Bonded bunnies if one is PTS

[Anjelika]

We have a pair of bonded bunnies (sisters) who are 9 years old. We have had them for 8 years but it’s looking like one of them is quite unwell and we might have to make a painful decision this weekend.

I can see that all the advice is to get another rabbit but as our surviving rabbit would be 9, would the advice be the same? They are not indoor rabbits - they live in the shed and have the run of the garden during daylight hours.

Yes, the advice is still the same.

A single bunny, especially outdoors, will be very lonely. And cold in winter without a friend to buddy up with.

Ive had seven rabbits (not at the same time...!) and every single one, no matter how independent they have seemed, has been noticeably happier with a friend. And thats with them being house rabbits where they have human company.

When you take the poorly one to the vet, take her friend with her. That way you can show the surviving one the body of her friend so she understands that she's died.

Best of luck, it's a sad time.

Thanks and yes it’s very sad. They are such lovely girls.

My bunnies were 7 when one of them got sick and needed to be PTS. I didn't know that the other would live much longer but he made it to 11! I feel really bad looking back. He was incredibly lonely and would have nightmares. I wish I had got him a friend. I just didn't know he was going to live so long and didn't want to be in a leap-frog situation.

Thank you. I’m really hoping that some medicine might sort the poorly one out but we’re not holding out much hope. The well bunny hasn’t left her side all day.

What's wrong with her? Has she stopped eating? Because that's a medical emergency with buns.

She’s not eating very much and I think is struggling to clean herself round the back end. DH and I have just given her a bit of a bath (back end only) and will see how she is later. She is moving around more which is an improvement. Have just given her some Metocam as I think she has a touch of arthritis.

Poor baby. 😥If you have a syringe, like you might have for Calpol or whatever, you can blend up some pellets with hot water and syringe the mixture into her, just to keep her tummy ticking over for tonight.

Asking the obvious but have you taken her to the vets? If not then then you really must today (take her friend too). This is an emergency situation.