Clover is in bunny heaven.

[LizzyMayHarvey]

We found my mini lop Clover this evening dead by the gate to her run. She was only 2 going on 3 years old and I thought a very healthy bun. I have no idea how she went or what was wrong with her. I feel really bad because I have been spending a lot of time with my Flemish Giant who is in a seperate area and haven't been paying as much attention to my mini lops as I normally do so I don't know if I have missed something or what?
She had been acting normal yesterday and when I gave them an apple stick (100% untreated and from our yard) they munched it up and were completely normal. They live outside and today was a wet and rainy day. I'm pretty sure their diet hasn't changed or anything and they have a constant supply of hay and water. She must have died in the morning after I fed them their breakfast because she was stiff when I found her this evening. She looked like she had died in a loafing position and either flattened down a bit or died with her body slightly stretched so her tummy was touching the ground. She lived with her bondmate/brother Fern and they didn't use the litter tray and pooped everywhere so it's hard to know whose poos are whose and moniter it but as far as I could see there was no diarrhoea. When we checked her body over there was no injuries, no blood, nothing in her mouth, and no lumps or bumps. I am hoping beyond hope that it is not calicivirus because I have Fern and my Flemish as well. Does anyone know what could cause her sudden death? GI Status? Heart attack? I haven't been monitoring their food intake but last night when I gave them dinner they seemed to eat it well. Both my other bunnies are very healthy it seems.
Also what should I do about her brother? He doesn't really like people and loved his sister to bits so I am worried he will get depressed because he doesn't enjoy my company. His sister also didn't like me that much either. What I loved about them was they liked each other's company but now that Clovers gone I'm worried about Fern. I of course have my Flemish Giant Alice who is a single bun. Should I attempt bonding them? Alice is not spayed but Fern is neutered. I think they have good personalities for each other but I'm not too sure what to do. I just feel like Fern will get lonely. I don't want to do anything yet until I know for sure that it wasn't a virus that killed Clover.
Sorry for the long post. I just feel so bad that I didn't know what was wrong with her and didn't pay attention. It seems that she died peacefully but I will never know for sure. I'm gonna keep a super close eye on Fern and make sure he is fine.

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

I’m so sorry for your loss

I don’t know what could’ve caused it but I hope you’re doing okay

 

[Catlyn]

So sorry for your loss! I feel you for feeling helpless in sudden death of your beloved, i had the same thing friday-saturday night, my beloved sweetheart just went without cause.

I cannot help with identifying the reason of her passing though, still hope you're doing okay.
If it isn't a virus that got her, and you're planning on bonding Fern with Alice, then she should be spayed as well, for best possible outcome. You can read up on that and ask this forum for more help when you've healed enough feom your heartbreak.
Just know that it's okay to feel sad and confused and even a little bit angry at the situation, it's just one of the ways we cope with loss. At least you're not alone with nobunny left, so it's gonna be better.

 

[LizzyMayHarvey]

Thankyou guys so much. I'm sorry for your loss as well @Catlyn . Even though Clover wasn't the friendliest bun, I was her caregiver and mama and I can't help feeling terrible for her passing even if there was nothing I could do. I'm gonna miss that terrific twosome.❤ What really makes me sad is that when I checked on Fern he was sorta just sitting there looking confused. I know I shouldn't humanize animals but it's just what I do. I am really worried about him now because they were really close and were constantly next to each other and grooming each other. I'm also worried about him in the cold night. He doesn't have anyone to cuddle up to and I wanted to bring him inside but I think that would just stress him out more. Losing a pet is so hard.
About bonding, I have read bonding things in the past and am still wondering bout what to do. The info on here is great and I am learning a lot.
Thanks again for the kind words.

 

[SirLawrence]

We all love our little ones regardless of their personalities. My boy Lucas is much the same way, he isn't as interested in interacting with me, but I love him the all the same, and he seems to be living his best life, so I let him make his own choices.

So sorry to hear about your loss. Its always too soon when they go.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

So sorry to hear of your little girl passing to the bridge.

 

[Mariam+Theo]

I'm so sorry for your loss! I think it would be an amazing idea to bond Fern and Alice after she is spayed, like @Catlyn said! Since Fern is acting lonely, could you give him a stuffed animal or blanket to cuddle with?

Based on the position Clover was sitting in, it sounds like she could have gone into stasis. Of course it could have been a virus, but I think your other rabbits would be showing symptoms

 

[HalaBuns]

I’m so sorry for your loss sending lots of love and hugs to you x

 

[Mac189]

I am so sorry for your loss, it sounds like she died surrounded by dear rabbity friends and green grass, a rabbit's paradise.

 

[LizzyMayHarvey]

Thankyou all. It is a comfort to be able to talk about it on here. They were originally rescue buns that an animal tv show adopted and they had their time of fame and when the show finished we took them in and they lived in a huge run with loads of room to dig tunnels and flop. I hope she had a good few years of her life with her brother and that she was able to just be a bunny after her tv show retirement.
Does @JBun or someone else know what it looks like if a bunny dies from calicivirus? I am thinking it was GI Statis or something but I'm not sure.

 

[JBun]

If your other rabbits are ok, then RHDV is unlikely. Often with RHDV there will be signs of blood from the orifices. With no evidence of trauma, lack of eating, or obvious signs of illness like diarrhea or discharge from the mouth or nose, possible causes could be a heart attack or possibly a choking episode. There are other possibilities such as an undiagnosed and/or asymptomatic underlying illness, but without a necropsy there's no way to know for sure.

Keep a close eye on the brother and make sure he continues eating well. If he doesn't, then you will likely need to intervene so he doesn't develop GI stasis. If he is struggling with being alone, it may be possible to attempt bonding even before she's spayed. If she's a relatively calm doe and they show signs of being interested in each other, bonding before she's spayed could work out. But if they aren't showing signs of immediately liking each other, I think trying to bond them otherwise would cause far too much stress and wouldn't be good for your boy bun, especially right now.

 

[Madelyn L.]

So sorry for your loss. I know it must be hard.

 

[BunBun71]

I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[ChloeBunny]

I'm so sorry to hear of the sudden loss of Clover. We lost Chloe a little over a year ago and still miss her very much. While this is really hard to adjust to, I hope you find peace/happiness in the memories you shared with her and the care of your other precious little ones. ❤

 

[BunBun71]

I'm so sorry to hear of the sudden loss of Clover. We lost Chloe a little over a year ago and still miss her very much. While this is really hard to adjust to, I hope you find peace/happiness in the memories you shared with her and the care of your other precious little ones. ❤

I am sorry for your loss also

 

[ChloeBunny]

I am sorry for your loss also

Thank you. Please take care.

 

[BunBun71]

Your welcome. I will. Thank you.

 

[Sissel]

I want you to know that I too am so sorry for your loss.

Thank you for sharing your honest feelings with me. We Bonnie Parents do life together in this forum and what a relief that that we dare to be honest and real with each other. Also when life is tough.....

Lots of ❤ to you!!!!!

 

[LizzyMayHarvey]

Update: Fern had been doing good but we have had extremely raining few days with flooding so I shut him up in a cage inside the chicken house which is an renovated playhouse (the 3 chickens are good with him and so is he) so he would stay dry and warm. He had still been eating and pooping and was pretty active but this morning when I gave him breakfast I saw he hadn't eaten his dinner. I give my buns like a tablespoon-ish of pellets for breakfast and dinner and normally they gobble it up. When I gave him his dinner last night he definitely ate ONE pellet a least cause I saw him eat it, but he didn't eat the rest. When I saw he hadn't had them this morning then I offered him some dandelion leaves to see if he was hungry and he hasn't touched those either. He has unlimited hay and today I removed the cage and let him have the run of the chicken house but not the coop/run as the ground is still wet. He seems to be active and running around but he doesn't want to eat anything. I checked his teeth and they are all good although I obvs can't see his molars and he looks very healthy with no signs of a sore tummy. If he doesn't eat anything within a couple hours I will try syringe feeding him. I have read up on it a bit but I've never had to do anything like this so any advice/tips would be awesome. Could it be GI statis? Or is he missing Clover? Both? How long can it take for a rabbit to develop depression or start missing their bondmate? Could it be possible shutting him up made him upset? The area he is shut in is plenty big enough for me to be comfortable with it (I'm a space fanatic when it comes to my babies) and when he was in the cage it was also plenty big enough but he is used to a very very large chicken coop. Should I try putting him and my girl bun together(she isn't spayed)?
Sorry for so many questions!

 

[JBun]

I would think this is more a health issue at this stage. I'm wondering if it might have to do with picking up something from the chickens. Coccidia is something that can affect chickens and rabbits, and I would have some concerns about having chickens and rabbits in close proximity together. Just as a precaution it might be worth getting your bun into the vet right away, and discuss this possibility and get your bun on the appropriate med(sulfa or baycox), as well as any other needed meds or supplemental feeding support.

(contains graphic medical related photos)
Medirabbit: coccidiosis

I can't say whether you should try syringe feeding, because if there is any chance of it being a complete digestive blockage or bloat, syringe feeding shouldn't be attempted until a vet has ruled out both, as syringe feeding would further worsen your rabbits condition.

If you still feel you need to go ahead with the syringe feeding, there are youtube videos on how to properly do this. And most important is going slow, giving bun a chance to chew and swallow to minimize the risk of aspiration occurring. But it is my opinion not to attempt syringe feeding without your rabbit being seen by an experienced rabbit vet first.

With a rabbit that initially won't eat(and hasn't been more than 12 hours since last eating well), I will try 3 doses of baby gas drops(simethicone) an hour apart. If by a short time after the third dose my rabbit doesn't start acting more normal and eating, it's time to get to the vet.

https://rabbit.org/gastrointestinal-stasis-the-silent-killer-2/
http://rabbitvet.net/AustralianRabbitVets.htm