Anyone out there with visually impaired rabbits that can send some advice our way. Luckily we already have him in a spare room that is always quite dark so that will help with his light sensitivity. His vision is slightly better in his right eye so we're going to always try to pet him from that side so he can see the shadow and not frighten so much. We will be very careful of not moving his things around to keep that as stable for him as possible. Any other blind bunny owners out there that can recommend things we can do to make him less fearful???? :wave:
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So Jimmy is officially blind!!!
- Thread starter thebuz
- Start date
Jack's-Jane
Wise Old Thumper
I have had a few blind Buns. They generally adapt well as long as their environment remains unchanged. They become more sound and smell sensitive so occasionally they may be startled by something that we cannot necessarily smell or hear. For this reason I believe that a blind Bun really does benefit from the company and support of another Rabbit. But of course this may not always be possible.
Tracybeakerisland
Mama Doe
I had a blind bun called Maxi who turned up one day outside the run. He was badly overweight and friendly who would wonder away. His owners admitted they could not look after him so I had him. Lovely lad who bumbled about, as Jane has said he was happier for things to be left where they were.
He bonded with two girls mainly because he was such a laid back buck.
Pumpkin however has poor sight on one side and I think the other is blind from how he acts. He uses smell and honking as he means of getting around and communicating.
He startles if he sees a flicker so I talk to him when I am in the kitchen so he knows the movements he glimpses are mine. I do not touch him without talking to him first and letting him smell my hand. If I am going to pick him up I use a head rub and a body rub so he knows what to expect. If I am just giving him a fuss he gets a head rub only so he knows what is going to happen. That seems to help him.
He is still crashing about with binky's and very easily scared as he does not know my home yet.
He has adopted a large cardboard box full of hay in the corner of my kitchen as a safe space. I use a walk in potting tray as a a large litter tray. He loves toys as much as the next bun.
Th only downside I have with Pumpkin is that he does not know bunny body language and that is making it hard work for him to form a bond with Teasel for all they like each other.:roll: If you are thinking of bonding I recommend contacting a rescue who could help with the process.
He bonded with two girls mainly because he was such a laid back buck.
Pumpkin however has poor sight on one side and I think the other is blind from how he acts. He uses smell and honking as he means of getting around and communicating.
He startles if he sees a flicker so I talk to him when I am in the kitchen so he knows the movements he glimpses are mine. I do not touch him without talking to him first and letting him smell my hand. If I am going to pick him up I use a head rub and a body rub so he knows what to expect. If I am just giving him a fuss he gets a head rub only so he knows what is going to happen. That seems to help him.
He is still crashing about with binky's and very easily scared as he does not know my home yet.
He has adopted a large cardboard box full of hay in the corner of my kitchen as a safe space. I use a walk in potting tray as a a large litter tray. He loves toys as much as the next bun.
Th only downside I have with Pumpkin is that he does not know bunny body language and that is making it hard work for him to form a bond with Teasel for all they like each other.:roll: If you are thinking of bonding I recommend contacting a rescue who could help with the process.
we had a blind dutch alled....mr bump
he was blind before we got him and lived very happily as a house bun with his friend pepper for 3 more years he died aged 6 maybe from a brain tumour?:? he got around just fine although we did leave everything in certain places so he knew where things were
he was blind before we got him and lived very happily as a house bun with his friend pepper for 3 more years he died aged 6 maybe from a brain tumour?:? he got around just fine although we did leave everything in certain places so he knew where things were
Bunsterz
Warren Scout
I have a visually impaired rabbit and after recent tests vets think its due to a brain tumour or similar brain lesion, he is on long term pain relief and has antibiotics for other reasons, he has behavioural issues because of vision, he attacks his food until he munches it and realises its food and he is very jumpy but once in your arms ciompletely relaxes and enjoys company We have attempted a bond before but he attacked other rabbit ending in a fight so we have decided to keep him alone with unchanged environment, he is a house bunny and we are just giving him the best quality of life we can
We have attempted a bond before but he attacked other rabbit ending in a fight so we have decided to keep him alone with unchanged environment, he is a house bunny and we are just giving him the best quality of life we can Thanks everyone for letting us know about your buns. Our bun is going to be hard to bond with as he's never been in a home before and with his blindness is extremely shy. He also attacks his food voraciously and also is a little cuddle bun in your arms. It's then you can pet him like crazy and he is so calm. We are glad we know now of his impairment so we can ensure we cater to his needs better and hopefully he'll get more comfortable here. Unfortunately the Rabbit rescue tried to bond him but he just boxes away at all the rabbits probably due to his blindness so unfortunately I don't think we can do that to give him company. I hope our love is enough to give him a good life while he's with us.
I hope our love is enough to give him a good life while he's with us.
Tracybeakerisland
Mama Doe
Pumpkin has taken to snuggling up on vet bed inside a box for comfort.
If your bun cannot make friends look at what you can do to make something to meet a buns needs to snuggle. Its fantastic he lets you cuddle him. but have a think what you can do to meet that snuggle up to something need when your not there.
Teasel likes to curl up in a small plastic dog bed with fleece. Doodee likes a litter tray that is smaller than her. Pumpkin likes his vet bed in-a-box.
I admit I would far rather see a rabbit with another rabbit but some for various reasons cannot manage that no matter which bun you introduce them to or how how you try and manage the bond.:roll:
This is an idea I used for Doodee who is just plain off the beaten track behaviour wise to get her used to humans offering food without loosing my fingers.
I used a long wooden spoon and would place the food at one end of the spoon to place near her mouth. It did not matter if she lunged at the spoon and she began to associate me being near her with the word 'noms'. A few months on all I have to do is say 'noms' and she is there periscoping and sniffing for nice food.
You may well be able to teach him a very limited range of words that have distinctive sounds from each other so he can associate them with things.
Pumpkin now knows his name and 'nom's- ontinuing to work on 'no' backed up with stamping my feet to warn him away from dangerous situations.
If your bun cannot make friends look at what you can do to make something to meet a buns needs to snuggle. Its fantastic he lets you cuddle him.
but have a think what you can do to meet that snuggle up to something need when your not there. Teasel likes to curl up in a small plastic dog bed with fleece. Doodee likes a litter tray that is smaller than her. Pumpkin likes his vet bed in-a-box.
I admit I would far rather see a rabbit with another rabbit but some for various reasons cannot manage that no matter which bun you introduce them to or how how you try and manage the bond.:roll:
This is an idea I used for Doodee who is just plain off the beaten track behaviour wise to get her used to humans offering food without loosing my fingers.
I used a long wooden spoon and would place the food at one end of the spoon to place near her mouth. It did not matter if she lunged at the spoon and she began to associate me being near her with the word 'noms'. A few months on all I have to do is say 'noms' and she is there periscoping and sniffing for nice food.
You may well be able to teach him a very limited range of words that have distinctive sounds from each other so he can associate them with things.
Pumpkin now knows his name and 'nom's- ontinuing to work on 'no' backed up with stamping my feet to warn him away from dangerous situations.
*lily*
Wise Old Thumper
Louie is totally blind, from birth. He is very skitty, startles very easily but apart from that you would never guess there was anything wrong with him.
He lives in the house and has worked his way around there though he gets very confused if he ever goes in the front room as he isn't usually allowed there and seems to get himself wedged up the side of the cupboard.
He does sometimes trip when going up the steps outside and if mad leaping around can sometimes end up banging into something but generally he is absolutely fine
He lives in the house and has worked his way around there though he gets very confused if he ever goes in the front room as he isn't usually allowed there and seems to get himself wedged up the side of the cupboard.
He does sometimes trip when going up the steps outside and if mad leaping around can sometimes end up banging into something but generally he is absolutely fine
Hiya,
One of my bunnies, Billy was born with cateracts and so is only partially sighted, he gets around absolutely fine, he's a bit more jumpy but he's with two other bunnies so he does rely on them a bit but he's usually the nosiest. I have to be more careful that I speak before I appear so I don't startle him and when i pick him up i hug him much closer to me and he soon relaxs.
One of my bunnies, Billy was born with cateracts and so is only partially sighted, he gets around absolutely fine, he's a bit more jumpy but he's with two other bunnies so he does rely on them a bit but he's usually the nosiest. I have to be more careful that I speak before I appear so I don't startle him and when i pick him up i hug him much closer to me and he soon relaxs.
