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Bonding an ec bun

beki

Mama Doe
I know it is too early to be thinking about this as I only lost Ruby buntoday but I need a bit of advice.

Ruby leaves Bertie, who is an ec bun. The ec affects his eyes and he has a cateract in one eye and the lense has ruptured twice this year, once in March and once in April. He had a full 28 day course of panacur, as did Ruby but the vet today suspected it could have been ec that had affected Ruby, so what I am wondering is, is it safe to bond another rabbit with Bertie or is it putting the other rabbit at risk? I do not want to intentionally put another rabbit through what Ruby and Bertie have gone through but I also do not want to think Bertie will have to have a life alone now. I also don't want to take on another rabbit who I know has ec as its just heartbreaking when they are poorly. The only thing I can think of is keeping Bertie as a lone rabbit. I wouldn't be able to give him the company he needs as a lone rabbit as he has to live outdoors. He is also not particularly tame though I am trying to work on that. I wonder whether I would be best trying to find a home for him where he can live as a lone rabbit indoors with someone who can provide him with the company he needs. He is blind in one eye but for the last few months his eye and lense has been stable. I don't know what is the best thing to do for Bertie. Please can someone give me a bit of advice? Thank you

Eta: I'm not looking for a new bunny yet. It would feel like I would be replacing Ruby so Bertie will have to get used to being alone for a little while anyway, I just want to know what the options are as I only want to do what is best for him now.
 
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Im sorry you lost Ruby:cry:

If you decide to bond Bertie again I would put both bunnies on a Panacur course at the same time when they are first bonded.
Some vets now put bunnies on a 6 week Panacur course as they believe it improves the chances of killing it off completely.I did with one of my buns and he was never infected again.That would be something for your vet to decide though.

Its a difficult decision for you to make especially as you've had a bad time and have lost Ruby.I would give yourself alittle time to think about what youd like to do.Bertie will be ok for alittle while,while you think about it.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
My OH took our EC ridden Noodley to a rabbit specialist (FHB) once she'd recovered enough from her head tilt to ask her views on whether she was fit enough to bond & whether it would be fair to expose a new bun to EC. The conclusion was that it'd be ok; to choose a rescue bun where previous exposure was likely (I cant remember the figure but haven't 50-80% of domestic buns been exposed anyway) We commenced panacur treatment during bonding & had no problems. As his eye sight deteriorates (if it does) a bonded friend might be useful. I think a calm girl bunny is a lovely idea. Interested to hear others views.

I'm sorry about Ruby - sweet tight
 
I know it is too early to be thinking about this as I only lost Ruby buntoday but I need a bit of advice.

Ruby leaves Bertie, who is an ec bun. The ec affects his eyes and he has a cateract in one eye and the lense has ruptured twice this year, once in March and once in April. He had a full 28 day course of panacur, as did Ruby but the vet today suspected it could have been ec that had affected Ruby, so what I am wondering is, is it safe to bond another rabbit with Bertie or is it putting the other rabbit at risk? I do not want to intentionally put another rabbit through what Ruby and Bertie have gone through but I also do not want to think Bertie will have to have a life alone now. I also don't want to take on another rabbit who I know has ec as its just heartbreaking when they are poorly. The only thing I can think of is keeping Bertie as a lone rabbit. I wouldn't be able to give him the company he needs as a lone rabbit as he has to live outdoors. He is also not particularly tame though I am trying to work on that. I wonder whether I would be best trying to find a home for him where he can live as a lone rabbit indoors with someone who can provide him with the company he needs. He is blind in one eye but for the last few months his eye and lense has been stable. I don't know what is the best thing to do for Bertie. Please can someone give me a bit of advice? Thank you

Eta: I'm not looking for a new bunny yet. It would feel like I would be replacing Ruby so Bertie will have to get used to being alone for a little while anyway, I just want to know what the options are as I only want to do what is best for him now.

I think that in the majority of cases a rabbit will love having rabbit company. Especially a rabbit who lives outdoors, and it's soon going to be cold weather so not so much frolicking in the garden and human contact.

You say that it wouldn't feel appropriate *for you* to get another rabbit just yet, and yet you also say you want to do the best for Bertie. My advice is to get another rabbit to keep him company ... but that goes against what you wish?

As for E.C., can you quarantine and treat any incoming bunny with a 28 day course of panacur? The majority of rabbits carry E.C. with no symptoms whatsoever. It's impossible to know whether E.C. is responsible for so many of our rabbits' ailments. It's an easy one to blame, but as time goes by, I'm not so sure ....
 
Thanks for the replies. I am fine treating any new buns with panacur from now on.

I can see myself getting a bun companion before the winter so Bertie won't be alone long, perhaps within the next few months. Bertie was found as a stray and adopted from the RSPCA so it is likely that he has been a lone bun in the past, and so is used to being alone, though he has enjoyed 8 months of company. I just wasn't planning on rushing out to get another bunny within the next couple of weeks.
 
Mighty max I do agree that vets seem pretty quick to jump on an ec diagnosis. All 3 of my bunnies with suspected ec since november but no definate diagnoses.
 
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