My bunnies are getting neglected

[ashleycat]

I used to spend so much time with them. I built them a 4 story huge condo. Now that my baby is getting older and more busy. They don't see me now. Except for feeding and litter change. I miss them. I wish they were like cats and dogs. I could let them roam around unsupervised.

[CagneyDog]

If you truly don't have the time for them, then maybe you should consider finding them another home!

[ashleycat]

I know. I keep thinking the same thing. I get upset too. I think about how many buns are out there that have it worse. Or that don't have homes. I don't know what to do.

If I find a home, how do I find a good one. and not to a shelter.

How do I get the guts to find them a good home.

[CagneyDog]

I hope you don't give them away It would sure be hard, but they might be better off.

Do you have any rabbit rescues around your area? Or do you know any friends that would take them?

[ashleycat]

Would the rabbit rescue places have big spaces to play? Or would they just be in a small cage?

[ashleycat]

Or maybe I could bring them out into the livingroom. But I would have to put something up so fur and happy pills don't get everwhere.

Well scratch that idea, hubby won't go for it. Hes to into having the house look nice Sometimes I wished I had a different hubby lol. One that loves animals.

Hes from a country where rabbits are food. Cats n dogs are outside for protection and mice.

[My Peanuts]

I think "neglected" is the wrong word. Everyone gets busy from time to time and we don't get to play with our animals as much as we would like. Your baby will get bigger before you know it and she will be playing with those bunnies too. If I were you I'd try to make as much time as possible for them until your baby gets a little older. If you still feel like you are neglecting them, then maybe think about a bunny rescue, or try to re-home them yourself.

[ashleycat]

I am going to try and beg hubby to let me bring them out into the living room. They will have a smaller area, but I can use the leftover nic parts to make a bun run outside for excercise. Do you think they will be happier just looking at us rather than another room?

Any ideas to keep the bun fur from flying everywhere? So Brookie can still play on floor w/o having to vaccuum(sp) 100 x a day? I was thinking of a clear plexy glass walls around the nic cage. Top open for air.

[bckrazy]

aw... don't feel bad. Maybe you aren't completely giving them the normal amount of attention as usual, but at least they're clean, well fed, and healthy . At this point, I dont know if you'd really need to surrender them to a rescue. Rescues are over-run as it is by stray, abused, and neglected bunnies that are dumped at shelters and given a few days before euthanasia. House Rabbits are also *much* harder to get adopted out than cats and dogs.

Buy a play pen (the kind for puppies or children), and set it up in your living room or even a bathroom or kitchen (you might want to place it on hard floors). Place one or two litterboxes in with your buns, so they have a little bit of room to explore and new toys to play with and they can use their litterboxes so you don't get any suprises all over the carpet. I used to do this with my buns, and they always used their litter boxes and just enjoyed themselves. Place tunnels, cat toys (the kind that roll around with bells inside), chewies, carrot pieces, dried cranberries and parsley in their play pen. Hide some of the food so they can go "hunting" for it. You can also move the playpen into the backyard in a clean, grassy spot. Make sure its anchored to the ground and the holes aren't big enough for the buns to escape... also, make sure you're outside with them when theyre in the play pen. You can *also* buy harnesses and leashes for your Buns and walk them around the yard so they can explore and get some exercise.

Oh, and as far as fur goes, buy a kitten or rabbit brush and simply brush them out every day. They enjoy being brushed, it gets all of the excess fur out, and its a good bonding experience for you and your Buns

[ashleycat]

They already have a HUGE cage. They are in another room alone. Any ideas to fancy it up so it won't look funny in a livingroom?

[chrissycat21]

Well, like bckrazy said you could get a playpen just to set up when your in the living room.

They sell playpens at petstores that are about 3 feet high for rabbits. You could set that up with a few litter boxs just when you want them in the living room, and then put them back when you need the house to look nice for company or whatever.

[lute]

i think it's a good idea to get a playpen for them in the living room. they will see you more and it would be a new place to explore for a while.

you are not neglecting your bunnies at all! if anything, you spoil them! i would not worry too much. they have each other.

[ashleycat]

What's your definition of neglected?

[lute]

Originally posted by ashleycat
What's your definition of neglected?

i think if you didn't bother trying to be closer to your rabbits then that would be neglectful.