I'll be going away...

[kirbyultra]

In February I'll be going away for 14 days with my hubby. My brother's going to come over and be a resident bunnysitter here. I will miss Kirby immensely and it's probably going to tear me apart for the first few days. But will Kirby miss me? Do rabbits miss their owner of 3 months?

I am making this arrangement with my brother (have to pay for his food and everything for 2 weeks!) just so Kirby wouldn't have to be plucked from his home and go to a pet hotel or something similar. I could board him at the rescue shelter where I adopted him from and be sure that he'll be well cared for (more confidently than I guess my inexperienced brother) but I think going back there via a 90 minute drive and being placed in a strange play pen with all these other rabbits around him would scare him half to death. I spent half a day with my brogoing over how to take care of him and what not to do to a bunny, and how to contact his vet in an emergency, what the signs of a medical emergency are, etc. I hope they'll be ok together.

I read some thread a while ago about someone's bunny being mad at her for days after she returned home. Do you think Kirby'll be sad or angry without me for a while? Do you think he will be scared that his human has left him again? He was surrendered in October and lived 3 weeks in the shelter before I got him. That's a lot of humans in a short amount of time... :?

 

[BlueGiants]

Kirby may be annoyed at you for a little while after you get back, but he won't stay mad forever. He will get over it. (Especially if you bribe him a bit with treats!) You may get a little "bunny butt", but I'm sure you will find it as cute as can be!

Why not give your brother the Forum address and tell him to ask questions if anything comes up.

 

[naturestee]

I had only had Mocha for 5 months and Loki for 2 when I left for a week, leaving them with two friends. They were happy to see me, but they were pretty mad too. It took a lot of petting to satisfy them.

 

[kirbyultra]

That's a good idea. I should show him the forum and tell him to register if he needs any advice. Thanks!!

So I guess Kirby will be kind of mad with me leaving him for a while... I can deal with him being mad. I would have to face him and do my time when I come back. I'll be sad while I'm away but that'll by my husband's problem :lipsrsealed:But it would break my heart if I knew that Kirby was sad over it. There's nothing sadder than a sad bunny... :bawl:

 

[RexyRex]

Aw, he'll be okay :hug:

I left my bunnies with some friends for a week to go to KS for Christmas with my BF. When I got back and brought them home, Gixxer would stare at me and very slowly and delibrately thump at me then turn around and give me the butt. Alaska and Max were just happy to be home. They were all happy to see me, but once they got home and settled I was ignored for the rest of the day. By the next morning they were fine. Kirby will be perfect, just a little standoffish. I hope you and Hubby are going somewhere fun!!

 

[BethM]

I had to board my bunnies for two weeks last September when I got married. They were definitely unhappy with me when I brought them home, but more standoffish than mad, I think. They barely came out of their pens for a month, and it took awhile to get them back into the routine.

Kirby might have an easier time of it, since he'll be staying in his own home instead of unfamiliar surroundings. He will certainly miss you, and might be a little mad, but at least he's not also dealing with being someplace new.

I was a nervous wreck for the first two days I was away, luckily the woman who was watching the bunnies sent me a few email updates and let me knew they were ok.

 

[Rusty]

When I left Rusty for the first time for a camping trip my parents took care of him. They said he wouldn't really come out of his cage or eat as much as before. But when I came back he was always nudging my hand to pet him or jumping on me and if I ignored him even a little he would thump at me. He also would come out more and eat like a monster and binky more when I came home. He will miss you, but that is because he loves you right? It is normal and that is because you guys have a special bond. I think you would feel worse if he wasn't a little ticked off that you left him

 

[kirbyultra]

Rusty wrote:

He will miss you, but that is because he loves you right? It is normal and that is because you guys have a special bond.

Well, I guess you're right