Bunny deaths, harder to deal with than normal pets?

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BSAR

BSAR

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I was just thinking about if rabbit owners are more attached to their rabbits than other animals, andif their deaths are harder to deal with because of the fact that they are bunnies, they can grow to be a bit more affectionate than most animals, they are so cute and furry! So what do you think? If you have ever lost pets was losong the bunny seemingly harder?

Amanda
 
For the one bunny I lost, yes it was really hard because she was so young, about 3.5 years. Rabbits are so fragile and I see a lot more younger rabbits die than younger cats, dogs, horses, etc. But while I may obsess over my rabbits more, I still adore my kitties, my parents kitties, my friends' dogs... I even cried when one of my friend's older dogs had a mysterious health problem that may have been a stroke. She lived, but I was so upset because she was the dog that made me actually start to trust dogs.

I still get really sad whenever I see a cat that looks like my childhood cat who died two years ago. He was old, and not really "mine" any more because I wasn't living at home, but he had also been with me for literally overhalf of my life. He was my furry brother.
 
I haven't had a pet die since my heart rat, Fayl, had to be helped to "rattie heaven" in Nov. 2006....but that was so hard on me. I still miss her every day.

My heart dog, Willie, a beagle....died of lime disease....that hit hard.

My three bunnies from my childhood passed on many years ago, but I still think a lot about them.


I do know, though, when any of my current rats or rabbits pass....I will be a massive wreck....I mean.....massive wreck.


Ugh, I hate to think about it!
 
I think losing anyone (human or animal) that you love is the most difficult thing to endure.

My boyfriend lost his ten year old golden retriever, who was truly his best friend and the sweetest, most gentle dog, last year and he is still in a lot of pain over his passing.

I have been so lucky so far that all of mine have been healthy. Basil will be eight this year and it literally chokes me up to even think about not having him here to snuggle in bed with me everynight.

But I dont think its species specific- I think anytime you love a personoranimalits heartbreaking to lose them.




 
I agree - I don't think it would depend on the species.

There have been some pets that I was closer to than others, but I'm always very sad when one of them passes.
 
I also don't think bunny deaths are necessarily harder to deal with... It just depends on what relationships you have with your pets. My first rabbit's death was definitely the hardest pet death to handle, even more than when two of my cockatiels died. But all my other pets have been little guys like hamsters, rats, fish and hermit crabs. That being said, I absolutely dread my bunnies dying- they're SO fragile and it always sends me into a tizzy when one of the bunnies on this forum die. Rory just turned 1 and Tallulah and Mattie aren't even 6 months old yet, but I really worry about them dying. It seems like so many bunnies die suddenly and at a young age.
 
I just replied to this and my computer crashed. :X

I too think that it is down to the relationship you have with some bun/animal/person as to how hard it is to lose them and grieve for them.

Short but sweet, lol.
 
I'm not sure really - I think it depends on the individual animal and not its species. When Ruby diedit was the single most painful experience of my life. I cried forabout3 months straightand I still cry now.:( And yet as much as I miss and love her, I know that there are others out there who mean more to me. I seriously am terrified of losing my cat Ollie as he is my heart animal and I can say, hand on heart, I love him on the same level that I love my brother and sister. I don't know how I will survive it when he dies.:(

These animals do cause us a lot of heart ache don't they?:sigh:
 
Same here. Having lost a part of your family is extremely painful, human or animal alike. When I lost my first bunny, Pepe, my father was in the ICU of a hospital, recovering from a major cancer operation, with a lot of chances that he wouldn't make it (thank God, he did and he's with us today). However, I cried and cried my eyes out for Pepe's passing, though I knew, at the same time, that I could lose my dad too at that time. So, love is not rational and does not make species' related exceptions.

Marietta
 
I've lost a large number of rabbits (because I'm a breeder and have a large number of rabbits)....but they haven't all been "hard" to deal with. Some were harder than others - and some I still think of often.

But certain deaths were very much harder for me.

For instance - after GingerSpice took ill - I spent probably 2-4 hours per day with her - feeding her - giving her butt baths - cuddling her (she was never a cuddler before she got ill) - even changing my clothes after she peed on me yet once again.... When I participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) - she spent her days on my desk in her "recliner" (a basket) ....with me the whole time I wrote the novel. If I moved from one room to another - she went with me.

Losing her was the hardest loss I'd ever had....at that point.

Losing Tiny was devastating. I spent literally more time with him than my family because he laid at my feet many hours during the day when I'm in my office. After I moved my office into his room in October - we were together a minimum of probably 12 hours per day most days - and some days closer to 16 hours. I'd walk in the morning and sit on the floor and snuggle with him. If he heard me start to get upset - he'd give me kisses.

There were many days when I saw him more than I saw Art or Robin...and at times - I even talked to him more than them.....for I'd sit on the floor and talk to him.

That is why I took his death so hard - there were times I'd walk in the office and turn around and just walk back out....it felt so "empty" to me.

Yet - if he were a cat - or a dog - I'd still feel the same way. It wasn't because of the type of animal he was - it was because of WHO he was...

I hope that helps.


 
TinysMom wrote: It wasn't because of the type of animal he was - it was because of WHO he was...

That is so cool and sweet! I have never really thought of it in that way. That is just very sweet Tinysmom!



 
I posted pictures of Peg and my Goldendoodles Emma and Nelly in my blog. Sarah wasn't on there as I have no digital photos of her.

Sarah was our first dog, a black lab. She was born in February of 1987, I was born in March. We grew up together. She used to sleep in my bed with me, she protected me. I named my stuffed animal I still cherish after her. She got sick when I was 10, right before Christmas. I made her an angel and we put it on the tree. She lived through Christmas. Right after her 11th birthday, my parents came up to NC and I was at a babysitters. She had been sicker and sicker recently and she died while we were gone(supposedly on her own, but our vet was a GREAT friend of my fathers and he may have put her down for us and not told us so we wouldn't have to feel the pain of that decision, we're not sure). It was horribly hard, but I think it was easier because we were all gone.

Not long after we got Peg, an Irish Wolfhound. We were going to wait, but not having a dog was so hard on us. Peg was a gangly BIG thing when we got her. She was the runt, but it didn't stop her from becoming 180 lbs, :) She got sick when I was 17. Her legs swelled and we couldn't find out what was wrong with her. We did every test we could, but nobody could tell us what was wrong. She was fine getting up and everything though, so we wrapped her legs and let her be. Then the swelling started to spread. When it got to her chest, we knew what we had to do. She was a big dog, and there was no way we could take her to the vet if she suddenly started choking. At 1PM while I was at school, my parents had the vet come to our house and give her the shot. Then they had her carried down to the garden where she was buried. They put an angel statue up and flowers all over. I cried telling the story. I miss her so much. She was like a sister. I'm an only child and she truly was a part of our family like that. We were all so devestated. My dad cried for a long time. He never cries. EVER. He still cries when we talk about her.

Is losing a rabbit harder than losing other animals? No. It's always hard to lose a loved one, and that's what animals are, loved ones. So as long as we keep loving animals and they unfortunately don't have our lifespans, we'll keep on crying over them and missing them.

But it's like so many people talk about, animals enrich our lives, so we keep on taking them in only to know we'll lose them.

My bunnies are all under a year. I'm 21. I'll probably be around 30 when I lose them(hopefully). I try not to think about that part and to cherish what little brats they are now, and to cherish it when they cuddle with me and aren't being brats.

My mother is 56 and my dad is about to be 58. We got Nelly and Emma 3 years ago after we lost Peg. They're technically mutts, so they're supposed to live longer, 15-18 years. I think my parents are hoping they won't outlive these two, but I'm sure they will. But they got them anyway. Because it's hard to not have the love of an animal when you're used to it.

Sorry if I rambled, but this topic made me think about a lot of memories I haven't had in awhile.
 
I think that they CAN be harder to deal with, and here's why: They're fragile and their care is still somewhat mysterious. My experience is that veterinary knowledge about cats/dogs is muchmore advanced and easier to obtain. If you lose a cat/dog, you often know why, how, and even knew that it was coming before it happened so that you were prepared. Medical decisions are a little easier with a cat or dog, because anesthesia is less risky, so you might opt for a procedure that you'd be scared to do for your rabbit. And then whichever decision you make, you are left questioning whether it was the right decision. With the 3 cats I lost growing up, they were old (or at least old for their breed) and it had already become clear that death was inevitable. I was devastated, but more prepared. With my rabbit, he was at the vet, was getting over stasis and had started pooping again, then died suddenly on the day that I was supposed to bring him home. I have never experienced such pain before in my life - wailing, throwing myself on the floor, unable to eat, not knowing how I could go on without him.I'm crying now just thinking about it.
 
It wasn't because of the type of animal he was - it was because of WHO he was...
Click to expand...

Ditto on that sentiment. When I lost Raph it was incredibly difficult...I felt that one of my closest soulmates had left, and the emotional letting go was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I also know that if I were to lose my dog, I'd be absolutely lost. She goes everywhere with me, and we've been together for 10 years now. The feelings of loss would be different for Kaya than they were for Raph simply because they both have affected me in different ways, but the depth of pain would still be enormous.

Doesn't matter if it's a dog, cat, horse, human, rabbit, mouse...if the connection with that soul is great - if the love is great - the pain will be just as great.
 
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