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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Newly Single Bunny Depressed

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    • Neala
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        Hi all,

        I lost one of my two bonded buns this week very quickly and unexpectedly. While I’m mourning and all that myself, my main focus is on his littermate and brother that I still have. He has never been without his brother for more than a day when he got hospitalized. I’m aware that as hard as this is on me, it’ll be harder on him. I’m spending more time with him, grooming him, and making sure he gets snacks as well as things like benebac that can help him through this. But he is still seeming sad and lost without his brother. Mostly lost – he’ll hop around for a bit during playtime but doesn’t seem to know what to do without his brother. I think he knows he’s gone – I read to leave him with the body for a while and I did – but he still doesn’t seem to know what to do now that he’s alone.

         

        Has anyone found anything that can help?

         

        I’d rather not jump into getting another rabbit as Cinnabun, the current bunny, has some chronic health issues and has already lived two years longer than expected. But I’m wondering if there are grooming brushes that are more like a massage than just for utility (I use a little comb and a furminator, but neither seems to feel “good” to him). I’m also getting him more toys to try to keep him interested, but if you can think of anything else I’d appreciate any advice! Are there toys that we can do together to give him more interaction? I have puzzle toys, throwing toys, digging toys, and things like that but I’m not sure if he feels that I’m playing with him or more just next to him.


      • jerseybunnies
        Participant
        47 posts Send Private Message

          Good  morning!

          I’ve never had a bonded pair of rabbits together so this is going to be just my loose suggestions — but would it maybe help to get him like a blanket or perhaps a stuffed animal that he can sit by or groom? ((Just only offer it to him when monitored so that he doesn’t ingest anything he isn’t supposed to.) I would suggest to keep doing what you’re doing — sit by him and comfort him a lot, continue offering play time so that he doesn’t only associate that with his brother, and keep acting like you were before his brother was lost. If you start acting differently, that could stress him out and lead to a larger and harder transition. He’s going to take some time to get used to things, as any living being would after a loss, so I would recommend treating him as normal and being there for him to comfort him through his hard time.

          To you:

          The hardest part of loving a pet is saying good-bye. 🙁

          I am so sorry to hear about your sweet bunny. He was truly loved and you gave him a lot of happiness throughout his wonderful life with you. It is so hard to lose a friend so fast, so suddenly and without a good reason — know he is in bunny heaven binkying around though!

          (((Hugs))) And remember:

          “Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened” — Dr. Seuss.

          I hope this transition won’t have you only focusing on your rabbit, but take time for yourself too.

          These are just my suggestions. Please seek an experienced veterinarian if you have medical needs / questions. Thank you! 


          • Neala
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            4 posts Send Private Message

              Thanks everyone!

              Jerseybunnies – thanks for the ideas! I didn’t want to get him a plush friend because he’s being a bit destructive right now but you’re right that he could at least have it while I supervise. He had a blanket that his brother used in his final days that Cinnabun seemed to love and get a lot of comfort from, but he seems to have entered the “destroy everything” phase of grieving and I don’t trust him with it unsupervised anymore.

              Ellie – that’s a great idea! I’ll see if he wants to just sit next to me and sleep. I hadn’t thought of it, but he always preferred to sleep pressed against his brother and he may really be missing that.

              Dana – That’s a great idea! I’m going to give him another week or two to see if he perks up on his own first. I’m not sure I could let another bunny go to another home. I’ve fostered other animals and did ok with the transition before, but since my two buns had medical needs my mama-lion came out with rabbits and I don’t know that I could let them go to a new home. We’ll just see. I stopped by my local rabbit shelter yesterday to pick him up some new toys and chews and it seemed to help him perk up for a minute, but we’ll just wait and see how he’s doing. If the grieving continues into May I’ll be looking at getting him a new bunny friend – either to bond or to just be neighbors with. For now, I think I’ll see about getting him maybe a puppet rabbit so I can really wiggle its face and “groom” him.


          • Ellie from The Netherlands
            Participant
            2512 posts Send Private Message

              That’s so sad :'( I’m sorry for the loss of your companion.

              There are some things you may do for Cinnabun that can help him with this difficult time. I work with touch, skin contact and massages a lot, and most rabbits I know find it very relaxing to be massaged. There are several websites and books about bunny massage, I hope that his condition allows massages.

              We have a solo rabbit who is getting old, and skin contact calms him down and allows him to sleep deeply. I make time for him so that he can sleep against me on the sofa, good moments are in the afternoon or late in the evening.

              He sits next to me against my leg, and I roll up my sleeves to give him skin contact. I put my left arm around him and gently wiggle it into his fur to get close to his skin. He finds it very comfortable, and when I put my right hand on his back he falls asleep. It’s very relaxing for both bunny and owner to let the rabbit sleep like this. Breintje sleeps longer and more deeply when he’s snuggled up like that. It’s very cute to see him twitch and shake while dreaming.


            • DanaNM
              Moderator
              8901 posts Send Private Message

                I’m very sorry for your loss. 🙁

                Rabbits cope with loss in different ways. It sounds like you are doing all the right things so far. Just spending extra time with him (even if you aren’t interacting that much) is one of the best things.

                You might consider getting a “stuffy” surrogate for Cinnabun. Some bunnies will snuggle and groom the stuffy, especially if you make the stuffy pretend to groom the bunny first. Just keep an eye out for chewing (in those cases you don’t want to leave the stuffy with the bun unattended).

                You also might consider fostering another bunny if that’s an option in your area. Even if you never bond them, newly single buns usually appreciate having a neighbor. I did this with Bun Jovi when he was widowed, and it really helped him to perk up again. It helped me too, as I felt like I could at least help some other bunnies while I was grieving.

                . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  


                • Neala
                  Participant
                  4 posts Send Private Message

                    I’m looking at getting Cinnabun a puppet “surrogate” for Cinnabun that he can use while supervised and I was wondering if you know if it needs to look like George? I found a good one that’s the right size and all, but it’s a lop eared rabbit, not “normal” rabbit ears like George had (not sure what to call non-lop eared rabbits). I’m thinking that a puppet may be the way to go so I can make it “groom” him a little more.


                • DanaNM
                  Moderator
                  8901 posts Send Private Message

                    It doesn’t need to look like him. 🙂 Bunnies don’t really know what they look like. It doesn’t actually even need to look like a rabbit necessarily, I’ve seen bunnies cuddling with stuffies of elephants, hedgehogs, teddies, etc. I think the size  and overall shape is more important.

                    . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  


                    • Neala
                      Participant
                      4 posts Send Private Message

                        Thank you so much! I ordered him a puppet so we’ll see how he likes it. For now, I found him an old teddy bear he can use. I just noticed your profile pic – your buns look just like mine! George, the one I lost, was exactly like your brown one, and Cinnabun looks like the tan/white one.


                    • DanaNM
                      Moderator
                      8901 posts Send Private Message

                        Awwww, I hope he likes it. 🙂  Both of the bunnies in my avatar have actually passed away, they were bonded for about 6 years if I remember correctly. The little brown one was named Bunston, and the white and tan one was Bertha, she was about 3 times Bunston’s size. <3  Bertha was actually widowed twice. The first time with Bunston, then I eventually rebonded her with Moose (after a failed bond attempt with another bunny), who passed away very suddenly after only about 6 months, then she was rebonded her with Bun Jovi, and they were very happy together for I think about 2 years until Bertha passed of old age in Dec 2019. I think I did the surrogate thing after her second loss with Moose, I can’t remember if I tried it after Bunston. I think she did like it? It at least made me worry a bit less about her. 🙂

                        Cinnabun is an amazing bunny name, btw!

                        . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

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                    Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Newly Single Bunny Depressed