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How does your widowed rabbit behave?

Rexripley

Mama Doe
Can anyone give me tips on a rabbit who's lost a partner,Alfie seems so depressed, not moving much. He's eating just not as fast as always.

Just keeps lying down :(
 
Hi there,
Firstly so sorry to here you have lost a bun, I did too, 16 days ago.
With my bun that was now on his own i was watching for anything obvious like not eating, drinking or pooping, but he was ok on that front. But he just seemed as if he had lost his get up and go. He used to run around like a mad thing at breakfast time before we lost Coco, but after he would just hop over to his bowl slowly. Then he took to sleeping all day in the hutch whereas he would always snooze in the run before. When he did go in the run he mainly just sat there. It broke my heart to see him like this, and I imagined he was sad and lonely so we decided to try and find him a new friend. He perked up immediately, his new lady is in the run next to his at the moment as we have just started the bonding process. The difference even just having her next to him has been immense. He is back to his old self.
Are you thinking of a new friend for your bun? I do think they are often ready long before we are!
 
Oh I'm so sorry, I just realised you only just lost pickles, forget that bit about a new bun friend yet, it's too soon for both of you.
X
 
Bunsk was sad for a few weeks, he slowly began to perk up, and now he is 100% Bunsk again
 
Luna was down for a few days. But I moved her pen in the garden and rearranged lots of bits and bobs to give her stuff to do. She picked up quite quickly after that and really liked exploring. She is as well as she can be in herself at the moment, while the search for a new boy is under way. She's even binkied a few times since she has been on her own, which I didn't expect at all.
 
My Will seemed lonely in hutch and run, but ok in the big lawn run, running, binkying etc. He didn't lose his appetite, but he looked so lost in his big home alone. We got him a new friend Nancy after 2 weeks. It was too soon for me but Will seems happier.

Hugs to you, you will know when the time is right. My oh wanted to get the new bun after a week but I couldn't do it, even for Will.xxx
 
Tulip seems ok at the moment. She has been running around as usual in the garden. She does look lonely in the run, but I don't know how a single rabbit could not look lonely.

I will be looking for a friend for her probably fairly soon but it'll depend on when I can find someone and when I have time to bond. Unless of course she starts to seem very down, in which case I'll make it happen ASAP, but at the moment I think she's ok.
 
Alvin didnt move about much. I was so worried about stasis that I didnt risk leaving him without a friend but alvin isnt a human loving bunny so there was no chance he would ever be left a singleton. Before he got stasis he went to hopper haven and as soon as he saw other buns he was binkying.

I dont think all rabbits grieve the same way we do. Alvin wasnt sad for pearl as much as the loss of bunny companionship.

I assume a more human orientated bunny would be slightly different and not be at risk from stasis like he was
 
Dee's partner died in 2011 and she hasn't been re-bonded. She was a bit quiet for the first couple of weeks, was quite nervy and timid as it was a traumatic accident that killed her partner, which she witnessed so it was natural. She then perked up, slowly started becoming more interested and friendly and is 100 percent normal now! I think it helped that she wasn't bonded for ages and she stayed outside, as opposed to her being brought inside which she wouldn't have liked.
 
When Poppy died Peter didn't seem to act that differently to when she was there, Poppy had slowed down a lot so he had slowed down with her. Hw was eating,pooing etc. I bonded him with Pixie (because I had her as a single bun) and as she is much more active and does more he now does too, much more than he has in years.

What I am saying is, Alfie may just not have the same stimulation than he did when Pickles was there, he may not actually be 'sad', I think it is very easy for us to put our own emotions onto animals that they may not have the capacity to feel, especially when we are looking for sadness or loneliness.

So basically try not to worry too much about him, I am sure lots of cuddles and nose rubs will see him just fine for now.
 
Oh Janet and donnamt, I think you are so right, I know now that I was projecting my feelings onto my bereaved bun and imagining he was feeling the same hurt as me when in fact we don't know if buns feel this way, maybe there not sad as we are, but just missing the companionship and stimulation of another bun and this is why they are quieter and less 'themselves' when they are on their own. I hope this is true as we don't want our animals to feel the same sadness we do in these situations. I hope this is true with all my heart.
 
would he be picking up on your (quite natural) grieving, also? I think they are quite sensitive to how we are feeling and react to our body language quite a bit, so he may also be "in sympathy" with you, if that makes sense? He might realise that you are not quite yourself, either, understandably.

Big hugs to you both. x
 
When his brother died my Pickles went to his hay nest and stayed there for a good 8 months. I had him in my room with me, and spent lots of time talking to him, stroking him, and spoiling him absolutely rotten with treats. There's not a lot you can do, although I think bonding with a new friend is probably the most effective answer, but show them you love them and do your best to keep their environment enriching. Scatter feeding is good. (((Hugs)))
 
I'm sorry to hear firstly that you lost your bun and sorry to your remaining bun. It's so heartbreaking to watch an animal pine over a lost friend. When my bunny Poppy lost her husbun Henry she was quite mopey for about a week but like you I just made sure to spend as much time with her as possible within reason.

The day after she lost Henry she was free roaming around the garden and went up to the guinea pigs like she usually did and I thought she was going to say hi but she lunged at one of them and tried to bite her. This was so unlike Poppy so I knew by this that she was quite upset. She didnt go off her food or anything but I guess that was her way of telling me she was upset and just wanted to be left alone on that particular day. I hope your bun perks up soon.
 
yuri didnt eat much and shes a BIG eater, she sat in the corners which she nevers does... she cuddled up to objects which she never does and wasnt her usual madam self she destorys things and moves them and throws them etc... she did none of that.......and she got very affectionate with me which shes not that kind of bun she sat on my lap etc...

As soon as she was bonded to scamps she was back to herself instantly
 
yuri didnt eat much and shes a BIG eater, she sat in the corners which she nevers does... she cuddled up to objects which she never does and wasnt her usual madam self she destorys things and moves them and throws them etc... she did none of that.......and she got very affectionate with me which shes not that kind of bun she sat on my lap etc...

As soon as she was bonded to scamps she was back to herself instantly

Sounds exactly like alf. Alfie's been sitting in corners too! And not eating as much

 
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