Orville is a very shy rat who is slow to approach strangers... Unless he's with his best friend Wilbur, an adorable little rabbit! Jessica Jorgenson, a spokesperson for theAnimal Rescue League of Iowa, where the pair lived, toldThe Dodo :
We’ve noticed that if we start petting Wilbur, Orville will come see what we’re doing and sniff every inch of our hand. He’ll even sometimes start grooming us. Whereas if we try to approach Orville first, he tends to initially shy away. He definitely draws confidence from his buddy Wilbur.
Source: Animal Rescue League of Iowa
The two rodents arrived at the shelter in September 2017, after being caught in a trap laid out for stray cats. Still very young, the pair were taken to safety, but Orville stayed stuck to Wilbur, only feeling calm by his side. They were simply inseparable, as Jorgenson described:
Their sleeping routine is adorable, too. Wilbur finds a comfy spot on top of his blanket, and Orville burrows under both the blanket and Wilbur, so he’s sleeping partially underneath him. They are totally comfortable with each other.
Source: Animal Rescue League of Iowa
There was no question of separating them. Orville and Wilbur were adopted by a woman named Carol, who also has zebra finches, turtles, a guinea pig and two dogs at home. She fell in love with them as soon as she saw them and thought that they would make the perfect additions to her "odd but perfect little clan". Stephanie Filer, a shelter volunteer, told The Dodo:
Orville and Wilbur can teach us all a few things about how to treat each other, too.
Source: Animal Rescue League of Iowa
Now, these two little friends can rest assured that they will never have to live on the streets ever again, protected by their new, big family. You can support the Animal Rescue League of Iowa byclicking here and making a donation.If you are thinking of getting a pet, please consider adopting through one of your local shelters, such as theASPCAif you are from the U.S. or theRSPCAif you live in the U.K.
H/t: The Dodo
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