Do the majority of rabbits live out their full lives...

...and die of natural causes at a ripe old age? Or would you say that you've probably lost as many to illness/teef problems/etc as you have to old age?

I'm just curious as to how many people's rabbits live to the ripe old ages of 10+ or whether people often lose their rabbits to illnesses before they reach the golden years?

I was just thinking that if Marvin and Maisie get their full innings i'll be 30!! :shock: Obviously i'd rather they lived 'til i'm 40 though :lol:

I think I've only had one die naturally from old age, most have died younger through illness (or ignorance, years ago) and have been PTS (although some have been very old, but not from old age, we lost a guy who was nearly 12 to his third broke leg).

Don't know but I've lost four so far, the eldest being 4 years 10 weeks, one at 3 years 9 months and 2 at about 7 months. I'm guessing that most rabbits die of illness or mishap before they get to reach old age, they are so fragile

Sky-O said:

I think I've only had one die naturally from old age, most have died younger through illness (or ignorance, years ago) and have been PTS (although some have been very old, but not from old age, we lost a guy who was nearly 12 to his third broke leg).

Click to expand...

Well I suppose if you have rabbits that are above the age of 10 that need to be PTS due to illness I guess that's still a good innings? That's sort of what I meant, like how many people have had rabbits into their golden years?

I'm confusing myself :?

My past 4 rabbits (I know not a lot of buns but this is my experience) have all died naturally.
1st one - Died of old age, gave to my older cousin (she was in her 20's at the time) as we moved back to Queensland from New South Wales (you are not allowed buns in Queensland)
2nd - Got killed by a fox who burrowed under the shed/run
3rd & 4th - a pair, both died of old age/natural causes (died in sleep/at night age 9 & heart attack age 10)

ETA: every single one of these buns were form a pet shop and were of a very mixed breed/origin. :wave:

We have only lost one rabbit and he was only 8 months old I would say most people loose the bunnies before they reach a decent age sadly

I know someone with a female bunny who is 9, she isnt spayed, vaccinated and lives in a tiny hutch on cheap mix food with no veg and little hay :? Explain that one!! xx

My first bunny called Arfur.....R for rabbit, had to be PTS after contracting pneumonia. He was about 4 years old.

Willow, a brain damaged little doe was 2 when she was PTS. She just gave up the will to live. Perhaps something to do with her mental state.

Echo, had dental problems which were getting worse and more frequent. That was my decision to have him PTS. He was 3.

Maisie, developed cancer had had to be PTS. She was about 4/5 years old.

Barnaby, was at least 11 years old. He was PTS as he was all tuckered out. In the end he had special needs. Veggies to be steamed and then mashed up, water in bowls raised off the ground so his saggy chin didn't fall into the water and then cause irritation. He had a beautiful ramp made for him to enable him to hop up to his settee in the conservatory. Not a hutch bunny.
His bottie needed to be tended to usually twice daily as he just couldn't be bothered to go to his litter tray and do his wees and poos. Just too much effort involved. His eyes and ears were wiped frequently by me, as that was another task he really couldn't be bothered to do. In the last few weeks of his life he ate, drank and slept. He really was an incredible bunny and it taught me how to care for elderly/ special needs bunnies. What a chappie!

Ambrose, died the day after having had what we all thought was a successful dental. He was about 2/3 years old.

All very different reasons for them to leave. All very traumatic times.

They touched my heart in their very individual ways.

Rest easy my beautiful bunnies. xxxx

Fluffy, my little dutchie when i was a lot younger, died at about 3 yrs old, after eating foxglove. He'd of lived forever, he was a bun to love enjoying him being a rabbit, not to be held/cuddled etc.

Frisky, my little uppy eared doe who looked like Biscuit died at about the same age, give or take i think. We still dont know what actually killed her, but it was some kind of disease/infection. Wouldn't surprise me, knowing what i do now if it was uterine cancer.

My oldest rabbit was 9 when he had to be pts due to a severe ear abcess / infection .

mattyp said:

Well I suppose if you have rabbits that are above the age of 10 that need to be PTS due to illness I guess that's still a good innings? That's sort of what I meant, like how many people have had rabbits into their golden years?

I'm confusing myself :?

Click to expand...

In which case, Floppy died of old age at 8, he was senile and he knew he was dying.

Tubby was PTS a month shy of 12 for a third broken leg.

Sweep was PTS at 9 for an abdominal lump.

Sunshine was PTS six months before Sweep (they were brothers) for dental disease.

We reckon Summer was a very old lady, but we don't now how old. she was PTS for skin cancer that spread to her lungs.

I've lost a few bunnies young, but that was due to my ignorance of proper bunny care.

My dwarf lop Smudge died of old age at 9 though

Sky-O said:

In which case, Floppy died of old age at 8, he was senile and he knew he was dying.

Tubby was PTS a month shy of 12 for a third broken leg.

Sweep was PTS at 9 for an abdominal lump.

Sunshine was PTS six months before Sweep (they were brothers) for dental disease.

We reckon Summer was a very old lady, but we don't now how old. she was PTS for skin cancer that spread to her lungs.

Click to expand...

So you've had quite a few old ones then

I was just wondering what the 'average lifespan' of an RU rabbit is, as although we all know they can live til the ages of 12, I was just wondering how many do reach the 9+ bracket.

Thinking about this... I haven't done very well

Thumper was only 7 months & had to be helped to the bridge

Fudge was 2 - no previous illnesses. He passed away whilst I was on a nightshift poss heart attack according to vet.

Honey aged 4 - contracted EC & despite everything had to be helped to the bridge

Bonnie aged 2 - passed away 2 days later following routine dental

Roo aged 3 - impaction & tumours ....

mattyp said:

So you've had quite a few old ones then

I was just wondering what the 'average lifespan' of an RU rabbit is, as although we all know they can live til the ages of 12, I was just wondering how many do reach the 9+ bracket.

Click to expand...

But we've had many bunnies, some of them had to reach old age.

Next month signals when all my non rescue bunnies will be middle aged or older, and this idea is terrifying me because from now on, they will liely disappear all at one time (when these ones turn 4, all my non rescue bunnies will be 4-5).

We've lost many at younger ages, but nowadays we don't actually know many of the ages because generally they are adult's with problems.

this has always been a thing that i have worried about. bella and jasper are only 2 and i know they should live to 8yrs+ but realisticly speaking, condisering they came from pets at home i know the future is relatively shady.

when i was in my teens i had a bun called ralphy who lived at my inlaws, he lived to 6 but died of a heart attack when a fox tried to get in his house

Jasmine - only 3 when she had to be PTS because of dreadful, dreadful dentals (we had done all we could)

Schumi - 11/12 (we weren't sure because he was over 6 months when we got him). Old age.

Eddie - 10/11. Old age.

With Schumi and Eddie my parents reckoned that they noticed an obvious slowing down, they were less lively, pickier with food, and spent more time flopped than exploring their gardens.

Anybun would have been helped if they were suffering.

:wave:

Sky-O said:

In which case, Floppy died of old age at 8, he was senile and he knew he was dying.

Tubby was PTS a month shy of 12 for a third broken leg.

Sweep was PTS at 9 for an abdominal lump.

Sunshine was PTS six months before Sweep (they were brothers) for dental disease.

We reckon Summer was a very old lady, but we don't now how old. she was PTS for skin cancer that spread to her lungs.

Click to expand...

I am now worried Starfish might be similar.

Sonic, Floppy's brother was pts at 17wks. His heart and lungs didn't develop properly.

Mittens, pts at 1.5, she lost weight dramatically although she was skin and bones. Don't know what caused it.

Oliver, pts but no idea of his age. He had many problems and turned extremely vicious overnight which I attributed to pain.

I've lost one bunny. Mable was 6 months old

aliduncan1 said:

I am now worried Starfish might be similar.

Sonic, Floppy's brother was pts at 17wks. His heart and lungs didn't develop properly.

Mittens, pts at 1.5, she lost weight dramatically although she was skin and bones. Don't know what caused it.

Oliver, pts but no idea of his age. He had many problems and turned extremely vicious overnight which I attributed to pain.

Click to expand...

*squish* Summer's tumour was completely different to Starfish's, if that helps, and she also had it a long time and didn't have treatment.

I had her for 10 glorious months, and even though she struggled, she was the most superb bunny and was happy to the end. If you and Starfish are unlucky and don't get to spend the time together you deserve then just concentrate on making it the most amazing time ever. It will be worth every second, especially once she has gone. Take photos, take videos, make memories.

My oldest was 6. I've had 30 or more die younger than that due to all sorts of illnesses (mostly stasis ), although only 3 or so have been since I've joined RU and learnt a lot more about illnesses and treatments.