a corner and breathe heavily. After taking her weight- she weighed 714 grams , an adult female guinea pig should be at least 800 grams or more. Athena saw the vet and was found to have an ear infection, upper respiratory infection, a perforated cornea and angled incisor teeth. Poor girl!! Her eye was punctured and suffered trauma what our vet estimated to be months ago. We cannot do anything for her eye now. It healed the best it could. She may have limited vision, or most likely, no vision out of the left eye. She is now on antibiotics for the ear and respiratory infection. And then she will have dental work once she is feeling better. After three days on the antibiotic I can already see her spirits start to rise. She has more energy, more appetite and she is squeaking and exploring. She has gone from 714 grams to 719 already! I hope that she will steadily gain weight. Our vet said she may loose the head tilt. But, if she had the ear infection for a long time it may stay with her even after the infection is gone. Sometimes there is a residual head tilt even after treatment and good health. I am already completely in love with her. It would be a perfect story for her to be 100 percent healthy and be adopted with her best friend , Xena.

Lil Dude and Cougar!

2011-01-31T20:13:00.000-08:00

We are happy to announce that Lil Dude and Cougar the two male guinea pigs were adopted. Of course, they went home together, they were a bonded pair of boys. Way to Go Cougar and Lil Dude!

Derby and Degus

2011-01-23T12:51:00.000-08:00

We recently took in a guinea pig from a local pet store that has a lump on his face. He will be seeing the vet in four days. Despite the large lump, he is active, vocal and eats well. We have named him Derby and we are hopeful that he can be treated and will be a-okay very soon.
We also took in 1 male degu and 3 female degus. They are housed separatly, since we are against any breeding. Two of the girls have misaligned teeth and need frequent teeth trimmings. They all be adoptable soon, and the two girls will be placed as special needs.

Molsen's Foster Home

2011-01-23T12:49:00.000-08:00

Yesterday , Molsen the ferret went into foster care. He now has a family of four to love and spoil him until he finds his adoptive family.

Many Happy Adoptions

2011-01-23T12:46:00.000-08:00

Over the past couple of weeks, there have been a lot of adoptions. Pedro, Zephyr, Scooter and Rasko the guinea pigs were adopted. Maya, Larkin, Valentine, Remi and Liam the rats went home. And also, Keegan the hamster. We are extremely elated about so many little ones finding their foever homes. Thank you so everyone who has adopted.

Wish List Thank You!

2011-01-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Karen and Lauren for donating toys and hideys to the rescued pets! Just want to remind everyone that the little ones have a wish list on Amazon.com. They would love any donation (s) from the list. Thank you , thank you!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/2F5K6GO277URS

Home From the Vet!

2011-01-10T16:36:00.000-08:00

Everything went well with Leopold and Remi!
What the vet removed on Remi was actually an abscess, not a tumor. Which is a good thing, we don't have to worry about more tumors appearing on Remi. At least not yet, or hopefully at all. The biggest worry after having a tumor removed on a rat is another taking it's place , or others appearing elsewhere. The abscess was fully removed and after antibiotics , Remi should be perfect. He is alert right now and leaving his incision area alone.
Leopold had the abscess removed and a tooth removed. Dr.T saw that the tooth that was "connected" with the abscess had grown. He is very sure it is the source of Leopold's abscesses. With that gone and the abscess, we are hopeful this will be the last of Leopold's jaw issues. He will also be on antibiotics for two more weeks and will be re checked at the vet in two weeks. Leopold is a little out of it, but he will soon be back to himself. He did had a rough day.
We also have a new arrival! Bugsy the guinea pig. He is 6 months old, black and brown with a white crest on his head. He is a little guy and he was purring in my arms the moment I picked him up and cradled him. What a little lover!

Rusty!

2011-01-10T11:17:00.000-08:00

Leopold and Remi are recuperating at the vet right now. They are getting picked up at 5:30PM by foster Daddy, Ray. I will post all about them after they arrive back home and are settled in.
The great news is about Rusty the guinea pig. He was adopted on Saturday, January 8th. He now has a spayed female guinea pig that he lives with. Her name is Fiona. Fiona and Rusty hit it off right away. Within 15 minutes of meeting each other they were relaxed and laying next to each other. We are very happy that Rusty and Fiona now have each other. A very happy story and adoption!
The picture above is handsome Rusty.

Freddie and Franklin

2011-01-07T13:58:00.001-08:00

Two new ferrets just arrived today. They are both males and their names are Freddie and Franklin. Franklin is a lighter sable ferret and is 4 years old. And Freddie is a dark Sable, he is between 1 and 2 years old. They were brought to the rescue due to severe allergies and difficulty affording them. They are climbnig about their cage right now, levels in a cage are new to them. Freddie seems to want to come out, so I will let him bounce and romp around for a while in the living room. Franklin is content just sleeping.

Looking Back

2011-01-07T13:43:00.001-08:00

The year of 2010 was a great year! We totalled 163 adoptions for the whole year! That is stupendous! Thank you to everyone who has adopted. You have saved a precious life (lives) and have given them a second chance filled with love. We couldn't continue helping the little ones without adopters.
We also became Incorporated as a Non Profit organization. Then changed our name to Small Pets-Big Hearts, Inc. Next on our agenda is gaining our tax exempt 501(c)(3) status. it is taking a little longer then we expected. But, we will get there.
We became placement partners with Lollipop Farms Humane Society located in Rochester, NY. We are thrilled to be working with a dedicated shelter. We are always willing to help out and cooperate with other rescues and shelters.
We were able to take in 7 female rabbits from the huge cruelty siezure that happened in New Brunswick Canada this year. The rabbits were housed outside and fed very little. When they arrived they were dirty, matted and thin . All those female rabbits now have homes. They are now indoor rabbits and will always be fed and groomed.
We have had many spays and neuters, tumor removals, dental care, check- ups, and adrenal surgeries happen at our primary vet. And that is only a few on the list. We are grateful for such a wonderful vet and staff at Seneca Animal Hospital. And for people who donate towards the vet care for everyone.
We hope to have an equally successful year, here in 2011. Maybe even better. We have grown so much and have gathered many people along the way that now foster, volunteer and are true friends. We couldn't accomplish this alone. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

Leopold and Remi

2011-01-06T21:21:00.001-08:00

Leopold is a wonderful Holland Lop bunny. He is a true sweetheart that loves attention and being loved on. He has been battling a jaw abscess. When he was neutered on December 13th, our vet found a jaw abscess and he quickly removed and drained what he could. Leopold has since then been on antibiotics. but, the jaw abscess has returned. The abscess is actually within his jaw bone. This makes it tough to treat. He is going back to the vet on Monday, January 10th, to have the abscess removed as much as possible again. He is still on antibiotics and will remain on antibiotics until the battle is won. Even though he hates the medicine every day, Leopold remains in good spirits. He is eating well and drinking. If I had a jaw abscess, I don't think I would be carrying on as well as Leopold is. Keep it up sweet Leo!
Remi the hairless rat went to the vet because a tumor appeared underneath his armpit area. The lump is tumor. He will be having the tumor removed on Monday , January 10th. Tumor removals seem to go well , and we hope that no other tumors will appear afterwards. Remi is also eating and going about his business as usual. He is a great rat, a real snuggler.
I will update on the boys after Monday.

Their Wish List

2010-12-30T13:42:00.000-08:00

I know that Christmas is over, but the little ones ( rescued pets) have many items they would love to have. They have made a wish list and anyone can donate from it. There are items for the birds, ferrets, hamsters, rabbits, etc. You can pick and choose anything and they let me know they wouldn't mind any doubles. The little ones would be happy for any gifts and greatly appreciate it! All donations are not tax deductible. Thank you and Happy New Year!
Here is a link to their wish list- http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/2F5K6GO277URS

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T12:06:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! To all little pet lovers , animal lovers, volunteers, foster parents, adopters, supporters, family and friends. You mean the World to us!

Hugo, Ellis, Anita, Farrell, Juno and Abby

2010-12-06T21:27:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend we had many adoptions, we are as happy as can be!! Abby and Juno the female guinea pigs went home first. They are a bonded pair and went home together. Then the female rat sisters; Ellis, Anita and Farrell went home together. Then big boy, Hugo the guinea pig went home.
Thank you to everyone who adopts. You have saved the life of that pet and others. We know they are all going to be loved and spoiled in their new homes. I cannot give enough thanks to everyone who has adopted, is in the process of adopting, will adopt, and fosters.. we couldn't continue the rescue efforts without you.
Pictured above is Hugo! Isn't he handsome?

Update on the Ferret Boy

2010-12-03T20:59:00.000-08:00

Update on Molsen the ferret. He is looking wonderful! His skin is healing and I think i can see new fur growing in already! He is eating more. Today he was bouncing around the living room and kitchen like he's a young kit. I am proud of him and happy that he is so much better. Wednesday he is getting his stitches removed.
Thank you to those who donated on Molsen's behalf. We are still in the process of reaching the goal for Molsen's surgery. Every little bit helps , for the life altering and saving surgery Molsen had.

Good news to counter the bad

2010-11-30T20:50:00.000-08:00

As you can see from Rachel's last post, things did not go very well for Cadet. Yet there is good news to be shared and take comfort in. (AUGH! I just ended a sentence with a preposition. Kill me.)

On Sunday, McGee and DiNozzo were adopted by a lovely little girl and her mother. It was obvious by the way the little girl cradled the dwarf hamsters that they are going to be very well taken care of and loved. They will be keeping their names, as the family thought the names were too darn cute. Congratulations to the boys for getting their forever home!

McGee and DiNozzo in their foster home

In other happy news, Molsen the ferret is healing well. Unfortunately, removing the tumor on his toe would have required the removal of the entire toe. Since it isn't cancerous, doesn't seem to affect his walking or cause him pain, it was decided that it would be best to leave it as it is. The surgery to remove the adrenal tumor was a great success, however, and he's already looking much better. Where he previously had scabs from scratching himself, he now has smooth skin. With luck, it won't be long before his fur starts to grow back in those patches. The incision site looks to be healing properly as well. Three cheers for Molsen!

Despite the success at the Purina rally, Small Pets-Big Hearts is still in need of monetary donations to help with the cost of the recent surgeries. If you can afford to help out, every dollar is very much appreciated. If you would rather donate food, bedding, or cleaning supplies, those donations are also greatly appreciated.

Molsen is Doing Great!

2010-11-30T20:49:00.001-08:00

I am very happy to post about Molsen the ferret's fabulous recovery after surgery. He went in to have his adrenal tumor reoved and a tumor on his toe. The tumor on his toe was biopsied and found to be benign. It would have been difficult to remove the tumor without removing the whole toe. Since it is benign , we found it best to let it be, it isn't bothering him at all or growing. The tumor on his left adrenal gland was removed. His first night back home , we was very groggy. Now he is back to his perky and energetic self. His incision area is healing perfectly and we can already see improvement with his skin. We cannot wait for his fur to start growing back in. We are very proud of Molsen and happy that he is on the mend!

Sadness Over Cadet

2010-11-30T20:45:00.000-08:00

I have sad news about Cadet the soft furred rat. The swollen area on his face has not gone down at all. I talked to Dr.T and as he feared, there is actually a tumurous process going on. The abscess and infection was only secondary to the tumor growth. Given the location of the tumor, it is on his face and mouth, removal is not possible. .
Both Dr.T and I agree that in order to end Cadet's suffering and stop it before his suffering worsens , euthanisia is the kindest thing we can do for him. We gave all we could and did all we could to make him better, it seems so unfair in the end , it is untreatable.. and Cadet will be lost. I hate making this decision and saying good bye. I never truly know if it is the right thing to do and I second guess myself. I know Dr.T did all he could and he would only recommend it if it was the best thing for Cadet. It still isn't easy.
This is a picture of Cadet before the tumor, abscess and infection.

Purina Pro-Plan Rally to Rescue!

2010-11-19T21:06:00.000-08:00

Free tomorrow? Love SP-BH? Want to help us spread the love for the little ones?

Come to the Purina Pro-Plan Rally to Rescue. It's taking place at the American Legion. (3740 North Buffalo Road in Orchard Park) from 10am - 3pm. DO IT!

Molsen and Cadet

2010-11-15T13:33:00.000-08:00

Next week Monday, November 22nd, Molsen the ferret is having his adrenal surgery. Cadet the soft furred rat is also going in for surgery. He is having an abscess removed that is on his face/mouth area. Please keep them in your thoughts and wish them well.
We are still fundraising for Molsen and Cadet's surgeries. Please feel free to donate toward's them, every bit counts. You can e-mail us at Rachel_Murphy@Smallpets-bighearts.org for details on how to donate.
Thank you.

Public Apology

2010-11-12T20:03:00.000-08:00

Hello to all from your friendly assistant blogger.

I do have to apologize sincerely. I have been rather neglecting my job as assistant blogger, and thus putting more work on Rachel and Ray. I have been settling into some new life changes, but there's no reason that I couldn't have made time for at least a few brief updates.

Don't forget about next Saturday's event, the Pro-Plan Rally to Rescue. It's taking place at the American Legion. (3740 North Buffalo Road in Orchard Park). I promise that I will post the hours of the event (and other details) as soon as I know them.

Again, my sincerest apologies for my oversights.

Upcoming Adoption and Fundraising Events

2010-10-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

Small Pets Big Hearts, Inc. will be a part of an Open House fundrasing event. Marcia Scott is holding the open house. There will be a small display table all about Small Pets-Big Hearts, and anyone can donate to all the little rescues. ( donations are not tax deductible) This is the information regarding the event-
The Open House is the 12th from 4-8 and the 13th 10-4. Address is 3250 Countryside Lane, Hamburg, NY. People can call to confirm at 648-1030. You can RSVP with Marcia to let her know you will be stopping by.
Small Pets - Big hearts, Inc. will also be participating in this year's Pro Plan Rally to Rescue event. Here is that event information-
American Legion
3740 North Buffalo Road
Orchard Park NY 14127
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2010
10AM to 5PM
FREE ADMISSION
There will be many other rescue organizations and Pizza and snacks! There will be many things to see and do!

These events came at crucial time. We took in a 6 year old ferret named Molsen at the beginning of October. After a vet visit we disocovered that he has a tumor on his front toe and also adrenal disease. The adrenal disease is a tumor on one of his adrenal glands. Even though 6 years old is senior age for a ferret, we still want him to possibly live a couple more years and be healthy during that time. We want to give him that chance and go ahead and have the vet perform the surgical removal of both tumors. Molsen's procedure will cost up to $300 possibly more if the tumor on his toe is attached. If that is the case, his toe would need to be removed to take away the entire tumor. This would bring up the cost a bit. We hope to raise the funds for Molsen soon. We want him feeling young again :)
Donations are not tax-deductible at this time.

Wonderful Adoptions!!

2010-10-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

We have had 13 adoptions this month so far. I cannot express how happy I am about this. I am thrilled that people and families are looking into adopting and are also spreading the word about adopting the little pets.
First for the month- Zack the neutered male rat, Darlene, Janet, Gypsy and Tempe the females rats were adopted together. The little senior aged mouse, Ralphie, was adopted. Kirby the guinea pig went home this past Sunday as well as Jack and Jill the senior aged rabbits ( a neutered male and spayed female bonded pair). Sage and Oregano and baby angora rabbits went home on Wednesday as well as Hefner the dwarf hamster. On Thursday Albert the hamster was adopted. Every one went to wonderful families and homes, I know they will be cherished and loved they way they should be. I am grateful to anyone who gives a senior aged pet a chance. Even though it is not known how long their newly adopted pets will be in their lives, they still open their hearts and home to them. It is an enormous act of kindness and love. Thank you so much to Jack and Jill's new Mommy and Daddy, and Ralphie's new Mom.
We do have some new arrivals. We took in a 1 year old ferret named Sam. He is now with Alyssa , a foster parent for our ferrets. She introduced Sam to Charlie the ferret ( adoptable) and they now love each other :) They sleep cuddled up to each other. We took in another ferret who is currently residing at the Small Pets-Big Hearts, Inc. headquarters ( our home) and main foster home. Molsen is a 6 year old Sable colored ferret, he will need to be checked over by the vet before he is adoptable. We also took in a golden colored Syrian hamster named Willy, he is 1 year old male and very friendly. A male guinea pig named Scooter who is brown and white and has teddy type fur. And then recently Herman and Goober the guinea pigs arrived, they are males , short haired and are calico colored.
I think that is a good run down of October so far. Oh, I forgot to update on Chillia the chinchilla. Chillia does have slightly overgrown tooth roots, this was shown on his dental X-rays. Dr.T does not advice removing the two bad bottom incisor teeth. Without the bottom teeth , the top teeth would grow at an alarming rate. There fore it would best to let his teeth be, instead of removing all his incisors. He also fears placing a 10 year old chinchilla through a tooth extraction surgery of that magnitude. Dr.T is very certain that Chillia is at least 10 years old. The overgrown roots will eventually cause him pain, at that point he will need to be placed on Metacam for pain managment. SO far he seems comfortable, he eats his pellets like a champ and loves dried papaya as a treat. I wish he would eat rose hips , but he seems to truly dislike them. He is a cutie pie and we hope to find someone who will adopt him despite his age and special needs. Chillia is currently adoptable.

The Visit, Adoptions and Peanut

2010-09-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

I will make a quick run down on the vet visit from yesterday. Abby and Juno the two guinea pigs are possibly not pregnant, just overly plump. Dr.T couldn't feel anything that would be a baby in them. He said guinea pigs do not show pregnancies in an X-ray. We are still keeping them for the duration of a pregnancy watch ( 2 to 2 and half months) just in case. Dr.T said they could be very early in their pregnancy where not much is "formed." Remi the hairless rat had 2 cysts, Dr.T was able to remove them both during the exam. After some healing time, he with then be adoptable. Quagmire the white pigeon had a great exam, he is healthy and ready for adoption. Baby the cockatiel had plugged up nares ( notrils ) from excess dander, after some flushing out her notrils are now clear. She is missing an entire toenail on her one foot. Could have resulted from an old injury. Otherwise, she is doing great. Chillia the chinchilla does have some issues. He has some tooth disease going on and mislignment of his teeth. Chillia is back to the vet today, he was dropped off this morning. Dr.T is taking X-rays of his teeth and jaw, and can hopefully help him out with the crooked and diseased tooth. He suspects there could be some problems with the roots of that tooth as well. I will update on how he is doing.
Yesterday, Pepper the baby angora rabbit was adopted. And also Goldie, Katie and Pocohantas the dwarf hamsters were adopted :)
Peanut the guinea pig arrived yesterday. He is a cute black and white guy with a crest of fur on his head. He has acclimated well to the hub bub of the house. He is eating timothy hay and exploring his new home.

Vet Visit Tomorrow and Hermit Crabs

2010-09-28T19:47:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow , we are taking quite a few of the rescues to see Dr.Tomaschke. Quagmire the white pigeon is getting a wellness exam to make sure he is perfectly healthy before placing him as adoptable. He was wandering around outside a neighborhood for a month before anyone was able to catch him and bring him to the rescue. We want to make sure he didn't catch anything "bad" from outside. Baby the cockatiel is going for a wellness exam and beak trim. Baby was surrendered after a family moved into their new apartment and found the last person that lived their had abandoned Baby. The family was unable to keep her, and weren't expecting a bird as to part of their new home. Chillia the chinchilla has a runny eye and some fur loss around that eye, we want that looked at. Remi the hairless rat has a small lump that we want Dr.T to check out. And last but not least, the two female guinea pigs, Abby and Juno, arrived at the rescue already pregnant. I am certain Abby is pregnant , Juno I am not as sure. I want Dr.T to confirm if they are pregnant or not and make sure that everything is going okay with their pregnancy. Complications can arise with guinea pig pregnancy and labor. I am worried about these two girls. I am always so worried and nervous when a pregnant guinea pig arrives, I wish it wouldn't happen. We are completley against breeding but all too often , we take in a pet hat has already become pregnant somehow prior to their surrender. We also take in unwanted litters of babies. We would never, ever intnetionally breed or cause any female to become pregnant. Our mission is to help homeless pets , not create more.
Now that I went on a tangent and also went off topic.. onto the hermit crabs. We took in two hermit crabs two days ago. They were bought for a child, and then the child lost interest quickly :( The crabs made their way to the rescue so they can find a forever home. Hermit crabs are great pets and are as deserving of excellent care and love as any other pet. I have named the crabby duo, Jenga and Poker.

Mostly good news with a hint of sadness

2010-09-27T19:38:00.000-07:00

I'll get the bad news over with: Gibbs the dwarf hamster has passed away. You may recall that he was one of the hamsters with a lot of medical issues. We believe that his body just couldn't take it any more and that he passed peacefully. His brothers, McGee and DiNozzo, have healed, however, and are in good condition. They are up for adoption.

Speaking of adoptions, Saturday's expo was a great success. There were a huge number of people that stopped over at the Small Pets-Big Hearts table, both people from other organizations, and people just interested in finding out more about us. I'll post more information as it gets sorted.

We had Charlie the ferret, Pepper the angora, Kirby, Marvin, and Norman the guinea pigs, Olivia and Casey the gerbils, and Goldie, Katie, and Pocahontas the dwarf hamsters at the convention to give people an idea of the animals we have up for adoption. We also had Lilly the rat there as a success story. Norman was brought on stage by a woman who was demonstrating clicker-training, and he brought a lot of attention our way. In addition, Lilly helped attract a lot of different people. She brought over people who liked rats and gave us the opportunity to find people who thought rats were "gross" or "mean" and change their minds.

Thanks to everyone's efforts and the adorableness of all of the animals, Norman the guinea pig has been adopted, as have Emma and Tessa the dwarf hamsters. Adoptions are pending for Lilly's sisters (all 4!) and her (neutered) brother Zack as well as for Gormy the rat.

So all we can say is "THANKS!" to all of the people (and animals!) who helped out with the expo. Since Rachel was ill, she couldn't make it, but with Ray's help and the help of a few volunteers, things went over very well. Keep spreading the word and getting people to adopt rather than buy. The more animals get adopted, the more animals we can get and place in loving homes. :)

A Long Overdue Post

2010-09-18T18:10:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I sincerely apologize for my updating failure. I recently started a new job, and with training and learning all of the shifts, everything else went by the wayside, which is kind of unacceptable. But here are the notable things you've missed because I wasn't updating:

On August 29th, Baby the guinea pig was adopted. Tommy and Pepper the guinea pigs were adopted a few days later, as were Leonna and Luke the sugar gliders. Sadly, the last of the elderly mice passed away shortly thereafter, but we gained Remi the hairless rat, Herman, Melvin, and Norman the guinea pigs, as well as Albert the Syrian hamster.

Gibbs, McGee, and DiNozzo the dwarf hamsters have been healing well, thank goodness, and will hopefully be free of any umbilical infections very soon.

In addition, one week from today, SP-BH will be participating in another expo. I'll post the full information as soon as I can. What I do know for sure is that it's on the 25th at the Hamburg fairgrounds - where the Erie County Fair is held - and it's another adoption event. We'll be there with Charlie the ferret, Pepper the angora rabbit, Kirby and Norman the guinea pigs, Albert the hamster, and Oliva and Casey the gerbils. Will we see you there? We sure hope so!

Summer Summary!

2010-08-28T20:44:00.000-07:00

With only a couple more days left in August, the reality that summer is coming to a close is setting in. Almost all of the colleges are back in session, and grade schools are going to go back fairly soon, too. Since the summer is about to end, I talked to Rachel about setting up a summary post to show just how successful SP-BH has been. So here's all the news that's fit to share!

June saw the arrival of the 7 angora rabbits from another rescue. They had been seized from a hoarding situation and were in pretty bad shape. Some were pregnant, and they all desperately needed the vet visit they received, at which time they were shaved to remove the horrible matting of their fur. 7 gerbils also arrived, as well as Chip the love bird and Earl the turtle.

As per usual, all of the animals were checked out at the vet. Other notable vet visits include the spay/neuter visit for Flander, Hudson, and Ohana the rabbits and Buddy the guinea pig's eye removal surgery. Sadly, Buddy passed not long after h

is surgery. In happier news, however, Malary, Vasari, and Prima the rats were adopted, as was Pablo the guinea pig. At the end of June, Florence the angora rabbit gave birth to 6 babies, 5 of which survived. There were more births to follow...

July proved to be an incredibly busy month. To start off, the rest of the angora babies were born. This proved to be bittersweet. On the 2nd, 6 babies were born to an unknown mother. Unfortunately, none of them survived, as they were ignored completely by their mother and the other females. On the 6th, both Magenta and Marylin had 8 babies. None of Magenta's babies survived, and only 4 of Marylin's babies survived. It's assumed that a combination of the deplorable conditions and constant moving from place to place played a role in the low survival rate of the babies. Fortunately, the 9 that did survive ap

pear to be in good health.

A bit later on in the month, ~~Lifelong Tails~~ became Small Pets-Big Hearts, Inc. and was able to begin the process of becoming a tax-exempt not-for-profit organization. This is HUGE news, as it means the name is now protected, and there are far more opportunities. As the name gets out there, we can reach more potential adopters and foster parents.

A large group of rats were surrendered when their family had to move and couldn't take them. Burrito, Zack, Gormy, Potter, Lilly, Gypsy, Janet, Dot, Bellatrix, Tempe, and Darlene are all very friendly and were obviously well cared for before coming to SP-BH. A group of Zebra finches, named after the cast of Firefly, was surrendered shortly before 8 gerbils, named for the cast of Law and Order were surrendered. Two rats, Charity and Dee Dee were placed in a foster home.

Luckily, the influx of animals was counterbalanced

by a long list of adoptions. Mimi, Momo, and Hopper the gerbils, Edger the (female) guinea pig, Milton and Cleo the rats, Sofia, Mabel, and Marigold the angora rabbits, Coco and Annabelle the guinea pigs, Hawthorne and Flynt the rats, Chip the lovebird, Gary and Doug the dwarf hamsters, Katarina the one-eyed hamster, Ginger and Fonda the gerbils, and Picasso and Potter the rats all went to their forever homes. Whew!

There were 3 routine vet visits, and sadly, Shaft the mouse died of old age. He and the other mice from his surrender had been previously taken off of PetFinder because of their age.

Things have calmed down this month. Despite a few setbacks, like the unfortunate deaths of Hendrix the one-eyed African Soft Furred rat, Book the one-footed zebra finch, and Mars the elderly mouse, this month has been a fairly good one. The

re was a much smaller influx of animals, mostly due to the already-crowded conditions of Small Pets-Big Hearts headquarters. The surrenders were Leonna and Luke the sugar gliders, Charlie Brown the ferret, Cleopatra the (ENORMOUS) turtle, and Abby and Juno the guinea pigs. 7 of the 18 African Soft Furred rats were fostered, as were Gibbs, McGee, and DiNozzo the dwarf hamsters. While they have been suffering from umbilical infections and one nasty case of "hair ring" (a rather unpleasant condition involving male parts and debris), they are still incredibly friendly.

Christopher the rabbit was adopted this month, as were S'Mores the guinea pig, Pumpkin the rabbit, Meela and Keesha the gerbils, and as of today, Lilly the rat.

In other happy news, SP-BH has officially opened a bank account! This means that Rachel and Ray will have a much easier time accepting donations and adoption fees. Here, take a look at this check:

We're all incredibly excited about this.

All in all, 62 animals entered Small Pets-Big Hearts this summer, not counting the babies that were born. A total of 31 animals were adopted, and 12 went to foster homes. Though 5 adult and 15 baby animals passed away, it's obvious that SP-BH has been incredibly successful.

There are still two days left in August, so I'd love to have to come back and edit this post to add more fosters and adoptions. As it stands, Emma and Tessa the dwarf hamsters are adoption pending. Let's hope they go to their forever homes within the next two days.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, everyone!

A plea for help

2010-08-25T09:40:00.001-07:00

Small Pets-Big Hearts has been booming lately. Unfortunately, this means that headquarters is full! But that doesn't stop requests for surrenders from coming in. Just today, two major requests came in. We're asking for help in finding either rescues that can handle the overflow or forever homes for the rescues already in SP-BH headquarters. Here are the stories:

Travelers from New Jersey have called in dire need. They are currently carrying 14 sugar gliders that were unwanted. Unfortunately, as SP-BH already has a pair waiting for adoption and has a vast menagerie of other animals waiting for forever homes, there's just no way to take them. Unfortunately, to our knowledge, there are no other no-kill organizations that take sugar gliders. If you know of anyone who can take them in, please let us know.

We also received an email requesting a surrender of 5 rabbits, 3 guinea pigs, a syrian hamster, and a hairless rat. All but the rabbits are known to be male. If you're familiar with other rescues that can take in these animals, or if you're interested in taking in these - or any other animals at SP-BH, please contact the rescue at rachel(at)smallpets-bighearts(dot)com.

Please don't forget that adoptions and fosters are always welcome. Every animal that gets adopted means that another can be rescued. If you can help, please let us know.

Newcomers and gerbils with New Home

2010-08-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

Abby and Juno the female guinea pigs arrived today. Their previous owner was unable to afford or find the time for them anymore. They are gorgeous short haired girls with a mixture of browns in their coat. Abby has a bit of teddy fur in her. They have gorgeous black eyes that say , " I am Beautiful and drop dead CUTE!" They are adjusting well to life at Small Pets-Big Hearts, Inc. headquarters and main foster home. They didn't waste time to try out the timothy hay and fresh veggies. After a bit of time and a wellness check up at the vet, they will then be adoptable.
We have great news about Meela and Keesha the female gerbils. They have been adopted!! They will be be loved and spoiled by their new Mom :)
Our not so great news is about DiNozzo, Gibbs and Mcgee the dwarf hamsters. They have been finished with their antibiotics for a few days now, and unfortunately , their infections have returned. We will give Dr.Tomaschke a call on Monday for advice on what to do next. He may want to see them again, or try another round of the same antibiotic or a different one. We willpost about his instructions and the boy's progress.
Pictured above is Meela and Keesha.

Zack, Cleopatra, Pumpkin and Sugar Gliders

2010-08-20T20:22:00.001-07:00

I have great news about Zack the rat. His neuter went smoothly and he is already nearly healed. He didn't skip a beat after his neuter and immediately went for his food and climbed up to his hammock. He has been behaving well with Burrito and we hope to move Gormy back in with the two. Gormy's wound from Zack is also healed. All three will be monitored closely when they are reintroduced. If Zack acts back up, our next step will be introducing him with females ( after a month has passed from his neuter)
Yesterday we received a new arrival, one we didn't expect to be quite so large. Cleopatra the red eared slider arrived. I was told she was 5 to 6 months old, I was not envisioning a full grown female red ear that is definetly a lot older than that. We are urgently looking for a foster or adoptive home for her , with someone that has an indoor pond. Most glass aquariums are much too small for her. We have her in a glass aquarium right now. I know she needs more space. We would love someone with better accommodations to either adopt or foster her.
Pumpkin the rabbit was adopted today!! Pumpkin was dropped off at a pet store. Her previous owner had to rehome/take her somewhere, because the landlord found out about Pumpkin and pets were not allowed. Pumpkin went into foster care immediately and quickly found a loving home a couple of weeks after she was spayed. We are very happy for Pumpkin :)
The two sugar gliders saw the vet yesterday. We found out that one is a female and one is neutered male. That is why the neutered boy appeared to be a female , no male " pom poms" and the scent gland on the head disappears after a neuter. But Dr.T couldn't find a pouch, that signalled his true identity. The female does have a pouch. They are both in great health and are now ready to be adopted. The male has been renamed Luke , they are Luke and Leonna.

More Mixed News

2010-08-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

It seems like there has been an awful lot of mixed news lately. In a way, it's better that we have the mix - the sad news would be much harder to deal with if there wasn't happy news to follow.

To start, Hendrix the one-eyed African Soft Furred rat passed away. Like Book the zebra finch, his death was sudden and most likely not related to his disability. His permanent wink will be missed.

The better news is that Gibbs, DiNozzo, and McGee the dwarf hamsters have healed. Their umbilical infections have cleared up thanks to Baytril and a little extra loving. Their foster dad was a great help with this, even though they gave him some trouble with the medication.

In other good news, SP-BH now has a bank account! This means that donations can be made to the rescue directly, which will be infinitely simpler for Rachel and Ray. Donations are not tax deductible. We are hoping to become tax expempt by the end of the year, at that point donations will be tax deductible. Speaking of the founders, let's give them a great big hurrah for all the work they've been doing to get Small Pets-Big Hearts, Inc. the incorporated status that it deserves. Everything they do is for the benefit of the animals who are so often overlooked when families consider a pet. Literally hundreds of small animals have been given loving homes because of their efforts. Please help them out. Adopting, fostering, and donating are all ways you can help and become a part of the Small Pets-Big Hearts phenomenon.

Zach the Rat and Adoptions.

2010-08-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

I love to start out with our adoptions this week. Christopher the rabbit has found his forever home. He was waiting since November, 2009. It was worth the wait for him, he now has a loving home and family. Then, S'Mores the guinea pig went home. His new Mom drove here from Erie, PA, just for him. She couldn't resist his cuteness.
Zach the rat has been causing some distress and injuries to his cage mates, Burrito and Gormy. He has been displaying an overbearing, dominant and macho personality and behavior. He is only showing this behavior to his rat friends, with people he is a mushy pants, he loves to be held and loved on. The best way to resolve Zach's issue is a neuter. Neutering a rat normally brings down those hormone levels that cause the dominant behavior. If it doesn't work and he is still mean to Gormy and Burrito, we will then introduce him to some females, he may get along with them better. And since he would be neutered, we won't have pregnancies occurring, which is always a very good thing! We are doing everything we can to prevent having to place Zach by himself. Rat are very social and are the happiest with a rat companion living with them. Zach's neuter is scheduled tomorrow. But we may not see a change his in his behavior towards his rat buddies for a month, it takes that long for hormone levels to subside. I will update on his post-surgery and progress.
I will leave you with a picture of Christopher and S'Mores.

Sugar Gliders and Ferret

2010-08-13T16:21:00.000-07:00

We have a few new arrivals at Small Pets-Big Hearts, Inc. We took in 2 sugar gliders that were abandoned by a room mate that moved out. The person still living at the place , didn't know how to care for them or what to do. We are thankful that he took the time to find us, ask for help and bring them to us. We quickly provided them with a water bottle, pouches, a wodent wheel, toys and fresh foods at night time. They appear to be females, they do not have the fuzzy "pom poms" and scent glands that males have. But one or both might be neutered boys. Once we get them to our vet, then we will know for sure. For now, they are have been named Leona and Julianne. Unless we found out someone has been altered.
Yesterday we took in a ferret named Charlie Brown. His owner couldn't care for him any longer. He is a black eyed , white , 4 year old male. He is a Marshall's ferret , this means he has been neutered and descented. He is now in foster care with Alyssa. Alyssa has been our favorite ferret foster parent.
Both Charlie Brown and the sugar glider will not be placed as adoptable until they have seen the vet for a wellness check up. We will update on their status.

Memorial for Linus

2010-08-12T21:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received grave news from Lucy and Linus the chinchillas' Mom. She let me know that Linus passed away, his passing was sudden and it left his family and Lucy very depressed.
Linus ( was neutered) had arrived at the rescue with three other chinchillas. Hermione and Harry, and Lucy. You could tell who was already paired up and were life long companions. Those pairs were inseparable. Hermione and Harry found a loving home quickly. But it took a while longer for Lucy and Linus. We were told that they were already at an older age of 7 to 8 years. Despite their older age, they enjoyed climbing and jumping to the extra levels in their cage. Linus loved pressing his nose at the bars of the cage and beg for treats. He was a smaller chinchilla packed full of soft fluff and love.
He touched the hearts of many people. We hope that Lucy will bounce back from her tremendous loss. The only thing that could have come between them was such a tragic event.
Our thoughts are with Linus's family and with Lucy. He will always be remembered.

Mixed News

2010-08-07T22:13:00.000-07:00

Well, we have some bad news and some good news.

Unfortunately, we lost one of the zebra finches today. One had come in missing a foot, but otherwise healthy. Despite having seemed healthy, he passed today. There's no indication that his missing foot had anything to do with his passing; it was well-healed when he arrived. He may not have been at Small Pets-Big Hearts, Inc. for long, but he will be missed.

In better news, Gibbs, DiNozzo, and McGee the hamsters appear to be healing well from umbilical infections. While we're not sure how they wound up infected in the first place, a few days and some Baytril have already led to much improvement. Skin color is returning to normal and the infections are draining.

As always, if you would like to help out the rescue by fostering, adopting, or donating, please email rachel(at)smallpets-bighearts(dot)org.

Updates

2010-08-03T19:13:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin and Christopher the bunnies were spayed and neutered, respectively, yesterday. They're currently resting comfortably and awaiting forever homes.

You may recall that Lilly the rat saw the doctors for an eye issue. Luckily, the eye is already looking much better. With any luck, she'll adjust well and be ready for a forever home very soon.

In other veterinary news, Gibbs, McGee, and DiNozzo the dwarf hamsters will be going to the vet tomorrow afternoon to check out some suspicious looking spots on their tiny bellies. If there is something wrong, they sure don't act like it! Those three are just fluffy bundles of energy, and they love being held. They're still in foster care, awaiting their forever home, too.

Homes!

2010-07-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

Good news! Today saw 4 rats head to homes. Charity and Dee Dee the rats went to a foster home. Picasso and Potter went to forever homes. Big thank yous go out to the boys' new families, and another big thank you goes out to the girls' foster family.

Picasso and Potter

Rattie update

2010-07-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

As you may recall, last Friday, Small Pets-Big Hearts took in some more rats. One of them, Lilly, arrived with a cloudy eye and was taken to Dr. T. at Seneca Animal Hospital. It seems as though there was a laceration (cut) to the eye that goes clear through the cornea. It was most likely an accidental wound from one of her sisters, which most likely occurred during play. She's on medication to help with healing, and provided she doesn't develop glaucoma, she should heal just fine. Unfortunately, it looks like she will not have any sight in that eye even if it heals perfectly.

Lilly will need a little extra love and patience. With eyesight problems can come some skittish behaviour- a hand coming in fast from the blind side can be scary! Once her eye is healed, Lilly would love a forever home with someone who will love her despite her disability. Help us find her a home!

Don't forget to check out our website to see all of the animals we have up for adoption.

Adoptable Hamsters

2010-07-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

Mcgee, DiNozzo and Gibbs the dwarf hamsters have just been added to www.petfinder.com , www.Pets911.com and www.adoptapet.com to help them find their forever homes.

Sometimes a zebra is really a horse...

2010-07-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

...and other times, it's a finch. Or twelve.

Recently, our friends over at Lollipop Farms took in 100 finches. Small Pets-Big Hearts took in 12 zebra finches. Their names are Mal, Washburne, Jayne, Simon, Book, Zoe, Kaylee, Inara, River, Saffron, Nandi, and Bridgit.

SP-BH also had a family surrender an accidental litter of 8 gerbils. They're named Olivia, Casey, Fin, Elliot, Munch, Kragen, Lennie, and Jack.

In case you noticed, yes, these names are all from TV shows, specifically Firefly, Law & Order, and Law & Order SVU. We like to go with themes. Suggestions for future themes are always welcome.

And in other good news, Katarina the one-eyed hamster has been adopted. Many thanks to her new family who will love and nurture her despite her disabilities. Everybody loves a happy ending!

Forever homes, Fosters, and Fuzzy arrivals

2010-07-23T19:10:00.000-07:00

Clearly we like alliteration here at Small Pets-Big Hearts, Inc. But that's neither here nor there.

First things first: Doug and Gary the hamsters have gone to their forever home! One has already been renamed "Mailbox" by the youngest in the house, and it's obvious that they're going to be getting a lot of love.

Doug and Gary

In anticipation of their pending adoption, the fostered Emma and Tessa the hamsters have gone back to SP-BH headquarters. However, DiNozzo, Gibbs, and McGee the hamsters have gone to a foster home. Pictures of the boys will be posted just as soon as we can get them to sit still! It looks like these three will be a handful of exploration and love.

And in fuzzy arrival news, 4 male and 7 female rats have been surrendered. There are rexes and dumbos, and they're all positively adorable. As always, they will be placed up for adoption when they've been given a clean bill of health by the team at the Seneca Animal Hospital.

In other news, the new website is being worked on right now! There will be fun new pages that include pet care tips, recent adoption stories, and testimonials from people who have adopted from SP-BH. To make the latter two pages work, we'll need to hear from you! So comment on the blog or send an email to rachel(at)smallpets-bighearts(dot)org. Tell us the story, send us a picture, and pretty soon, we'll have them up on the web page.

Goodbye Little Shaft

2010-07-20T20:51:00.000-07:00

Today, little Shaft the mouse passed away. He had reached senior age for a mouse months ago, and I decided to retire him from adoption. His home had become Small Pets-big Hearts's headquarters. We really enjoyed his stay with us. He loved Tofu, millet seed and cheerios, those were his favorite foods. He also spent hours zooming in his wheel. He did urinate and poop in his wheel consistently, but I didn't mind. As long as he was having fun, I was happy to clean his wheel on a regular basis. As he grew older, more grey fur started to show up in his black coat. He still zipped in his wheel, but not for as long of a period of time. Today was the end of his story at Small Pets-Big Hearts, Inc. but the beginning of his journey at the Rainbow Bridge.

Fosters, Donations, and Getting the Name Out

2010-07-17T23:23:00.000-07:00

Good news all around. To start with, on Thursday, Emma and Tessa the dwarf hamsters were brought into a foster home with repeat adopter and owner of Persephone and Hera (formerly Pandora) the rats. (In case you're wondering, that would be me.) It's probably only a matter of time before they become a permanent fixture here. Along with the dwarves, Pocket, Charm, Jenkins, Scribble, Hummus, Egg Roll, and Zig-Zag the African soft furred rats were given a foster home. It wasn't easy determining who was who - they all look so similar - but with some study (and the petfinder page open) they were all determined.

It's plain to see that the ASFRs are extremely energetic and a lot of fun to watch, though getting them to a handleable state will take time. If you're interested in fostering any of the remaining 11 ASFRs, please let Rachel know. Every little bit of socialization time helps.

As you may recall, today SP-BH participated in the Hamburg Burgerfest. Thanks to volunteers and Ray, our name got out there and people got the message that small pets can be rescued, too! Ray printed up a bunch of pamphlets and had a slideshow running on a large monitor. With that sandwiched between Christopher (the rabbit) and Pepper (the guinea pig) with Gary & co. (the dwarf hamster boys) off to the side, people began to come over and take notice. Thanks to a few "chinchillers" (stone slabs kept in a cooler and rotated out when they got warm), everyone endured the heat well.

After a donation and several requests for adoption information, the Animal Alley segment of the Burgerfest was over, and SP-BH packed up and went back home knowing that the word is finally getting out. With any luck, people will take notice and tell their friends. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all of our furry friends could find forever homes?

On a semi-related note, it won't be long before we start to determine the genders of the baby angoras. Pretty soon, we'll have an idea as to how much money will need to be raised to have them all spayed or neutered. Keep an eye on the website for more information.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Incorporation and Hamburg Burgerfest Animal Alley

2010-07-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

As some of you may already know, the rescue's name has been changed along with the incorporation status. Here's why: When Rachel and Ray started the rescue, they hadn't heard of Life Long Tails operated out of Boome County in NY. As that rescue was already incorporated under the name, this rescue was told that the name would have to be changed. This was all done in a very amiable manner - there were no hard feelings.

After some thought and a lot of hard work, our rescue was granted incorporated status under the name of "Small Pets-Big Hearts, Inc." A new website will be created to go along with the new name, and everything under the old name will be removed or altered as per the agreement with the Boome County rescue. The rescue remains the same in every aspect aside from name. The mission, the treatment of animals, and the adoption/fostering/surrendering process will remain the same. So three cheers for incorporation!

In other news, this Saturday (July 17th) is Hamburg's Burgerfest, where SP-BH will be participating in Animal Alley. This activity is intended to showcase rescue groups, sell pet supplies, and have various awesome things like a dog wash and a micro-chip clinic. Animal Alley will run from noon to 5pm at Buffalo/Main in Hamburg. We will be there with info on the rescue, pamphlets, answers to questions, a place to donate, a place to sign up for fostering or adoptions, and a "plea" for the angora rabbits' spay/neuters.

We will have guests Tommy the guinea pig, Christopher the rabbit, and Doug the dwarf hamster (and his brothers). If you're free, stop on down! While Rachel won't be able to attend, Ray will be there (because he's awesome), and if you get there in the earlier portion, I'll be there, too.

Stay tuned for more news as it happens!

[Edit] I've just gotten word that Cleo and Milton the neutered rats have been adopted. Yay!

(I'd post pictures, but they've already been removed from petfinder and I didn't think to save them beforehand.)

More news!

2010-07-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

The news just keeps coming in! I suppose I could wait until the end of the week for a full compilation, but where's the fun in that? We have both good and not-so-good news. Let's start with the not-so-good.

About a week ago, rats Anita, Ellis, Farrell, Larkin and Maya were adopted. Unfortunately, things didn't work out with their new family, and they are back. They're a bit on the tentative side, and tend to get frightened easily. They are still lovable, but will need a little extra patience.

But now for the good news: Hawthorne and Flynt the rats were adopted, as was Chip the love bird! Yay for them and their new forever families!

Hawthorne, Flynt, and Chip

Stay tuned for more news as it happens!

More adoptions!

2010-07-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

Remember how yesterday, we said that Mabel, Marigold, and Sophia the angora rabbits were up for adoption? Well, it turns out that we have to make an adjustment to that statement. They've been adopted!

Mabel and Sophia (Marigold is camera shy)

But wait; there's more! Guinea pigs Annabelle and Coco have also been adopted!

Annabelle and Coco

And don't forget, there's a yard sale happening today (7/10/10) and tomorrow (7/11/10) at the rescue's headquarters (Rachel's house) with all sales to benefit the rescue. Pet items are for sale including:

Small animal cages
Aquariums (fish tanks)
Bird cages
Bird "play gyms"
Small animal wheels
Play balls
Tubes and accessories
Hamster cages and Crittertrail brand cages
Ferret/rat hammocks and sleep sacks

If you need directions or have questions, comment here or email Rachel at rachel(at)lifelongtails(dot)org.

One last thing: After some calculations, we've determined that the bare minimum cost to spay/neuter all of the angoras that have yet to be adopted will be between $2080.00 and $2500.00 depending on the amount of female babies. (Neuters are less costly than spays, as they're less invasive.) We really would like to "alter" all of the bunnies we still have despite the cost. Donations are the only way this will happen. Please help of you can.

Oh, and happy Caturday.

Bunnies and Babies and Adoptions, Oh My!

2010-07-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

You might remember that not long ago, we took in 7 adult angora rabbits that came from a cruelty siezure in Canada. They all needed extreme cleaning and were put on pregnancy watch, as the females were not separated from the males. Two weeks ago, one of the rabbits gave birth. She and her five babies are now in foster care and doing well. Two week old Angora babies

Now two of the other adults have given birth. Each of them had eight (8!!) babies, bringing the baby total to 21! We are in dire need of both foster homes and donations to help take care of these adorable balls of fluff. Anyone who can foster would be greatly appreciated. Donations are also appreciated, be it monetary or food - the moms have been going through Oxbow brand bunny pellets and timothy hay like crazy. Ideally, we would like to stop this rapid rabbit reproduction (three cheers for alliteration) with spaying and neutering, but we simply can't do it without financial help. If you can help with this, please comment or send an email to rachel(at)lifelongtails(dot)org.

Luckily, not all of the adults were pregnant. Three of the angoras are up for adoption: Sofia, Marigold, and Mabel. These three beautiful ladies would love a forever home. Will it be with you?

And in other happy news, Edgar the (female) guinea pig was adopted yesterday! We're sure she'll be feeling right at home very soon.

Edgar the Guinea Pig

A new blogger!

2010-07-09T19:51:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Just a quick note - Rachel has asked me to help out with maintaining the blog and the website. This gives her more time to spend with the animals, but allows you to continue getting updates.

Buddy, Pablo and Earl

2010-06-30T15:24:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated about Buddy because I've been sad about loosing him. We lost him last Tuesday morning. He had heart disease that must have surfaced while he was under anesthesia. Dr.t prescribed Lasix for him, and either it was too late to begin the treatment or it just didn't help...we lost Buddy in less than 12 hours from his first dose. I really wish we could have helped him. I was positive he would recover and feel great not long after his surgery. My mind and heart was not ready to loose him. I miss him.
Pablo the guinea pig was adopted. He has a wonderful home now. He is loved and gets a lot of cuddle time. Pablo arrived with Pedro the guinea pig, and unfortunately , I had to separate the boys. Pedro was getting very dominant and chasing Pablo around. I didn't realize that Pedro had nipped Pablo a couple times. Pablo's new Dad says the nip areas do look well healed, and Pablo should be fine. I hate to think of another piggie in distress or pain.
We do have a new arrival. His name is Earl , and he is a red eared slider turtle. He was found outside and brought to us by a concerned person that was unable to keep him. So far, he has been very active and has a healthy appetite. We will have him checked by the vet before he is adoptable.
Florence the angora rabbit is now in foster care along with Sofia and Marylin. Florence had 6 babies. Sadly the runt of the litter, named Cinnamon by foster Mom and Dad, didn't make it :( All her other babies are strong and growing by leaps and bounds.

Update on Buddy

2010-06-20T07:02:00.001-07:00

Buddy isn't doing well. I thought for sure he would feel so much better without the damaged eye. But, he isn't eating or drinking at all. He turns away from his favorite veggies now :( I have been giving him critical care and sub Q fluids. He is also getting Metacam daily for pain. Our vet did say this was an extremely painful surgery, he could still be uncomfortable and in pain from the surgery. It is very sad to see him unable to get comfortable, he twitches and changes postition. I am calling the vet first thing tomorrow morning for advice. He may want to see Buddy, if so, I am taking the first available appointment. All I want is for him to start eating and drinking , and move about his cage like he is feeling good.

Lucy and Linus, Lovebird and Buddy

2010-06-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

Please send Buddy the guinea pig good thoughts, his eye removal surgery is tomorrow.
Lucy and Linus the chinchillas were adopted yesterday. Their new family loves all types of animals and even bought them a great new cage. They updated this morning that the pair are already begging for treats and are doing very well for their first day home.
We took in a lovebird today that was found outside, lost and alone. He has been quite the vocal and noisy little guy tonight. I have named him Chip. I am not certain that he is a boy, I am just automatically saying "he" without any proof of gender.
Also, yesterday, 2 of the Angora bunnies went to the vet to be groomed by the vet techs. They look amazing and much cleaner :) Three of the Angora girls are ready to be fostered and we have lovingly named them Marylin, Sofia and Florence.
Pictured above are Lucy and Linus. We are so happy they have found their forever home. They were waiting to be adopted since January.

Please help Buddy

2010-06-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

Buddy came to us as an unwanted guinea pig with his best friend and cage mate, Baby, the male guinea pig. Buddy has a ruptured eye! He will be having eye removal surgery on Thursday morning. He is now on metacam and Baytril. We are asking for help with funds for Buddy's surgery. We do not know how this happened to Buddy. Thankfully his spirits and appetite have still been well. We are hoping for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery for Buddy.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who wish to donate.
I would post a picture of the eye, but if anyone is like me, I am squeamish about grotesque eye pictures. Just watching over Buddy's injury makes me horrified and I feel so bad for him. Honestly , I haven't taken a picture of it. I do plan on taking post surgery pictures if anyone wants proof of Buddy's plight and surgery. I think he will actually look better after the surgery.
If anyone would like to donate , please send a check payable to Ray and/or Rachel Murphy, to the address - 4 Wellworth Place, Cheektowaga, NY 14225. You can write a note at the bottom or in the envelope that the funds are for Buddy. Once we are incorporated we will be able to cash checks made out to the Rescue's name and we will also have a paypal account for the Rescue. We plan on being incorporated very soon, we just hired a lawyer and the process is underway. We also will be changing the rescue's name to Small pets-Big Hearts right after the incorporation.
Thank you everyone ! I will update on Buddy's condition
The picture is Buddy's good side.