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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Had Three Bunnies– One moved away, one passed very suddenly, and one remains…

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    • Caroline
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      3 posts Send Private Message

        Hi!!

        My name is Caroline, and this is a long, somewhat complicated, sad and probably terrible story.  I tried to bold the high points.   Still, I would appreciate any advice anyone has for me!! I am new to Binky Bunny, but have been reading your articles and advice since we got our bunnies about 14 months ago.

        My sisters and I, who are/were roommates, each adopted a bunny a little over a year ago (3 bunnies for 3 of us): my sister Kate got Benedict (18 months), my sister Sarah got GusGus (3 years), and I (Caroline) got Horatio (a very gentlemanly if skittish bunny who would now be 2).  They are all mini rexes, beautiful and — for the most part — very playful.  While I do the bulk of the care on all the bunnies because I work from home, Horatio had been my bunny.  We gave them all both an indoor hutch and an outdoor one for when the weather was nice.  They were not bonded, but seem aware of each other’s presence.  One really nice, unseasonably cool day in August, we let the bunnies in their outside hutches for the day. When we returned from work, Horatio, had died in what seemed like it might have been a scare or heart attack or could have been from a malady we were unable to recognize.  I was devastated.  I totally dote on my bunnies, and felt I had failed as a bunny keeper.

        Nevertheless, we soldiered on, and GusGus and Benedict continue to thrive.  A couple months later, I felt like I could care for a new bunny.  We went to the breeder where we originally got our bunnies, and I bonded with a tiny bunny that I named Percy.  He was only about 3 months old, and adorable, though a little smaller than the other bunnies.  He seemed to do well, even though he never quite gained weight and he never grew much bigger (despite a lot of feedings).  He was happy, loved to play, loved to cuddle and would stretch and climb up to be held quite a bit.  Ultimately, he ended up at 3lbs to GusGus’ and Benedict’s more normal 4.3lbs. At his check-ups, the vet said he looked and seemed healthy.  

        A few weeks ago, our sister and her bunny GusGus moved to a new home together.  Benedict and Percy continued to live in the same space of our house but separately, in different runs and hutches. 3 weeks ago we had them fixed and had started having them interact with each other more.  They seemed aware of each others’ presence, if not eager to fully bond.  Then on Tuesday, I came home and found Percy, who was energetic that morning, to be lethargic.  He had eaten all of his alfalfa (his favorite) and quite a bit of his food and other hay (botanical hay), and seemed to have been drinking water earlier; but at that moment, he would no longer eat — although he did poop and pee when I placed him in his run.  Within about 20 minutes, I became worried, and my sister Sarah and I took him to the vet.  

        They took an xray, and while it appeared that he had eaten a very tiny bead, the vet assured us this was not uncommon, and he would be fine: he still had food in his GI tract and the bead appeared to be moving and almost in the colon.  He was so small, though, and I worried at an increased risk for GI stasis, so I asked if I should be nervous, and the vet literally chuckled (which now I kind of resent, but I am grieving) and said no.  They gave him some subcutaneous fluids, and sent us home with critical care as a precaution if he did not seem to be eating his hay, and said we could give him a light anti-inflammatory if we wanted (and gave us that, too). 

        They started preparing us to leave– with them saying to come back tomorrow if we thought it hadn’t cleared and they could do an xray to ensure it cleared.  They said not to panic.  We thought maybe we were worrying too much, but my sister and I said we thought he seemed to be getting worse.  They still tried to send us home, and assured us this happens all the time and that the bead was smaller than his feed pellets, smaller than his bedding, smaller than just about anything, and clearly was moving through his system.  We were nervous, but we checked out at reception and prepared to leave.

        When we got to the car, Percy stopped guarding his neck.  We ran back in, they checked him one more time, assured us he was fine, and then he went limp.  Five minutes later, while my sister and I were comforting him, he looked up at us, squeaked, then purred and died.  We were a mess.  

        I am trying to get over my guilt that Percy ate a bead — even though my vet keeps telling me that he doesn’t think that’s what caused this– but mostly I am now worried about Benedict.  

        Benedict has never been very crazy about other bunnies.  Before we had him fixed, he was extremely territorial, and sometimes would bite (we think) out of jealousy.  We have since started a process of greeting and petting Benedict first, and giving him “seemingly” preferential treatment.  This process and getting him fixed seem to have calmed him.  

        But, now that Benedict has had so much change so quickly, I am unable to tell if he is okay without Percy for the time being.  Since he was born to a breeder, he has always had other bunnies around if not with him.  We can’t tell if he is lonely.  He still plays and eats and runs, but he seems to look at the empty cages a lot.

        This has made my sisters and I urgent to find a new bunny — even though, we have no idea if Benedict needs a new bunny to live in the hutch and run beside him AND I am not sure I am ready for a new bunny while I am grieving Percy and so soon after losing Horatio. Maybe some of you will see me as a bunny-killer, but truly, I did try to take great care of them. I’ve read so many articles and tried so many things!!

        I guess what I am asking is this:  Does anyone have any advice regarding getting a new bunny as a companion for Benedict?  We have brought GusGus over several times for playdates, but my guilt right now over Percy and for Benedict is making me crazy.


        Thanks for reading this long note.  Please help me become a better bunny carer.


      • Azerane
        Moderator
        4688 posts Send Private Message

          Hello there and welcome to the forum, just on a quick note, your post didn’t appear originally because there is an approval process for new members, I deleted the duplicate one and approved this one for you

          I’m very sorry to hear of your losses. Sometimes things happen so quickly and unexpectedly that it’s hard to know what to do.

          If you are still grieving Percy and Horatio, don’t rush into getting another rabbit if you’re not ready. Benedict may like a new bunny for company (would you be planning to bond them?) but right now if you are home a lot and your sister is also home often then I’m sure he’s getting plenty of attention If you do want to find a rabbit he will be able to bond with, some rescues do bunny dates or temporary placements to see if the two rabbits are going to get along before permanently placing them with an adopter.

          I’m not sure of you and your sister’s circumstances, but I would probably hold back on bonding a new rabbit with Benedict if you’re not going to be living together for a long time, or not prepared to have one of your give up your bun in order to maintain their bond when one of you moves out. Otherwise, there’s no reason he can’t have a neighbour, just to have another bunny around to see, smell and hear.


        • Caroline
          Participant
          3 posts Send Private Message

            Thanks, Azerane.  I appreciate the guidance: both on the bunnies and on the forums!! 

            In my heart I think I agree that I am not quite ready for a new bunny– even if it is the best bunny in the world, I’ve already had the most gentlemanly (Horatio– he was very polite) and the most cuddly (Percy — he was so little and loved to hug and snuggle).  I am not sure I can take any more adorableness yet — for now I am appreciating Benedict’s adorableness.

            You are totally right about determining rules on “who takes the bunnies” if either I or my sister move out (as our sister Sarah did).  We’ve kind of already talked about it, and we’ve never bonded our bunnies with each other for that very reason.  If we did bond Benedict with a companion, my sister Kate would keep them or I would be willing to keep both of them if Kate was unable to do so.  With that in mind, right now I think we are looking more to get a new bunny neighbor when I am ready.  But since Benedict seems happy to be spoiled and doted on for now, I feel less guilty waiting to open up my heart again.

            Thanks again for your advice, and any other advice is welcome!! 


          • Boston's Mama
            Participant
            1452 posts Send Private Message

              If he hasn’t bonded with another bunny before this – just been “neighbours”- has been territorial – and seems fine and well in himself – not planning to bond the new one to him – with all those factors then I would wait until you are ready
              He sounds like he is perfectly fine on his own and gets alot of attention with you working from home
              I have a solo bunny and work from home – and we attempted to have a “neighbour ” bunny while mine is still young and he didn’t take well at all to the situation.
              You would need to be prepared benefit may not like his new neighbour … and be able to have him in a completely seperate room worse case – some just don’t like each other individually
              Since benedict has had three different neighbours and been ok with that he has a better chance at accepting a new bunny in same room than mine did though in saying that

              Wait till you are ready – that’s more what it needs to be about since not bonding

              if you decide you aren’t going to get another one I’m recommend moving the cages that are empty so he stops being saddened by them since it sounds like it is
              If you plan to get another maybe rearrange the cage interior and clean everything with vinegar and water so it doesn’t have the scent of the other bunny and place a soft toy bunny or similar in it so he ismt thrown off when their is a new neighbour
              I wouldn’t let him in the other cages either so he doesn’t think it’s now his territory and when a new bunny comes it’s not invading “his space”

              Sorry for your loss


            • Caroline
              Participant
              3 posts Send Private Message

                Thanks, everyone, for the great tips!! He seems to be doing okay, and if we decide not to get another bunny, I will definitely move Percy’s hutch. We’ll leave the one though for when our sister’s bunny, GusGus, visits.

                I am doing better and starting to feel better that Percy is at peace, even though I miss him terribly. Luckily, though, Benedict also seems to be feeling better, and while we may get him a new buddy, for now he seems happy with me (which is good cause his cuddles seem to make both of us feel a bit better!!).

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            Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Had Three Bunnies– One moved away, one passed very suddenly, and one remains…