What rabbit? Advice please

If in your heart you want a conti, i would have the doe This is just my opinion though before anyone bites my head off I always wanted a conti and now i have him i wouldnt change him for the world, hes the most wonderful bunny ever!

As you said, you can always get a rescue husbun for her once you have had her neutered etc xXx

Thanks for replying Becky.

I have always wanted a conti and would love to take the little doe on - and I acknowledge that maybe I just want everyone to tell me it's ok and that I don't need to feel guilty. But I know they probably won't because (as I also know in my heart) rescuing is the responsible thing to do, buying from a breeder isn't.

How old is your conti? Is he a house bunny?

I would have the little doe I have an indoor british giant with no ears called Stumpy

I am sorry that you lost your bun so suddenly

Thanks jackiestone - I'm still missing him everyday
Part of me is justifying the idea of getting the doe as a way to remain sort of in touch with him, as she's his sister.

yes that is a good idea,take care of his sister for him

have you looked around the house for possible causes? such as toxic plants? or anything that could have upset him..tummy probs due to dietry changes etc. was a pm done? personalyl i would probebly worry about taking on another young bunny and go to a rescue where i know the bun has been vet checked and is actually hundred percent well, if however in your heart you feel the breeder is responsible and you only really want that breed then its probebly meant to be. i just think getting from a breeder costs you more as well as you now need to go through the trauma of neutering the bunny and pay out for first vaccinations and go through bonding where as the rescue will have already done that for you... dont forget to pannacur the bunny to to prevent ec regardless where it has come from and remember that a female spey is a bigger and more expensive op than a male neuter just to take into consideration

Hi bunlover,

have you looked around the house for possible causes? such as toxic plants? or anything that could have upset him..tummy probs due to dietry changes etc.

He was in his indoor pen while he was with me - so didn't have access to anything that could've poisoned him. I fed him food that the breeder gave me - from the same bag he'd been eating with her. Plus he had lots of hay - good quality meadow hay - and a few barley treats that also came with him from the breeder. Plus a very, very small amount of carrot and broccoli (I'd asked in advance and was told he'd been eating small amounts of those two types of veg already, so it would be ok to give him a little bit).

was a pm done?

No - my o/h phoned vets to ask if we could do one, but they told him they wouldn't advise it / consider it necessary and not something they would generally do. So, we didn't pursue it. Plus, I was so upset that day, not thinking very clearly, that I wasn't able to think about it rationally - otherwise the obvious thing would've been to try other vets, not just ours.

i would probebly worry about taking on another young bunny and go to a rescue where i know the bun has been vet checked and is actually hundred percent well

Well, it is a big worry, especially as the doe was kept back because she was so undersized in comparison with the others, and I couldn't cope with losing another one. As for neutering costs etc - I have put aside £300 for bunny start up costs (aside from money already spent on hutch and run and other equipment etc), so I guess if I go for rescue instead this gets saved as emergency money. I'll definitely be getting insurance whatever we do.


if however in your heart you feel the breeder is responsible and you only really want that breed then its probebly meant to be

I definitely believe the breeder is a very genuine, nice person - she was very upset when my o/h phoned to tell her, and I've since had several long talks with her. But I do of course recognise that rescue is a hundred times better than breeder. As for breed, I've loved contis for ages, but I also love loads of other rabbits - been eyeing up the baby lionheads on RIN, plus fluffy lops and well, loads of them.

Still don't know what to do - but thanks for replies so far!

I have just lost one of my Conti's and the grief is unbelievable. She was a sweetie. I wouldn't hesitate with the little doe. Go and have a look and see what your "gut reaction" is. If the breeder is as nice as you say, she will understand this, and will be looking for both you and the bun to be happy. I have had 2 rabbits "just die" this year for no reason. Can't always afford to do a pm. I think it's always a risk with babies that they suddenly die - but the heartache is by far outweighed by the years of pleasure and companionship.... the scratchy noses and cuddles.
Good luck

Bobbin

my opinion would be go get her

i lost my flemish giant just over two weeks ago i was that heartbroken i straight away found a breeder and got two conti's it was the best thing i have ever done, i miss april still so much but these two have bought some much pleaseure. if your heart says get her then go visit the breeder and see what happens

good luck

giantbunnymummy said:

Thanks for replying Becky.

I have always wanted a conti and would love to take the little doe on - and I acknowledge that maybe I just want everyone to tell me it's ok and that I don't need to feel guilty. But I know they probably won't because (as I also know in my heart) rescuing is the responsible thing to do, buying from a breeder isn't.

How old is your conti? Is he a house bunny?

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My conti is just over 8 months old He is a house bunny but will be moving outdoors in the spring If i get my way he'll stay inside forever :lol:

I got my Conti from a breeder, i know i shouldnt of but didnt think until after id done it :? I would never do it again tbh as i had alot of problems with her afterwards :?

It sounds like youve really thought it through, so i think you should go for it. Maybe her brother dying was a kind of, your meant to of had her thing?

Let us know what you decide xXx

Bobbin said:

I have had 2 rabbits "just die" this year for no reason. Can't always afford to do a pm. I think it's always a risk with babies that they suddenly die - but the heartache is by far outweighed by the years of pleasure and companionship.... the scratchy noses and cuddles.
Good luck

Bobbin

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So sorry for your loss - it's heartbreaking losing them.

I spoke again to the breeder who told me that she'd spoken to a friend of hers who breeds contis who has known this sort of thing to happen very occasionally - healthy and strong babies suddenly passing away for no discernable reason once they've been moved to new homes. In some ways that makes it a little easier to cope with, because of course I've had in my mind 'what if it was something i did / something i didn't do'. I guess it just wasn't meant to be with my little buck

jenny s said:

my opinion would be go get her

i lost my flemish giant just over two weeks ago i was that heartbroken i straight away found a breeder and got two conti's it was the best thing i have ever done, i miss april still so much but these two have bought some much pleaseure. if your heart says get her then go visit the breeder and see what happens

good luck

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Very sorry for your loss too!

I'm glad you've got your two little contis for company. I think I need a new bunny here asap to stop me grieving so much for my little buck.

Becky86 said:

My conti is just over 8 months old He is a house bunny but will be moving outdoors in the spring If i get my way he'll stay inside forever :lol:

I got my Conti from a breeder, i know i shouldnt of but didnt think until after id done it :? I would never do it again tbh as i had alot of problems with her afterwards :?

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What sort of probs did you have with her? Health problems, or behavioural stuff?

My little buck was very, very friendly and kept coming over for nose rubs and strokes, so I hope if the doe does come she'll be as friendly as he was.

Sorry for your loss

Don't know if anyone else has mentioned it - but with losing a bun, bear in mind that he may have had a heart defect or any kind of genetic problem caused by breeding or dodgey genes - his sister may have it too.