Making a hard decision...

[renaelock]

Ok so let me say I've been going back and forth on this and I feel bad about it but I just don't know so I am posting to get your comments, all of them - good or bad. I want to read what you guys have to say. I've had my two bunnies for about a year now.The goal was to make them house bunnies and I had plenty of time to do that but just never got around to it because the little one wasn't fully litter trained. As time has gone by they have been staying in their cage more and more because I just don't get them out like I use to. They have a big cage but they don't get to binky like I know they'd like to. I'm currently under a lot of stress from home AND work and am right now on meds for shingles....I'm flipping 25 years old and I came down with shingles! Handling my big boy is getting more difficult because since I am not spending a lot of them with them he fights and kicks when I pick him up tomove him to a play pen. He's an 11 lb rabbit and he gets me good when he does this. I feel like I should be the respnonsible pet owner by keeping them but I'm sure they could be happier in a new home getting more attention, treats, toys. I just don't know what to do.

 

[Elf Mommy]

I've found that the more often I am on Rabbits Online, the more attention I give my rabbit. The ideas I get on here encourage me to be more active and give him more of my attention.

I am sure that Polo and Potter could benefit from more time out. Give them what you can. Can you make a playpen out of NIC to put around the cage, so you don't have to pick him up, but he can just hop out of the cage?

In this economy, it's hard to find people to take in pets. You love them. If you can find a way to keep them, I would suggest that you do.

If you cannot, I do understand. It just sounds like you want to keep them. I hope you're able to!

 

[fuzz16]

I dealt with this same question while i was working a full time and part time job, on top of being a full time mom. They didn't get as much attention but they got their run time when I could give it to them and always had food and water. I couldn't rehome them, though, for the simple fact that life was rough at the moment for me. I loved them too much to be that selfish and I knew things would get better. They did...sorta.

Then on top of the working all the time, my daughter battled runny noses and ear infections and it came down to an allergy. It was the rabbits...I moved the hay outside, no help. I wasn't able to do much about the litter, but i kept everything as clean as possible. it was so much stress and extra work...to make things short i rehomed my boys. i regret it every day and i broke down a few weeks ago after the person who took my giant-their number is disconnected. i dont know what happened to my special boy.

now, my rabbits were super important to me. i went through a bad patch in life when i was a single mom, struggling bad, then my best friend died on top of it all. i got into a very bad depression and pretty much started drifting away...a rabbit named Dalton saved me from it. Most distant bunny ever, but i laid in bed for a week unable to move, cried out..and he laid next to the bed, poking his nose at me now and then.
so now i battle with depression alone and with no buns...

kinda blablabla...but just really think about this before yiou rehome them. i know i will regret it for a long time and it hurts every day and i just hope i did the right thing and they live a long happy life where they ended up.

 

[renaelock]

Thanks for your replies. I wish I could give them more of my home with an attached xpen play area from their cage but I just don't have the space.

 

[JadeIcing]

Where is there play area? Do you bring them in?

 

[renaelock]

Where is there play area? Do you bring them in?...

I don't understand what you mean "do you bring them in" they are inside in a two level (technically 4 level but 2 of the levels are just stepping "jumps")NIC cage I made. Their play area when I let them out use to be in one or two connected xpens that took up the whole kitchen or outside for some sun but I haven't had time in the last few months to get them out at all.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Bunnies are social creatures and do need interaction. If you can't "find" time each day to give them Play/exercise time and interact act with them then you should consider re-homing them. Just my humble opinion based on what you've written here.