UPDATE: Leaving spoiled bunny alone for a week- help

[novabun]

Hi guys!

I am leaving for a week in May and I won’t be able to take my bunny with me. I am conflicted on what to do for her while I’m gone. My options are:

1. Leaving her at my place, where she is comfortable and familiar, and having someone come in to feed her every day. However, I can’t find anyone who is rabbit savvy, so I would have to trust a neighbor or coworker to do it. Nova is a completely free-range bunny who is only confined to my bedroom. She has a small cage that she returns to in order to eat, drink, and use the litterbox. If I do this, I’m conflicted as to whether I should leave her free range or if I should buy an x-pen to keep her in for a week. If I leave her out, she will probably hide under the bed when they come in to feed her – which concerns me in case she gets stressed with my absence and stops eating (this has happened once so I’m worried) – they definitely won’t be able to catch her to take her to the vet’s. She’s not used to an x-pen, though, and she also gets stressed out from those. The last time she was confined to one (after her spay), she used up all of her energy shaking and biting the bars and refused to eat. 

2. Driving her to my mother’s house to watch her. This is about a 3.5 hr drive, which will be stressful for her, and my mother has dogs. However, I trust my mom to be able to take her to the vet if Nova stops eating.

3. Finding a vet to board her. I don’t like this option, because she HATES the vet and will be stressed and unhappy. It’s also expensive.

I’m getting pretty stressed over this because I love her dearly and I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to her. I could really use some advice from rabbit savvy people like you.

[Jes]

It sounds to me like Number one without the x-pen would be the best bet if you can find someone to feed her. It’s only a week, so don’t stress too much. She’ll be at home and in her normal environment without any stressors, only difference will be that you won’t be there. However, if you’re still too worried, I think number 2 sounds good too. It might be a stressful ride and she might have to put up with some dog smells, but as long as she’s not exposed to them too much, I would think she’d be fine. That, and you wouldn’t have to worry about nobody being around to make sure she’s okay, especially if you trust your mother a lot.

[Wick & Fable]

I think #1 sounds best as well. If you find someone you’re comfortable with doing so, I’d set up a small meeting with them and go over a rabbit care guide (you should make one! BinkyBunny has a template for one, but you can make one more detailed if you’re worried).

You want your ‘sitter’ to know what’s the usual and unusual behaviors they may see, especially if they are not used to rabbits!

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Sam]

I agree with Wick! Make a nice bunny guide, have them come meet your bun, and do an extra sweep of the bedroom before you leave to make sure everything is in tip-top shape. Make sure to include emergency numbers in your guide- veterinarian, perhaps your mom’s number, and a number that you can be reached at while on vacation.

For the future, I would recommend maybe trying to see if there are professional pet sitters in your area? My mom’s friend is one, and she goes to people’s houses to care for exotics, cats, and small animals. I say for the future, because you need time to find some sitters, talk to them, ask for references, etc.

[Wick & Fable]

If you’re very worried, you can ask if your vet will allow you to put credit on file so your sitter can go if anything happens.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Vienna Blue in France]

I have one, ONE person who i trust here to take care of my buns as if they were her own. It may be me being paranoid, but thats just that!

Other than that I too drive 3h30 to my parents (from France to the UK) to drop mine off (and have done for for the past 15yrs with my cat and dog too) and in a month i will be doing the same when my two buns go on their hols back to bunny bonders.

I (personally) put human animal sitters capabilities (care (love and attention) experience or in case of emergency) before (the relative) comfort of said animal.

What I’m trying to say is if you can find a 110% trusted person to come to your house, then great, do it (block off the underbed area?). If you can’t, go to your moms for your own peace of mind. That’s what I do .

[novabun]

Thank you all for your replies! I think that leaving her in her normal environment will be best.  Of course I’ll still be super worried the whole time, but it’s only a week and she should be ok. I have 3 options for bunsitters, so I will have a conversation with them all about the responsibilities and the possibility of having to take her to the vet. I wish I lived in a more bunny-friendly area; I’ve never met anyone who has buns, and all of the petsitters nearby are dogs/cats only.

[novabun]

Hey guys, so after a scary stint with GI Stasis this past week (vets and I think the culprit is heavy shedding), I’m more conflicted than ever on what’s best for my bunny. She’s fully recovered now, but it was a nerve-wracking few days.

None of my potential pet sitters are bun experienced, and even though the trip is like a week and a half away, I just can’t stop worrying about the potential consequences of leaving her with someone who doesn’t know the signs of stasis. It doesn’t help that she’s a shy bunny who hates being handled, so emergency care would be incredible hard to administer by anyone besides myself. I think I will do what Vienna Blue In France suggested and take her home with me to my mom’s. I can leave early with her to settle her into the new surroundings and make sure she’s eating and pooping.

However, it is a 3 and a half hour drive, and poor Nova is terrified of the car. She’s made the trip before, as well as many 30 minute rides to and from the vet’s, but she trembles and sometimes whimpers the entire time. It’s heart breaking! I’ve read about getting them used to the car by going on shorter trips, but is there a good way to do that without feeling like I’m putting her through torture? Maybe turn the car on and let her get used to it without moving? Or should I just spare her the extra stress?

[Wick & Fable]

Novabun – I’m sorry to hear about this!! Is there something you usually play audio wise at home which could make the car-ride more home-y for her? Wick enjoys classical music on vet car rides.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Vienna Blue in France]

A destress spray specific for animals could help for the journey !! Such as Pet Therapy….

[ownedbybunnies315]

I’m sorry you have to deal with this stress…I can definitely relate.  One of my buns teeters on the brink of stasis anytime I go out of town.  The first time I went out of town, I left her home, and had a friend look in on her every day.  She would sit with her and watch tv, and feed her before she left.  It worked out okay, but I was always worried about what would happen if she ever went into actual stasis, as my friend is not bunny savvy and would not have known what to do, and I didn’t enjoy my trip at all because I was worried about my bun the whole time.  I was planning an international trip the following year, and decided to try to figure out something else, so I called a couple local animal rescues that work with rabbits (one was an actual rabbit rescue) and asked if they had any volunteers or workers that would be interested in making some extra money rabbit sitting.  It turned out that one of the volunteers actually had a rabbit boarding business that I never would have known about if I hadn’t called (she didn’t advertise locally, except with the rescues).  Now she takes care of both of my buns anytime I go away, and I have peace of mind.  She is well-versed in everything rabbit, and even gave my one bun sub-q fluids and gas meds one time to prevent the onset of stasis, when she thought it might be coming on.  Are there any rescues like this in your area, with people that you might not know about who know rabbits and might be interested in bun-sitting but don’t necessarily advertise? 

If the only way that you will have peace of mind is to take Nova to your mom’s, then definitely do it, get her settled, and then you’ll know that she is well cared for.  Oh, and anytime we have to go for a car ride, I put my tablet in the backseat with the rabbit carrier and show downloaded tv shows.  For some reason, this seems to calm both bunnies. 

[novabun]

Wick – Thanks! I could figure out a way to play YouTube videos! Or maybe the radio on a quiet setting. I definitely talk to her the whole time too.

Vienna Blue – I never knew that existed! I’ll look into it for sure, thank you.

ownedbybunnies315 – I’m glad you figured out a solution for your bunny and your peace of mind! Unfortunately the closest bunny friendly rescue is over 2 hours away. I might still call them just on the chance that they might know someone in my area who can do it. I wish I lived in a state with a House Rabbit Society. Thanks for the mental image of bunnies watching TV in the backseat, that’s adorable!

[Author]

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