I Had 2 Bunnies and 1 Recently Passed

[HT]

Hi Everyone! I had 2 bunnies. Recently my bunny who I’ve had for almost a year passed due to a medical issue. My second bunny is now alone and her behavior has changed. She has been more skittish and shy. She used to be a very outgoing bunny who always came to play with me but now she has been running away when I try to pet her and has been hiding a lot more than usual. My family has been thinking that maybe she feels a change since her partner is gone and we’ve been thinking about getting another bunny so that she won’t be alone. If you guys have any ideas why this is happening or how I can bond again with her please let me know! Thank you!

[Meg]

I’m so sorry, HT!  How recently did your other bunny pass?  I know this sounds weird, but did your surviving bunny get to see the body?  (Oddly this can help them cope because then they know what happened, so if she didn’t others might have ideas about how to help respond to that situation.)

I’ve only had one pair of bunnies so I don’t have that much experience, but I’d suggest you just spend some quiet time nearby, only as close as she’s comfortable with.  She might be feeling uncertainty as to what’s going on, and grief for her partner too, but she’d probably enjoy some gentle companionship.  So maybe just bring a book or laptop or whatever and sit on the floor a little ways away.   Maybe offer her some healthy treats like herbs or whatever she likes.  If she’s afraid of being petted, give that a rest for a little bit.  She probably needs some time to grieve and to adjust.

I’m guessing she’s also pretty young, so she might benefit from another companion at some point soon, but it’s probably a good idea if she has time to go through the grieving process first.  Bunnies develop very specific/personal relationships so she needs a little time before she’s ready for a new companion, kind of like humans do.

My advice should be superseded by any moderator or other person with more experience, but I wanted to offer some ideas for now.  Sympathies to you and your bunny!

[HT]

Thank you so much for your advice Meg! My bunny (the one in my profile) passed about a month ago. My surviving bunny did get to see his body. Thank you for your advice on bonding with her again. I will make sure to try your suggestions!

[Meg]

Good to know.  I’m so so sorry for your loss.  If it’s been a month, you might also consider experimenting with doing bunny dates at a shelter and/or trying the fostering idea someone else suggested, whenever it seems right to you.  I’m sure your instincts as you listen to your surviving bunny will steer you right.  Good luck and I’m so sorry again!

[LBJ10]

I’m sorry to hear about your bunny. I agree with Meg. Seeing the body does seem to help the other bunny understand. This way they aren’t searching for them. They know that the other bunny has passed.

Some bunnies are definitely “needier” than others. There will be a grieving process, for sure. Some bunnies need a decent amount of time, while others are ready for a new friend relatively quickly. You will have to decide where your bunny falls in that range. When you do start looking for a new companion for your bunny, it may be helpful to see if any shelters will let you foster-to-adopt a bunny. This would make things easier because if it doesn’t look like things will work out, then you can always return the bunny to the shelter and foster another one.

[HT]

Thank you! Your response makes a lot of sense and I will make sure to look into the fostering. I think my bunny does fall in the more “needier” range so I will look into some shelters. Thank you for your response!

[BZOO]

Hugs to you and yours.

When my Pug, Lia, was killed by coyotes before she was three, and it took me two hours to find her body, I was surprised that the other dogs were not interested in her body.

When my Aussie, Jessica, passed (we had let her out and she went to the neighbors), we didn’t think to let our other Aussie, Sara, see her and it took weeks for Sara to calm down, always looking.

So, only you know what is right in that regard.

I hope you and your bun are welcoming to another, so many in shelters.

Spend quite time with her, you’ll figure it out.

Again, hugs to you.

[HT]

Thank you BZOO. I’m sorry about your Aussie. I believe me and my bun are welcoming to another bunny. I will make sure to look into some shelters!

[Author]

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