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Rabbits passing away.....

LizzyS186

New Kit
Hello there,

This is my first posting on a rabbit forum so please bear with me. I am happy to have found this forum as I always felt that I was the only person in the world who cared/was interested in rabbits!!

On Sunday our rabbit Roxy passed away after struggling with GI stasis for 2days. We are all very heartbroken in the family but worst hit is her partner Randal who is mourning for her, and still searching for her, looking down and we can hear him making a crying type sound....I was wondering if anyone had ever had any previous experiences of this and if there is anything else we can do to help him through this grief apart from the obvious cuddles and love we always give him???? I am really worried about him, as well as grieving for my little girl.....
 
I am very sorry for your loss :cry:

As with humans, all Rabbits grieve in different ways. Some become very quiet, some appear totally uneffected and behave as normal.

Did Randal have some time with Roxy after she passed away ? This can help a bereaved Rabbit understand that their friend has gone. Although it is of course upsetting for us to watch :cry:

Keeping to Randal's usual routine will help him. If the weather obliges time out in some sunshine is also beneficial.

In time and if your circumstances permit another Rabbit friend for Randal would be great. Not to replace Roxy, noBun could do that. But a new companion for Randal and for you to get to know and love.

Welcome to RU, although I am sorry that your first post is about the passing of Roxy :cry: If you would like to you could post a tribute to her in Rainbow Bridge :)

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=35
 
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Im so sorry for your loss.Sleep tight Roxy.I completely agree with what Jacks-Jane has written in the above post
 
Welcome to the forum, albeit in tragic circumstances.
I'd just like to echo what Jack's-Jane said, she always has great advice and posts!!
 
I'm sorry for your loss :cry:

It's heartbreaking for the ones left behind, especially when they are still looking for their lost mate. I really believe they love each other very deeply. They are resilient little creatures though and he will get through this, and he will probably accept another mate and be happy and in love again when and if you are ready. In the meantime lots of grooming and noserubs from you if he will allow it and maybe a cuddly toy will provide comfort xx
 
Thank you for all of the replies it is great to know that there are people out there who understand what we are going through as everbody else I have spoken to hasn't understood how we are feeling or has said things like "its just a rabbit" which we really don't need right now and to us, Roxy wasn't "just" a rabbit, she was a very loved member of our family.

We didn't really give Randal much time with her body but he was in the same room as her when she died and when she passed away she laid close to my partner for her final moments so she was surrounded by those who loved her. With hindsight we should have left Randal with her body but at the time it was very distressing and upsetting to see her passed away.

Randal does seem a bit better today, he is still being very clingy towards us and has sad eyes but he is acting more "Randal" today. He has started watching the television again and is even watching his favourite James Bond films, he has started eating properly again so Im hoping this is a good sign that he is going to get better as for the first few days we were worried we would lose him as his behaviour was sooo unusual for him....We are just trying to keep him occupied and giving him loads of cuddles, which he loves to help him through it and hope that he will get better.

My partner and I have already decided that we will get him a new girlfriend as he needs that companionship but we are not sure if we should get him a young/baby bun who can grow up with him or whether we should look into getting a rescue/older bun as Randal will be 3yrs old in July???
 
Thank you for all of the replies it is great to know that there are people out there who understand what we are going through as everbody else I have spoken to hasn't understood how we are feeling or has said things like "its just a rabbit" which we really don't need right now and to us, Roxy wasn't "just" a rabbit, she was a very loved member of our family.

We didn't really give Randal much time with her body but he was in the same room as her when she died and when she passed away she laid close to my partner for her final moments so she was surrounded by those who loved her. With hindsight we should have left Randal with her body but at the time it was very distressing and upsetting to see her passed away.

Randal does seem a bit better today, he is still being very clingy towards us and has sad eyes but he is acting more "Randal" today. He has started watching the television again and is even watching his favourite James Bond films, he has started eating properly again so Im hoping this is a good sign that he is going to get better as for the first few days we were worried we would lose him as his behaviour was sooo unusual for him....We are just trying to keep him occupied and giving him loads of cuddles, which he loves to help him through it and hope that he will get better.

My partner and I have already decided that we will get him a new girlfriend as he needs that companionship but we are not sure if we should get him a young/baby bun who can grow up with him or whether we should look into getting a rescue/older bun as Randal will be 3yrs old in July???

I would recommend getting a spayed doe for him, similar age would be great but slightly older/younger is fab too :) Try the site connected to this (rabbit rescue) to find your local rabbit rescue, or even one not so close, some rescues are happy to arrange 'rabbit runs' :D

Good luck finding you lil man a new friend, my rabbit, Tessy, lost her hutch mates last year and is now alone, we tried bonding her with other buns but she was aggressive.... instead she has the attentions of my mums buck through the run wire...... Buts shes almost 9 so we didnt want to put her through more stress :?

Give my love to your boy *virtual hugs*
 
Just wanted to send our love and hope little randal is ok, Reassure him its not forever he'll see her again one day. All bunnies listen to us so this little comfort will help him a lot.
And people who say its just a rabbit haven't found the love inside them yet and probably lead a very lonely life. Because my bunnies are "not just a rabbit" and ive had many arguments over this.
Thinking of you all xxx
 
I'm really sorry for your loss. We haven't had rabbits long but they've well and truly stolen our hearts so I can empathise with you. I could cry at the very thought of anything happening to our two.

Lots of hugs and I hope that Randal will be ok xx
 
sad

So sorry for your loss.

When Marble (female) died Bunster was very sad and withdrawn, although he seemed to 'know' it was happening because she had been ill a long time. We introduced a baby bun from a pet shop, not knowing enough about specialist rabbit rescues. Buffy arrived, and they were a couple immediately. Bunster's relationship with Buffy was different from the one he'd had with Marble, but his instant happiness reassured us that finding him a new friend almost immediately had been right.

However, when Bunster himself died last Dec, leaving Buffy, who was quietly mournful, we decided to seek a rescue husbun of a similar age to Buffy (she was then 5). We wanted to give a home to an older and harder-to-home bun, and also as we are not ourselves in first flush of youth (I am 50) we were not sure we wanted to commit to another potential 12+ years of bunny-work. Buffy would have accepted a young bun, I am sure, but the rescue helped me identify an older bun who had lost his mate a few weeks before, and was of similar gentle sedate temparament to Buffy and we have not looked back. Both were delighted from the first moment to have companionship, and bonding went like a dream.

I hope some of this helps. Only you can decide what is right for you. Good luck in your decision-making, and do post again how it is going.
 
i lost Pearl a week ago and Alvin is already at the rescue looking for love. its awful for me being rabbitless but hes really happy (still single tho :roll:) and i think i did the best thing for him.

hope you are ok and im sure Randal will let you know when hes ready for a new wife xxxxx
 
Hi, welcome to the forum and so sorry it's in such sad circumstances :(
I lost my girl Tilly 3 months ago and it broke my heart, a part of me died with her. It doesnt matter what species something is, if it's a member of your family and you love it, its totally normal to feel devastated when you lose them and you have every right to grieve. Non-animal people will never understand this, but everyone on this forum does, believe me!
With regards to Randal I'd look into getting him a friend as soon as possible. When Tilly died our little boy Timmy was very lonely so we rescued a beautiful 2 year old spayed female the week after. 3 weeks later they were fully bonded and are now the best of friends. I'd personally not get a baby because they may bond and then when the youngen gets her hormones that bond might break until you get her spayed, then you'll have to rebond them again afterwards. Also you'll have to litter train her etc (assuming they're house buns of course!) A slightly older female thats already spayed and is in need of a loving home would be the easiest and most ideal in my opinion.
For me it felt so wrong to have another bun in the house with Timmy so soon after Tilly died, but it made all the difference to Timmy which was the priority.
My thoughts are with you at this horrible time :(
xxx
 
Welcome to the forum hun.
I'm so sorry for your loss. I know how hard losing a bun is, and its made harder becuase most (sometimes all) people around you don't understand what your going though.
Sending vibes to you and Randall xxxx
 
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