What should I do with cage of deceased rabbit?

[muchloveforbunny]

Hi, in another post I wrote how I had to put myrabbit down. I don't know what she died from. She had pneumonia. Andmaybe died from bacteria and also had a possible neurological problem,but the vet didn't know. She lived alone with my indoor cats, so shedidn't catch anything.

Do you thinkI should trash her cage? It is an expensive cage.

My husband is so upset, he wants to fill the cage with another rabbitimmediatelythis weekend!!! He can't stand the empty space.

I don't think we should get a rabbit right away personally. It wouldhave never occurred to me. But since he is mentioning it, I'm kind ofwarming up to the idea. Also, just seeing everyones rabbits here.Because I do love rabbits and miss her precense so much. It won't bethe same, butI don't know.

I originally got the rabbit for him while we were dating. Of course, Itook care of it which I didn't mind. So it became really part of us,like our baby.

Anyway, I told him, if he were to get another bunny, I think we shouldget a fresh cage, because there might be disease in thecage.I am not even sure what she died from.

I don't own a home with a property, because my husband moves a lot forwork. I don't know how I could wash the cage with a hose. Even if Itried to wash it in the bath, there still might be a bad germ on itsince thats awkward.

If I get another rabbit, I just wouldn't want them to die from the germs.

Do you think I'm right to throw this cage out?

Thanks.

 

[KatyG]

If you really want to start with a fresh one whynot give the old one to a shelter? The shelters around hereare always asking for donations of cages so I'm sure there will be somein your area. If you explain the situation tomthemI'm sure they will take any necessary precautions before they put abunny in it.

 

[Jenniferinny]

Is the cage all wire? Are there any woodenpieces? If it is all-wire or wire and plastic then you should be ableto disinfect it. Though, I've heard you can't use bleach withgalvanized wire. There are other disinfecting agents that shelters andkennels use. There's quite a few online catalogues that have them.You'll want to get all the hair off the wire first though to be able todisinfect it. I used to use a little propane torch like the kind theysell in the plumbing section in even a Walmart. Not the one with theyellow tank, use the one with the blue tank as it burns a lot cooler.You'll probably have to disinfect it everyday for a week. Though,hopefully someone on here has more information on things likeincubation times of rabbit diseases and how long it can live outside arabbit.

How long did you have your rabbit and how old was it?

 

[muchloveforbunny]

KatyG wrote:

Ifyou really want to start with a fresh one why not give the old one to ashelter? The shelters around here are always asking fordonations of cages so I'm sure there will be some in yourarea. If you explain the situation tomthem I'm surethey will take any necessary precautions before they put a bunny init.

Thank you KatyG. I never thought of this before and it sounds like its for a good cause.

 

[muchloveforbunny]

Jenniferinny wrote:

Is the cage all wire? Are there any wooden pieces? If it isall-wire or wire and plastic then you should be able to disinfect it.Though, I've heard you can't use bleach with galvanized wire. There areother disinfecting agents that shelters and kennels use. There's quitea few online catalogues that have them. You'll want to get all the hairoff the wire first though to be able to disinfect it. I used to use alittle propane torch like the kind they sell in the plumbing section ineven a Walmart. Not the one with the yellow tank, use the one with theblue tank as it burns a lot cooler. You'll probably have to disinfectit everyday for a week. Though, hopefully someone on here has moreinformation on things like incubation times of rabbit diseases and howlong it can live outside a rabbit.

How long did you have your rabbit and how old was it?

Hi Jenniferinny. Thanks for your reply.

I had my rabbit for 4 years. But she was estimated 2 when I got her, soshe was 6 years old. But she might have been older. I don't know herexact age.

I wonder ifI should just donate it to a shelter, because Iimagine it will be hard to try and disinfect it in an apartment with noyard.

It is a wire cage. But galvanized do you mean painted white? It is painted white with a thick substance.

That would be interesting to know the incubation time regardless ofwhether I keep the cage, because I wouldn't want another rabbit tosuffer and die. They are probably all over the apartment. Also, I kindof wondered if these germs might affect my cats. What do you think?

 

[Jenniferinny]

Did your vet test for Pastuerella? That's a veryvery common disease in rabbits. While it may not affect them much whileyoung, it certainly seemed to shorten the lifespan in my bunnies. Ifit's pastuerella, then just adopt another one that already has it.Though, that shouldn't affect your cats. If it was pastuerella, thenshe probably already had it when you got her..

 

[muchloveforbunny]

Jenniferinny wrote:

Did your vet test for Pastuerella? That's a very very commondisease in rabbits. While it may not affect them much while young, itcertainly seemed to shorten the lifespan in my bunnies. If it'spastuerella, then just adopt another one that already has it. Though,that shouldn't affect your cats. If it was pastuerella, then sheprobably already had it when you got her..

Hi Jenniferinny,

I will keep this in mind. I never heard of Pastuerella.Butthat does sound likely, doesn't it? Especially since she died ofpnuemonia. The vet didn't perform any tests. She told me it wouldn't beworth it. It could be so many things. There could be so manytests.I see now on this boardI could have requestedan autopsy. I didn't know that.

Despite the factI had the rabbit, I am no expert on allthings rabbit. I didread Rabbits magazine and one short bookabout rabbits. This is the first time (on this forum) thatIhave read so much more information about them.

I just brought her to the vets yearly for a check-up. It would be adifferent vet each time since we move a lot. A year ago whenIhad her checked, I was told she was healthy, even though I diddescribeher colds and occasional diarhea which would stick toher behind. I gave her frequent baths.The vet said her behindlooked fine.I told her thats because I bathe her. The vetsaid she looked fit as a fiddle.


I wonder if I should have made more of an effort to research the vets Iwent to as well as research rabbits in general, as one vet told me thatRabbits were rodents. I have just learned this is NOT true. IamSO surprised. Also,I should have brought her tothe vet every 6 months I have read, but I was told a year was fine.

Well thank you for that idea. I'll keep it in mind. I wonder ifmaybeI should wait before getting another rabbit. I'm notsure.

 

[bbgrl20]

When my first rabbit died I went through thesame emotions of whether or not to get another bunny right away, butseeing her cage empty and coming home to that made it evenharder. So we decided to get another bunny and even though atfirst all we could say about our new bunny was how much she was notlike our other and we wished she was. but after time passedand our little mocha got comfortable with us our bond with hergrew. Now I can not imagine not having my little Mocha tocome home to. So in other words it may be hard at first if you decideto get another rabbit because deep down you want it to be like the onethat just passed, but once you give it time the rabbit will grow on youand you grow to love it just like you did your previous bun. Good luckwith whatever you decide!ink iris:

 

[Jenniferinny]

It's very hard to find a good rabbit vet. Mostvets don't really know enough about them to be too useful. Though, theycan often refer you to one more experienced and can handle emergencieslike intestinal blockages. I'm looking around for a better vet in myarea as well. I think the house rabbit society has listings of rabbitvets, but, they don't have one listed for my area. The couple whoadvertise that they see rabbits pretty much told me they see "healthy"rabbits and that if I had one with a problem they'd help me find aspecialist.

 

[naturestee]

Have you checked our rabbit savvy vet lists?

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_forum.php?id=9

Bunnydude did a great job linking to the HRS, Petbunny, and Exotic Vetlistings, plus lots of members have been adding their vets that weren'talready listed.