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Special needs?

steph182

Wise Old Thumper
I'm desperatly hoping that in a year I can get another bunny, as I am moving out soon and definatly intend on not living with my mother anymore after that.
So, I'm wanting a special needs bunny. I'd rather not have a dental bunny, but I would LOVE a bunny with huge hair, or psychological problems/aggressive or anything like that.
So I'm just basically wondering who's taken on bunnys like this? Charlie is as soft as hell and has never had a problem being bonded, so seen as though I have a pretty open choice I definatly need to take on a harder to home bunny, preferable the problems rather than the long hair, as I'm guessing the "mental" unfriendly ones are harder to rehome!

Tell me about your difficult buns please :)
 
I've never actually adopted a rabbit ith problems but recently Heather has adopted Chronic Conjuctivitus which basically means her eyes are runny all the time which is regular trips to the vets sometimes eye drops when it bad ect. Its not a particulary 'difficult' illness though :?

I think the main thing to aware of is the emotional and sometimes finacial stress :wave:
 
For the financial side I would be getting bunny insured (hence the not wanting a dental bunny when the time comes, as it wouldn't be covered by the insurence if it was already an ongoing health problem). Obviously if bunny ended up being a dental case it'd all be done but I just want insurence to know my bunnys are sorted before me! Charlie'll be getting insured, too.
 
I've never adopted one, but we have one in foster care at the minute and I honestly can not see anyone ever wanting her. She is a complete nightmare to handle although will happily sit and watch you so she is frightened of people just hates them.

I think it's great your thinking of taking a bunny like this on as very few people ever give them a second luck.
 
I've never adopted one, but we have one in foster care at the minute and I honestly can not see anyone ever wanting her. She is a complete nightmare to handle although will happily sit and watch you so she is frightened of people just hates them.

I think it's great your thinking of taking a bunny like this on as very few people ever give them a second luck.

Is this the Peaches look-a-like? :(
 
I've never adopted one, but we have one in foster care at the minute and I honestly can not see anyone ever wanting her. She is a complete nightmare to handle although will happily sit and watch you so she is frightened of people just hates them.

I think it's great your thinking of taking a bunny like this on as very few people ever give them a second luck.

That is exactly the kind of bunny I would go for. Don't mean to sound self assured but I am really good with animals, so I figure that I should get problemed ones as I know I'd be able to deal with it. A normal bunny can be happy with anyone, but I want to make a problemed bunny happy :love:
 
I've adopted several. I find them the most rewarding and brilliant animals, however, they can be very emotionally draining as well as financially (not just with vet costs, but if they need a special diet, accommodation adjustments, stuff like that).

It can feel like a good idea but when you get it practically it can be not what you thought it might. If you can maybe go and meet some special needs bunnies (or foster some) so that you know you can handle taking on those kinds of rabbits on a permanent basis.
 
That is exactly the kind of bunny I would go for. Don't mean to sound self assured but I am really good with animals, so I figure that I should get problemed ones as I know I'd be able to deal with it. A normal bunny can be happy with anyone, but I want to make a problemed bunny happy :love:

You never know she may still be looking when your ready.;)
 
I think the key to behavioural problem bunnies is a huge dose of patience. It also helps if you live somewhere quiet, with no children, no dogs, and no noisy neighbours! Anything that creates a lovely quiet, tranquil environment where they can learn to relax. It also helps if they like food, because it's the easiest way to train them to understand that human hands are nice and bring treats, not pain or fear. A couple of terrified/aggressive buns that I have fostered took very well to bunny massage...but you need to be confident enough with bunny body language to tell the difference between a bunny that is sitting still on your lap because it is too terrified to move and one that is sitting still because it is enjoying the massage.

You just can't 'force' anything with frightened rabbits, as it will just make them worse. You will need to be prepared for months of feeling like the rabbit hates you and is scared of you. It can be very rewarding when you see them improve, but be prepared for it to be veeeeeery slow!
 
I've delt with other problemed animals before, so I have a bit of experience. Spend a while helping with my uncles severly messed up/aggressive german shepherd, and we have a mental cat. Not bunnys, but given me enough experience to know that progress is rewarding.
Seeing so many problemed bunnys on here that are harder to rehome just makes me so want to help. Obviously I'd have to go for a bunny that I felt would fit in well and be happy in itself, but ever since I lost Mable I've had it in my head that a special bunny is the way to go next time :love:
 
I think the key to behavioural problem bunnies is a huge dose of patience. It also helps if you live somewhere quiet, with no children, no dogs, and no noisy neighbours! Anything that creates a lovely quiet, tranquil environment where they can learn to relax. It also helps if they like food, because it's the easiest way to train them to understand that human hands are nice and bring treats, not pain or fear. A couple of terrified/aggressive buns that I have fostered took very well to bunny massage...but you need to be confident enough with bunny body language to tell the difference between a bunny that is sitting still on your lap because it is too terrified to move and one that is sitting still because it is enjoying the massage.

You just can't 'force' anything with frightened rabbits, as it will just make them worse. You will need to be prepared for months of feeling like the rabbit hates you and is scared of you. It can be very rewarding when you see them improve, but be prepared for it to be veeeeeery slow
!

Defiantly understand that. I can also deal with not feeling loved by my animal. My cat HATES me and despite the 6ish years of effort she is getting no better. However I wouldn't trade her for the world, and just do nice things when I can for her.
The bunny isn't for my pleasure anyway, so it doesn't matter how much bunny loves me. If bunny loves Charlie, and they're both happy and relaxed, well then I've pretty much succeeded as a bunny owner as far as I'm concerned :love:
 
*Chants* Jovie and Plum! Jovie and Plum! Jovie and Plum! :lol:

I have my fair share of special bunnehs. Currently I have...

Daphne - Along with her very nervous personality, she has dental problems. She was having regular burrs until she had her insicors out. Her molars seem to have realigned since the front ones went. Although, having no front teeth means she cannot groom herself very well at all and she's long furred. :roll: Her tear duct is also blocked and now stretched due to the vet flushing it so many times. She's also starting to loose the use of her back legs (although the vet swears she's fine, I can see she's wobbly on her feet) which has led to her starting to pee on herself. She also has a very delicate tummy. This has resulted in a bun that is often covered in her own waste :oops: and who is unhandlable for the most part (grooming time is often exciting! :lol:) as well as an expensive bun! Wouldn't give her up for the world though. :love:

Jess - Since recovering from EC, her breathing has been very rapid. She either has fluid on the lungs or a heart problem. The vet has failed to find any medication that makes a difference. She is happy without medication for now but will probably be a problem in the future.

Barley - Barley is a nethie X cashmere lop and is ludocrusly fluffy. His fur is also very wispy and matts easily. He doesn't tollerate being groomed well and will attack my legs/tummy/face/whatever he can reach to let me know he's had enough :roll: He was kept in a bird cage until I took him on so is territorial and also suffers from referred aggression. Luckily, Cloud has learnt to stay out of his way when he's throwing a wobbly (his bond with Cloud is very strong, even though he appears to hate other rabbits).

And in the past I had Marge - An RSPCA bunny, she was very aggressive, territorial, and impossible to handle. She was definately a 'watch but don't touch' bun. She'd growl if I even walked past her hutch and often charged me when I took her bowl away. On occassion I'd have to kind of shake her off my jumper sleeve! :roll::lol:

They make very rewarding pets though. I always felt a big sense of pride if Marge let me give her a nose rub, of after I've brushed Barley and he almost looks like a rabbit again :lol:

Ask Coineanach about Velvet too. :)
 
*Chants* Jovie and Plum! Jovie and Plum! Jovie and Plum! :lol:

I have my fair share of special bunnehs. Currently I have...

Daphne - Along with her very nervous personality, she has dental problems. She was having regular burrs until she had her insicors out. Her molars seem to have realigned since the front ones went. Although, having no front teeth means she cannot groom herself very well at all and she's long furred. :roll: Her tear duct is also blocked and now stretched due to the vet flushing it so many times. She's also starting to loose the use of her back legs (although the vet swears she's fine, I can see she's wobbly on her feet) which has led to her starting to pee on herself. She also has a very delicate tummy. This has resulted in a bun that is often covered in her own waste :oops: and who is unhandlable for the most part (grooming time is often exciting! :lol:) as well as an expensive bun! Wouldn't give her up for the world though. :love:

Jess - Since recovering from EC, her breathing has been very rapid. She either has fluid on the lungs or a heart problem. The vet has failed to find any medication that makes a difference. She is happy without medication for now but will probably be a problem in the future.

Barley - Barley is a nethie X cashmere lop and is ludocrusly fluffy. His fur is also very wispy and matts easily. He doesn't tollerate being groomed well and will attack my legs/tummy/face/whatever he can reach to let me know he's had enough :roll: He was kept in a bird cage until I took him on so is territorial and also suffers from referred aggression. Luckily, Cloud has learnt to stay out of his way when he's throwing a wobbly (his bond with Cloud is very strong, even though he appears to hate other rabbits).

And in the past I had Marge - An RSPCA bunny, she was very aggressive, territorial, and impossible to handle. She was definately a 'watch but don't touch' bun. She'd growl if I even walked past her hutch and often charged me when I took her bowl away. On occassion I'd have to kind of shake her off my jumper sleeve! :roll::lol:

They make very rewarding pets though. I always felt a big sense of pride if Marge let me give her a nose rub, of after I've brushed Barley and he almost looks like a rabbit again :lol:

Ask Coineanach about Velvet too. :)

I definatly would if I could take on rabbits right now!

But thank you for all that :D You rabbits sound like they have a lot of...character? :lol: but they do sound VERY rewarding, you must be one hell of a proud bunny mummy!
 
I definatly would if I could take on rabbits right now!

But thank you for all that :D You rabbits sound like they have a lot of...character? :lol: but they do sound VERY rewarding, you must be one hell of a proud bunny mummy!

I am indeed! Although, I do thank my lucky stars that the rest of them are healthy. I think I'd go insane if I had such problems with all of them. Good old Thistle is virtually bomb proof! :lol:

Before Marge died, she was bonded to Barley. It used to scare the c*** out of me putting my arm in their hutch! :roll::lol:
 
Both of mine have issues.

Working for the RSPCA I get first pic on the bunnies. Muffin was VERY food aggressive, and also very territorial. As soon as we brought her her she established her little shed, she made it clear that was hers. Whenever she's out having a run around, and i go near her house she's straight there, making sure I'm not moving her stuff around! So cute.

Eddie was a stray. He was very very shy and scared of people. He would tremble when you approached him at work. Again, as soon as he got home he settled in lovely and you wouldn't think it was the same rabbit as the one at work with the traits and actions that he used to exercise.
 
I am indeed! Although, I do thank my lucky stars that the rest of them are healthy. I think I'd go insane if I had such problems with all of them. Good old Thistle is virtually bomb proof! :lol:

Before Marge died, she was bonded to Barley. It used to scare the c*** out of me putting my arm in their hutch! :roll::lol:

Sadly I'll always be limited to two bunnehs (unless I rehome the OH)

Mine will always be indoors too, so hopefully it'll help a bit of a bond! But like I said, two happy bunnys is my aim :love:
 
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