I would not take anybun along. I would just bring the body home. I am suggesting this because your vet just doesn’t seem that experienced with rabbits. A rabbit euthanasia can be tricky and may take him longer and you might get distressed — it just wouldn’t be good to have your other rabbits go through that. As a prey species, rabbits are very sensitive to stress, it can even make them sick. Don’t risk this for your other rabbits.

But if it comes to the euthanasia, you will be there with Jack so it will be much easier on him. Again, I think he is a blessed little bunny that you have not let him down and won’t.

When I had Twizzler euthanised I took Toffee in with her and to be honest, Toffee was so distracted she was not a comfort to Twizzler and it didn’t help Twizzler at all and even having her there knowing Twizzler had gone to the bridge made no difference to Toffee.

I think it’s best for just just you to be there while the vet performs the procedure.

I am in agreeance with everyone else, It’s best to leave your other bunny at home.
When it was time for Ebony to go, we ate fresh veggies with her partner bunny in the morning sunlight in the kitchen together… maybe hat memory was more for me, but what bunny doesn’t like to be spoiled.

When my Mittens passed away at home, I had her cagemates near her, and I don’t think she cared, they didn’t pay any attention to her. When she passed I brought her body to them to say goodbye, and again they didn’t  show interest. I think maybe they arleady knew and had said their goodbyes. No one was stressed ro depressed after she passed.

Since you intend to bring him back home, you could let them see him once after he has crossed the bridge. I know they seem to ignore it or be indifferent, but there’s been enough stated elsewhere that says it helps them to know that I think it would be helpful to them to see him at least once, if you’re bringing him back with you anyway. If you’re leaving him with the vet, then I would defer to the others’ advice to leave them home. Some bunnies have been known to be confused by the absence, and go looking for the missing bun. Also, they can be grieving, so if they eat less or seem depressed, they actually are. Give them lots of attention and let them work through it with you.

Would you be burying him at home?

When my first bunny died, I didn’t know to leave the body with the mates, and they looked for him for a week or so (can’t remember how long exactly)

I later asked my vet what bunnies normally do when they see the body of their mate, and she said some bunnies will know right away and won’t go near the body. Other will lie by the body, try and groom etc, but then will eventually move away and lie down somewhere else and not return to the body and that’s when we think they have figured out what is going on.

I can tell you from personal experience with Jack that it was important for him have the body — Details of how Jack realized she was gone are a bit sad so if you don’t want to read the next part then skip to the next post.

Jack and Rucy’s story:

Jack definitely knew when Rucy’s body was just her body after she passed. He also had been with her right before she passed (at home) so I’m not sure if that makes a difference or not. Anyway, minutes after she died, I set her down on the floor where they normally would lie together. He went over and began trying groom her, but I could tell he knew something was different, because he would groom her, then sniff her in a strange way–sort of burying his nose deeper in her fur, then actually tried to mount her, but before he even really started he suddenly stopped, looked down at her, licked her eye, backed up partially off of her, sniffed her in that weird way again, stared for a moment, and then slowly got off of her and hung out on the other side of the room. I left her there for an hour, but he didn’t go near her.

He was one very sad bunny for a couple of weeks, and every once in awhile he would look up (get up on his hind legs) to see the higher areas she liked to hang out on (I wonder if her scent still lingered there and he’d catch it every once in awhile), but he never went really searching for her. So even though he accepted the fact she was gone…for him, he had to go through a mourning time. (not all bunnies do, some bounce back very quickly). But I think for Jack, it was helpful because I really believe he would have looked and looked for her and it would have dragged on. Right now, if Vivian chooses to leave the bunny room and go to her secret hidout in the house, he will look for her off and on until she returns — so I know that is part of his personality.)