If any rabbit deserves a section of my site to itself it has to be little Solo.
So many people took her into their hearts as she struggled for survival her story must be told.
SOLO HAS NOW GAINED HER SILVER STAR DIPLOMA
Her mum came to Lynbrook as a mated doe and finally produced 2 babies last January 2007. One was born dead and the other was such a tiny little scrap of skin & bone her chances of survival were well below zero. Her mum made a MASSIVE nest but the babies were born on the bare floor of the hutch at the bottom of the huge pile of shavings & hay which mum refused to close over. I removed the dead baby and the surviving one was permanently `cool` but managed to hang on. There was a litter of mini-rex due within 48 hours so I kept hoping that they would arrive in time to pop the little Lop in their nest for the Mini Rex doe to foster. Unfortunately, the doe kindled 3 days late & all the time the little Lop was hanging on grimly to life.
I didn`t know what to do for the best. Mum WAS feeding it, just about and seemed to be caring for it but it was a pitiful little scrap. Did I remove it and try & hand rear it or leave with Mum to get what attention she would give it in the hope that the Rex would kindle `any minute? I decided to leave it with mum as at least it was getting attention and feeding although not enough. As soon as the mini-Rex litter arrived I popped the baby into the Rex nest having decided that at least it would have a better chance with her. It would have been an easier decision if her mum had ignored her.
I didn`t look for 12 hours having decided to leave well alone and the Rex doe would know best. Heart in my mouth I slowly turned back the top of the nest and all I could see were Rex babies. However, right at the bottom of the nest, 1/2 the size of the mini-Rex was the little Lop. Lying upside down, warm & comfy with a full tummy. Solo loked as though she would make it at last.
At 1O days old her eyes opened & she emerged from the nest plump & furry slightly ahead of her foster brother & sisters but she was SO tiny. She was a spunky little soul and her determination to live had paid off. She was completely dwarfed by the mini-Rex babies for a good 8 weeks before she started to really grow into what seemed to be a promising Sooty Dwarf Lop. The picture here is taken of her with her foster sisters & brother at 3-4 weeks old. 
Bear in mind that much of her size is coat and underneath she was very tiny but had little front legs like tree stumps..
Her struggle of survival touched the hearts of so many people both on the forums and visitors to Lynbrook she became quite a little celebrity and really thrived on all the extra fuss & attention. She was such a dear little soul that I decided that she was never going to leave Lynbrook and would have a home here for the rest of her life. I hadn`t even considered as far as showing her or breeding from her. She would stay as a pet.
Anyway, she developed into a very promising little Dwarf Lop with a beautiful clear top colour& I decided to take her along to a show to see how she woud get on. She won & got the CC. even though her coat was patchy. Her one sister had spent hours licking her and licked the guard hairs out in a couple of places. Solo took to the show and behaved inpeccably so I took her next to Worcester under Bernard Trute. Bernard loved her and she won under 5 months but conceded the CC to the more mature adult. However, she went on to win 2nd Best Lop u/5. Her show career had taken off & she loved it. She got plenty of fuss and gained some more fans. 
If ever a rabbit deserved success it is little Solo. She fought for every minute of her life for the first 5 days and has won the hearts of many. Some I know will be moved by this story & I`m sure she will continue to gather more fans as time goes on.
These pics are later taken at 8 weeks old. Three cheers for my Little Solo & thanks to Aubrey & Bernard for starting her career off so well.
