Discussion
I feel this is my only choice, I am dreading the vet asking me "are you sure" because the selfish part of me will want to say no, but I know its for the best, he has lost so much weight, he feels like skin and bone despite eating everything in sight still. He is himself still, but cannot walk without the steroids. He has urine scald despite my best efforts (I work full time) to keep it at bay with cream and daily baths.
There are no words for how I feel right now.
My wingman, my best friend, my boy has gone & I miss him more than I ever thought possible already. I cant figure out whether knowing it was coming has made it easier or harder but right now it feels like I have been hit by a truck.
He enjoyed his time on the grass with me and my best friend last night before we went to the vets, my friend brought him yoghurt drops, biscuits and all sorts but he didn't want to eat anything, probably because I had just fed him up on Kale, carrots and strawberry's
If love alone could have saved you, you would have lived forever
Cinders has always been the "hide away" type, she will sit in the box in the run all day and only come out for food, whereas Gareth has always been a lie down anywhere type. She sat out in the run watching over him all night, it was only at 5:30 this morning that she plucked up the courage to go over and give him a grooming & say her goodbyes, she stayed with him for around 40 minutes then went back into her box. When I removed his body from the run she sat and let me stroke her face which she has never done before so she obviously realises I am suffering too, poor little thing. She is eating and drinking still which is very positive, fingers crossed she will be ok.
My wingman, my best friend, my boy has gone & I miss him more than I ever thought possible already. I cant figure out whether knowing it was coming has made it easier or harder but right now it feels like I have been hit by a truck.
He enjoyed his time on the grass with me and my best friend last night before we went to the vets, my friend brought him yoghurt drops, biscuits and all sorts but he didn't want to eat anything, probably because I had just fed him up on Kale, carrots and strawberry's
If love alone could have saved you, you would have lived forever
Cinders has always been the "hide away" type, she will sit in the box in the run all day and only come out for food, whereas Gareth has always been a lie down anywhere type. She sat out in the run watching over him all night, it was only at 5:30 this morning that she plucked up the courage to go over and give him a grooming & say her goodbyes, she stayed with him for around 40 minutes then went back into her box. When I removed his body from the run she sat and let me stroke her face which she has never done before so she obviously realises I am suffering too, poor little thing. She is eating and drinking still which is very positive, fingers crossed she will be ok.
king heartbreaking! axgizmo, it must have been heartbreaking for you to have brought Gareth home so that Cinders could bid him farewell in her own sweet way. But by her behaviour, it sounds like she's understood better why she's on her own and that you're feeling terribly sad.
My friend had 2 adorable 'teddyzwergkaninchen' - I don't know the English term, but they were long-haired dwarf bunnies and she loved them dearly. They were totally bonded and adored eachother. But one sad day the female was rushed to the vet's with the awful E. cuniculi virus and never returned. The saddest part was her partner spent days hunting the flat for his friend; he never really recovered from his loss and couldn't bond with other bunnies. Despite all the love he was given, eventually his grief was too much for him and he pined away, clearly in pain. So the decision was made to let him join his friend in bunny heaven.
Last year, another of my friend's bunnies passed away without any signs of illness. But she was only discovered in the morning; her partner was with her and obviously knew that she had gone. That must have helped him, as he's quite content to be on his own, it seems. I wanted to get him a lady friend, but that wasn't possible as a puppy arrived the same day and 2 young creatures would probably have been too much.
So having understood her loss, Cinders is probably more likely to accept her situation then if she hadn't seen Gareth for that last time.
Still desperately sad though.
My friend had 2 adorable 'teddyzwergkaninchen' - I don't know the English term, but they were long-haired dwarf bunnies and she loved them dearly. They were totally bonded and adored eachother. But one sad day the female was rushed to the vet's with the awful E. cuniculi virus and never returned. The saddest part was her partner spent days hunting the flat for his friend; he never really recovered from his loss and couldn't bond with other bunnies. Despite all the love he was given, eventually his grief was too much for him and he pined away, clearly in pain. So the decision was made to let him join his friend in bunny heaven.
Last year, another of my friend's bunnies passed away without any signs of illness. But she was only discovered in the morning; her partner was with her and obviously knew that she had gone. That must have helped him, as he's quite content to be on his own, it seems. I wanted to get him a lady friend, but that wasn't possible as a puppy arrived the same day and 2 young creatures would probably have been too much.
So having understood her loss, Cinders is probably more likely to accept her situation then if she hadn't seen Gareth for that last time.
Still desperately sad though.
Having to bring him home was incredibly tough but I knew I had to do it for Cinders. I kept waiting for him to sit up, be he never did.
When Gareth lost his bonded partner (Terri) a few years ago he searched her favourite spots in the flat for weeks, running from one to the other then back again and it broke my heart every day, I couldn't watch that again
Rest in Peace little buddy, I love you more than words
09.03.2007 - 21.04.2016
When Gareth lost his bonded partner (Terri) a few years ago he searched her favourite spots in the flat for weeks, running from one to the other then back again and it broke my heart every day, I couldn't watch that again
Rest in Peace little buddy, I love you more than words
09.03.2007 - 21.04.2016
I'm so sorry for your loss, I have four of my own and I dread when the time will come for them to leave.
You definitely did the right thing bringing Gareth home for Cinders to see him. As CInders sounds like a more timid bun I would recommend that once you've all had time to grieve that you consider finding her another friend from a rescue. They're such sociable things and i'm sure company would help her cope with the loss of her husbun. x x
You definitely did the right thing bringing Gareth home for Cinders to see him. As CInders sounds like a more timid bun I would recommend that once you've all had time to grieve that you consider finding her another friend from a rescue. They're such sociable things and i'm sure company would help her cope with the loss of her husbun. x x
I wholeheartedly offer my sincere best wishes to you. Experiencing this first hand a few weeks ago, my heart was wrenched out stamped on and then set alight. I can imagine the pain and suffering on your loss.
In fact reading your post really got me upset again. Just remember them and be thankful for the memories and time they gave you.
They really are awesome little dudes.
In fact reading your post really got me upset again. Just remember them and be thankful for the memories and time they gave you.
They really are awesome little dudes.
axgizmo, that description of Gareth trying to find his Terri was exactly how my friend's Benji behaved when desperately searching for his beloved Pebbles. Utterly devastating and the pain, desperation and anxiety on his little face was awful - as I wrote, he never really recovered. But at least Gareth had the rest of his life with Cinders and your actions in letting her know that he wasn't going to wake up will probably spare both Cinders and you the same painful experience of her trying to find her little pal.
Edited by nickwilcock on Friday 22 April 16:19
Thank you for the kind words all. It's been a really tough week and to be honest I have avoided coming here as I knew reading the replies would upset me.
I would like this thread to carry on as I love reading about all of your little ones & I still have Cinders. Speaking of...
On the night I brought Gareth home, she sat in a new place I have never seen either of them sit before, she stayed there all night and watched him until she was ready to say goodbye. This spot is her new go-to place. I find this a little odd.
I took her to my parents with me for the night last Saturday, she spent the whole day sat on my knee, which was nice as at home she hides away, never comes for strokes and flinches when you touch her (the joys of getting a rescue bunny - you never know how they have been treated before)
As soon as we were back home she went straight to her new spot on the rug and sat watching the goings on. I put a blanket down on the sofa one night this week hoping she would sit next to me like she had been at my parents, no such luck, she hopped off and went back to her spot.
I would like this thread to carry on as I love reading about all of your little ones & I still have Cinders. Speaking of...
On the night I brought Gareth home, she sat in a new place I have never seen either of them sit before, she stayed there all night and watched him until she was ready to say goodbye. This spot is her new go-to place. I find this a little odd.
I took her to my parents with me for the night last Saturday, she spent the whole day sat on my knee, which was nice as at home she hides away, never comes for strokes and flinches when you touch her (the joys of getting a rescue bunny - you never know how they have been treated before)
As soon as we were back home she went straight to her new spot on the rug and sat watching the goings on. I put a blanket down on the sofa one night this week hoping she would sit next to me like she had been at my parents, no such luck, she hopped off and went back to her spot.
glad they're doing well! Holly who was a rescue bun is pretty bonkers from time to time. With not knowing what she'd been through before we got her we don't know if it's how she's been treated by them. Charlie who we bought from a breeder ( I know bad choice) is a lot more confident and explores a lot more than Holly. She likes her spot behind a chair we have in a corner and when you try and hustle them from the lounge to the kitchen, where they stay when we're not in is almost impossible as she has this massive fear of going out of the lounge and into the hall way and round to the corner which is almost a 30CM gap between each doors. It's funny because she gets to the point where she must think "right if you want me in that kitchen you can climb over this chair and pick me up" which we have to do from time to time. Can only explain her as skittish.
Well heres a question. Can two already young bonded buns suit going with a 9 year old grumpy lump? I fear the answer will be no lol. I've met two of the most adorable bunnies I've ever seen and I'm still thinking of them despite it being 3 days later and that is something I never do!
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