What can I do to help Emma through this rough patch?

[Jenk]

Perhaps I'm reading into things, but I think Emma is depressed now that her sister, Zoe, is gone. They didn't share living space but did come out of their pens together for exercise. And since they shared a pen wall, they could often be found lying side by side along it.

Emma has been lying alongside the pen-wall divider; I imagine that she keeps waiting for Zoe to appear and lie down next to her on the other side of it.

What might I do for or give to Emma to help pull her through this rough patch? She's been eating and drinking okay, but her fecals are smaller. (That could be due to the new batch of hay we're feeding, which is a softer cut. But I still worry about her and stasis issues, to which she is prone.)


Thank you,

Jenk

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Same thing that you can do for yourself, spend more time and give her more attention. Everything takes time till the edge gets dulled. Maybe a stuffed animal where Zoe used to lay. :hug2:

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Would she respond to having a blanket or something of Zoes? This could be good so she just has a scent close by. A stuffed toy might also be good.
New toys or other stuff might also help to get her engaged in something so she doesn't just lay there feeling bad.

When Penelope died, Korr was depressed. I did find that bringing Lillian over to his area helped. He does hang out with her sometimes, so it's not like she is a strange rabbit to him. He is a very social guy, so he does like to have another rabbit around. He did fairly well, but was eating less for a week or so after. He would also just stare out the window and seemed depressed. He did come out of it after about 2 weeks. About 6 weeks after she died, I got Amelia and that really seemed to make him happy.

You might try letting her out with Pink if they get along. Even just having them close might help.

I think that it really does take time. Keep her eating and give some special treats if she will tolerate them.
I know that it is hard to think about now, but consider maybe getting another rabbit. If you think she would respond to having a new friend, it might be a good idea. I would wait a little while so she can grieve properly. She might not really want another rabbit friend, but you do know her better than anyone, so can make a more informed decision on that.

 

[gmas rabbit]

Hey Jen, I find most of what I was going to say on the subject is just an echo of the above. I like the stuffy, blanket ( wonder if that would confuse her though ), treats, attention, hugs for both her and you, and maybe move Pink's cage closer, maybe on the otherside so that Pink and Emma share a wall that wasn't Zoe's. As hard as it is, I also agree on a new friend for Emma and a new life for you to care for. I am a firm believer that animals want you to go on and give someone else the great life that they had. It also helps in the grieving process, you can never replace an animal and no one should but you can share your life with another to honour the one that passed. Get Emma out of her cage just as much as possible, away from the area that her and Zoe shared. I don't know where your rabbits have their free time, but maybe let her run closer to where you are spending time. Our Benjamin is an indoor rabbit with a huge yard and sleeps in our bedroom, lays on the floor at night and watchs TV with me. Some people would think that I am a little excentric to say the least as he also snuggles in bed, been years since I have had a bunny that had his own room and not shared ours so never know quite what to advise people.

 

[Jenk]

gmas rabbit wrote:

Hey Jen, I find most of what I was going to say on the subject is just an echo of the above. I like the stuffy, blanket ( wonder if that would confuse her though ), treats, attention, hugs for both her and you, and maybe move Pink's cage closer, maybe on the other side so that Pink and Emma share a wall that wasn't Zoe's.

Currently, Pink's pen is fully visible to Emma. I don't have the option of having him share a wall with Emma without changing the configuration of Emma's pen. And I feel that doing that would prove even more stressful to her.

I'm of the opinion that giving Emma one of Zoe's blankets (etc.) would prove more confusing to her. For now, I've left Zoe's pen set-up untouched. And that means that Emma can still smell Zoe--and the urine that Zoe passed all over prior to her passing, when her intestinal pressure affected her urination. I'm too scared to take away anything familiar just yet.

As hard as it is, I also agree on a new friend for Emma and a new life for you to care for. I am a firm believer that animals want you to go on and give someone else the great life that they had. It also helps in the grieving process, you can never replace an animal and no one should but you can share your life with another to honour the one that passed.

Another rabbit will not be an option for us. After all the time and expense that it took to keep Zoe alive--and as emotionally draining as it was on me--we've decided that we likely won't have anymore rabbits once our current crew passes on. I will do everything in my power to help Emma through this tough process, but another bun isn't an option.

Get Emma out of her cage just as much as possible, away from the area that her and Zoe shared. I don't know where your rabbits have their free time, but maybe let her run closer to where you are spending time.

We are trying to allow her more time out, although about two hours' per day is the usual max. we're able to give. (Her pen area is large for her size; it is not as though she is cramped for most of the day.) It's hard because she and Pink require separate time out, so that they can each have full run of the living space that we have sectioned off for their use.