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Honest opinions wanted please - Rabbit Additions?

Amy104

Warren Veteran
Some of you might remember that 18 month - 2 years ago I had a suspected outbreak of samonella caused by a contaminated bag of food which subsequently caused me lose over half of my bunny family in about a 2 week period.

After a quarantine period I adopted 4 rabbits - 2 longtermers from Alice @ Windwhistle and 2 very disabled bunnies from Bath Rabbit Rescue. Both these rescues were happy for me to adopt as was my vet.

Of those 4 rabbits I only have 1 now.

I honestly believe that the two disabled bunnies (Missing legs/ears) were possibly deformed internally aswell as externally. Part of me wonders if this is what caused the mother to mutilate them and that perhaps in saving them nature had possibly been intereferred with.

The other rabbit Ned appeared healthy.

In hindsight I wish I had got a PM done on Ned, but after everything I had been through and comfortable that all bunnies were vaccinated for VHD2 I wanted to just put him to rest peacefully.

I didn't feel like I wanted any more rabbits or to take the risk.

However I have noticed lately that whilst the two trios are all well bonded they are not as content as when they were in bigger groups - sometimes 1 is left on its own and this makes me a little sad.

I am tempted to adopt another single or pair and hopefully go back to a bigger group and improve dynamics. I am a experienced bonder and confident that I could re-bond each trio if a bonding failed. But I am also very scared.

My heart tells me the bad luck was just a coincidence, my head tells me my heart is being selfish as I am sad to have only 6 bunnies when I once had 16.

Does anyone have any thoughts? Please be honest I wont be offended.

(I should add bonding both groups together is not an option as I have already tried it and two of them just didn't get on).
 
Honestly Amy. You're an experienced bunny care giver.

If you're still able to afford more than 6 comfortably and have the time to commit to them I don't see a reason why you shouldn't xx

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Thank you. My family said pretty much the same thing. I haven't ever shyed away from adopting the more vunerable rabbits but this perhaps has brought me a fair amount of heartache.

My husband is the only one who is uncertain because he had to pick me up when I was shattered by the devestation. He doesn't want me to get hurt, which is understandable.
 
I remember you losing lots of bunnies :cry: it is heartbreaking to lose our pets and I've come to realise that if you do have lots of them, as I have, you can end up going through a lot of heartache, just down to statistics/bad luck/coincidence :cry: but you do get lots of joy too :love:

I would do what feels right for you and your bunnies xx
 
Honestly Amy. You're an experienced bunny care giver.

If you're still able to afford more than 6 comfortably and have the time to commit to them I don't see a reason why you shouldn't xx

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk

I agree with this 100%. I can fully understand your reasons for wanting to have more rabbits and also can fully understand your concerns.

If I were you I would be having the same feelings. However, I hope I would also be able to rationalise things and determine that none of the recent sadness was in any way an indication that I was in any way lacking in my care of them.

Remember also that you will make a wonderful difference to a rabbit's life by providing it with a lovely new home with its own friends, however short that life is :love:
 
Thank you everyone. I think I will speak to my husband again then possibly speak to a rescue. Its all a moot point if they aren't happy to rehome to me.
 
Some of you might remember that 18 month - 2 years ago I had a suspected outbreak of samonella caused by a contaminated bag of food which subsequently caused me lose over half of my bunny family in about a 2 week period.

After a quarantine period I adopted 4 rabbits - 2 longtermers from Alice @ Windwhistle and 2 very disabled bunnies from Bath Rabbit Rescue. Both these rescues were happy for me to adopt as was my vet.

Of those 4 rabbits I only have 1 now.

I honestly believe that the two disabled bunnies (Missing legs/ears) were possibly deformed internally aswell as externally. Part of me wonders if this is what caused the mother to mutilate them and that perhaps in saving them nature had possibly been intereferred with.

The other rabbit Ned appeared healthy.

In hindsight I wish I had got a PM done on Ned, but after everything I had been through and comfortable that all bunnies were vaccinated for VHD2 I wanted to just put him to rest peacefully.

I didn't feel like I wanted any more rabbits or to take the risk.

However I have noticed lately that whilst the two trios are all well bonded they are not as content as when they were in bigger groups - sometimes 1 is left on its own and this makes me a little sad.

I am tempted to adopt another single or pair and hopefully go back to a bigger group and improve dynamics. I am a experienced bonder and confident that I could re-bond each trio if a bonding failed. But I am also very scared.

My heart tells me the bad luck was just a coincidence, my head tells me my heart is being selfish as I am sad to have only 6 bunnies when I once had 16.

Does anyone have any thoughts? Please be honest I wont be offended.

(I should add bonding both groups together is not an option as I have already tried it and two of them just didn't get on).


Amy (((((( hugs ))))))

Your siggy says it all - you have multiple rabbit syndrome!

There are many people on here who have had disasters with several of their rabbits, and it just happens sometimes. You were unlucky. The fact that Rescues will adopt to you is testament to that :)

You are able to look after more bunnies and that is a rare gift. You will be adopting and not buying from a breeder, so you will be saving lives and creating places for other lives to be saved.

If this is your wish and desire, I can see no negatives here.

I would support you fully 100%

You understand rabbits, and their dynamics, and you have thought about the possible consequences. You have insight.

It's not being selfish, it's being generous xxx
 
Amy (((((( hugs ))))))

Your siggy says it all - you have multiple rabbit syndrome!

There are many people on here who have had disasters with several of their rabbits, and it just happens sometimes. You were unlucky. The fact that Rescues will adopt to you is testament to that

You are able to look after more bunnies and that is a rare gift. You will be adopting and not buying from a breeder, so you will be saving lives and creating places for other lives to be saved.

If this is your wish and desire, I can see no negatives here.

I would support you fully 100%

You understand rabbits, and their dynamics, and you have thought about the possible consequences. You have insight.

It's not being selfish, it's being generous xxx

I'm almost crying. Thankyou what a lovely thing to say.
 
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