I think I am Leaving The Site

[pOker]

Although I am supposed to be an active Task Force Member and I love this site so much, I think I need a break..


I am the WORST rabbit mommy in the whole world..

Over the past few weeks I have been noticing Vegas is getting really skinny and that worries me alot.... I havent really checked him thoroughly because I thought that since he is molting, he isnt really getting skinny, he is just loosing his fluffy fur and its making him look less plump.. Well with everything being a mess lately--I havent really had time to really look at him and examine him like I usually do... So today, he was standing on his back legs getting ready for me to let him out..and thats when I realized I am the worst bunmother that has ever walked the earth..
Let me explain...;
I give my boys hay EVERYDAY, and care for them every single day the way I am supposed to--but we all slack off every now and then, and we dont let them out as long, or something silly like that... Well Vegas gets lots of hay each day, and he throws it all over the floor, around the cage, in his litter box and then poos on it.. and I didnt realize that he hadnt been eating it too much... Last time I did a thorough cage cleaning, and emptied the cage completely--I took out his chew toy, and I put it back--or so I thought I did.. Well I didnt--and I kept feeling like there was something missing but I couldnt get a grasp on it..

Here I am now, picking up every penny I find to scramble and raise over 200 dollars to get his teeth trimmed and get a vet check up.. How could I? I have been crying and crying, and I dont want to make myself look like the victim, or as if I am just searching for someone to tell me its okay--because thats not whatI am doing...
If anything I am looking for a slap in the head. No one seems to understand that my rabbits are just as important as a dog, or horse, or any animal like that..

I feel absolutely terrible..and money got very tight around here because Peter hasnt worked in awhile--and I used the rabbit savings to do a few things for them.. So now I am broke--and I may just have to put Vegas to sleep--and I dont want to do that..


-If you ever want to talk, or you have suggestions, or anything--please email me at

[email protected]
Just make sure you let me know who you are.
or text me at
845 803 6124

I usually dont answer phone calls--I always text..


Thanks for all the suppor ya'll have ever given me.. I am very very grateful that I found this site.

 

[TinysMom]

Hannah - I dropped you an email but I'm going to post some stuff here too for others who may need to know this at some other point in time.

He doesn't have to be put to sleep - at least not right now. You can get him stronger by making him a "pellet slurry" where you soak his pellets for a bit so they are softer and he can put on weight. You can also give him some canned pumpkin which has both fiber and fluids and is good for him. I often give a bit of extra oatmeal flakes to the rabbits that might need to put on a bit of weight.

And finally - as a last resort - you could turn Vegas over to a rescue that will have the teeth fixed. He wouldn't be yours - but he'd still be alive.

 

[GoinBackToCali]

Are their not vets in your area who work out payment plans?

I could speak with one of my rollergirls.. both their husbands are vets (brothers).. and have them phone your vet, and set up a payment plan on my account and we could work something out that way.

When my dog needed work..I paid over $700 up front. I didn't know they would take payments.. later Julie asked me "why did you do that.. we take payments..we know your husband as well..your good for it "

Don't beat yourself up.. stuff happens.. I do highly HIGHLY recommend following Peg's advice for plumping him up.. and oatmeal is relatively cheap.

Something can be worked out..

 

[kirbyultra]

I doubt that not putting back his chew toy could be the cause of his teeth issues. Chew toys are fun for the front teeth and all, but I don't think it's all that effective for actually wearing down teeth.

I agree with Peg -- if you surrender him to a rescue soon enough while he isn't too far down, he can be taken care of and be given a good quality of life. PTS isn't usually free either. Sometimes rescues and shetler charge a surrender fee, but it's really small compared to the amount of money they need to spend to give him proper care. There are ways to deal with this that will work out well for Vegas. And you have to think about what's best for both buns, so you can manage enough money to maybe just take care of one bun, poker, if you give up Vegas to a shelter...

 

[Pipp]

Aw, somebody's having a bad day. But take a few deep breaths, this isn't very major.

The weight loss is typical, but it doesn't mean Vegas hasn't been eating normally, its that he hasn't been digesting the food normally, so its nothing you've missed. Molar spurs are just a very long progressive thing, not noticeable until one day something draws attention to it -- the rabbits stops eating, starts drooling, etc.

You can keep a spur bunny going for quite awhile with the right diet (and a pain med if need be) while you gather finances. Pellet slurry, Nutri-cal, fluids, pumpkin and as wide a variety of fruits (apple peels in particular) and veggies as possible to tempt him, and he might even wear the spurs down on his own.

Talk about putting him to sleep or even surrendering him is silly! (There's your slap in the head you were looking for, happy to oblige).

ETA:  Curious to see if the chew toy makes a difference.  What does it look like?
PPS: You're not allowed to leave, you're too awesome a member. We have rules about that!

sas

 

[Luluznewz]

Okay I'm sorry, but i'm really confused why putting him to sleep is even something you are considering.

Just give him to an adoption agency. They will fix his teeth...

It seems like you are under a ton of pressure, but I don't think anything you did was that horrible at all.I mean, he had hay, he just chose to play with it. In the future maybe it could go in a hay rack...but I really doubt thats what caused the teeth problem.

I think sometimes stuff just happens. I think if you took a deep breath you might realize that. The fact that you are this upset proves you really care about your rabbits.

You seem really really stressed out. I'm positive that you are not a bad rabbit owner and that you will figure stuff out. Even if it means allowing an agency to find new home for your rabbits.

I really hope you let everyone here help you figure it out

 

[pOker]

thank you all.
one thing i dont get though is why was there no signs?no drooling.mo awkward behavior.nothing...
i am quite stressed out and this added to it.luckily my mom was really worried about me because i was upset and she offered to pay.he goes in tomorrow to get his teeth trimmed down and since my mom knows the owner she offered to do it really cheap!! he is eating which makes me happy!
thanks yall for understanding. i do love my boys and i always will.
like i told peg in the email-i felt quite embarassed that i could let him get like that..i felt i failed him....but i am stressing about alot so my reaction was a bit much maybe..

the suggestions for surrendering him would work but now i wont have to. the reason i said putting him down was only if he was suffering.i wouldnt just do it...thanks again everyone.

i will be back maybe in a few days or so-i need to clean some things up a bit.

 

[Wabbitdad12]

O.k. Your not the worst Bunny mom in the world. All of us have been there. Now your not going to PTS Vegas. Your going to try Tinysmom's methods to plumb him back up.

:shock:look into my eyes, you are getting sleepy, now your under my power,you will not leave the forum, you will take advice to help your bun, you will not leave the forum. Now when I snap my fingers you will come out of the hypnosis "snap".

Good luck with Vegas, I am sure he will be fine.

Dave

 

[Pipp]

pOker wrote:

thank you all.
one thing i dont get though is why was there no signs?no drooling.mo awkward behavior.nothing...

I've never caught just the weight loss, and I watch for Pipp's constantly. It really sneaks up on you. They start chewing differently and it makes for different ingesting and thus the slow weight loss. No other behaviour is any different.

I just took care of another bunny for a friend, I got a call from him worried that his rabbit wasn't well. He had appeared to be eating and pooping, only slightly less than usual, but the little guy was almost skeletal. His guardian figured he was dying -- and he did look awful.

The day I got there, he had started drooling and was barely eating anything. I figured best to get his strength up for what was sure to be dental surgery asap (the owner was indigent), and gave him Critical Care, Nutri-Cal and tempted him with parsley, cilantro, carrot tops, apple peel and let him eat a bit of pear and banana. Extruded pellets may help, although I reserve that for

I've been trying to get his owner to let me take him in for surgery ever since, but apparently the bunny is back to normal and no longer even needs it. Of course knowing his nutbar owner (schizophrenic ex-street bum), the bunny is getting a ton of fruit and other treats, no way will he let him get skinny again. :sigh: But I digress. LOL!!

You're one of the best bunny slave's here.


sas :bunnydance:

 

[katt]

aw hun, when you texted me today you should have told me you needed a hug!

it is late now, but if you get on to read this, i will text you tomorrow and see how you and vegas is doing.

it will be alright, we all have bad times, and remember that you are a GREAT bunny mom.

 

[RandomWiktor]

I'm so glad to hear that you are going to be able to get his teeth fixed! I saw this post yesterday and was looking into rabbit rescues for you since you're local to me and ideally I could help with transport should the need have arisen. But I'm SO glad to hear that the situation has changed for the better and you'll be able to get him the carehe needs.

 

[pOker]

Thanks again everyone..

Yeah it certainly did sneak up on me.. I called my mom to see what the deal was and she said the vet said they looked very bad and he would have to be sedated to get worked and that it had been going on for a long time, probably longer than I have had him--so basically when he was just a little baby his teeth were bad.. I just never realized... Well there you go, I believe all the pet store stories now.. Which is strange because the pet store gets the rabbits straight from the breeder who is also the manager, so I thought they would have had better care... I guess thats why the breeder isnt very well known..


I will go to pick him up this afternoon and all I want to do is give him a great big hug..

I gave him about 3 cups of food last night because I wanted him to kind of free feed, and it seemed there was only about a cup left this morning... The drooling was just happening this morning--and he is still the same old Vegas.

I am going to make sure Vegas has plenty of toys tonight and lots of hay and things to nibble on.. Seeing as he always dumps his food dish and then doesnt eat--I turned this small corner litter pan into a food dish--he seemed to eat alot more like that..I put lots of hay, then pour a few cups of food on top..


Again, thanks ya'll... I am working things out and I will be back on the forum regularly.

I'll keep ya'll updated

 

[pOker]

So I picked Vegas up at the vet yesterday.. It came to 150 dollars..
She said to really keep an eye on his teeth... She takes in the same rabbit every 4 weeks for teeth trimming-and she hopes that Vegas doesnt have the same issue.. It was only 100 for the trimming and 50 because he had to be sedated..

He was a bit wobbly when I got him home, but other than that, he is the same ol' Vegas.. I am happy hes okay..

He got a nice big chew toy, lots of hay, and an awesome clean cage...

The vet even gave me a bigger food dish for him...Cross yours fingers ya'll and hope that it was just a one time thing--and he will be fine.. Cross Your Fingers!

 

[elrohwen]

I hope Vegas' teeth are ok and don't need regular trimming!

And for what it's worth, I don't think you did anything wrong as a bun-mum. These kinds of things sneak up on you and it's not like you noticed and ignored it. As soon as you noticed something was off you took him to the vet and got him trimmed. Do you think getting him different types of hay will help? He might be very picky about hay and with any bun who has bad teeth, eating hay is the most important thing. And maybe he'll be more likely to eat hay now that his teeth don't hurt him.