Well she’s spoiled but will die happy!

[Velvet]

Velvet is spoiled rotton, a couple grapes a day, 5-6 dehydrated apples 4 dehydrated bananas, a few pellets, and all the parsley and romaine she wants. I know it’s slowly killing her, but, she’s so happy to eat it. I guess I don’t care if it shortens her life span, hell, I’m 54 and don’t care if I died tomorrow, lots of partying in the day. getting old sux, just simply, sux!

 

Oh and ALL the Timothy hay she want too!

[Flopsie]

hmm i suppose that is one way of looking at it. To be honest, as an adult, you are free to do what you want to do. As long as you know and accept the consequences of your actions (in general, not specifically speaking of this topic). That being said, it is your choice, and I don’t think anyone should judge you for it, however, I’m not sure people would necessarily condone it (or maybe they will, I don’t know).

However, I think it is important to note that there are people who are here to learn about rabbits and diet among other things. These people are impressionable and I hope that they will be able to gather all the information as i’m sure you have and make a decision based on that.

I spoil my bun too, but in a different way. I hand pick and leaf her veggies daily. For example, I pull apart her leafs of lettuce daily. I saw on videos that people just gave their buns the entire leaf of lettuce, and I tried that but she wouldn’t eat it. Now my diva waits for me to pull it into pieces. I totally love doing it, but at the same time, she is a spoiled brat haha

Since you brought up the subject, I wanted to play devil’s advocate and ask you if you would have the same response if you had a child instead of a bunny and you allowed it to consume all the candy that he or she wanted daily. Would you be okay with that? If you say yes, then I will applaud you for your consistency. However, if you say no, then my follow question is why. Is it because bunnies are viewed differently than humans? But should that really be the case? Again, i’m not judging or condemning you, but trying to have an open and honest discussion about it.

[Flopsie]

follow up question, not follow question. typo

[Velvet]

Posted By Flopsie on 11/21/2014 12:30 PM

hmm i suppose that is one way of looking at it. To be honest, as an adult, you are free to do what you want to do. As long as you know and accept the consequences of your actions (in general, not specifically speaking of this topic). That being said, it is your choice, and I don’t think anyone should judge you for it, however, I’m not sure people would necessarily condone it (or maybe they will, I don’t know).

However, I think it is important to note that there are people who are here to learn about rabbits and diet among other things. These people are impressionable and I hope that they will be able to gather all the information as i’m sure you have and make a decision based on that.

I spoil my bun too, but in a different way. I hand pick and leaf her veggies daily. For example, I pull apart her leafs of lettuce daily. I saw on videos that people just gave their buns the entire leaf of lettuce, and I tried that but she wouldn’t eat it. Now my diva waits for me to pull it into pieces. I totally love doing it, but at the same time, she is a spoiled brat haha

Since you brought up the subject, I wanted to play devil’s advocate and ask you if you would have the same response if you had a child instead of a bunny and you allowed it to consume all the candy that he or she wanted daily. Would you be okay with that? If you say yes, then I will applaud you for your consistency. However, if you say no, then my follow question is why. Is it because bunnies are viewed differently than humans? But should that really be the case? Again, i’m not judging or condemning you, but trying to have an open and honest discussion about it.

 

Thanks, but, I guess my feeling is she turns 5 in Feb. And I don’t wish to feed her all the healthy foods recomended to keep her alive past her good years. I’ve seen too many animals, dogs and cats mostly who get old and arthritic, and move around with so much pain. Then have to be eutenized, it is painful for myself too!  I’m 54 and already feeling the effects of “old age” and hope velvet never gets to live with pain and suffering just because I fed her healthy so she could live forever! And no, I wouldn’t do this to a child, but, then they have more that 5-10 years to live pain free! Thanks for your understanding.

[JackRabbit]

I think the point that Flopsie is trying to make concerning healthy treats is that treats with too much sugar, etc. can bring on other health issues too. Sugary treats can upset the gi flora balance which can lead to gi stasis and possibly gas and those can be painful. Rabbits can also become diabetic. While we would love our bunnies to live long healthy lives, we are mainly trying to do whatever we can to prevent issues whenever possible so that the time our bunnies have here is healthy and pain free.

I think most of us here share that view and feel that it is our responsibility as our bunnies’ caretakers to make such decisions for our bunnies. Most of us try to follow the HRS guidelines and adjust as needed to fit our bunnies’ needs. As your bunny’s caretaker, it is most definitely your decision on what all to feed your bunny and we all respect that.

[Velvet]

Well, then I suppose I am going to have a po’d bunny, cause she sure knows how to pour it on for a yummy………………….

 

Oh, and just found out she absolutly loves grapes!

[JackRabbit]

Bunnies are masters of cute and begging!

[Velvet]

I was 2 or 3 when my Dad took me fishing. The shore at the dock had a pump house there, I went inside and there was a wild bunnie in a trap for a Muskrat. I cried and cried, and a friend of my Dads gave me a chocolate Dutch, I believe, it was called. She lived outside in a cage, for a while then lived in our finished basement, using an old shower stall we never used as her litter box. Rinse it out and it was clean. Had her a good 5 years, so, I kinda grew up with a bunny. I used to go down to the local supermarket, and they  would gladly give me all the older lettuce and veggies. Try that today! Can’t give any out dated food now! She lived on old lettuce and pellets. I think I lost her when I was about the age of 5. I was a sad little boy, I’ve always wanted another bunny, took 50 years, but. You know, my rabbit never got any gastro intesenal crap the 3-4 years I had her!

 

I remember my mom got pissed at her and threw her outside in an Iowa Blizzard, my Dad hunted for hours till he found her under a neighbors shed and got her home!

[JackRabbit]

My bunnies are super spoiled. Nothing but the best for them — I’m pretty picky and if I wouldn’t eat it I wouldn’t give it to them (no outer or bruised lettuce leaves, etc.). I dehydrate organic carrots for treats (they get a couple little pieces every few days). They get an occasional bite of banana or strawberry or apple. Their treats consist mainly of a bit of oat hay tops, a bite of cilantro, or even hand-fed hay (they think that anything hand fed must be a special treat!).

[Velvet]

I dehydrate everything but grapes and lettuce and greens……………

 

[DethronedbyQueenB]

I confess I feed my bunnies way more fresh fruit than they should be allowed…but man I will feel aw-freakin-ful if it shortens their life span or lowers their quality of life in the long run.

[Flopsie]

velvet, I understand what you are saying but how do you know how many good years are left? again not trying to judge you but posing an honest, neutral question. bunnies are living up to 12 years now and at 5 years old your bun is a little over half of that life expectancy. there are still a lot of years left. also if your bun is healthy it doesn’t mean that her latter years will be painful or in suffering. sometimes it’s such a roll of the dice.

I undrstand you are in your fifties, while you aren’t a spring chicken, I would hardly say that you are in your twilight years. my grandparents lived past their eighties, and while one could argue the quality of their life at the end, they were definitely enjoying life into their seventies.

I’m 34 now and I didn’t really take care if myself when I was younger so I’m dealing with some consequences now. hindsight is 20/20 but had I known better I probably would have done a better job. I guess what I’m saying is that spoiling is fine, but maybe there are other areas to spoil in? idk just my 2 cents

[JackRabbit]

Careful on the spring chicken thing Flopsie or my 50’s feathers might get ruffled! LOL!

[Flopsie]

hahaha I take it back! *Runs away and hides*

[JackRabbit]

LOL!!!!

[Roberta]

I’m bad with the craisins… when the craisin whores are all lined up doing the craving raisins dance it’s to hard to say no and I have to give them just one more, and I ne more and one more……………

[Hazel]

Posted By Velvet on 11/21/2014 1:19 PM

Thanks, but, I guess my feeling is she turns 5 in Feb. And I don’t wish to feed her all the healthy foods recomended to keep her alive past her good years. I’ve seen too many animals, dogs and cats mostly who get old and arthritic, and move around with so much pain. Then have to be eutenized, it is painful for myself too!  I’m 54 and already feeling the effects of “old age” and hope velvet never gets to live with pain and suffering just because I fed her healthy so she could live forever!

I’m sorry, but your logic is flawed. You say you’re trying to kill her with kindness so that she won’t slowly deteriorate when she’s old. But just because she will die of dietary issues rather than old age doesn’t mean she will be perfectly healthy and happy until the day she dies. She will still slowly deteriorate, not because of being old but because of a bad diet. Do you think dieing from diabetes is better than having arthritis? By the way, she will have early onset arthritis anyway, considering what she’s eating, she will be incredibly overweight in no time, if she’s not already. You’re not saving her from having to go through her “bad” years, you’re simply making them happen sooner, and for different reasons.

I understand that you’re struggling with age related issues yourself, and I don’t blame you for that, but please don’t allow this to cause you to give up on doing what’s best for your pet.

Also, as has been said already, rabbits can easily live to be 10-12 years old, provided that they have been fixed if female.

[Velvet]

I guess, what I’m saying is, I really don’t want to know those 80′ as 90 year old rabbit, (in rabbit years), I have a great time playing with her, and the way she’ll weasle another, dried apple, or banana. Have parents who struggle everyday with arthritus, I hope I nnever notice it on old zippy   (velvet)

 

But wow 12 years, is amazing for rabbit longevity!

[Flopsie]

well one thing you can consider is that rabbits probably don’t understand the concept of quantity. what I mean is they probably are just as happy with 1 grape than they are with 10. especially if they don’t know how many are coming to them. so you can still provide the treats but with just a lesser amount. many times it is our own projection of our feelings rather than what the rabbit has

[Stickerbunny]

Rabbits tend to not really mind so much WHAT treat they are given, just give em treats. My two are just as happy to have a leaf of kale as a slice of apple. They go nuts and run circles around my feet and love it. If you would like to give her healthy treats, when you begin eating fruit or something, keep a plate of fresh greens beside you and give the bun the greens and just a bit of fruit. I mean, craisins are their favorites and of course I can’t just give them ONE, but I limit their sugary foods quite a bit. And they’ll come running/begging for ANY bag so pellets even work as treats haha You can spoil her and still keep her healthy. My two have soooooooooooo many greens they take up half my fridge and they are pigs about them, but they are still on a healthy diet.

My grandmother is in her golden years and so she fed her dogs whatever they wanted to eat. They ended up living shorter lives, with insulin imbalances and their pancreas stopped working, their bladders went and their appetites disappeared until they eventually were in so much pain they had to be put down. A bad diet may in the SHORT term make an animal happier, but in the end, it just causes a lot of pain to them.

My Powder is estimated to be 8 years old. He still keeps up with Stickers, who is 3. He has shown no symptoms of any medical conditions and hasn’t been sick a day since I have had him. Just because a bun gets “older” doesn’t mean they waste away and honestly, 5 is now considered pretty young for a bunny to go. Our knowledge of rabbit care has increased so much, we can give them much longer lives and many, many good years. And when they get to the point they are in pain, we are able to gently let them go, as the last gift we can give them – freedom from the pain of their health problems as they get too old.

[Bam]

Please don’t project your own feelings about getting old on your bunny. In many ways us people probably have a worse time with getting old than pets do. Pets can’t imagine getting old and they don’t sit and reminisce about the past. They just live. And with a healthy diet, they will suffer less problems when they grow old, just as humans do if they keep a healthy diet. Many many of the old-age-related problems us humans experience have to do with unsound eating- and exercise-habits.

It’s tempting to give your pets all the treats they desire, because it seems to make them so happy, but to be honest, it’s not a kind thing to do since animals can’t foresee the consequences of over-eating. They are not making “informed choices” – they just want instant gratification. And when they get gas or other tummy-issues, they can’t make the connection to the crappy food they’ve been eating. Us humans are there to make good choices for them. Flopsie says it very well – a treat is treat to a bunny, amount isn’t really the point. Divide the banana and apple slices into tiny pieces, then you can still give treats often but the total amount will be smaller.

I’m not trying to be rude, I hope I’m making that clear. I’m sorry that you find aging to be so tough, but you need to keep in mind that your feelings about aging may not be shared by your bunny. (I’m no spring chicken myself so I do see your point about the suckiness of getting older and have a body that won’t cooperate like it used to).

[Velvet]

Not rude at all. Velvet has gas, maybe once a month or so. Wheeeew! Lay off the fruit, good in the poop department, but, when she farts you know it! lol

 

[Flopsie]

Bam, you were much more eloquent in getting that point across compared to my 3 posts

[Velvet]

Are there other buns on here that can clear the room, at times?

 

[JackRabbit]

That has been the discussed so many times but so far, I have yet to see a definitive answer. My dog could clear a room and would even “own it” if you asked or accused her, but only if she was really the one that did it. The closest I’ve come to my bunnies doing that is one of them opening their scent glands and it smells like a skunk let go. Usually only happens when one of them gets spooked or super excited. Kieko will open her scent glands if Marlee has been hanging around the play area litterbox alot. But, no bunny farts so far at our house.

[Stickerbunny]

None of my buns have ever had gas I could tell except for upset tummies that rubs and simethicone helped. They can get stinky when they “scent oil” their droppings when marking and sometimes they chase each other around with their tails up releasing a skunky smell from their glands, but that’s about it for their smells.

[Velvet]

Posted By JackRabbit on 11/22/2014 4:47 PM

That has been the discussed so many times but so far, I have yet to see a definitive answer. My dog could clear a room and would even “own it” if you asked or accused her, but only if she was really the one that did it. The closest I’ve come to my bunnies doing that is one of them opening their scent glands and it smells like a skunk let go. Usually only happens when one of them gets spooked or super excited. Kieko will open her scent glands if Marlee has been hanging around the play area litterbox alot. But, no bunny farts so far at our house.

 

I only have one and she is spayed, also a nine YO cat who is also an it(spayed) They do love each other though!

[Author]

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