found my bunny dead!

When I went out to take care and plug in the heat lamp for my 3 outdoor minilops, i found one dead!It had been 60 degrees 2 days ago and this morning it was only 13 degrees. The other two seem fine and my 5 indoor rabbits are fine so far also. I am in shock and while trying to figure out why and worrying about the other ones, i found a couple pieces of what looks like moldy pellets in the food dish. This may have been the cause, but is there anything i should do other than wash all the dishes and food from a fresh bag? I sure don't want this to happen to the others! Thanks in advance..tears..

i am so sorry for your loss. it is so horrible to experience such a shock and not know why this has happened.

I think that washing everything (and starting a fresh bag of food) is a sensible precaution. Perhaps even wash and disinfect the outdoorpen and step up anygerm control methods such as thoroughly washing your hands between dealing withthe outdoor buns and your house-rabbits.This is precautionary advice though. It is entirely probable (as the other two outdoor buns seem ok) that your rabbit died because of a health problem that you couldn't have known about or perhaps was just not as hardy as the others.

Another thing you could do (just in case) to prevent the spread of any infection is to make sure that any feed bowls, water bottles etcremain seperate and are not swapped or mixed up. The cooler weather will make it lesseasy for most germs or infections to spread.

Again, I am sorry this has happened xx

awww! that's:sosad , especially when it's unexpected... I had that happen with a chicken. She was fine, and then she was gone... Bug hugs to you and your furries (and family!) :hug1
:heart::rainbows)he'll be waiting at the rainbow bridge for you! :rainbow::heart:

Thank you both so very much for caring...again...tears...

It is sooo cold out, 13 again tonight. I am contemplating bringing the other two inside. They would be separate from the indoor buns, which are in my large laundry room. I would put them in my daughters room.

What do you think about this..good idea or bad... I just feel so bad, haven't told my daughter yet.. thanks again for your much appreciated posts.

Tatum

:bigtears:
Tatum I'm so sorry. It could be the food, but I'm also wondering about the temperature change. It could have shocked her since it was so big and fast.

Buck will take care of her for you at the Bridge.
:rainbow:

Tatum,

I've talked to some other breeders about this today - and I would be hesitant to say that it is the food. I tend to think that it might have something to do with the sudden change in weather. Let me explain why I say this:

When other breeders and I had problems with food - we saw a problem but couldn't quite diagnose it - and it affected ALL of our rabbits. It wasn't sudden - I mean - they didn't die overnight. We saw them going downhill but couldn't quite figure it out at first.

Secondly - and I may have PM'd you about this - I forget....but did you dump the pellets everyday if there were leftovers in the food container? If not, it is possible that those pellets got moldy if they wee left there for a couple of days....especially if you have high humidity in your area.

I'm not saying it wasn't the food - but it doesn't sound like the same thing others and I have experienced when we had food problems.....especially when you consider the sudden drop in temperature.

Here are some more questions - I probably should know them but we have SO MANY rabbits discussed on this board...

How old was your rabbit? Did it have any other health issues? Was it used to living outside?

Anyway, I'm so sorry for your loss. No matter why a person loses a rabbit - its always hard to deal with it. Take care of those other bunnies and give them an extra hug for me the next time you deal with them!

Peg

Naturestee, You are a dear, I didn't realize how much it would mean to have other caring bunny lovers write a post when you've lost a friend.

Do you really think it could have been the cold? It went from 60 one dayto about 44 the next day..I think, then was 13 the next morning. Wouldn't something else have to be wrong. You didn't mean too but now I feel reallly bad that i could have helped this. (more tears).. Thank you so much for caring and sharing.. They do have a heated waterbowl and now a heatlamp

Do you think I should bring the other two in and keep them in my daughters room..away from the others that are in the laundry room in ex-pens? I am debating and struggling weather to bring them in or leave them out. Again thanks to you both! Tatum

Peg, Thank you from the bottom of my broken heart! The fact that you cared enough to check with other breeders means so much!

First, no I do not dump the pellets, but I always make sure they are dry before adding more. Secondly, I went and checked the bag, which was almost empty, and found a few in there that looked like they could be moldy, but just a few.

Next, they were only 2 1/2 years old with no previous problems at least not that I knew of, they were plump and very furry. They were raised in the house and acclimated to the outdoors starting when the weather was warm enough in the spring. They do, however come in when it is hot outside; between 88 and 90 degrees and stay in, in the air conditioning until is cool enough to go back out.

Now I am really feeling quilty that i should have put the heat lamp out last night, but i really didn't know it was going to get THAT cold! Again thanks to all whom are taking the time to let me know you care! This is a wonderful site to be a part of! Tatum

Ok - well if you found more in the bag - then yes - definitely change bags! How long does it take you to go through a bag of food? Some folks like to freeze their food in ziplock bags if they won't go through a bag quickly. Me? As a breeder - I go through a 50 pound bag every 3 - 3 1/2 days. I also add other supplements to my food too....so you can tell my food bill is high!

I'm so sorry about your loss - but don't beat yourself up over it. It hurts to lose a rabbit - but when you beat yourself up - it hurts even worse (guess how I know?).

I'm sure your rabbit had a very happy life with you....maybe in time the memories will bring you comfort...

Peg

I would say I go through a 50# bag in about 5 weeks? I never calculate so it's approximate.

Well I told my daughter when she came home after babysitting. Woke my husband up, as her and I were both in tears. She is ok now, I was so worried about my other two after that, they sure looked fine ( I can see them through the plexiglass), they were doing who knows what out there, but they were scampering around and seemed just fine. I could see what they were doing because of the heat lamp.

I ended up bringing them in, Sarah was loving up on Gracie last time I went to check on her. She has her heat vent closed, but I'm sure it's probably still a bit warm in there. She had it closed anyways so she will be fine. Thanks again for all your comfort and kind words. The funny thing is, is that Sarah asked just this week or last to bring them in her room and I said no! Geez........no more words....

What kind do you raise? I have the 2 minilops left, a Himi, a Netherland dwarf, and 3 Holland lops.

Tatum

Tatum wrote:

What kind do you raise? I have the 2 minilops left, a Himi, a Netherland dwarf, and 3 Holland lops.

Tatum

Click to expand...

I breed lionheads - I also have a flemish giant (Tiny), two Netherland Dwarfs (Tio & Kyo), a french lop (Beatrice), a Holland Lop (Puck), a New Zealand Mix (Jenny), 2 mini lops I'm trying to rehome for another breeder (Hub and Pepper) and um...I think thats it.

If it takes you 5 weeks to go through 50 pounds - I think I'd consider putting some of it in ziplock bags and freezing it if you have the space.

Peg

P.S. I keep my blogs in the bunny blog area - I have two - Tiny's Tall Texan Tales for our pets and Peg's Lionhead Thread for my lionheads...

I'm very sorry for your loss. I think the cause were the pellets. If pellets are left in a damp area for a long time, fungusaccumulates because of the moist. At least that's what my vet told me.

Oh, those lionheads are so cute! I have only seen pitures of them. it sounds like they are becoming quite popular. No, most times we don't have room in either our fridge or freezer; seems like something is always falling out when we open the door..

Gracie and Hopi seem fine yet. My bet is maybe something else was wrong with with him and I just didn't know it yet. It is true that the outdoor buns don't get the attention that the indoor ones do. It was 4 degees last night so it was comforting to know that all my four legged friends are inside. Guess you wouldn't have a problem with cold temps in Texas. Tatum

Tatum sorry to here about your bunny. I really don't think the cold weatherwill hurtyour rabbit. 16 is warm here and i have had no problem with my rabbits even when it gets -16 as long as they can get out of the wind they will do just fine in extremely cold weather. Some times rabbits just up and die for no good reason and with no warning. I don't think there was any thing you could have done.

Oh no. I'm so sorry. :sad:

Thanks for the new posts. Yes they are out of the wind, must have been something else wrong with him. The remaining two have been doing binkies in my daughters room. It's funny to see two 7lb. rabbits doing such slow but adorable binkies. They both seem fine

How long should they be quarantined from my other house rabbits; i was thinking 2 weeks. Thanks! Tatum

Good luck with your babies I wish you the best dear .:rabbithop