Do ever feel like you don't look after your buns properly?

Question in title.

Sometimes it really worries me that I have too many buns to care for them properly and that I might miss subtle signs of illness because I don't have much time to spend with them all.

Anybody else feel the same?

Amy

I often feel that they miss out on being 'spoilt' as much as if I had just one or two pairs to look after and that maybe I could clean them out or brush them more often.

That said I think I often set myself unattainable standards of care for the bunsters, I was upset today because on my 3.5 hour break from work I didn't get time to do the outside buns litter trays, even though I can do them tomorrow and all the indoor bunnies had a full clean out. I actually am a bot obsessive about the cleanliness of the hutches, bowls, bottles etc

I think this about my guinea pigs, because there is 7 of them i cant help but think i dont give them enough time. If i could start over i dont think i would have such a large group.

This is why I am hesitant about finding new partners for my now single bunnies... my bunnies would double overnight... and feel worried they would suffer through less time and finances per bun as they are now.

sometimes- but I know I give them as much as I possibly can

Sometimes. But in all honesty I think I do feel that I pick up on illnesses etc quite quick. And I comfort myself that they have each other which they'd much prefer over two foot company. the only exception to that is Daisy who is currently single and I dont spend enough time with her, but hopefully in a couple of weeks or so she'll be living happily with 3 other bunsters (fingers crossed) so I think all in all our lot are ok

People seldom believe that I can give 42 Buns anything more than the very basic care. I guess that may be true if I had any 'life' apart from my Buns. The longest I am away from them is 2 hours. I am pottering about all of them all day, everyday.

Of course if I had any other 'life' then no, 42 Buns would not get more than basic care. But as I am the eccentric 'Bunny woman' I do feel reasonably confident in saying my Buns get a lot of my attention. Infact I suspect a few of them probably think 'gawd I wish she'd naff off out for a while'..........

What is 'basic care' though? I have 4 outdoor bunnies and I work full time. I clean them, feed them, check them, and observe their behaviour, but other than that I spend virtually no time with them whatsoever. They are in pairs so they have each other and don't really 'need' me to spend a lot of time with them.

I could feel guilty that I don't spend enough time with them, but I don't - although I would like to, for my own pleasure. I enjoy allowing them the space and freedom to just be rabbits, and in all honesty, none of them are bothered by my existence as long as they are fed, cleaned and taken to the vet when they are poorly/need vaccinating etc.

I do feel it with the piggies - I have six, all in pairs. The cat and bunnies I don't think I could do more for - well I'm sure there are other things I could do, but I think they're fine - but with the piggies they don't get the same attention as the bunnies. They're well fed, fresh veg every day, good food and hay, but not the attention. It does bother me, but then I think they're happy with each other and comfortable and they have a nice life, so that's got to be good enough.

AlisonA wrote:What is 'basic care' though? I have 4 outdoor bunnies and I work full time. I clean them, feed them, check them, and observe their behaviour, but other than that I spend virtually no time with them whatsoever. They are in pairs so they have each other and don't really 'need' me to spend a lot of time with them.

I could feel guilty that I don't spend enough time with them, but I don't - although I would like to, for my own pleasure. I enjoy allowing them the space and freedom to just be rabbits, and in all honesty, none of them are bothered by my existence as long as they are fed, cleaned and taken to the vet when they are poorly/need vaccinating etc.

Much as I don't like to think it, I know that Bell and T really don't need me other than for their basic needs. They're happy to come and sit with me in the evening, and they're all over me if I get their treats out, but they have each other and are very happy together, and I'm just there to provide them with food, hay and nice clean litter trays, whereas Harvey before them was a real cuddle bunny who I had such a massive bond with, that the "basics" for him wouldn't have been enough.

I worry about Rosie being a single bun, as I know there's no subsitute for company of her own kind. With her being blind now though, it's not really possible to travel to a rescue and bond her.

I know that I look after her properly, and I'm at home all day (every day! ) so I spend a huge amount of time with her. She seems perfectly contented but I still stress a bit over it.

I feel like I don't give my bonded pair enough attention all the time but they couldn't really be bothered about my company I often feel guilty about giving Dodge all the attention because he is a cuddle bun but I love them all the same

Rosie Rabbit wrote:I worry about Rosie being a single bun, as I know there's no subsitute for company of her own kind. With her being blind now though, it's not really possible to travel to a rescue and bond her.

I know that I look after her properly, and I'm at home all day (every day! ) so I spend a huge amount of time with her. She seems perfectly contented but I still stress a bit over it.

Me too - all of the above (apart from the blind bit!) - with Dusty.

I loved it when Clover and Dusty were together - I knew that they didn't really need my company (although they enjoyed the fact that I was the bearer of food of course! )

I think this all the time. I'm currently unemployed and looking for work so I should have more time then ever for them, and I only have two. But I'm always doing something, be it cleaning, out buying food, walking the dog, etc etc.. I always make sure that their crate is clean, they are fed, that their tray is cleaned out and they have fresh water.. But recently they've only been getting about 2-3 hours out each night.

They used to free roam our lounge almost all day when we were living at the flat. But now we're living back at Sonny's mom's, we have to keep them in the bedroom and we spend most of our time outside the bedroom and it's hard for them to have adequete 'out' time as Debbie doesn't want them in the lounge and when they're in the garden I have to watch and be by their side intently because Benjamin can jump the patio wall and be able to escape.

This is why I'm going to get them a playhouse and run soon so they can have more room as I hate them being in the crate. I'd have them completely free range if I could, but as I say it's not our house and I can't bunny proof everything here. Benjamin would destroy everything if he had the chance.

I do feel awful though and I know I'd not cope with more than two.

With three pairs I do wonder if I neglect them as far as spending time with them goes, but deep down I suspect they do not really care whether I am there or not.

They are all over me for treats but none of them really seek out strokes and attention. My favourite time of the day is sitting in BJ and Rosie's shed and watching them when I give them their tea. They then munch some hay, have a wash and snuggle down together. I so enjoy watching them interact and if this is contented bunny behaviour and they have everything they need (and some according to OH!) then I don't think I can do any more.

My rabbit lets me know when I am not doing my job properly
He drives me crazy.

As far as company goes the only one I need to worry about is Juno, she does love her mummy fussing her :luv:

i think when i got my first two, if i knew how much they cost, and how much time they really need i probably would only have one pair to be honest.

obviously now i wouldnt change them for the world or give them up, but like my mum has said 'if you only had one or two theyd probably be house rabbit by now' etc but we cnt bcus i have four.

also th emoney factor, when we got the buns my ex paid for 90% of their daily living, i bought them treats and toys and i spoilt them but i never paid for food, hay, straw etc, and we split up ten months ago and at first it WAS hard to go from paying out for their luxuries to budgeting for their daily needs.

i dont go out as much, and i dont buy as much things for myself anymore, but i dont mind because i love having them to provide for

i never feel like i dont look after them properly especially when i see so much neglect in the world



when peanut was ill i felt guilty because domino and pebbles werent getting enough cuddles and 'me and them' time, but the truth is, they didnt care one bit. they were always clean, dry, and had food, and a place to excercise!

I feel like I look after them properly, but do feel guilty that I don't get to spend more time with them, but that would be more for my benefit than theirs cus they couldn't care less as long as they are fed and watered!!