I don't think I can do rabbits anymore

[LedaHartwood]

Ever since I lost Crusoe, I've been feeling 'blah'. Feeding the bunnies is a task that I proform, and letting them have their 'free time' nearly a duty. I don't think it helps that I'm still not over two other animal loses that I've dealt with over the last year and a half.

The breeders in the forum must be stronger, as they risk losing a bunny kit when they have litters. Not saying that it just rolls off their shoulders, but that they've learned to grow another skin over their heart.

I've not been on RO for around two weeks now, and I'm not sure if I can go along. I've been thinking of adopting out so of the bunnies. It's not fair to them to be in a house with one person that gone alot (Curtis) and another that can't give them the emotion and love they deserve.

Is there something I can do? I love my bunners very much, but want the to not have to suffer because of my problems.

Any advise?

 

[Flashy]

I really, really relate to you and what you say.

Do you think maybe getting some help for your mental well being might be a good start? Rehoming your buns as a knee jerk reaction from grief will probably be something that you really regret in the future. It may be that when you have dealt with your bereavements a bit more, that you will know if your heart of hearts it is right to rehome them or keep them.

I would be more inclined for the bunnies sake to say that they can thrive in a variety of environments, and if they are clean, fed, watered and in appropriate cage sizes, that is a lot more than they will get elsewhere. HOWEVER, I also appreciate that sometimes we just know it's right.

I would urge you to get some help to deal with your bereavements first though, because maybe you might want to keep them as you work through your grief.

 

[Maureen Las]

I have lost 2 buns this year and have another one with medical issues that have caused a lot of stress.
I know how you feel but to be honest ..if your buns stay well for awhile you will probably get over your feelings and to be honest ..even if you are not emotionally as involved withthem right now as you would like ;they most likely still have a good home with you and good care.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

PM Tiny'sMom. She knows a lot about this, as does Flashy.

:biggrin2:Whoops! The folks who know are so fast!

 

[Faith.Dungy]

I'm so sorry to hear about your losses. Sounds to me like you are going through a grieving process. Usually when a person is grieving normal activities that were once enjoyable no longer are. I say give yourself sometime. If you give away your bunnies now you may regret it later. I say as long as you are able to give them the basic care they will be fine.

Find some sort of bereavement counseling, I do believe if you do a search or someone here may know of one, but there are support groups for those who have lost pets. This may be of a help to you.

I hope this of some sort of help to you. Feel free to PM me if you need to someone to talk to or rant or cry with.

 

[TinysMom]

LedaHartwood wrote:

Ever since I lost Crusoe, I've been feeling 'blah'. Feeding the bunnies is a task that I proform, and letting them have their 'free time' nearly a duty. I don't think it helps that I'm still not over two other animal loses that I've dealt with over the last year and a half.

The breeders in the forum must be stronger, as they risk losing a bunny kit when they have litters. Not saying that it just rolls off their shoulders, but that they've learned to grow another skin over their heart.

I've not been on RO for around two weeks now, and I'm not sure if I can go along. I've been thinking of adopting out so of the bunnies. It's not fair to them to be in a house with one person that gone alot (Curtis) and another that can't give them the emotion and love they deserve.

Is there something I can do? I love my bunners very much, but want the to not have to suffer because of my problems.

Any advise?

Oh wow - can I ever identify with your feelings. I've lost so many rabbits over the last two years - and some that were truly "heart bunnies". At times - I didn't know if I could go on.

I tried to do a search about Crusoe - can you share with me when/how you lost him? I can't find how long its been or how you lost him, etc.

I think when we go through a lot of losses - our emotions really go crazy on us. I find that either I shut down emotionally and can't feel an attachment to my rabbits - OR - I get depressed.

I guess that what I'm trying to say is - what you're feeling is normal and it may take some time for the emotions to come back. I wouldn't rehome your rabbits at this time - it sounds like they're doing fine in spite of the way you are feeling.

I'd wait at least a couple of months and really think things through. You may find that in time - you will start enjoying them again and it will help you through your grief.

I'm sorry for your losses though and I'm sorry that you feel this way.

 

[LedaHartwood]

Crusoe and her siblings can be found in my bunny blog 'five bunny butts'

Crusoe was on of five surviving kits that my adopted doe gave birth to. Crusoe was found dead shortly after another one of her sister, Grey, had passed away on Thanksgiving morning.

Crusoe was my heart, and adventure. Her full name was Crusoe Jones. Jones after watching all the Indiana Jones movies over a two day period. I often had little images of her swinging on a rope or jungle vine, with a small brown hat, and bull whip at her side. Even when she was blind as a kit, she was first to hop around, and explor her world. Her need to explore was doubled after opening her eyes at two weeks. I really wish I had loads of photos of her, but I only have a few.

On top of that all, I'm still not over two dogs I lost over a year and half period.

What I usually do, when the animal has a big impact on my life. After they've died, i find a song that reminds me of them. When I can listen to the song and not cry, I seek out another animal that looks like the one I've lost, and I say 'good bye'. I wasn't abvle to complete that for the two dogs, and then Crusoe happened. It's like I have a back-up, or blockage.

 

[DyemondRabbitry]

Trust me, this year has been a hard one for animals. The only rabbit I lost was Sacajawea. She was a red New Zealand doe and 6 years old. She was out of my first red litter ever- her parents were Geronimo and Pocahontas (it took me six months to find this pair). "Sac" was always a winner on the table, most loving rabbit, and her babies were always like her- winners and lovers. It's hard to get a Grand Champion red... especially when I always had her breeding about two litters a year and she was a grand. Anyhow, I lost her this year.

My second loss was my 16 year old Yellow English Lab- Chad. I had him for the last 13 years of his life and we did everything together. He always went with me on the 4-wheeler, followed the horses and did my chores with me every day. What was worse is that when I lost him he was seizing uncontrollably and you could tell he just wanted to go but was waiting for me so he could say goodbye. O my, I thought I was over this but now I'm crying again.

Anyhow, breeders may develop a "skin over their heart" but it still hurts every time we lose one animal. All I can say is that you need your time. Just give it more.

 

[LedaHartwood]

Thanks to everyone that's been posting in here.

I guess it will take time, I figured it would. But I just guess I'm so worried about how the other bunnies are. I've had dreams that my new puppy is dead, and when I go to take him out of his kennel, of course he's okay. I'm also afraid to go into the bunny room. I'm afraid that I'll find a bunny dead.

The only scare I've had was when I came home to find that my cat had killed my new baby hamster, that had come home the afternoon before. That was of course a week ago, but that's when I started really having probelms. I suppose I'm just fragile right now.

I really do need to talk to someone huh?

Again, thank you all. :kiss:

 

[DyemondRabbitry]

Talking really helps- I cried to my husband even months after my dog died. It was really bad because he was living with my parents because we'd just gotten married and I did have an Australian Cattle Dog who I absolutely loved. Chad passed just after my in-laws forced me to send the cattle dog to my parents are the FIL said he was going to kill her... I still haven't forgiven him and I miss my dogs.

 

[Flashy]

It's natural that things will be harder when you have gone through so much. Having someone to talk to, to help you through your grief, can be so valuable because they can help you move past the pain and get back the happy memories of those pets. No, that's not as good as having the actual animal, but definitely no where near as bad as you are feeling now.

If right now you can't find someone to talk to, or want to wait until after Christmas, then maybw try writing out, everything in your head, whenever you feel the need, be it every hour, every day, or whenever. Maybe also try drawing, painting, writing letters, etc. Grief is a B*****D, but you can come out the other side.

 

[twich]

I'm sorry that you're going through such rough times right now, but I do have to say everyone has given you some great advice on here.. I'd definitely try to see if there's something else that will help you feel better before rehoming your babies, but in the end, if you still feel it's the best, then at least you can say you've tried everything else first.

 

[undergunfire]

LedaHartwood wrote:

I'm also afraid to go into the bunny room. I'm afraid that I'll find a bunny dead.

I have this same issue, but with my rats because rats can get sick/die with little to no warning sometimes. I eventually have to be stronger because I know rats make my life happy and I know that if they pass, I gave them a better life than they would have ever had elsewhere.

 

[BSAR]

I'm sorry you're feeling this way. Hopefully you will start to feel better and will enjoy letting them have free time again and enjoy having their presence.

 

[irishlops]

i only found this thread, and have not read to the bottom, but...

i lost my first rabbit and first pet in october. i still grieve but i have not got over it. he died slowly over 2 weeks. he seemed to get better, but then......

but the points is, i thought i could not keep rabbits... that i should give caramel away,... ut i got her other brother and this has helpped me.

i thought about giving her away... but then , we had been through the grief, a brother and a pet, passed away. then i saw i could.

i know you can to.

 

[serenz]

I really know how you feel. Recently, my bf and I found a kitten lying in the middle of a busy road. The road and kitten were both black. It was fate. Immediately I told my bf that I'm going to bottle feed it till he's stable enough to be adopted.

We fed him almost every 4 hrs(we both have days jobs, it was hell).. watch him walk steadly.. his both eyes open.. to growing of his teeth.. Bf called me 5 dec in the morning that baby died. I had 2 meetings in the morning and I had to hold my tears back. I bawled when got back to the office. Just 2 days before his new mummy brought him to see the vet cuz I think he's slightly bloated but vet said that there'sno bloat medication for kittens. What nonsense.I don't know what other medication the vet gave them. He refused to eat the very next day and died the next day. I'm pissed and heart broken.:bigtears:

I've just posted some of his pics to this site. Stages of him growing up..

http://serenz.multiply.com/photos/album/16/R.I.P_my_baby

My bf consoles me telling me that at least he met us. He had a good life.

Brace yourself, I know it's tough but there are others that needs your love also...

SorryI kinda stole your post...

 

[purplepeacock]

I think that if you adopted out your bunnies that you would regret it in the future. It sounds like you're depressed. and when people are going thru depression they loose interest in things that are important to them. why don't you go to your family doctor and talk with them. you've been thru a lot of loss this year and i hate to say it but the holiday season actually doesn't help depression. If you were before just "in a funk" (mild or slight depressed state) the holiday season and alll the stress can make it worse where you feel you can't cope. before doing anything rash i think you should talk to your doctor. two mild meds they can prescribe in VERY low doses is zoloft or effexor. and neither one will make you gain weight. you won't feel "high" on them.....in other words you're not going to feel exaulted but you feel that you can get thru the day. you don't feel like you're living in saddness. and eventually you're body just gets back into balance and you won't need the med anymore. i take zoloft myself. i dont' know how it is getting off of it b/c i'm still taking it. but twice in the past i was put on effexor and it helped a lot. both times i stopped taking it only b/c once i felt better i'd forget to take it then i'd realize it was a week or more since i had taken it and by then the levels of med was out of my system so i didn't need it anymore and i was fine. dont' be afraid to get help if you need it. i know some people have a lot of negative feelings on depression and meds but if there is something that can help you whether it's counseling or meds or yoga therapy then go for it. never be ashamed of taking care of yourself.

 

[Boz]

LedaHartwood wrote

I'm also afraid to go into the bunny room. I'm afraid that I'll find a bunny dead.

I can totally relate to that. When I lost TicTac I went and looked around the corner (she had been to the vet the day before) and saw her laying there. I didn't even go all the way to see if she was just resting. I just ran and told my dad to look. But now that still sticks with me. I worry about finding one of my bunnies dead when I go by them.