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"You're a Crazy Rabbit Lady" - How RUDE!

Cari

Warren Veteran
WELL.

:censored: off then!

Sorry.. a bit angry. :(
I am going on holiday for a couple of days and I asked my BIL to come and look after Stephen for me.
I left him a few instructions about what Stephen needed to be fed, where his food was etc and that he was fine out of the cage during the day as long as he wasn't going to be out of the house for more than 4 hours (I'm sure Stephen would be fine but he's only just been allowed to be free range so I still like to keep an eye on him). I left him the vet details and told him to take him if he got worried about anything at all. I told him that his cage would be cleaned on Wednesday morning and when we got back on Friday afternoon but that if it looked very dirty could he just change the corner that Stephen uses for his litter tray?

I got called a "crazy rabbit lady" and that he thought the regime for his food was ridiculous as he "never fed [his] rabbit anything but dry food and straw" and couldn't believe the amount of time I expected to spend looking after him :(
I asked him because he told me he'd had rabbits before and was experienced in caring for them, apparently he seems to think he could just shove pellets in a bowl and leave him alone. Now he's upset that I've told him I'd appreciate it if he could spend at least part of the day sitting on the floor or at least playing with Stephen so that he has some company. He is housesitting for us, and has most of Wednesday and Thursday off work. I told him he could carry on with his normal routine, it's just that when he came back he needed to at least give Stephen some nose rubs etc and didn't think that was a problem, especially as he lives in the living room so it's not like he has to go and sit in the spare room not being able to watch the television or anything for hours on end :(

Am I asking too much? Am I being a crazy rabbit lady?
 
No Cari, you are NOT a crazy rabbit lady (whatever one of them is :roll:)
I used to struggle with pet rats as I wanted someone to get them out daily. Stephen will miss your company and it's absolutely right to want him to have some attention.
Do you trust him? I wonder if you might be better boarding him somewhere if there is anyone nearby. We have decided that if we want to go away for more than a night we are going to board our rabbits in future. We have had our good friends over the road or our eldest (he's 24, so not a child) look after them before for 3 nights but we'd rather they were in better bunny savvy hands.
 
You have to take into consideration that a lot of people consider rabbits as second tier pets next to cats and dogs. To them, you just have to cram food in their tiny cage and clean them once in a while and that's it. They are supposedly low-maintenance This stems from the fact that rabbits have been viewed as a food source and/or child's pet for so long: it's unfathomable for some people to have a rabbit loose in the house, let alone care for it's psychological needs (play, social interaction, etc.). Because, after all, rabbits have been kept in tiny hutches outside for so long, so why reinvent the wheel ?

My FIL is just like your BIL. He had rabbits when he was a child on a farm and he cannot grasp the fact that you do not feed random crappy pellets to her and that she needs hay (and not a huge carrot once in a while).

Your recommendations were good (if a little detailed... Stephen could have spent two days without nose rubs methinks:lol:), your audience just had a lot of wrong ideas about rabbits. BTW, Stephen is gorgeous :love:
 
I get called 'crazy rabbit lady' at work - but in my case it's an affectionate nickname! IMO I wouldn't want anyone who wasn't crazy about rabbits (or crazy enough about me to be crazy about mine) to look after them :thumb:
 
I totally agree with the above. If something happened, and it can all too easily with rabbits, how would you feel?
 
I think my fellow volunteers think the same but are too polite to say it, they dote over tales of their dogs, past and present, but when I say my rabbits are free range in my bedroom I get a look of shock and horror. :lol: I quite enjoy shocking people in that sort of way. I would hate to be 'normal', how boring would that be!!!
 
Hi everyone, thanks for the replies.
Just needed to rant a little bit.

RedFraggle - I did trust him, although now I'm not so sure, he and my OH convinced me that his rabbits were well cared for when they were alive and had regular access to space, fresh grass and veggies etc and I felt quite happy entrusting my bunnybaby with him. Now it seems that they may have over-exaggerated how their rabbits were treated after seeing how much space and attention Stephen has. We leave tomorrow unfortunately, to go and join my family so we have no one else to turn to apart from friends and it's a little short notice to ask someone else to come and keep an eye on him. I don't know any bunny boarders in the area as my BIL agreed to care for him before we looked into it properly. :(

JeffR - I know what you are saying and think that this is definitely the case. :lol: I didn't specifically tell him that he needed nose rubs, just a little bit of attention and to stroke him if he came and sat next to him (as he does with me). Thank you very much, I happen to agree with you and think Stephen is a gorgeous boy :)

Sierra*323 - If I thought it was in a kindly manner I wouldn't have minded at all, I am very passionate about animals and have been called a crazy cat lady before by taking in strays when they used to come in through the cat flap, it made me giggle! It was just the ferocity with which this was said. :( I think I have made a mistake now asking my BIL to come and look after him but I am very limited in choices now.

Tonibun - I would feel absolutely awful if anything happened to him, I don't think he would be injured and I think my BIL would be sensible enough to take him to the vets (I'd hope, he is 41) if anything happened, I just think I'd come back and he'd have been cooped up for over 48 hours and just left. :(
 
I'd be quite pleased if someone called me Crazy Rabbit Lady / Crazy Cat Lady :lol::lol:
But that might be because I am crazy........;)
 
I would look for somewhere else too :? My buns are off to boarding in a couple of weeks for a fornight and the lady who they are staying with runs a rabbit rescue locally but she is totaly bunny mad and have 9 (?) of her own :D
 
I'm known as the mad rabbit woman!!!!

That's fine by me. :thumb::thumb:

It differentiates me from the numptys.

Welcome to a very elite and enjoyable club.:D
 
I remember going out to lunch with a friend of my MIL and she was absolutely and totally horrified to learn that I kept guinea pigs "IN THE HOUSE???" :shock::shock::shock:.

I don't think you're over-reacting at all. I always go and visit any boarding establishments where I might consider leaving my bunnies and piggies and I'd certainly never leave them with my in-laws because they'd only shove food at them once a day and would possibly take them to the vet if they looked at death's door :evil:. Only 1st class boarding for mine with people I know completely understand bunnies/piggles and will care for them properly. Otherwise, I don't leave them, simple as that.
 
Yvette - I can't possibly impose like that! Stephen hates travelling as well, would feel awful keeping him cooped up in a car for 5 hours. I did consider taking him down to the house with us but the possiblity of him wrecking someone else's house (accidentally of course) puts me off.

Megansmummy - As I said earlier, it's just a little too late to do that as we leave in about 10 hours. :(

Mrs. Bunnykins - Ha! Thank you, I never thought I'd get this soppy over my little Stephen but he's such a darling.

Mackers - I'm beginning to wish I'd looked into it more, I just didn't think it would be a problem.

Ozbun - Aww thank you, I am biased but I think he is a gorgeous little boy.
 
Stephen!! So cute!! I bet Little Miss would eat him!! lol.....and of course you could!! Dafty......xx
 
It's all ok, a friend who loves animals is coming and whilst she might not be hugely familiar with rabbits my detailed instructions and a few tips have left me confident that at least he will have the right food and some company over the next couple of days. :) she was very enthusiastic about making sure he was looked after properly, phew! Nice to have animal loving friends!
 
I'm glad you've got something sorted Cari :D Ensuring he gets the right diet whilst you're away is vital and some solo buns will pine without company and then become ill and so having someone there who you can trust is really important. If I lived a little closer I would happily pop in and look after Stephen for you.

I don't care for you BIL's attitude :( Things have moved on since the 1940's :roll: and generally standards have improved and are continuing to do so. We understand the needs of our domesticated animals better and access to the internet has allowed us to spread this knowledge and be educated. There really is no excuse for his ignorance or hurtful comments.
 
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