Very frustrated - Indoor bun housing question

[fredalina]

In January, i took in a young bun as a foster for rescue. The rescue then disappeared and stopped returning calls (!). Finally i got a different rescuer (dogs) i know to list the bun online in a pet website, and found a home just in time. My husband and i are becoming foster parents for human children <g>, and we're losing the room that formerly housed the rabbit. But the adopter cannot keep Checkers any longer, and i'm at a loss for what to do.

My husband is allergic to rabbits (not just the hay, but the fur/dander). If he's in the same room for more than 10 minutes, even if he doesn't touch her or her stuff, he gets sick. The guest room worked before because he rarely went in there (consequently Checkers is under-socialized, which is probably part of why the adopter can't keep her - ugh). AllerPet and time have not solved the allergy problem.

My only other options are the dogs' room, which is the bonus room over our attached garage and where we keep the dog crates, outdoors, or the garage. i will not consider outdoors because i had a rabbit as a child that died from exposure. i am not fond of the garage idea because there are still extremes in weather and there would be almost no chance for socialization or "hopping around time". The room over the garage is possible, but the negatives are that it stays warm in that room (well over 70F), and we have very large dogs who may bark at her. The dogs were good with her when she was here before, but it was always thoroughly and constantly supervised, and they will be in their crates unsupervised at times. i fear for Checkers to feel overwhelmed and frightened. And she will have little to no "hopping around time", though i'll have more space for her to have a nice-sized run.

The setup would be a 4-story NIC condo with a run of about 3.5' x 5.5' attached that she can go into anytime she likes (unless i shut her in the condo for cleaning of the run, or vice versa). The run will not be covered and will have walls about 2.5' tall, which has held her before. The run will have her litterbox and food/water crocks, and the condo will have most of her toys and things. The floor will be peg board (to allow zip ties to hold the NIC in place), with some towels and things for softness. There will also be a small dresser set up at the back of the condo to provide some screening and privacy from the dog crates. i also bought her a nice igloo that she can hide in if she gets frightened, and will establish some boxes for hiding as well.

In a pinch, do you find this acceptable? If not, what would you suggest in my circumstances?

i cannot put the bun in the guest room again because it will become the foster child's room, and the foster child may have issues that could put the bun in danger, so they must be supervised together, at least for a while.

Thanks, and sorry this is so long!

 

[Antonea808]

How many dogs do u have? and how big and loud are they?

If they were smaller, quieter dogs and the little buns could be given privacy, I think it would be okay. But i would still suggest trying to find another rescue organization because the buns deserves more loving than i think you can offer at the moment.

Hope it all works out

 

[fredalina]

i have 2 Great Danes and 1 Great Dane mix. They are not typically loud, but one does whine when crated, but must be crated due to separation anxiety.

You're right; i really don't have enough time to give her for her needs (though she will never be physically neglected in any way with me, just socially). The bun will still be up for adoption. But she was listed for 6 months on Petfinder without any good adoption leads before the person adopted her the first time. i'm finding that it's very difficult to rehome a bun, at least where i live! Hence part of my frustration...

The local rabbit rescue promised to take the bun in an "emergency" (i rescued her on their advice and this promise), but they have since disappeared. They still operate, but they do not return e-mails of phone calls to me. i once had my dog rescue friend talk to her on my behalf, and she sent me an e-mail asking me to phone her to discuss, and once again she never returned my calls. Hence the rest of my frustration!

 

[Arkaidy]

I must say that I do agree that you will have your hands full! Even social neglect is something a bun should not have to live with. I say do the best you can for now, and work at rehoming this little fella!

 

[fredalina]

Update to my situation

i picked up Checkers two nights ago and she settled into her new condo/run quickly. She seems to quite enjoy it, and ironically her favorite spot is at the very top level of her condo where she can see over the dresser i used for privacy and check out the dogs in their crates.

The dogs are once again in love, and Checkers doesn't seem too bothered by them. i haven't been in the room when the one noisy dog barks like mad (because she does it to get my attention), but i have been there when she has whined and Checkers hardly seems to notice. So that's a good sign, i think.

The remaining and now primary concern is the heat in the room. It will get cooler in the next few weeks but it is still quite warm, and while there is one vent, it isn't sufficient and the room gets overheated. i have been trading out a frozen water bottled 3 times daily (she loves to roll it and lick the condensation off), i have fans, i have a cool tile which she has not yet lain on, and i have put some grapes in the freezer to see if she would like some frozen grapes as treats tonight. Any other suggestions for making the best of this?

i really think Checkers remembers me and has been asking for pets, which is unusual but positive behavior, so that's excellent.

P.S. i did finally get a call from the rabbit rescuer but they will not take her at this time. In fact they told me to get her euthanized! Some rescue!

 

[rabbitabby]

I can't believe they told you to get her euthanized.. horrible!

Is there a House Rabbit Society Chapter in your area? Typically they do all they can to help out rescues in need.. I found this off of the contact list, maybe contacting them can be of use to you.. either they can help you, or they can direct you to a smaller rescue that cares and are able to help (unlike this outfit you were trying to stay in touch with, they sound terrible )

-Tennessee
Kathy Burke
Greenback, TN
rabbitgal@comcast.net

Anywho, I hope the situation gets straightened out and she can find a forever home, sounds as if you're doing great for the time being. What is the temperature in the garage? I know here in Iowa we're having 80 degree days and having the AC on for the buns during the day even inside.. Frozen water bottles, fans, and marble/stone tile slab are definately good additions.

 

[rabbitabby]

I also found this rescue dedicated to rabbits, they are in Nashville!

http://www.bunnyrescue.net/

 

[fredalina]

Thank you! One of those contacts is actually the one i have been dealing with (or not), but the other is new and i will contact them tonight. i'm most upset because i took Checkers the first time because they promised to help me place her (i was "fostering" her for them), and then they disappeared, and when i finally reached her she acted like it was an owner surrender and they would not help me because they only have room for shelter buns. When i explained she was only slightly conciliatory. i certainly didn't care for this rabbit and form a loving bond for her (and pay $175 of my own money to have her spayed and get rid of her ear mites, etc, plus of course the money for food and litter and a few too many toys) just to turn around and kill her. Unfortunately she is friends with a dog rescue friend of mine so i couldn't tell her what i really thought, so i sit and wait and hope she has a foster home open up and will take Checkers in and give her what she needs.

Meanwhile...

The room where Checkers is is actually the room over the garage. It is finished with drywall and theoretically with insulation, though it doesn't appear to have been well insulated certainly, with sloped walls, etc. It has one A/C vent from the home's central heat and air, but it is not sufficient, nor even close to sufficient, to cool that room. The house is always cool on the ground floor in summer and very warm on the second floor, and the bonus room over the garage is the hottest room in the house (not counting the garage itself which has no air conditioning). The windows don't open due to us living near the airport, so a window unit or even a cross draft is out of the question.

Thankfully it is getting cooler and the heat of summer seems to have passed. In my experience it stayed pretty warm in that room even in the winter last year although if it's an insulation problem i've no idea why. It's a mystery! i just hope poor Checkers isn't suffering too much. It sounds like i'm doing the right things as far as frozen water bottles and such to help cool her off until things cool down.

Right now i can give her at least a few minutes' attention daily but once we have a foster child placed with us, i may be unable to spare even that.

 

[gemmam]

If you are thinking of keeping her in the long term how about getting another rabbit to keep her company? Then she won't miss your attention as much as long as you can meet their housing/feeding/cleaning needs and check them over regularly.

 

[Kermit]

I agree, another rabbit seems like a good idea, may seem like more work, but would probably give you a happier bunny!

 

[rabbitabby]

I can't believe one of those contacts were the people that did that to you :shock: One is associated with HRS (who are always extremely good about helping with rabs) and the other seems very dedicated to helping rabs, that just floors me and scares me all at the same time.. hopefully the new contact will help you out

 

[fredalina]

i think a second bunny would make DH's allergies worse. Plus the commitment required during the bonding, etc... i don't think i can do that.

 

[fredalina]

P.S. Let me say i do kind of understand the euthanasia comment. i'm sure it was made in the spirit of "there are fates worse than death" (a sentiment i can completely agree with), but again it really upsets me that this is the same person who promised to put the bun in a foster home when one was available, list her on petfinder, etc, then wouldn't return phone calls or emails for literally 8 months.

If she had said, "Bring the bunny here and i'll have her euthanized" 8 months ago, i don't think i would have done it, but i don't know what i would have done. But now that i've been loving her and caring for her for this long it's completely out of the question.

It's just that as great as my husband is, as much as he tries to protect me from his allergies and frustrations so i don't feel guilty, i know it's really bothering him. This is the man who does so much for me, who got to know my big scary dogs, who suggested i adopt a HORSE with all of it's financial investment and time, and i know he would give me anything but he would never ask me to be medically miserable just for his own benefit, and i hate asking him to do the same. During this 8 months, 4 of them were spent where i had a major surgery and could not climb the steps daily and he fed and watered Checkers and i just cleaned the litterbox most of the time. It's time he felt better and it's time Checkers had the home she deserved, you know?

Anyway, thanks all for your suggestions and just for letting me vent and helping put it in perspective.

 

[Arkaidy]

Pardon me for saying this - but I find it very sad that this bun will soon be all alone in a room of dogs who are also obviously alone, because you are too busy for them. It is nice that you are trying to "rescue" this bun, but what kind of a lonely life is he supposed to lead.

 

[fredalina]

The bun being alone you absolutely make a good point with. This is one of the primary reasons i've posted, and why i don't plan to just keep the bunny myself but am rehoming her. There is no question that i cannot give the bunny what she needs due to my husband's allergies and my time constraints, and this is why i'm posting here, to get ideas to make her life as good as i can while she's here, because it's taking so long to rehome her.

BUT you are entirely mistaken in your assumptions about my dogs. The dogs are my life, and they are not in the room all of the time at all. We call it the "dog's room" because it's where their crates are, and the dogs are usually only in the crates when we're not home. The dogs spend most of the time in the living room or office or bedroom with us, and we can take them on walks and play outside and sit on the sofa with them and cuddle, etc etc. These are things many people do with their pet rabbits, but i cannot because i already have dogs and i have a husband who is allergic.

The dogs live lives that my friends envy, which you would know if you would have bothered to ask a question or two instead of making assumptions. The bunny will be safe and comfortable, but she won't have the attention or companionship she needs and thus she needs to find a new home. Remember this was not a rabbit i took on and then decided i didn't have the time or space for her. i've loved and wanted rabbits for years but knew i couldn't give the best to for a variety of reasons so i didn't get one. This particular bunny is a rabbit i was promised by a rescue someone would help me rehome and then they didn't live up to that promise, and she's been with me for far longer than anyone intended. i am a far more responsible pet owner than 99% of pet owners, and i really am bothered that you would imply otherwise. If i were irresponsible i would just shove the bunny outside in a small hutch and never worry about it again rather than spending time posting and reading posts, websites, etc to make things as good as possible for her.

i spent my day today driving around buying components and making a homemade air conditioner to blow into a box in the bunny condo so she can have some cool air and not overheat. An irresponsible pet owner wouldn't even bother to find out how heat affects rabbits, nevermind worry about it and try to minimize it as much as possible.

Now, if you would like to spend a few minutes of YOUR time helping me to make this situation as good as it can be rather than insulting my pet parenting, i would appreciate what help i can get. Otherwise, you can keep your negative and insulting (and woefully uninformed) comments to yourself. Thanks.

 

[Tamsin]

Hiya,

Rabbits can have quite varied personalities and many will get used to quite loud noises and ignore them. I wouldn't automatically assume dog = scared rabbit. My house rabbit doesn't blink at the dishwasher or washing machine going and will walk up a poke the cat if left unsupervised.

It doesn't sound like your dogs bother her just becareful she can't get out because even if they aren't deliberately aggressive getting accidentally stood on by a great dane is going to hurt! I'd suggest you put a net over the cage just to be doubly sure. This can just be pegged on but will stop a sudden jump - rabbits can sometimes do totally unexpected things (like suddenly clear a 4' pen) if they panic.

I'm not sure how cold it gets where you live but rabbits will cope quite well with lowish temperatures - better than high ones. In the UK it varies between about -5 oC and 30 o C and my outdoor bunnies cope fine with that with appropriate shelter etc..

Tamsin

 

[fredalina]

Thanks Tamsin. i'll look into a net (just will make it very difficult to get into to clean). Perhaps i'll just increase the height of the outside.

The good news is that other than bringing them to/from the crates, the dogs aren't in the room loose. We've been keeping the door closed now so they can't get into the room, so we don't have to worry about them getting too close to the cage and worrying her. So far she doesn't seem bothered by the dogs at all actually, but of course they only make loud noises when we aren't in the room to be able to really observe her.

The room is too warm now, bordering on the upper limits of 80F. i've been giving her frozen grapes and strawberries for treats, giving her sock-wrapped frozen water bottles for her to cuddle, soaking her greens to keep her hydrated, and as i said i've just built a little "air conditioner" that really does help cool one area.

 

[Tamsin]

It doesn't need to be a wire net (as long as she can't reach to nibble) nylon or similar would be fine - like you might use in the garden. You can use clothes pegs to peg it to the top then just roll it back when you need to get in Usually a sheet or something would be fine but a net might be better for ventilation if it's hot so it doesn't trap hot air.

Tam