Scared to get another rabbit, advice?

[Scoutbun]

 I recently lost my 5 month old bunny during his neuter. It was absolutely heartbreaking and entirely unexpected. Initially I thought I probably wouldn’t get another rabbit because of how fragile they are, but I absolutely love rabbits and think they are amazing animals/pets. I was wondering if anyone could comment on the fragility of rabbits. I hear horror stories of bunnies who suddenly die with no warning or reason. I am terrified of getting another bunny just to have him/her pass away for no reason. Is this a very common thing with bunnies or is it a generally rare occurence. Also, is there any breed or type of bunny that may be more “hardy” or less prone to sudden death?

Thank you! 

[LBJ10]

Sometimes bunnies die for no apparent reason. Many times it is because of some congenital defect that we would have no way of knowing about. Are bunnies fragile though? I don’t think they necessarily are. Special care should be taken, of course. But bunnies can live to be 10 years or more when properly cared for. What happened to your rabbit should not deter you from getting another one. Death during a neuter isn’t very common, so something had to be wrong with him that you could not see. Have you considered adopting? They usually come pre-spayed/neutered.

[Beka27]

I’m so sorry that you had to go through that. That is heart breaking… Fortunately, it is rare for that to happen. We recently had a member who lost her bun during a neuter and there really is no (visible) rhyme or reason. Sadly, sometimes these things happen. I don’t know of any breed that is more “hardy” than another. Some are more prone to health issues (lops, lionheads, dwarves, giants), but they can all develop digestive issues, infections, EC, etc…

I assume if you do choose to get another, you will look at adopting a rabbit that has already been spay/neutered. That’s one less thing you need to worry about. This surprises people: rabbit rescues usually have the healthiest rabbits. Breeders don’t always nip illnesses in the bud, and pet stores are disease-filled with so many buns coming in and out all the time.

So, basically I would look for a bun at a rescue where he/she has been vet-checked thoroughly. Don’t go anywhere where the focus is on “selling a bunny” b/c they’ll tell you whatever you want to hear.

[mia]

Not only do rescues/shelters/humane societies pets go through a check up, but adopting often lets you have your first vet check for free. Some will even help you with care if issues come up during that first checkup and smaller places will often help you with advice throughout the life of your pet. If you adopt an older bun, they are at least “hardy” enough for early on-set diseases, spayed/neutered, and litter trained. The only drawback is you won’t necessary know their background and sometimes, not even their age.

[Stickerbunny]

Any animal can be lost during surgery, it is a risk we take when we put them under. It is extremely rare though. With an experience bunny vet I believe I read the rates are around 1-2%. I am sorry you lost yours. Unfortunately sometimes there are things the vet cannot predict and it does happen.

Many of the stories of rabbits dying for “no reason” that people tell end up being, sadly, with reason. My mom is one of those people that tells people how rabbits are so fragile and will die on you out of the blue. But, she brought feed store bunnies into a home with lots of barking dogs. Her “no reason” is they were literally frightened to death. There are some buns that have birth defects that we can’t tell they have, heart issues, seizures, etc. But, they are not extremely common. Rabbits as a prey species can be a bit more fragile than the predator species of pets though.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m so sorry you had to go through such a sad situation. I can certainly understand your hesitation but I agree with what’s been said: it is a rare occurrence. I think you should take Beka’s advice and adopt a rabbit that is already spayed or neutered.

[Beka27]

If you adopt a bun who is already spay/neutered, of course there is no guarantee that he/she won’t ever need a surgical procedure in the (hopefully much, much later) future… but the good thing is that you will know that the bunny has successfully gone under and recovered at least once.

We recommend blood work for rabbits over 2 years old who will be going under anesthesia, and that will sometimes bring up things that might make the procedure more risky, but even that isn’t always 100%.

[tanlover14]

I have to agree with everyone about the rare occurences of this happening (with a rabbit-savvy vet). You obviously have a place in your heart for buns and I think another bun in your life may help you heal from the loss of your first.

As others have pointed out – they are obviously an animal that have special needs when it comes to diet and care but I don’t think this makes them fragile. As LBJ said, if diets and care are followed correctly a bun can live 10+ happy years!

I would also adopt since they come spayed/neutered with their first vet appointment taken care of. At my shelter/rescues I volunteer for the buns all come with their previous medical conditions since the day they’ve come into the shelter until the day they leave so you can visably see if the bun has been prone to resp. issues or digestive issues since admitted. Or if the bun had an initial issues upon intake. But it’s helpful. And reliable information.

[Jessie1990]

I lost my rabbit Korra during her spay a few months ago. My other female rabbit that had surgery the same day pulled through with no problems at all. The vet said that it could have been from some unknown condition. I have a male that is going to need neutered in the next couple months, and I am TERRIFIED to get it done. He grunts when he is super excited, but there are no other signs of maturity, although he does chew more. I want to bond him to my surviving female so I HAVE to get him neutered soon, but I’m considering just putting it off as long as possible. I am going to schedule his second checkup for the next week to confirm his sex, and make a neuter appointment… You are not alone in the being scared category.

[kcomstoc]

I’m so sorry this happened to you but i think it is a rare occurrence…..I didn’t know lops were more susceptible to illnesses

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