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difficult desicions

touie

Wise Old Thumper
regarding Caramel and Twinkle :( I have been thinking about this for some time and am becoming increasingly concerned that I'm not giving caramel and Twinkle the care and lifestyle that they deserve. The problem is under current circumstances (small house and garden :( ) I'm not able to improve conditions for them and wonder whether they'd be better off with me or with someone who can give them more space and the attention that they deserve! I really wan't to know what other people think.

Since Caramel's sister passed away in January she has been living by herself in a 5'x2' hutch with a 5' x 3' run attached, it doesn't get any sun and she loves to sunbathe :( apart from weekends and school holidays when i have more time she only comes out for about 30-60 mins in the morning before work (if it's dry). I have tried to bond her in with the others but she's not interested she is in fact quite aggressive to other rabbits (including her late sister) and I'm pretty sure wouldn't accept another friend. I'm not able to try to bond her with a rescue rabbit because I don't have any space to separate them if I needed to and because it's a rented house most won't rehome to me anyway.

I took in Twinkle in December to be a friend for fudge, she is in fact the sweetest and friendliest of all my rabbits and many of my concerns have been caused by blunders by the vets which have meant I have not been able to have her spayed or vaccinated as yet :( Fudge won't accept other rabbits, he only wants attention from me and gets quite upset if i try to pair him with another. That means that because i don't have space, unless I can bond her with Splodge and Sugarplum (once she's been spayed) I will be unable to find a partner for twinkle and she so desperately craves attention :( . She lives in a 4'x2' hutch above a 6'x4' run and because she is so small and difficult to catch she only has free range time in the garden at weekends and school holidays when someone else is there to help me catch her.

Yes they are all well fed, watered, cleaned and given vetinary care (not that thats been much use recently!), but is that enough? Thinking of their long term future I'm not sure whether they'd be better off with me or someone who could give them playtime and ample company every day? :(
 
What a difficult and worrying situation for you.

I obviously don't know anything much about your setup, but it sounds to me like all of your rabbits have as much attention as you can give them and the care that they need. Plus they have all had a chance to bond with a friend if they wanted to. As you say, this is all enough for their welfare and it is a case of 'what they deserve' that you are worried about.

I think that it is a personal decision about whether you want to carry on with all of the rabbits. Of course it would be great if every bunny could have a perfect home with the amount of attention they want (whether that is bucket-loads or none!), but while there are so many rabbits out there without even the bare minimum, I believe that 'almost perfect' has to be good enough.

If you don't want to have so many rabbits to care for, then you might be better off trying to rehome some of them, but if you enjoy caring for them all then I don't think you should feel guilty about the fact they'd like more attention - they are at least happy, safe and cared for :D
 
I completley agree with Liz!
There are many rabbits that have no out time at all! - and many that dont ever see anything outside a hutch. I know you look after your bunnies well and you care for them greatly - everyone on here knows you do....
You may not think your situation is ideal.... but I am sure your bunnies are doinf just fine with it all- and they know you love them, and thats what matter.
 
Hun, If we didn't go through phases of wishing we could give our pets better accomodation, more contact, better this, more that .. We wouldn't be normal! We wouldn't care. There are so, so many buns tons worse off than your little ones, Praise yourself for what they do have, Not what they dont :) If you in your heart think rehoming them is the best way to go, then follow your heart ... Nobody will think any less of you :wink: Big Hugs, Must be hard :( Xx
 
I agree, There are times where i worry im not giving my animals attention like if im busy etc.. But at the end of the day the main thing is they are in a loving home with a family who cares for them, feeds them and provides everything they need... They may go to a home where they get even less attention or someone who doesnt love/care for them as much. I think by the sounds of it you are doing just fine :) but again if you feel ur under a bit of stress or a lot of worry for them and u feel giving them a new home is right then thats ur decision im sure you will make the right one.
Good luck
Hayley xx
 
I agree with everyone else, your rabbits have got a loving and caring home with their every need catered for.

Think of how some people keep their rabbits, in 2 foot hutches for 24 hours a day, never even talking to them let alone letting them out for a run!

My 2 garden rabbits don't get a lot of attention at all this weather, it's just too flipping cold to go and sit out with them. My indoor rabbit, who also hates other buns!, gets a bit of fuss everytime I pass through the conservatory and that's about it most of the time!

Please don't worry yourself, you are doing a great job!

Kate
 
I've often wondered this before about Audrey- she has been on her own since Rowan died and will be for the forseeable future for various reasons, so I have wondered whether she would be happier elsewhere where she can have a friend or two. However I try and compensate by spending lots of tiem with her (Im not always on RU honest!) :lol:

I'm sure your rabbits are very happy how they are, but I think you need to be honest with yourself about whether you really want to keep them xx
 
thanks everyone :) I guess I'll just have to see how it goes trying to bond Twinkle with Sugarplum and Splodge once she's been spayed, if she's ever well enough to be spayed :? It's twinkle who I feel sorriest for as she's desperate for company :( Then I'd only have 2 rival warrens in the garden which would make things so much easier!
 
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