I have two rabbits:
Mailo – 1 year old, healthy, very active, cuddly, just a cool guy.
Charlie – about 5.5 years old, with significant pre-existing conditions. Her health has been declining for about three quarters of a year. We have to go to the vet every 1–2 months, starting with severe rabbit snuffles, then dental problems (a molar had to be shortened under anesthesia), then a nictitating membrane tumor that kept growing, and eventually her left eye had to be removed. Two weeks after the eye surgery, she developed symptoms of E. Cuniculi. We went to the vet immediately and she is currently still receiving medication for it. Her neurological symptoms have almost completely disappeared and she is eating again, but overall she is in poor condition – despite getting enough food she is quite thin, has hardly any muscle, and doesn’t move around as much as Mailo, naturally. The vet has already said that if things don’t improve within three weeks, we should consider euthanasia.
I feel that because of her poor general condition, she will probably not survive until the end of the year. But I still have Mailo, who is very active and much younger than she is. Rabbits must not be kept alone.
I am wondering whether, in the long run, it might be better to get a new female rabbit before Charlie passes, so that the pain of losing her won’t be as great. However, of course, introducing a third rabbit is not an easy matter, and it could happen that Charlie would be bullied by the younger female.
I love my animals and want the best for them. I have already come to terms with the fact that Charlie will one day hop over the rainbow bridge.
Please tell me your opinion regarding getting a third rabbit.
Charlie is the white/grey one
by Olya0603