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Bunnies and children

Schez

Mama Doe
I'm at my wits end with my father in law.

He's always said that bunnies are outside animals and has also criticised my outdoor set ups, saying they are too big. (He would have a fit if he saw some of the lovely bunny accommodation on RU ;))

But anyway, I have two little boys, one four one two. Some of you will remember that I was at the hospital with my youngest not so long ago, when a cough and cold got out of control and he was finding it hard to breath.

He's come down with a cough and cold again and so has my four year old. :(
Well, now I am being told by father in law that it's because I have indoor bunnies. And today when I got home from work (long day with added training in the afternoon :roll:) my mother in law said that she's been feeling rotten too and I should consider my father in laws advice and that it could be the indoor bunnies.

What does she expect me to do?

I explained that I can't put them out now. The change in temp would either kill them or at least make them incredibly poorly. I feel stuck between a rock and hard place. If I put them out it's animal neglect/abuse but if I don't, I'm not putting the needs of my kids first.

What angers me is that my FIL has decided that this must be the cause and I'm being made to feel bad. It is the season of cough and colds and the children attend nursery. Things go around, and low immune systems mean that the kids will pick things up over and over again. :(

I don't know if being tired has blown this all out of proportion but I feel so guilty and upset about it all. Reggie has been an indoor bun since he first came to us, he is now 16 months old. Surely I would have seen more in that time to suggest a bunny allergy?

Sorry for the ramble RU, I'm just so tired and so upset over it. :cry:
 
If it was an allergy I suspect it would be constant, or at least flare up again as soon as he was in the house without any sort of medication.

My grandma has spent years telling me having pets indoors will make me really ill. I am a bit allergic to hay, and had asthma as a child and yet I'm fine! Honestly, unless your son seems to only be bad when he's been near the rabbits, I'd just ignore the criticism. Some people just don't "get" how people can love animals so much and I'm sure they just want to try and justify why it's better to be indifferent by blaming them for things like this!
 
Ignore them, Reggie isn't hurting anyone!

If you had a dog or a cat do you think you would be getting this grief? Personally I would have snapped and yelled at them by now!

What does your OH say, if they are his parents then he needs to understand that they are upsetting you and he should have a word, something along the lines of "Mum, Dad, you are being totally unreasonable and making my wife upset. It's up to us how we keep our pets and raise our kids, the rabbits are not making them sick the fact that they are poorly at them moment is because they are still building their immune systems."

My grandparents were telling my mum how she 'should' be doing things when I was teeny. Mum managed to be 'busy' every time my grandparents wanted to visit for about 6 months... They stopped nit picking after that! :lol:
 
If I were you, I think I would tell him in a very polite manner to 'sod off'!:lol:
 
You know my opinion already lovely. Chin up; hugs xxxx


Thank you hun.xxx I just needed more of a rant... :oops: I just can't get my head around it. I've been snuggled with Reggie and got upset :oops: so thought RU might be able to offer some experience/advice. :)

If it was an allergy I suspect it would be constant, or at least flare up again as soon as he was in the house without any sort of medication.

My grandma has spent years telling me having pets indoors will make me really ill. I am a bit allergic to hay, and had asthma as a child and yet I'm fine! Honestly, unless your son seems to only be bad when he's been near the rabbits, I'd just ignore the criticism. Some people just don't "get" how people can love animals so much and I'm sure they just want to try and justify why it's better to be indifferent by blaming them for things like this!

You see, once my FIL gets an idea in his head, he just goes on and on about it. I've seen no sign of allergies previously, such as sore/watery eyes, sniffles, itching etc... It's a cough and cold. :?
At the time of having to go to hospital, the doctor said that my son was at the right age for a condition of the little bronchioles in the lungs to inflame (forget the term) so they said it was a cough due to infection of the lungs... :?

But FIL insists that because rabbits shed (which Reggie is at the mo the big hairy fluff ball :lol:) it can effect the lungs etc. Something to do with the make up of the fur.... :? :roll:

I feel bad enough that my children are poorly as it is.
 
Don't let them get to you - your children are poorly because they have picked up coughs and colds from somewhere (as children do), not because of indoor rabbits. Could your o/h speak to his father - and ask him to please pipe down.
 
My children have grown up with animals - including big fluffy cats and a dog. They have had 100% attendance in school for many years and I don't remember the last time they were ill.
 
My friend discovered she was allergic to bunnies when she came round mine, within 10mins her eyes were watering and itchy and she couldn't stop coughing. Not a im coughing up something cough but more of a raspy cough she said like she had a hair itching her throat and it didn't go away for hours after she got home. Kids catch all sorts off each other its a fact of life, there is a study that says if you expose children to animals when they are growing up they are less likely to have allergies to animal esp from infants. Don't be upset by him just tell him until he pays all the bills for your house not to comment what goes on there :D
 
My friend discovered she was allergic to bunnies when she came round mine, within 10mins her eyes were watering and itchy and she couldn't stop coughing. Not a im coughing up something cough but more of a raspy cough she said like she had a hair itching her throat and it didn't go away for hours after she got home. Kids catch all sorts off each other its a fact of life, there is a study that says if you expose children to animals when they are growing up they are less likely to have allergies to animal esp from infants. Don't be upset by him just tell him until he pays all the bills for your house not to comment what goes on there :D

Research the effects of rabbit allergies. (This quote is a good example).

He cant (?) argue with that.

Sounds extremely annoying. I'd have probably sworn at him by now or shouted. Or both ...
 
Nip this in the bud by having the kids allergy tested.
Then you'll know one way or the other.
The FIL can then keep his opinions to himself & you won't have to constantly worry about it.
Buns are allergenic animals but tbh it sounds like winter coughs & colds rather than an allergy situation.
 
Both of my boys have coughs and colds too...we haven't got indoor rabbits! There's no connection what so ever
 
well just get a GP to test if your children are allergic to rabbits (or maybe hay or whatever) then I assume they're not. You show the outcome to your father in law. What does your husband say about it, shouldn't he support you in this?
 
I agree you need to get DH to have a word. The GP has told you this is cold-related not allergy-related and he/they are to cease making remarks about the pets.
 
You know my feeling about this too :wave:

We all know your father in law has some rather *ahem* old fashioned opinions to say the least.....:lol:

What does your hubby say ???

Why is it the bunnies that get the blame, you have a cat as well, are you meant to shut Jamie out too :roll::evil:

As someone else commented, if this was an allergy it wouldn't flare up, it would be constant :wave:

I think they need to stop interfering in your family......it's your family and family home :oops:
They can keep on as much as they like but at the end of the day.....you know your children (and their health ) best and also your pets best too :love:

Chin up flower (((hugs))) xx
 
Oh please dont take this so much to
heart. My inlaws tried to tell me that my son's blocked tear duct was due to our cat and that she should be rehomed as she was "unhygienic". I even asked my GP if it could be that and he laughed me out of the surgery!! Of course you would put your kids first but its ridiculous to blame the bunnies when its cough and cold season anyway. My two are home with fluey coughs and i am in bed poorly sick too!!
 
My medical records state that after allergy tests done 25 years ago I am very allergic to all animal hair and human hair:roll::roll: I could not live with a dog or cat and being licked by either of these produces a huge itchy rash instantly.

I have a housebun and he lickes me every day. Not a single minute reaction do I have to bunny. My Dr told me that no one is allergic to bunny fur, you can react to other things connected to bunny like hay or bedding or food etc but not the fur itself. I have no idea if what he said is true but it is certainly in my case.

As has been said if it was an allergic reaction then his cough/cold would be permanent as in allergic rhinitis/post nasal drip.

Your inlaws will keep coming up with every reason under the sun to get you to move your bun outside as they are so against houserabbits. Ignore them!
 
Bunny allergy is normally really obvious. My friend has streaming eyes and a stuffy nose within seconds of being in my house!
 
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