Bonding older, possible blind/deaf bunny?

As of this evening, I have noticed Mimzy's "up" eye to be very cloudy and upon waving my hand in front of him and gaining no response to speak of, am guessing he is almost totally blind in that eye now.
His "down" eye has long since become useless for him. Even though his tilt is not terrible, you can see the pupil has rolled back into his head and likely doesn't even aim out of his lids at all anymore.

I've also noticed him sitting in corners more often, just facing the walls of his enclosure, he does still get about well, but if I reach in for him and touch him it startles him terribly and sometimes he'll just bounce off the walls and run madly about, always turning left as he has for the last 4 years, so he makes a complete circuit around the pen. But I don't think he 'sees' where he is going at all. He has mentally mapped it.

I am wondering, since he seems so cut off from all sensory input, I believe he has been deaf for many years, would it be a good idea to once again try to bond him with one of the other two rabbits?

Pip was originally his partner, but she is larger than he and I worry that if she goes careening about his enclosure with him (or to avoid him) he is going to get hurt.

Fiver is smaller, has had previous interest in him as a partner, but Mimzy gets nippy and humpy with him and Fiver spooks madly.

But I worry that Mimzy is lonely. He must need a companion and having another bunny there might make him even feel less uncomfortable physically if they can get along, right?

I had a friend at my other rabbit site in the US who had two bunnies, one who had been abandoned on a porch because he was old, blind and deaf, and a younger bun she came across later who essentially became the older one's "seeing eye" rabbit. I would like a bond of this kind for Mimzy and one of my other bunnies.

Would you attempt such a thing, provided both were relatively healthy and willing? Fiver has had some bladder surgery earlier this year, but is fully recovered. Mimzy has had his residual tilt for 4 years, he is crooked and gimpy from age and spondylosis, but at least can eat the same hay as Fiver, whereas Pip can only have orchard grass.

The only other worry besides discord and possible injury that I have, is that Mimzy is at least 10 years old...I might wind up bonding him only to lose him, then one bunny is grieving a partner.

What would you do? And would you attempt a bond now if you were moving house within the next month to two months, or would you wait until reaching the new house?

Many thanks in advance for your replies. xx

I'm sorry I really can't offer any advice on this but wanted to bump you up a little x

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Bumping again

I have no first hand experience of this but I would want to bond Mimzy with another rabbit. Like you I would also worry that he was lonely. I would probably want to do it before the house move, so he doesn't have to go through that alone, especially with his lack of eyesight and hearing. Thats what I'd do anyway I think.

The grieving bunny part is hard. We lost our girlie bun in October and her husbun MJ took it very badly and although we adopted him a new friend around a month later it has taken until very recently for him to start to seem like his old self which has been very hard. But if I could turn back time, even knowing what I know now, I would still give them the time they had together. They had an amazing relationship. She was 7 when we adopted him at 2. They had just over 2.5yrs together. I don't think MJ will ever have the relationship with Philip that he had with Temperance but he is adapting.

Its tricky, I am sure you will make the right decision for Mimzy, your other bunnies and yourself. Good luck and do keep us posted.

We have found that having a new partner really gives anew lease of life to older buns - especially those with sight issues.

It will be a trickier bond as he may be slightly aggresive as he will not be able to see the new bun and will rely on senses to know eher the bun is - he may also react to sudden or odd movements.

But it is worth staying with it and trying to get a bond.

Thank you all. Sorry I hadn't returned to the thread till now.

I will take your advice to heart and see what I can do. Making a neutral space is the question, we have a rather smallish home and of course there are boxes and bags and stuff everywhere as we go through our mess trying to pack things for the move, but I should be able to find somewhere that they can work out their relationship. I do think it will be Fiver and Mimzy, but it'll take a bit more thought.

The flight down will be in cabin and only one bun per carrier is the limit. So they will be separated for the journey. Does that sound like it would break their bond if it forms? It's about a six hour flight so...like going to the vet and back six times! :shock:

Oh thats a shame its only one bun per carrier, I think i might be tempted to leave the bonding until after the journey. So they don't have the stress of the introduction, then being separated (esp if they get on straight away), then the journey itself, then being reintroduced.

parsnipbun said:

We have found that having a new partner really gives anew lease of life to older buns - especially those with sight issues.

It will be a trickier bond as he may be slightly aggresive as he will not be able to see the new bun and will rely on senses to know eher the bun is - he may also react to sudden or odd movements.

But it is worth staying with it and trying to get a bond.

Click to expand...

Absolutely

A blind bunny going downhill with grief often gets a reason to get out of bed with a companion to share life with.

I usually bond in a small area of my kitchen


Good luck with the move and everything MM xx