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Rabbits best interest

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Hi everyone, I used to be a regular here but I'm really rusty with all this Jazz these days but I want your advice.

I have two rabbits (I won't name them at the moment because they're known).....and I've had them quite a while. I love them with the whole of my heart but things change.

I don't have a garden, and my flat can't have the buns in here (dog). They're living at a friends house and I go up often to clean them out.

I'm so conflicted. I can't see them everyday, I have work etc, but I feel they aren't getting the affection and interaction they deserve. They have a Wendy house and attached run but......I feel they deserve more.

But then again, when I got them, i had intervened to have them forever. I don't want to be a failed owner. I don't want to add to the hundreds of homeless rabbits, I don't want to steal rescue spaces or fail them.

I'm so lost, what should I do ? :(
 
Hello

Whilst my personal circumstances are such that I can spend all my time with my Rabbits I know that this is not the case for most people. Many people work all day and only see their Rabbits for about half an hour twice a day. A Rabbit with companionship from another Rabbit does not really 'need' a human for anything but the giving of food/water and keeping them clean. Obviously it is necessary for the care giver to be observant of any possible health problems the Rabbits may have and to be familiar with what is 'normal' behaviour for each Rabbit. I assume the person they are staying with feeds, waters and cleans them out when you are not able to and that the person is capable of quickly picking up on any problems.

I guess that what I am trying to say is that as long as the Rabbit's welfare needs are being met as far as general health and husbandry are concerned they dont 'need' you as such (sorry to sound blunt !). They do need someone (anyone capable) to attend to their daily welfare needs and if that is what the situation is now then whilst I would not like it for myself (I need the companionship of my Rabbits, they dont need me for anything but room service !!) I dont think you need to feel guilty. Obviously if one Rabbit passed away you would need to consider the options for the remaining Rabbit. He/she could not be left alone in the situation he/she had shared with his/her friend.

The other thing to take into consideration is what arrangements would be needed to care for either of the Rabbits if they became ill and needed medication/treatment several times a day. But that problem would occur even if the Rabbits still lived with you. You would need to go to work so being able to attend to the needs of a ill Rabbit throughout any given day would still be an issue.

Now I am going to try an guess who you are !!
 
Excellent post from Jane and I couldn't agree more with what she has said :thumb:
 
They have each other and are very well bonded. They also get to see someone at least twice a day and I'm up there at the VERY LEAST every three days but it's ultimately depressing that now I only see them in the dark. I am replacing their light bulb on payday and I try my best to provide enrichment for them too, toilet roll tubes, foliage, different hays etc. They seem happy enough.....
 
I'm not seeing that much of my outdoor rabbits at the moment either now it's so dark. I make sure they get extra time out at the weekend though and try to spend more time with them then than I do in the summer. They seem happy enough too. In fact for the last hour their run door has been open so they can come out into the garden to play and they're both sitting happily in their run anyway. I think this is one of those things we can worry about more than they do.
 
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