thumper passed away.

Sure - I love talking rabbits ;-)
No lunch necessay as I'd love to pop out to meet the pigs, cows & ziggy.
Pls email me and we can see what times work best for both of us.

tu is ancient now lisa...thanks for rescuing her in the first place so many years ago!

if you are ever out this way, let me know, i will treat you to lunch and..i could pick your brain about a few things with caring for our rabbits.

Often when bunnies grow old, they get lighter and you can feel their bones (spine, hips, shoulders) a bit more....like Carol said, it's diffferent than skeletal etc.
We call it *the old bunny body* when we deal with our seniors....its not a reflection of care, it's just a change in their body composition. They just feel different.
I will say it is so nice to see tributes to a bunny that has passed as often in todays society they are dumped, neglected and no one gives them a thought. They are silent by nature so often go un-noticed......it is nice to see people who appreciate them and respect their spirit. Often so many die and nobody sees or even knows about it.....or even cares.
RIP Thumper.

PS - Tu must be ancient by now huh?

thx penny. i will pick up some russell rabbit for spiffy to eat.

Sorry Carol - skeletal was a word I shouldn't have used, because it could give the wrong impression. The bunnies are well looked after, loved and cared for at Saints (as are all the animals there), and any minor problems with them are taken care of. With regard to Thumper, there was some nasal discharge a couple of weeks ago and I believe I made a notation in the book in the FIV cat room at the time. However, he did seem overall healthy and spry last Sunday. But sorry, because I handle and groom the bunnies regularly, it did seem to me that he had lost weight over the last week or two, and I was monitoring that. Because there were no other serious symptoms, I didn't draw it to your attention. In future, I will try to talk personally with you over any concerns.

sorry penny..i just pulled him out and checked him again quite carefully in case i missed something..no eye or nose discharge, eyes are open and totally clear, no sign of inflamation, his weight and coat are good.

after reading your post i went out and checked spiffy because of your concern for her.. yes she is a bit thin and yes, she is 7 years old now which is getting up there for a dwarf bunny. i will pick up some higher calorie food for her to see if we can help her maintain her weight more easily.

but please be careful with words like skeletal which are far different than thin as it can be misleading to the uninformed..skeletal would be rabbits like gracie...or dogs like heart...skeletal means no bodyfat, wasted muscle mass..it is usually from chronic long term starvation or long term end of life diseases that eat up the bodies resources like end stage cancers. spiff can use some help in the weight dept. but she is not any where near skeletal.

certainly if you have concerns about anyone's health ..it would be a good idea to speak directly to me in person..i am usually around here sometime around noon.

Carol,
Sorry to hear about Thumper, but am sure he had great care at Saints as I'm sure all the animals do.
I have sent some cheques for the sponsorship of Ewok and Smokey,to Saints. Also have put in for 4 tickets for the March 24 event.

aw so sorry about thumper. i am a house person so do not get to see the bunnys that much but they are very sweet. sorry all bunny people for your loss

Hi Lori. The garage sale is at my place. You can e-mail me at: hpirang@shaw.ca.

It was definitely Thumper. He's one that I checked regularly, because of his cough and sometimes stuff coming out of his nose (plus he was one of my favorites and liked to cuddle). It was noticeable on Sunday - you could feel his spinal bones much more easily. Other than that, he seemed fine and had a great appetite. I worry about Spiffy as well - he feels like a skeleton with fur, but has been like that for a long time. Isabelle has commented on it as well. I know he's old. He loves his treats, though.

are you sure you are thinking of the right bunny penny? because when i checked him over today there were no ribs or spine sticking out, his body was actually in primo shape? is there maybe someone else in there that you are concerned about that i should check out that has lost weight?

as for the little black boys..not a good match for tu..A. they are vicious fighters when put in with other rabbits and B. they hate being down in the floor pens...they find it too stressful and feel safer up in the hutch..that is why we moved them up there in the first place.

Carol - Tu is going to be so lonely now - she and Thumper were inseparable. Just a thought. How about trying Bun Jovi and Anthony Hopkins in the run with Tu? They are both sweet, gentle, timid bunnies and it would give them more room to run around - the wall cage is very small and restrictive for them. They are much better socialized and more confident than they were, and might adapt well to being with Tu if she accepts them. I can't think of any other bunnies that could be put in with her - certainly not Bob or Princess Leia!!!

I'm heartbroken about Thumper - he was one of my favorite bunnies. I commented to Isabelle last week that he had lost weight - you could feel his spine under his fur and he weighed nothing at all when you picked him up. He'd only lost weight in the last couple of weeks, but other than that seemed fine. I'm glad he enjoyed extra helpings of carrots and carrot tops on Sunday - his very favorite treat. And I got to cuddle him lots. Jenn took some video of him in my arms last Sunday as well. I shall miss you so much sweet bunny - I hope you're happily at play with other bunnies in sunny fields.

Thumper I am going to miss you chewing on boots when I cleaned your pen. You were a cute little bunny and you always brought a smile to my face - Hugs and Kisses Thumper - you will be greatly missed

Aww, Thumper was a beautiful bunny. I'm so glad that Saints was there for him. RIP Thumper.

Hey Carol! Just wondering about the yard sale happening for Saints...would you like donations from those of us unable to actually man a table that day? Who should I contact for more info?

So very sorry for the loss of Thumper. Hugs and prayers.