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Do I show Peter Poppy's Body?

Janey

Warren Veteran
Sorry to ask a question such as this first thing on a Saturday morning.

Is it always necessary to show the body of a rabbit to it's bonded partner? Do people really think it makes a difference? (I know many suggest it should be done). Poppy has died at the vets this morning, Peter hasn't see her for two days and lives alongside Pixie (although it breaks my heart for Poppy I am sure they will bond quite happily, they already groom through the bars of their divider).

I'm wonding if it is really necessary to bring Poppy all the way home to show Peter (and maybe distress him), to take her all the way back for a cremation. I don't want to take him to the vets because he gets stressed in the car.

I will do it if it's really necessary, I just wonder if he really misses her right now, I can't imagine he is sitting wondering where she is but is more bothered about being alone :cry:
 
Well personally, and this is only my opinion, I have left quite a few bunnies at the Vets and the remaining rabbits have not seemed to be any more distressed. They have gone on to live happy bonded lives with other bunnies.
 
I would say yes, as it will help the grieving process. I couldn't show Bugsy his wife Steffi's body as a fox had got her and taken her head ..I didn't think it was the best thing to do, as they were house bunnies and my autistic son was 9 at the time (I told him she was just lost and unlikely to come back). But Bugsy really struggled after she went and was difficult to bond with Chloe afterwards.
 
I never show the bodies after, the one rabbit I had who seemed to grieve the most was the one whose partner was a sudden death and she was in the pen with him until he was found. i think it will be less important especially if she's been away for 2 days.
Sorry for your loss.
 
Thank you for replying everyone, helped me make my decision.

I didn't bring her home, I hope I don't regret it. It may have been for selfish reasons but I honestly don't think it will make a difference to Peter. She looked so peaceful also and I wouldn't have wanted her stood on by him.

He's sat right by Pixie so not all alone, I may try & pop them together later & see what happens.
 
I have also had this dilemma :cry: I have decided against it too, I don't know whether it's the right decision or not. Olly has been alone for the last week, apart from one night that Honey came home. He hasn't been looking for her and seemed quite happy really, although yesterday and today he is looking sad and lonely :( it's heartbreaking isn't it :cry: I thought that even if I brought Honey's body home, it wouldn't smell like her anyway, with all the strange bandages and her shaved tummy, and being handled by everyone. I think he knows she isn't coming back. I just wish she could :cry: hugs to you xxx
 
I have also had this dilemma :cry: I have decided against it too, I don't know whether it's the right decision or not. Olly has been alone for the last week, apart from one night that Honey came home. He hasn't been looking for her and seemed quite happy really, although yesterday and today he is looking sad and lonely :( it's heartbreaking isn't it :cry: I thought that even if I brought Honey's body home, it wouldn't smell like her anyway, with all the strange bandages and her shaved tummy, and being handled by everyone. I think he knows she isn't coming back. I just wish she could :cry: hugs to you xxx

It is a very hard decision but I agree with you, being at the vets neither Poppy or Honey would have smelt the same (even when I kissed Poppy goodbye she smelt of the vets to me) and I think that would have probably confused Olly and Peter more than anything.

Since I got back I have thought Peter looks sad, but then I looked at him again and thought that he probably actually looks normal but I am thinking he looks sad because I am looking for it. He basically hasn't moved since she's been gone but then again he is a lazy boy and never does move :roll:

It's one of those decisions that we will never know 100% if it was right but we do know that we did what we thought was best at the time.

Hugs to you too. Such a horrible time but shows how much we loved them and how fantastic they were.x.x.x.x.
 
I always let the body stay with the partner until they finished their grieving, sometimes they will just sniff and move away and other times they will wash the body from head to toe for hours on end, rabbits bond are so strong theat I beleive they need the chance to see where there partner has gone,
 
I always let the body stay with the partner until they finished their grieving, sometimes they will just sniff and move away and other times they will wash the body from head to toe for hours on end, rabbits bond are so strong theat I beleive they need the chance to see where there partner has gone,

I always leave the body with the partner, but have never experienced that - must be very sad to watch.
 
I am so sorry for your loss.

We put Cassie back in with Kermit and Minnie when she passed away and Kermit ran straight up to her, all excited, but then suddenly realised something wasn't quite right:cry: He sat and cleaned her thoroughly and it was very moving to watch. Minnie, who had only recently joined the duo, was slightly more hesitant to approach, but then she too joined Kermit washing Cass. When they had finished they both moved away together as if to say, it's ok mum, we realise she's gone. It was very upsetting to watch in some ways, but I feel it was the right thing to do for Kermit and Minnie.
 
If Honey had died at home then it would've been different. But shed been away for most of the week and Olly seemed ok.
 
I kind if think that rabbits are wired to deal with sudden loss of a friend. In a wild environment, I suspect they very seldom get a chance to say goodbye, I know it's a different situation for domestic rabbits as they don't have to think about immediate survival as a wildie would but I feel they will have an inherent ability to deal with sudden loss?:?
 
I think if a bunny is already separated from their partner and seem to be doing ok there is little point in 'rocking the boat' so to speak and risking upset, that is the way I have looked at it anyway.

And halfpenny I agree, if a wildie is caught by a predator the others don't get to say goodbye. I often wonder if we put our own emotions into bunnies behaviour too much, to me it could be the case that a bunny grooming it's partner that has died is simply confused rather than saying goodbye or just doesn't know how to react, I doubt they have the ability to 'grieve'. As far as I am aware it is only much more intelligent animals that have those capabilities (but I may be wrong).

To be honest Poppy has been cremated now and it is too late, I just hope Peter will be ok, he looks lonely sitting by himself but again, that's me thinking he's lonely because I am missing Poppy, not because he is demonstrating any behaviours different to normal.
 
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