Nibbles Rodent & Rabbit Rescue – But What About the Rodents?
If you've come across Nibbles Rodent & Rabbit Rescue recently, you might be wondering why, despite having rodents in our name, we don't currently have any available rescue facilities for them.
It's a fair question, and one we wanted to take the time to answer properly.
When Nibbles first opened in January 2015, we cared for rodents alongside our rabbits, initially accommodating a small number in my own home. In 2016, thanks to the generous support of Lush Charity Pot, we were able to establish a dedicated rodent rescue cabin, giving us the space and facilities to care for unwanted and neglected rodents.
Unfortunately, in June 2023, we had to make the difficult decision to close the cabin, and more than three years later, it remains closed.
So, what happened, why haven't we been able to reopen, and what does the future hold for the rodent side of Nibbles?
Why Did We Have to Close?
By June 2023, Nibbles was facing some very difficult decisions. For some time, we had been aware of the deteriorating condition of our rodent cabin and had been carrying out temporary repairs and making improvements wherever we could. Unfortunately, the problems were becoming increasingly serious, with rotting floors, deteriorating doors and windows, and even one corner of the building beginning to sink. We had reached the point where another temporary fix simply wasn't going to be enough. The cabin needed substantial repairs if we were to continue providing the safe, secure, warm and dry environment our rodents deserved.
At the same time, Nibbles was facing significant financial pressures. We simply didn't have the funds available to undertake the necessary repairs, but the difficulties extended far beyond the building itself. We could no longer afford to operate the rescue at its existing capacity, and we were faced with the heartbreaking decision to reduce our staffing, close a significant number of rabbit enclosures and suspend our rodent rescue facilities.
One thing we've always believed at Nibbles is that responsible rescue isn't simply about taking in as many animals as possible. It's about ensuring we can provide every animal with the care they deserve, not just today, but throughout their time with us. That means having suitable accommodation, sufficient funds for food, bedding and veterinary treatment, and enough people to provide the daily care and attention the animals need.
The emotional pressures of rescue work are something that rarely gets talked about.
Having to turn away animals in need can be incredibly difficult, but so can the constant demands placed on the people caring for them. We have to recognise our own limits too, because overstretching ourselves ultimately risks compromising the welfare of the animals who depend on us.
For us, the decision to close the rodent facilities has been particularly painful. As the only specialist rabbit and rodent rescue in South West Wales, we know that our closure has left a significant gap in the rescue provision available for these animals. More than three years later, knowing that we still cannot offer them the help they need weighs heavily on us. But as difficult as closing was, continuing to take in animals we could no longer properly provide for would have been far worse.
Three Years On – Where Are We Now?
More than three years have passed since we closed our rodent rescue facilities, and unfortunately, we're still no closer to being able to reopen them.
The years since 2023 have continued to be financially challenging for Nibbles. Throughout 2024, our priority was simply keeping the rescue operating, and by the end of that year, we were facing the very real possibility of having to close altogether. Thankfully, with the support of our wonderful supporters, we were able to continue operating at a reduced capacity throughout 2025.
We had hoped that this would provide an opportunity to gradually rebuild our financial stability, but unfortunately, 2026 has brought further challenges, with both donations and regular monthly support declining. This has meant that any hopes of reopening our rodent rescue facilities have once again had to be put aside.
Meanwhile, the problems with the original cabin have continued to worsen. With no funding available to operate the rodent rescue, investing substantial amounts in repairing a building we couldn't afford to use simply hasn't been a realistic option. We have now reached the point where we're not even sure whether the existing cabin can be saved.
And that is where we find ourselves today, somewhat stuck in limbo. We desperately want to welcome rodents back into our care, but doing so would require both suitable facilities and the reliable ongoing funding needed to provide for the animals. Until we can achieve both, we simply cannot responsibly reopen.
We Haven't Given Up on Rodents
I think one of the hardest things about the last three years has been knowing that there are rodents out there who need our help, and that we simply aren't in a position to offer it.
Since 2023, Nibbles has faced one financial challenge after another, and I won't pretend that the constant worry and uncertainty haven't taken their toll. There have been times when I've found it incredibly difficult to even think about the rodent cabin, not because I've stopped caring, but because I care so much. I know the problems, I know what needs to be done, but knowing that we don't have the resources to do anything about them leaves me feeling utterly powerless. And sometimes, when you're already struggling to keep everything else going, facing another problem you can't solve is just too much.
I wish I could tell you that we have a plan, that we're working towards reopening or that we can see a way forward. But the truth is, right now, we can't. And that's incredibly hard to admit.
What we can do, however, is continue trying to make a difference for rodents in other ways. Through our growing Rodent Care Hub, we're developing free, accessible, research-backed advice to help people provide better care for their animals. We're also continuing to raise awareness of the wider welfare issues affecting rodents, because these little animals deserve so much better than many of them currently receive.
And we still have a dream.
One day, we'd love to replace the old cabin with a purpose-built rodent rescue facility. Somewhere designed around the animals' needs, where we could once again welcome unwanted and neglected rodents and give them the space, security, comfort and care they deserve.
But dreams alone don't build facilities or pay for veterinary treatment, food, bedding and the people needed to provide daily care. We know what we want to achieve, but we cannot simply make the funding needed appear, however much we wish we could.
I don't know when we'll be able to rescue rodents again. I wish I did.
What I do know is that the rodent side of Nibbles still matters just as much to us as it ever did. We haven't given up on these animals, and we haven't given up on the hope that one day, we'll be able to open our doors to them again.
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