Thoughts Please

[MyBabyBunnies]

I just have had this running through my head and wanted everyone's opinion.

At the end of December I will be moving 4.5 hours away until the end up April and I am not allowed to bring the bunnies with me. My parents have graciously agreed to care for them in my absence. But since the loss of Spice, Reese just hasn't been herself, she is definitely sad. Being an 'older' girl I really am worried to leave her behind with people who are not as bunny oriented as I am. My parents mean well, but they I know they wont be able to give her the standard of care that I do and the attention to the little things that only us bunny people really can.

Am Ibeing too worrisome? I'm not sure why this is such a problem because there is really nothing I can do about it, my only options are to leave her with my parents or to rehome her and that I will not do. I just really am scared to lose her while I'm away.

 

[SOOOSKA]

I totally understand what you are saying. I have to go to my niece's wedding next summer and I'm already getting more gray hairs worrying about what I'm going to do with my 6.

Is their anyway you can get someone (Stan) to watch her for the time you are away. You say you can't bring your bunnies can you not sneakReese in where you are staying?

I really do feel for you, I'm glad you said you would not rehome her, that definitely is not the answer.

Hopefully a good solution will come up.

Susan:apollo:

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

I don't have the heart to rehome her, I love her too much, she is mine until the day she passes away -- hopefully a very long time away.

It's an awful lot to ask of Stan to watch her for 4 months, plus I plan to have her and Mia bonded before I go. I wouldn't want to impose 2 bunnies on him and then have Pebbles get stressed and start sneezing again. I don't know any other bunny lovers in the area either.

There is no way to sneak her in, all I know so faris that I will be living in shared accomodations so that will be very hard to manage. I'm also in a town that has onlyone vet (mainly large animal and cats and dogs) and 2 hours away from any other vet so that is a big concern.

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Hi MBB!

Give Reese and Mia more time together. Maybe Reese will perk up with her new companion. I know your parents will have their hands full.

Pebbles and Bebe are still fighting and along ways from being friends. They are the sweetest bunnies but will be at each others throats given the chance. Right now I have to give them individual attention and separate run times.

Pebbles still sneezes but it's not severe that I worry about it.She will have that problem for the rest of her life. The sneezing has no effects on Bebe, so it is not contagious.

We are just going to see what happens.

 

[Carolyn]

Hey Susan...I'll take those 6 of yours!! (I knew my day would come to get my hands on those little loves. Daisy Mae - here I come, Baby!!!)

* * * *

Laura,

I may be wrong here, but aren't ya short-changing your parents just a bit? I mean, you know how much they've flipped over Mia, and although they're not exactly "rabbit people", they offered to take care of them whileyou're away. I don't know, I think that they're a bit more in love with the little ones than you think. Considering all the work your Dad did to build their cages and to get the little ones to the vets when you needed their help, I'd say of all people, your parents are the ones that you can feel comfortable having your babies with.

Granted, no one can do what you do, but I'm certain that your parents will consult you if they see anything wrong or sense that someone's in trouble. I have no question that you are leaving them in loving, gentle care.

Here's crossing my fingers and toes that the two babies are able to bond before you go, and then the loneliness won't be an issue. I'm thinking that it's going to be just fine, Dear Heart.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

It's the details that concern me, not the general care. I know they wont be neglected by any fashion but my parents wont do daily checks, nor will they notice the slight changed in bathroom habits or what is 'off' for one of them. Add to that 5 bunnies to care for and it's a lot for my parents to handle. I'm not worried about leaving the other 4 with them, it's just Reese that I would feel so much better knowing she was with me and I could watch her closely.

 

[Carolyn]

I understand. Believe me I do! I really don't trust anyone with my rabbits - truth be told. I really do feel badly for you, Laura, because I know how you adore and tend so carefully to your babies.

As to Reese, you've got some time to get the little pumpkin hooked up with Mia. If that works out, then your worrying will have been all for nothing. I think at this point, you should keep focused on that and the old saying, "Don't trouble Trouble 'til Trouble troubles you."

You'll drive yourself crazy with the "what ifs" if you play into them too much. Buck always used to say, "We don't do "What Ifs." I know it sounds trite, but at this point, all you can do is the best you can in getting her bonded and comfortable and then let go and trust that God, your parents, and your bunnies will all take care of each other just fine until you return.

They're all really very healthy and have a good environment and people watching out for them. Short of taking Reese with you, unfortunately, there's not much more you can do to give them the best babysitters and place to live until you return.

It's courageous of you and speaks to how loving you are to be concerned, but the best thing you can do is what you're already doing. Will you get home to visit?

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

I'm one of those people who plans ahead, I don't like to leave anything undecided. Naturally it also means I tend to worry a lot in advance about things that may already be in place.

I think more than anything, I am just terrified to lose Reese because she is a little piece of Spice left here for me, and that just makes it harder to leave her behind. Before I lost Spice, I knew there was a good chance I wouldn't be able to take them and I was okay with it.

I can come home, but how much is the hard part to determine. I'm in a town with only one road into town (without turning a 4 hour drive into 8) and this is a mountain town. Because of the amount of snow, the road is often times closed which means that even if I could get home, it's getting back that might be the problem so I wont be able to come home weekly like I had originally planned to do. I had hoped to come home every weekend and do all the major clean ups so all my parents had to worry about through the week was the general clean and care, but now that wont work.

I guess I'll just hope it works out.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Yet another thing to worry me. I took Reese to the vet to get checked today. When I got Reese checked in February I was told her teeth were overgrown but they were not bad at the time. Over the months she has not shown any signs of problems -- she has a great appetite, and she doesn't drop food. Well the vet told me she has never seen a rabbit's teeth (back molars)so bad in her life. :cry4:The bottom teeth are double the length they should be and the top teeth are out at a very sharp angle and almost into her cheeks. I feel so bad that I could have let her teeth get so bad, I have been in tears since I got home just thinking that it's my fault she is probably in pain.

The vet wants to get them trimmed, but she doesn't want to do it, she wants to send me to a specialist in Calgary (over 3 hours south) and there is no way I could get her there. I'm just so upset right now, my poor Reesie.

After the initial trim, they wont put her under to trim them anymore and mythe vet Isaw today will do itbut they will have to be done monthly which is making me wish I wasn't leaving.

I'm just a wreck right now, the thought of her in pain is bothering me so much... and the thought that she has to go under anesthetic again is murder to me.

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Hi Laura,

I was thinking of you and the doctors visit today. Did you take Mocha too?

You had so much going on to miss what was happening to Reese. Did Dr. Goble trimmed Reese's teeth today?What could a specialist in Calgary do?DidReese showany sign that she was feeling poorly from her teeth.I wouldn't of thought of bad teeth when she was eating fine.I thoughtthe mostobvious wasReese missing Spice. How is Reese now?

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Dr. Goble doesn't want to trim her teeth, that's how bad they are. She's afraid of cracking the tooth which is apparently likely with the amount they would have to cut off. She wants the specialist to do it the first time to get them to a more managable length. She never showed any signs, her appetite hasn't changed and she eats with gusto, she isn't dropping food, she doesn't look like a bunny in pain. Her teeth have nothing to do with what's been going on, they have been bad for a long time, probably quite long for months.

Mocha went too, he has slightly overgrown teeth on the inside but she said it isn't causing him a problem so just to keep an eye on his eating habits. Overall Mocha was in great shape.

 

[Carolyn]

Poor Reese! Thank God she's not stopped eating. I'm sure something will get worked out so that you can go to the specialist before you have to leave. There's still time and with her still eating, at least she's getting the nutrition. Is she showing any signs of pain other than the vet saying she's in pain?

As to the roads and traveling back and forth with the snow, Buck used to say all the time, "We don't do 'what ifs'" It was a great way to approach life. Maybe it won't be a big winter of snow - it's hard to tell, but as the old saying goes, "Don't trouble Trouble until Trouble troubles you." Take it as it comes and don't worry about what the weather will do at this point. Sending out vibes of sunshine your way through the end of April. :sunshine:

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Carolyn, Reese had her teeth trimmed today. She came through like a champ. I didn't get her to the specialist, I couldn't have afforded that.

And as for being snowed in, it's not a question of it, it's a question of WHEN. I cannot risk leaving the town I'll be working in if it might snow because I might not get back and that comes back looking really bad in future terms so I am simply stating what WILL happen.