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Entrusting your rabbits to someone else

Sky-O

Wise Old Thumper
How do you do it? Especially the very sick and old and a large amount of them. I know the person can do the practical stuff, bar injections, but they won't have my knowledge, and they won't know the rabbits enough and also won't have my gut instinct. The person will do their best but what if me not being there means they are let down in some way?

I've never done it before but am faced with having to. Maybe for 4-5 days but maybe longer.
 
I make a lists for everything, feeding schedules, vets numbers, instructions to take to the vet if not eating/ not behaving normally, alternative family members contact numbers, insurance details. I do worry about it in the run up and whilst away, but I know that I do the best I can for them year round, and sometimes I need a break, so have to trust that everything will be ok. (And it always has been)
 
Thanks for your reply. Practically, that will all be sorted- I'm talking the deeper stuff, so the connection I have with them and how that informs choices I make, how I feel about abandoning them, stuff like that. Mum is going to have to give sixty plus daily meds out, plus dealing with any necessary PTSs, crises, etc. it's not as straight forward as your average rabbits and getting someone else to look after them- this is more like a military operation, but with messy emotions.
 
I use a rabbit boarder with a vast amount of experience in rabbits. It's a compromise slightly on hutch size (they are 'only' 6x2x2) and the boarder's ethics are slightly different to mine as she used to breed and show which are both things I disagree with. If she still did so I probably wouldn't be able to use them but they don't breed or show anymore and the rabbits are clearly well loved and her experience is great, I have only used them once but she really got to know my rabbits and I have recently booked them in again for a few days and they remembered not me but them :lol: which is great!

I feel I can trust when they are there that they will be well cared for and they are in and out of the rabbitry all day and know what signs to look for plus use a vet they have used for donkeys years and are good with buns. :thumb:
 
As long as you have done your best with regards to back up then there is nothing more you can do. The majority of people cannot dedicate 100% of time to their rabbits, it would mean never going away even for a weekend not being able to go away with work if needed etc
 
Can you ask a vet nurse to pop in to check things out? Or at least brief them that you are away and that they may get some extra calls. Make sure they are aware of your wishes for treatment, etc in your absence.

If they were mine, I would rather the vet and nurses were rung for advice if your mum isn't sure about something, than risk leaving it. Make it really clear that if there is an inkling of doubt that a bunny is not quite right, that your mum should do xyz...

Will she update you when she has done the buns? eg texts, maybe photo / video to show everything is OK / something of concern. Then you can advise if necessary but without having your phone ringing all the time. Hopefully it would be just tweaking things and everything will be OK. Has she done it all before? If not, doing a dry run or 2 on her own with you watching but not helping would help to iron out any blips. When I look after someone else's animals there is always something that I can't find (eg plastic bags for litter disposal, bucket & cloths for cleaning up accidents, etc). When you do it all the time you take it for granted, and detailed instructions are not quite the same as actually doing it.
 
I make a lists for everything, feeding schedules, vets numbers, instructions to take to the vet if not eating/ not behaving normally, alternative family members contact numbers, insurance details. I do worry about it in the run up and whilst away, but I know that I do the best I can for them year round, and sometimes I need a break, so have to trust that everything will be ok. (And it always has been)

This ^ although I have a pet sitter if its anything more than 24 hours who I know I can trust, plus I prepare and bag all feed before hand.
 
Thanks for your reply. Practically, that will all be sorted- I'm talking the deeper stuff, so the connection I have with them and how that informs choices I make, how I feel about abandoning them, stuff like that. Mum is going to have to give sixty plus daily meds out, plus dealing with any necessary PTSs, crises, etc. it's not as straight forward as your average rabbits and getting someone else to look after them- this is more like a military operation, but with messy emotions.

This is why I haven't had a "day off" in over 7 years!
 
This is why I haven't had a "day off" in over 7 years!

I knew you'd get it and I think it's only once you've done this that you realise the actual impact of not being there. I've not had a day off either, for a long time. However, im due to have some complicated surgery, be in hospital and then have a long recovery. It's not life threatening but it's now or never, due to funding. My love for my bunnies is leading me towards cancelling it but I also know I should have it. Essentially it comes down to who is more important to me- me or them :-/
 
It's so so hard... I remember about three years ago I had to leave my guinea pigs with my parents for a week, at a point where one of them was needing to be syringe fed daily, weighed and watched like a hawk!

The first night I left her, the wrench was absolutely awful. I felt like I'd lost my own arm or something! Then my mum kept phoning me to give me updates, which was nice, but I'd jump out of my skin thinking it was going to be bad news!

I think it was actually good for me though, overall. It gave me a bit of a break from the situation, but also showed me that actually others can deal with things fine, if you give them explicit instructions.
 
My mam's the only person who looks after my rabbits for me. She knows them, they love her (they won't even take veg off me, only her!) and I know she'll let me know if anythings wrong.
 
Thanks for your reply. Practically, that will all be sorted- I'm talking the deeper stuff, so the connection I have with them and how that informs choices I make, how I feel about abandoning them, stuff like that. Mum is going to have to give sixty plus daily meds out, plus dealing with any necessary PTSs, crises, etc. it's not as straight forward as your average rabbits and getting someone else to look after them- this is more like a military operation, but with messy emotions.

I knew you'd get it and I think it's only once you've done this that you realise the actual impact of not being there. I've not had a day off either, for a long time. However, im due to have some complicated surgery, be in hospital and then have a long recovery. It's not life threatening but it's now or never, due to funding. My love for my bunnies is leading me towards cancelling it but I also know I should have it. Essentially it comes down to who is more important to me- me or them :-/

Reading between the lines of your original post I knew you meant on a deeper level, I struggle with this too, but I have found it possible providing I know that the person left looking after them loves and cares for them very much even though they don't have the connection with them that I have obviously. And also by giving such detailed instructions makes it easier for me to do.

You should definitely have the surgery, I know you don't want to leave your bunnies, but you need to look after yourself first, so you can look after them :thumb:
 
How do you do it?

Answer: With extreme difficulty! I have a very good neighbour, who I have known for nearly 20 years, who looks after Bailey, but I still struggle when leaving my boy! I leave loads of notes, his vet information, loads of spare 'everything' and pray he doesn't get ill whilst I'm away - although I'd be back in a shot. She's fantastic and knows what a 'mother hen' I am, but I still can't help worrying. Hence, I usually only have one very short holiday a year and I never go abroad! This probably hasn't helped you - sorry! :wave:
 
Thanks for your reply. Practically, that will all be sorted- I'm talking the deeper stuff, so the connection I have with them and how that informs choices I make, how I feel about abandoning them, stuff like that. Mum is going to have to give sixty plus daily meds out, plus dealing with any necessary PTSs, crises, etc. it's not as straight forward as your average rabbits and getting someone else to look after them- this is more like a military operation, but with messy emotions.

Dear Sky-O,

No matter how much you love your rabbits, they need you to be there in the long run; so sometimes you just do your best with lists of meds, and have faith that the bunnies will be OK for the week you are not there.

Based on my experience, I recommend keeping a list like Zoobec suggested (good even if you are not expecting to be ill/injured), plus I would add one more item.
I would also make sure your mum knew HOW to give the meds. Instruct your mum how to restrain the bunny and have her give meds when you are there to supervise. Tell her what to watch for with each bunny. If possible, you may even want to pre-load oral or other syringes with meds, or use permanent marker to mark the syringes for each pet.

About four years ago I had to have surgery twice. The first time was a life-threatening emergency and I did not have time to even do the lists/etc. As I was lying in the hospital, tubes going everywhere, I worried about my pets, especially those on meds. As soon as I was able to speak, I made sure my husband knew what meds/fluids to give to which bunny. He struggled with one of them (like I did before I had years of practice), but he got the job done. I also worried that someone other than myself would not notice soon enough if a pet was sick and needed to go to the vet (like I was when I was new to bunnies). I even worried about things that might never happen. My only choice was to have faith. Each day I got 'bunny reports', and it was the high point of my day. Seven days later I came home to eight bunnies.
 
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I had to leave Spenser overnight to attend a wedding. I totally trusted the friend who was looking after him, not just on the practicalities but because I knew she understood how much I would miss him. I didn't ask her to, but was very grateful she sentme texts after each visit, andeven a photo of Spenser eating his tea.

Hope all goes well for you and your bunnies when you have to be apart.
 
I knew you'd get it and I think it's only once you've done this that you realise the actual impact of not being there. I've not had a day off either, for a long time. However, im due to have some complicated surgery, be in hospital and then have a long recovery. It's not life threatening but it's now or never, due to funding. My love for my bunnies is leading me towards cancelling it but I also know I should have it. Essentially it comes down to who is more important to me- me or them :-/

Without you, there almost cannot be a them.

Think of it like the way you approach a child and an adult on a plane. When the oxygen masks descend, who gets the mask first? Why?
The adult gets the mask first, because then they have oxygen and can stay conscious to place the mask on the child. If the adult puts the mask on the child first, they may become unconscious before being able to do so meaning that two people are then unconscious and without help.

But at the end of all of this, it's still far easier said than done. I'm quite bad at putting my animals needs much higher than my own, but in a bad way.
For example, I turned down a holiday to Italy because I couldn't leave them. Another example, my dogs eat a home prepared diet which is tailored specifically to them and is the healthiest they can eat. My own diet is terrible and consists of mostly snacks, I am underweight and disabled and probably in more need of adequate nutrition.
 
I had to leave Spenser overnight to attend a wedding. I totally trusted the friend who was looking after him, not just on the practicalities but because I knew she understood how much I would miss him. I didn't ask her to, but was very grateful she sentme texts after each visit, andeven a photo of Spenser eating his tea.

Hope all goes well for you and your bunnies when you have to be apart.
Of course you are right about using technology to keep you up to date, even if Sky's Mum or other family/friends has to bring the camera/phone/other device to her at the hospital to play her the photos/videos. I would not keep anything too valuable at the hospital with all the comings and goings.
 
I never leave my fur family with anyone normally - haven't had a holiday for about 20 years - but in October last year I was admitted to hospital with pneumonia. Initially I refused to stay because of the animals, but I couldn't breathe, needed nebulising and IV antibiotics, so didn't have a great deal of choice. Sam (Bluesmum) and Gem both looked after my animals for me and I don't think they even noticed I was gone as they were so well cared for. (Thanks guys).

At the moment I have Carob's Chloe staying with me. I feel really honoured that she has trusted me with her precious bunster.

I find it very difficult to leave my animals but if I need to go into hospital again - which is quite likely as I am having various tests at the moment - I would no longer be so stressed about letting bunny savvy friends care for them and am incredibly grateful I have such wonderful friends.
 
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