Standing Tall But Falling Short

Just the other week I thought to myself

'Wow, Henrie & Elsie are super-stars...they are NEVER sick'...

and than of course Henrie stopped eating for 3 whole days!

As always, we pulled out all of the tricks we've learnt over the past 20+ years and thankfully got him eating again.

Young rabbit or older rabbit, the possibilities of things that can be wrong felt endless...luckily, as normal, it was gas.

Rabbits can not fart or throw up so when gas builds up they get very uncomfortable with sore tummies & they need assistance.

At the same time that we were tending to Henrie, I was coaching a fellow rabbit parent through the loss of her first rabbit..

It was hard, because it brought back much of the sadness I've gone through 9 times before

(8 of which passed in my arms weather it be here at home or at the vets office)...

But I felt like a seasoned pro in regards to the heartbreak and loss of a family member and

I felt like I had tried and true methods to cope.

We've been through it a lot and will go through it at least 9 more times again with these bunnies we love so so much.

I realize more and more that my most powerful tool to get through the difficult ruins of loss

is to hold on to and find strength in what still remains.

But I felt like I was falling short and I don't know if I expressed myself well enough to this young woman...

I don't know if I encouraged her enough to keep going...

to not give up on making life with bunnies in the future despite their being hard & delicate pets/family members.

Rabbits out there need as many of us hard-core rabbit lovers as possible...

because let's face it, most people make life with easier species like cats and dogs.

I started thinking about all the rabbits out there with owners who don't know what to do.

Just last month a stranger was texting me for advice on their bunny not eating and I shared all my tips and tricks

but was expressing how important a rabbit savvy vet was and they just didn't want to spend money on vet visits...

which I found insanely infuriating but also it made me sad because I know firsthand just how expensive it can be

and I know it's just not an option for some people...

BUT that still doesn't make it okay when it comes to that animal counting on expertise and top=notch help...argh!

I hear again and again people who just say 'Oh my rabbit must just not be hungry right now'

or 'they'll eat when they get hungry enough'

YIKES & NOOOOO!

Rabbits don't work that way...a rabbit who isn't eating is a rabbit on a slippery slope...it require immediate investigation.

I just wish I could do more to encourage people to understand

that whiles yes, rabbits are not easy, that's no reason to shy away from the special care and treatment they need...

because they are worth all the stress and worry as much as any other animal, maybe even more so...

because they are magical, if you let them be!

Sigh!!!