I'm a horrible bun momma. Please help!

[blwinteler]

I haven't been on here in a LONG time. I think largely because I feel guilty. I've posted before about getting into deep depressions and not caring for my boys. Well, it got bad. Bugsy is just one big ball of matted fur and they both have poopy butts. I try to trim them sometimes, but it is bad and I even nicked Bugsy pretty bad about a week ago. Today, I decided to give him a butt bath. Then, I wrapped him in a towel and snuggled him, gently pulling out little bits of matted fur as I found any I could pull. Over the hour or so since, he's been hopping up to see me and gets cuddlier when I pull out the matts. I need to get him taken care of. I don't have a car, but might get one tomorrow. If it is as good as the guy says and I do get it at the low price he says, I'll have money to take them to the vet to get shaved. Maybe. I know that when they weren't this severely matted, it was $65. Now they are bad and I know anesthesia will be involved. This will increase the cost. I only have money because of my taxes and, with my job screwing up my hours, I don't have much to live on once that is gone.
If I can't get them shaved at the vet soon, what options do I have?
I'm also worried that the vet will judge me and maybe even tell me I should give up my bunnies. i don't want that.
I've been in the middle of hell for a while and it is only getting worse. My bunnies are a bright spot in my life and I feel terrible for neglecting them. I have a roommate now who will help me care for them when I am too depressed.
I don't know. Should I give them up to someone who will care for them more? They seem happy here. Even Groucho will come and snuggle briefly once in a while. But maybe they'd be better with someone else.
Please advise me.

:sosad:bunny5:cry4::hiding:

 

[blwinteler]

man, I'm looking at some of my posts and maybe I should give them up. I am feeling terribly depressed still. The divorce is just getting messier and my health is not great. I really don't know what to do. It would kill me to give them up, but I want them to have the best possible life they can.

:bigtears:

 

[amandaaaa_xxo]

Sorry to hear about the situations you're going through!
My advice? Don't give them up. I think the worst thing later in the future is having to see your little bunnies who were INITIALLY YOURS, get comfortable and admire someone else. Maybe for the time being, allow your roommate to take care of them if you are not in the right mental state to do so. Every once in a while just check on them. Or maybe if it's too much being in the same room, give your bunnies to someone close to you and pop in to see how they are every often until you're back on your feet and feeling better physically and psychologically. I would never give my rabbit to somebody else regardless of what I go through. When we bond with our pets, they're basically our children and having to be separated and torn away from them is hell.

Hope everything works out for you keep us posted!

 

[amandaaaa_xxo]

I know people say "yes you should give them up! You're not obligated to look after them if you can't even look after yourself" and in fact, when people are going through crisis, they get a dog, or a cat, or a little bunny. Their companionship helps with the persons mental state. I think waking up every morning to your little bunnies faces and seeing how happy they are to see you, is enough for your depression to wash away.

 

[blwinteler]

The problem is that I haven't been taking good care of them. I wonder if I could get them to a good owner who can afford to get their fur shaved off and could give them time to be out.
My roommate is great, but a HUGE neat freak. He doesn't want to admit it, but he likes the bunnies, but he doesn't like them running around. Even if they aren't making a mess, they are apparently keeping him from cleaning. I want them to be happy and healthy. But I am not sure I can do that for them.

 

[Azerane]

This is a tough one I'm sorry to hear that things aren't going very well for you. We can't really tell you either way what you should do, but it is very good that you've acknowledged that they need better care and you haven't been giving them the care they need.

As much as you love your rabbits, and as much as they love you, if they have poor welfare and quality of life, perhaps you do need to consider rehoming them to someone who can provide that for them. It's a shame that longhaired rabbits can't just be made short hair, because it makes things so much easier, but that's just how it is. If you do go and get them clipped, can you honestly say that you will brush them regularly and that it won't happen again? There's no harm in getting them clipped, and I recommend it regularly if you're struggling to keep on top of the brushing. But you need to do it before they get matted, and you also need to be able to afford the cost of the clipping, or simply brush them daily to avoid it. Work out what you can reasonably cope with, and work from there. I can't even begin to understand your situation, I know it must be awful because I know how much you love your bunnies.

If you wanted to rehome, you could try advertising yourself for a new home (which could be difficult given their condition as you would have to be very upfront about it) or explain your situation to a rescue and get them to help you out. They will cover the expenses of the clip etc but you will have to surrender them to the rescue. But really, the sooner you can get them clipped and those matts out, the better.

 

[Thumperina]

I have a friend who has dog grooming salon, she offered to shave by bunnies bottoms if we need to. But I know she is experienced and I think she worked for veterinarian before. I haven't used her service yet as I don;t seem to need to. But this could be an option if you are looking to spend less money.
Of course, you need to make sure that person knows what she is doing, and I am not sure how you make sure ...

Good luck!

 

[JBun]

Is clipping them yourself a possibility? Preferably with blunt tipped scissors so they don't accidentally get injured if they struggle, and using a comb in between their skin and the scissors so you don't accidentally snip the skin.

 

[ladysown]

you can trim them slowly and carefully.. perhaps with the help of a friend, with a good pair of sharp scissors. Just put something between the scissors and their skin and you won't nick them.

 

[Aki]

We can't really tell you. I mean, if you feel like the state of your rabbits' fur is bad enough to need a shave at the vet, go for it before it gets worse. You mention that your rabbits have poopy butts, which might also means that something is wrong - do they have soft stools or something? As to know if you should keep them or not, you are the one who can tell if you are in a place where you can take care of them properly or not. Keeping them just to keep them if you can't is selfish and there is no shame in admitting that right now, you can't care for a pet. On the other hand, finding a good family for two adult bunnies is not always easy, especially for long-haired which are quite high maintenance. I think you should ask yourself sincerely where your rabbits' best interest lies. Maybe discuss it with the vet and explain your situation, which should also help you relax about him possibly judging you (but, believe me, he's seen worse before). Of course, you can learn to groom your rabbits yourself at home if you feel up to it. It depends on how well behaved your rabbits are (from your post, I would say your rabbits seem pretty mellow when compared to the monsters I have at home, who would rip your arm off before letting you do anything with their fur). I would also ask the vet and try to find informations on the Internet about that as it is bound to save money in the long run compared to going to the groomer or the vet. I'm sure that with brushing the rabbits regularly and trimming their fur a bit every once in a while, it should be manageable (sorry, I don't have any experience with that - my dog has long hair, but not my rabbits and in his case, I brush him two or three days a week whenever I'm watching TV).

 

[flemishwhite]

At latter age, things were going very bad for Bunny. She could not take care of her Cecum pellets coming out of her rectum. Rabbits are supposed to immediately eat them when they come out. Not eating them, they were sticking in her fur and also soiling our carpets when the pellets were dropped out. Rabbits will use their litter box for poops, but not for Cecum pellets which they do not regard as poop.

Bottom line. An X-ray from the vett showed that Bunny had Spinal Spinosis..authritis of the spine. (My wife also has spinal spinosis...I jokingly told her she gave it to the rabbit!! Didn't go over too well.) Solution...started giving Bunny analgesics.. a little expensive.. I think it was something like methcam..anyhow solved the Bunny spinal problem and she once again started eating her Cecum pellets. With no more spinal pain, she could bend over and eat the Cecum pellets.

BTW. My two white Flemmish baby rabbits...babies at 5 1/4 months old..big rabbits...have immaculate rear ends. They are obviously eating their Cecum pellets.