Cozmo
Young Bun
Hi All,
Firstly, apologies this is my first post in a long time, but I could really use some expertise. Secondly, I apologise for the long post but please bare with me.
My gorgeous b-boy Hammond (black and white Dutch male) passed away on Tuesday after being vaccinated from Myxi (was vaccinated and about 2 weeks after had lesions, seemed healthy for 3/4 weeks but stopped eating after 4/5 weeks, so was syringe feeding Critical Care round the clock as well as various drugs being fed to him as well as stomach issues developing along the way), we really thought he was getting better as he started eating again, though kept syringe feeding Critical care due to his weight loss, and his breathing was a lot better but his death was sudden and a little out of the blue with a mega quick decline in the end. Myself and my partner are absolutely grief stricken. He had been coping so well, apart from the few days he stopped eating, but we got him eating again and his breathing was SO much better, we and the vets were confident he would pull through. He was such a wonderful rabbit with an absolutely superb character, and very affectionate to both us and his bunny girlfriend.
On Tuesday, we decided due to the sudden cold snap in the weather to bring him and his girlfriend 'TeeGee' indoors so his body didn't waste energy fighting to keep himself warm (as he was still loosing a little bit of weight). Once we moved them in we noticed he had, in the space of a few hours, gone from being curious, hopping around and eating, to being listless, lethargic and not interested in food. We had moved them inside a couple of weeks prior when he started going down hill and we think it helped him improve, so it was certainly not the move indoors that had made him decline so quickly, as we noticed the decline as soon as we bought him into the house for a feed before putting him in the run set up in the kitchen. He had that look in his eyes that while I think he wanted to keep fighting, his body was failing on him. His round the clock care we were giving him was to no avail. We had done everything we could, the vets said there was nothing more we could do for him. We did notice a huge improvement with him over last weekend but within the space of a few hours on Tuesday he had rapidly declined, I made the decision to take him to the vets to be put to sleep. We phoned the out of hours vet to say we were coming, but we didn't even get him into the carrier, he had deteriorated so quickly that he died peacefully in our arms. Breaking both mine and my partners heart with it.
Now my concern is for TeeGee, a giant cross breed. She always was a bully to him, pulling his fur out and pushing him around, when in the run she would chase him. But they did love each other. They would cuddle (when she wasn't in one of her PMS moods) and she would spend ages grooming him. I'll admit she has never been the nicest of bunnies with humans, stamping her feet and HATING being touched no matter how much we have tried with her. Now she has been without Hammond for a few days she isn't too offended if you rub her head and pick her up.
I've cleaned her enclosure out today but left some of the hay that smells of him in, and have put the dry/dirty bedding that will smell of him in a bin bag and put in the shed incase we have issues with her. When he died I got advise from my friend who is a vet nurse and specialises in bunnies and she advised to get a cuddly toy and before getting him cremated to rub the toy on him so it got his smell, which we did. She is eating hay, veg and pellets etc, but when I put her in the run while cleaning out she seemed lost. She was looking for him, didn't hardly munch any grass, which is very unlike her. Usually I would put both them in the run to clean them out and straight away she would tuck in, but not this time. I put the toy that smells of him in the run with her but that didn't work. I put chopped carrot in but she wasn't interested.
When I put her back, she seemed happier, as I think some of the bedding and other things smelt of him and she happily munched on some hay and carrot. I am just worried she may start to pine as they were bonded when she was a baby still so she's not known any different.
We do have a dwarf lop, Jeremy, but he (nor her) are neutered yet, plus I worry that with how rough she could be with Hammond, she could hurt Jeremy if we try to bond them as she is quite big and he's a lot smaller than Hammond was. They can see each other, and I held him up to her enclosure door after putting her back but she wouldn't come near and was in no way interested in him in any case. I have bought her some bunny treats (gnawing toys etc) to try and keep her occupied, but I am concerned due to how she was behaving in the run.
We would rather not get her a mate as we can give her a lot of our time, and if we can get her to be happy on her own, we would prefer. However if she does start to show signs of pining I will get myself to the local rescue. We would like to cut down on the number of animals we have (as we are thinking of starting a family in a few years and in order to do that, seriously need to consider cutting down on the number of animals we own) and don't want to get caught in a cycle of buying another rabbit every time a bonded pair is split due to one passing away.
While she isn't the most friendliest of rabbits, of course I don't want her to be unhappy so will do what is necessary and in her best interests. As I say, if she does start pining, I will be taking her to the local rescue for a blind date with some neutered males to see who she seems to get on with and bringing them home. But what can I do to make this rash change on her easier? And what do I need to look out for with her behaviour, apart from the obvious not moving around much, looking depressed (which she always has anyways) and refusing to eat?
I'm also now questioning about the vaccine. Why should I vaccinate my rabbits and risk going through this heartache all over again? Are there currently issues with the vaccine? I've never experienced issues with it before, but am seriously questioning its reliability. Part of me wishes I had never got him vaccinated and I'm angry at myself for doing so.
Firstly, apologies this is my first post in a long time, but I could really use some expertise. Secondly, I apologise for the long post but please bare with me.
My gorgeous b-boy Hammond (black and white Dutch male) passed away on Tuesday after being vaccinated from Myxi (was vaccinated and about 2 weeks after had lesions, seemed healthy for 3/4 weeks but stopped eating after 4/5 weeks, so was syringe feeding Critical Care round the clock as well as various drugs being fed to him as well as stomach issues developing along the way), we really thought he was getting better as he started eating again, though kept syringe feeding Critical care due to his weight loss, and his breathing was a lot better but his death was sudden and a little out of the blue with a mega quick decline in the end. Myself and my partner are absolutely grief stricken. He had been coping so well, apart from the few days he stopped eating, but we got him eating again and his breathing was SO much better, we and the vets were confident he would pull through. He was such a wonderful rabbit with an absolutely superb character, and very affectionate to both us and his bunny girlfriend.
On Tuesday, we decided due to the sudden cold snap in the weather to bring him and his girlfriend 'TeeGee' indoors so his body didn't waste energy fighting to keep himself warm (as he was still loosing a little bit of weight). Once we moved them in we noticed he had, in the space of a few hours, gone from being curious, hopping around and eating, to being listless, lethargic and not interested in food. We had moved them inside a couple of weeks prior when he started going down hill and we think it helped him improve, so it was certainly not the move indoors that had made him decline so quickly, as we noticed the decline as soon as we bought him into the house for a feed before putting him in the run set up in the kitchen. He had that look in his eyes that while I think he wanted to keep fighting, his body was failing on him. His round the clock care we were giving him was to no avail. We had done everything we could, the vets said there was nothing more we could do for him. We did notice a huge improvement with him over last weekend but within the space of a few hours on Tuesday he had rapidly declined, I made the decision to take him to the vets to be put to sleep. We phoned the out of hours vet to say we were coming, but we didn't even get him into the carrier, he had deteriorated so quickly that he died peacefully in our arms. Breaking both mine and my partners heart with it.
Now my concern is for TeeGee, a giant cross breed. She always was a bully to him, pulling his fur out and pushing him around, when in the run she would chase him. But they did love each other. They would cuddle (when she wasn't in one of her PMS moods) and she would spend ages grooming him. I'll admit she has never been the nicest of bunnies with humans, stamping her feet and HATING being touched no matter how much we have tried with her. Now she has been without Hammond for a few days she isn't too offended if you rub her head and pick her up.
I've cleaned her enclosure out today but left some of the hay that smells of him in, and have put the dry/dirty bedding that will smell of him in a bin bag and put in the shed incase we have issues with her. When he died I got advise from my friend who is a vet nurse and specialises in bunnies and she advised to get a cuddly toy and before getting him cremated to rub the toy on him so it got his smell, which we did. She is eating hay, veg and pellets etc, but when I put her in the run while cleaning out she seemed lost. She was looking for him, didn't hardly munch any grass, which is very unlike her. Usually I would put both them in the run to clean them out and straight away she would tuck in, but not this time. I put the toy that smells of him in the run with her but that didn't work. I put chopped carrot in but she wasn't interested.
When I put her back, she seemed happier, as I think some of the bedding and other things smelt of him and she happily munched on some hay and carrot. I am just worried she may start to pine as they were bonded when she was a baby still so she's not known any different.
We do have a dwarf lop, Jeremy, but he (nor her) are neutered yet, plus I worry that with how rough she could be with Hammond, she could hurt Jeremy if we try to bond them as she is quite big and he's a lot smaller than Hammond was. They can see each other, and I held him up to her enclosure door after putting her back but she wouldn't come near and was in no way interested in him in any case. I have bought her some bunny treats (gnawing toys etc) to try and keep her occupied, but I am concerned due to how she was behaving in the run.
We would rather not get her a mate as we can give her a lot of our time, and if we can get her to be happy on her own, we would prefer. However if she does start to show signs of pining I will get myself to the local rescue. We would like to cut down on the number of animals we have (as we are thinking of starting a family in a few years and in order to do that, seriously need to consider cutting down on the number of animals we own) and don't want to get caught in a cycle of buying another rabbit every time a bonded pair is split due to one passing away.
While she isn't the most friendliest of rabbits, of course I don't want her to be unhappy so will do what is necessary and in her best interests. As I say, if she does start pining, I will be taking her to the local rescue for a blind date with some neutered males to see who she seems to get on with and bringing them home. But what can I do to make this rash change on her easier? And what do I need to look out for with her behaviour, apart from the obvious not moving around much, looking depressed (which she always has anyways) and refusing to eat?
I'm also now questioning about the vaccine. Why should I vaccinate my rabbits and risk going through this heartache all over again? Are there currently issues with the vaccine? I've never experienced issues with it before, but am seriously questioning its reliability. Part of me wishes I had never got him vaccinated and I'm angry at myself for doing so.
