tulips2kissu
Young Bun
We have kept outdoor rabbits for the last four years. We started with a bonded pair of neutered rescue bunnies who lived happily outside for two years until we lost the male. The remaining female, a black and white dutch, lovingly called 'Funny Bunny' was on her own for a year as we knew we were moving house. She moved with us and settled in to her new garden, kept company by our loverly, soft moggy.
As everything was going smoothly, I decided the time was right to get her a new boyfriend and so we found 'Jack Rabbit'. Another gorgeous dutch who bonded with her in an instant. As we had found him in a pet store he was too young to neuter so we waited the two months required until he was four months old believing all would be fine as Funny Bunny was supposedly speyed. Three days after Jack was finely neutered I walked into the garden to say goodnight to them both only to find Funny Bunny lying dead with a dead baby stuck half way out! I couldn't believe it, especially as she had been to the vet with Jack to have a full MOT! Not even the vet had realised she was pregnant, and why would he? She was supposed to have been speyed four years ago...
Not much could be done other than to bury mother and baby. Jack was beside himself and I decided to get him a new companion asap. I found 'Isabunny', or Izzy for short, within a few days. A sweet, black baby girl with the longest ears and back feet you had ever seen! Gorgeous she was, and gorgeous Jack thought she was too! Four days of bliss!
I came home from work four days later to find Izzy missing completely and after an hour or so rushing about searching I called our local vet to discover that she had been found, hurt, and brought in. A half feral cat being fed by the neighbour had snuck in and grabbed her causing damage to her head. Despite doing everything they could the vet was unable to save her and we were mortified. I felt so awful. I felt that we had brought her home only to her death. Having been so chuffed to find her and thinking we would be able to give her such a great home, I felt like her murderer.
After a days hard crying I decided I couldn't face the pain of losing bunnies any more and made the decision to try and rehome Jack. I put his profile on the rabbit rehoming website last week. I felt like a heathen, traiterous, cruel, bunny murdering mare. I didn't think I deserved to keep my precious rabbit anymore.
One week later and I feel an utter numbskull! How could I possiby have even considered giving Jack Rabbit away? He is so lovely and brings us so much pleasure. I have taken his profile off the rehoming site and set up a huge indoor haven for him. He is currently bouncing around the garden as we are all home to watch over him but he will come in when he's ready or when I whistle for him (I kid you not!). For now he will have us and the moggy for company until this new situation is the norm. Then, perhaps, we may even think about biting the bullet one more time and getting him another companion. Perhaps a sligthly older, neutered female rescue bun!
Until then, lesson learned... losing bunnies hurts. It hurts a lot, espesially if the circumstances of losing them are violent and unexpected. However, time helps and it is important not to lose faith in the living! I guess we all make mistakes and it is hard to know when a new and dangerous predator has taken residence. I will never assume that a safe environment will always remain that way. Check and recheck. Every day!
Bunnies are the best!
Let me know what you think of this story. I would appreciate advice, feedback and general response. I guess I still feel guilty.
As everything was going smoothly, I decided the time was right to get her a new boyfriend and so we found 'Jack Rabbit'. Another gorgeous dutch who bonded with her in an instant. As we had found him in a pet store he was too young to neuter so we waited the two months required until he was four months old believing all would be fine as Funny Bunny was supposedly speyed. Three days after Jack was finely neutered I walked into the garden to say goodnight to them both only to find Funny Bunny lying dead with a dead baby stuck half way out! I couldn't believe it, especially as she had been to the vet with Jack to have a full MOT! Not even the vet had realised she was pregnant, and why would he? She was supposed to have been speyed four years ago...
Not much could be done other than to bury mother and baby. Jack was beside himself and I decided to get him a new companion asap. I found 'Isabunny', or Izzy for short, within a few days. A sweet, black baby girl with the longest ears and back feet you had ever seen! Gorgeous she was, and gorgeous Jack thought she was too! Four days of bliss!
I came home from work four days later to find Izzy missing completely and after an hour or so rushing about searching I called our local vet to discover that she had been found, hurt, and brought in. A half feral cat being fed by the neighbour had snuck in and grabbed her causing damage to her head. Despite doing everything they could the vet was unable to save her and we were mortified. I felt so awful. I felt that we had brought her home only to her death. Having been so chuffed to find her and thinking we would be able to give her such a great home, I felt like her murderer.
After a days hard crying I decided I couldn't face the pain of losing bunnies any more and made the decision to try and rehome Jack. I put his profile on the rabbit rehoming website last week. I felt like a heathen, traiterous, cruel, bunny murdering mare. I didn't think I deserved to keep my precious rabbit anymore.
One week later and I feel an utter numbskull! How could I possiby have even considered giving Jack Rabbit away? He is so lovely and brings us so much pleasure. I have taken his profile off the rehoming site and set up a huge indoor haven for him. He is currently bouncing around the garden as we are all home to watch over him but he will come in when he's ready or when I whistle for him (I kid you not!). For now he will have us and the moggy for company until this new situation is the norm. Then, perhaps, we may even think about biting the bullet one more time and getting him another companion. Perhaps a sligthly older, neutered female rescue bun!
Until then, lesson learned... losing bunnies hurts. It hurts a lot, espesially if the circumstances of losing them are violent and unexpected. However, time helps and it is important not to lose faith in the living! I guess we all make mistakes and it is hard to know when a new and dangerous predator has taken residence. I will never assume that a safe environment will always remain that way. Check and recheck. Every day!
Bunnies are the best!
Let me know what you think of this story. I would appreciate advice, feedback and general response. I guess I still feel guilty.