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Madelyn (Maddie) my sweet princess, my once in a lifetime love. 10/21/14 to 7/24/20

bunny momma

Wise Old Thumper
Part 1 Continued on Post #6
Today I lost a very special friend. Madelyn, who I called Maddie, was adopted in May 2015. She was born October 21, 2014 and as a baby she was surrendered to a non defunct rescue that provided medical care to small animals. She had eye ulcers and her foster family did more than provide her with medical care. Through their example, they taught her about love. Of course they could not have imparted such an impression on her if she had not been born a very special bunny.

Prior to meeting Maddie, I lost several elderly bunnies within a little more than a year. Although I adoped a young mini rex I named Heidi the prior August, I still had Amigo, a 14 year old Dwarf. There was something missing in my life, and it turns out the part of my heart that caused me to feel empty for most of my life was ready to be filled.

I searched online for a small breed. I could not physically handle a larger rabbit and my home had space limitations. After searching for almost a year to locate a young bunny who wanted a new home, I saw Maddie's picture. She was sitting in a pick bunny bed and she looked like a princess.
I read the write-up about Madelyn and it said she needed a good home, did not like being picked up, and she would sit next to her special person.
She was a lionhead and although I had a prior lionhead, Dancer, Maddie had much more long fur around her face and neck. I printed her picture and write-up yet did not call for a couple days.

She had been spayed a few weeks earlier and days before I saw her adoption notice, she was taken to a local Pet Stuff, pet supply store, for an adoption event sponsored by her rescue group. She was their only bunny, though they had many other small mammals. At her first event she was not adopted. A few days after seeing her picture, it was a Wednesday, I showed my spouse her picture and write-up and he said we should ask about adopting her. On Thursday I called the rescue and learned she was still available. I told them about losing my geriatric bunnies (CX age 12, Bonita age 13, and Black Velvet (Softie) age 13) I told the woman that I had two other bunnies Heidi and Amigo (a 14 year old dwarf) Her rescue was only a couple miles from me in a private home so on Saturday we met at a different Pet Stuff location closer to both our homes.

That Saturday we put the pet carrier in the car in case we wanted to bring her home. I was so excited to meet Madelyn bunny that my spouse and I arrived an hour early. That may not be impressive to most, yet my spouse is rarely on time for anything. It was obvious we were both excited to meet her.

When the rescue arrived and I looked in the holding cage I saw a ball of mostly white fur sitting on a pretty pink bunny bed. She was so fluffy I had to look twice to see it was mostly on her face with some on her butt. She had the cleanest, white fur I ever saw with blonde/light brown ears and spots mostly on one side. Her tail was very big and fluffy too. Under the fur I saw the most beautiful brown eyes. I asked to hold her to assess her health and see her personality. She sat on a cardboard box as I sat on the store floor petting her as she just sat on the box. I kept expecting her to jump away, scratch or bite; yet she sat on the cardboard box like it was her throne. My thought was she was too scared and she would probably not be that way when she got home and more comfortable. There was a pink litterbox in her holding cage and she was advertised as litter trained. I saw some poos outside her box yet her pee and poo were mostly in the litterbox. People were shopping in the store and they all saw me on the floor with this ball of fluff. I filled out the application and they approved me to adopt Madelyn. I did not want to disturb her litter training so I asked if I could make a donation for the litterbox too and they agreed. The husband part of the animal rescue asked me to promise to get her a nice bed/fleece for her comfort. She was soon in the carrier and on her way to our home.

She was put in a large pen next to/under our kitchen table. Who needed those other chairs anyways! All the pet beds/cushions in the store at the time had fabrics printed with designs like bones meant for dogs/cats and they were not pretty pink. The next day I went to the fabric store to buy some soft fleece to make her a pretty pink cushion. They had some very soft fleece with a hello kitty design, though the kitty was white on a princess pink background. The fleece also had eye spots that I later learned were easily confused with stray poos. The first nights she was playing with her cushion and sometimes even under it. When I tried to replace it with a new pet bed I got her in December, she ignored the new bed so I still have her cushion with chew holes. I plan to use part of it under her when she is laid to rest. That was so hard to type.

After her initial quarantine period, I moved Amigo, my 14 year old Dwarf, to the living room that is separated from the kitchen by a railing. Amigo lost his brother of 13 years, Bonita, less than a year before. He was wobbly on is feet and even in his younger days he hated to walk on the old cold ceramic floor in the kitchen. The first day he saw Maddie, he made an exception. He walked onto the old cold ceramic tile to greet Madelyn. She walked over to greet him too. He was too small and frail to share an area with Madelyn, yet every day for the next couple of months, including the day Amigo passed, Amigo and Madelyn would greet each other and sit near each other. He suddenly looked younger than his years and I often wondered what they said to each other that gave them both happiness. He was a thin sable point dwarf with beige fur and brown markings on his ears, nose, feet and tai and Maddie was the white fluffy lionhead with blonde/light brown ears and spots on her side. She would see me holding him every day as he gave me tons of kisses, something he rarely did until he lost his brother. I think he was passing on the knowledge to Maddie because soon after he passed she began to give me kisses when I would caress her in just the right spot on her side or behind her ears.

It was a rare day when I did not hold Maddie as we sat silently or as we watched a television show. She was a lap bunny who fit perfectly on my lap. I would use both hands to caress her sides and she did not want me to stop. She enjoyed the gentle rocking of my chair and was such a good girl. She would not even try to move away and she would not chew my clothing, pee or poo during the entire time she was on my lap. I would often 'sing' her a rhyme-Momma has a pretty girl, a pretty-pretty-pretty girl, Momma has a pretty girl a pretty girl who's nice. Momma has a nice girl, a nice-nice-nice girl, Momma has a nice girl a nice girl who's pretty. Then I would tell her first God made you nice, then he made you pretty; or first God made you pretty, then he made you nice. She told me God made her pretty and nice at the same time. How can I get such a present from heaven and then have her taken away.

Several times a week, more if she was shedding, I would comb her long hair. Sometimes I would comb in straight up and she would look like she had a halo around her face, or I would put it all near her ears and think of how nice she would look with a tiara. Once in a while I would take my hair scrunchie out of my hair and place it loosely around her long fur and ears and she looked like she was doing aerobics at the gym in the 80's. I would tell her how us long hair girls had to stick together. She would just sit there and give me the soft chattering sound and start licking my wrist as she got groomed. This was a blessing because she has long hair like her mom, mostly on her head; though she does have some longer hair around her rear and large pretty white tail.

Each morning she would jump around in circles and over her litterbox when she saw my spouse with the pellets. She always had hay, plus she got greens every night (her favorite was dandelion or carrot tops); yet she would dance for her ration of pellets every morning. She quickly ate it while my spouse was washing up, then she would pick up her empty food bowl and toss it around trying to get him to give her more. When he resisted her charms and remove the empty bowl, she would stomp her large white feet (they were so clean and white, even on the bottom) to get his attention. I was the person to give Madelyn her evening ration of pellets and I often got the same excited dancing. She learned her Momma Bunny would not give in to her so she rarely tossed the empty bowl for me.

Since March my spouse has been home from his part time evening job, so she started to dance for him when he came home from his full time job and then he got to give Maddie her evening ration of pellets. In that short time she stopped dancing for me (I often told her it was too early for her evening pellets) and she only entertained my spouse with her dances. Sometimes I would watch from the doorway and she would stop if she saw me enjoying the show. Even when she was relaxing it made me smile to watch he lying with her big feet stretched to one side-almost as if to show me how clean and pretty her toes were.


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What a lovely tribute for clearly a very special rabbit. It sounds like she had a fantastic life with you and you have lots of wonderful memories to treasure. Sending lots of love xx


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This is a lovely tribute to a very special girl. She has brought so much happiness to you and you have many wonderful memories that will stay with you forever. My heart goes out to you over the loss you have experienced x
 
Part 2 Continued from Post #1

When I held Maddie, I felt a peace inside me that I never had prior to having her in my life. No matter how awful the news, including aggressive cancers in three of my sisters, losing other pets in the past year (Gemini who was my friendly guy, Dash who entertained me with his acrobatics, and Evan who was tiny and adorable, and Amigo in 2015), physical pain and surgeries, family squabbles, emotional pain, and anything else; Maddie was there to make me look at the good in my life, especially her and her friends, Heidi and Raven, and my spouse who adores all the bunnies. She smelled so nice and I would love to give her kisses on her soft fluffy head. Once in a while I would leave a tiny lipstick stain, almost as if I left my mark on her to say she was mine, all mine.

It may be selfish for me to ask this, who will bring me the sunshine when it rains now that she is gone?
Madelyn is a once in a lifetime bunny and she was too young to leave me with such sadness. She has taken a piece of me with her and I cannot imagine my days without her in my lap and life. Your Poppa, Heidi, and Raven will miss you so much too. Raven and Heidi will do their best to give us comfort, yet you are unique and can never be replaced.

My dear Maddie, I am so sorry I could not save you. I never knew what I did to be blessed with you in my life as a special present from heaven; and now I do not know why you were taken away from me at such a young age. When you are at the rainbow bridge you will see your friends, Gemini, Dash, Evan and Amigo. I know Amigo will introduce you to his brother and some of his and our other friends, and in turn their friends will introduce you to more of our friends. It may take a while to know all their names, some who spent a brief time with your Momma and Poppa, and some who spent many years with us. Please tell them I did my best and I know heaven would not be heaven if you were not all there to greet me and Poppa. You will be forever in our hearts, minds, and souls my sweet special angel. It will soon be time for me to kiss your soft fuzzy head for the last time.

I could write more, but I already had to split Madelyn's tribute into two posts since I exceeded the 10,000 character limit for a post (now you know why I cannot join Twitter), so my final tribute is to all the RU friends who support me and my bunnies by sharing their knowledge, experiences, and compassion. Hugs to you all.

T:love:
 
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Such a moving and heartfelt tribute to your Soul Mate. She will remain in your heart forever.

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xx
 
This is a very special and heartfelt tribute that shows just how special and loved Maddie was. It brings a tear to my eyes reading this. Maddies life was made special because of you and she had the best life she could have wanted.
Sending you hugs at this time. Xx
 
I've tried and tried to find words to post how desperately sad I am for you. Maddie was certainly a deeply loved, wonderful little bunny. I am so very sorry she has gone. :cry:

Bonds like what you and she had cannot be broken by death. She is with you, she will always be. It's just so hard for us as humans to not have those sweet, fluffy friends physically with us. :cry: My thoughts and prayers are with you as you cope with this terrible loss. (((((Huge hugs)))))) xxxxx
 
Thanks for the comforting words and good thoughts.
7 days, 4 hours, and 2 minutes ago, the heart of my best friend stopped and my own heart broke in so many parts it will never be the same again.
If wishing, tears, and wailing could bring you back, you would already be in my lap; sitting so nicely as I combed your fuzzy little head as you loved the soft strokes and attention.
My little girl left a hole in my heart that leaves me with a huge emptiness in my very being.
 
Thanks for the comforting words and good thoughts.
7 days, 4 hours, and 2 minutes ago, the heart of my best friend stopped and my own heart broke in so many parts it will never be the same again.
If wishing, tears, and wailing could bring you back, you would already be in my lap; sitting so nicely as I combed your fuzzy little head as you loved the soft strokes and attention.
My little girl left a hole in my heart that leaves me with a huge emptiness in my very being.

I have no words but have been thinking of you and Maddie every day. I couldn't even summon the courage to open this post until today.
xxx
 
I'm so sorry to see this very sad news. I know it feels like our precious pets take a piece of our heart with them when they have to leave us, but I hope you will find in time that some of the precious memories you mention in your tribute help to heal the sense of loss. With love from Susan and Bertie xx
 
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