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[FuzzButtLover]

Hi everyone!
I haven't been on in a very long time but I need some help / advice.

We lost our Molly yesterday - probable eye abscess. When I went in to give them their breakfast, I noticed Molly wasn't acting quite right. I picked her up and noticed her eye was bulging. Emailed the vet, went and bought pen-g, and then went to the shelter for our friend to help me administer it (had never done it before). Not even 2 minutes after we got to the shelter, Molly seized and passed away. Mikey was with her the whole time.

Mikey is a very good husband. To be perfectly honest, when we decided to find Molly a partner, we let her do the picking. I never felt a strong connection with him because he had a bit of an attitude towards us (thumping, charging, grunting) but he adored Molly so we always just let him do his thing. He has never been very social with us and always stayed in their room while Molly ran around the house. Now that Molly is gone, we don't know what do to.

My husband does not want to get another rabbit right now. Molly was his 1st bunny (my 4th) and he adored her. I don't think Mikey will do well without another partner. I think he's still waiting for Molly to come back. We let him have as much time with her as he needed before we buried her. Last night he only ate half of his greens and pellets like he was only eating his portion and saving the rest for her.

I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better for him to find another partner with another bun and family. I feel horrible toying with the idea of rehoming him, but I want him to be happy. I know that our emotions are still raw, and that my husband may change his mind, but I don't want Mikey to be sad and depressed until that happens, if it even does.

If you made it through my ramble, thank you. Please, don't flame me for what I'm tossing around and need advice on. Like I said, we have never rehomed a furbaby and I'm not taking it lightly.

Molly is on the left - she was a stray I found outside, Mikey is on the right - he was adopted from the shelter I volunteer at

 

[Aki]

I'm sorry for your loss. It's awful everytime, no matter how many animals we lost in the past :/
No one can flame you for thinking about what's best for your rabbit and I completely understand your concerns.
That's the problem when we have 2 rabbits. I lost Aki's husbunny last year and she was so incredibly distraught that I immediately knew I would have to look for a new companion for her (she was never settling down anymore, would jump on my knees continuously whereas she is normally a pretty aloof and independant rabbit, and noises, vet trips... everything was sending her in a panick). I left her on her own for a month because I was worried she might reject a new companion if I didn't leave her enough time to grieve.
The new rabbit helped a lot, even if it's obvious she doesn't love him as much as she did the first one (I like to think he was her bunny soul mate, he was the nicest rabbit).
I really don't know what I'll do the next time it happens. I am not sure if I can stand the heartbreak of owning new rabbits, considering rabbits are fragile creatures who can die very unexpectedly and that finding good vets/petsitters/ taking them to holiday (which I always do) is HARD. But at the same time, I wouldn't feel right making one of my rabbits, who are used to live with a partner, living on their own. Especially Husbunny N°2 who is only 1 year old.
I don't know. I think it will depends on the age of the last rabbit standing. If the rabbit is young, I will probably take a rabbit again, but a bun around the same age from a shelter. If my remaining rabbit is like 10 years old (which I hope will be the case!) then I probably will let them finish their life as a single rabbit.
I think you have to give your rabbit a little time to adjust and try and see if he looks like he can be happy on his own or not. It can take a while for them to accept the death of their friends. I knew a rabbit who, after the death of his partner, spent a whole month hiding and not letting anyone touch him (he cried out when someone touched him) whereas he was a friendly rabbit before. He got better after a while.

 

[Blue eyes]

I think you have to give your rabbit a little time to adjust and try and see if he looks like he can be happy on his own or not. It can take a while for them to accept the death of their friends.
.

:yeahthat:

Molly was absolutely beautiful! So sorry.

Does the shelter where you volunteer have more rabbits? Is it a rabbit rescue. Perhaps, one option would be to pair him at the shelter with another bun so they could be adopted out as a bonded pair -- by whomever is looking for a bonded pair.