Yesterday morning we lost our sweet little girl, Gertie at 11 and a half years old. She passed away peacefully in her tunnel just hours before we woke up. My wife and I are completely heartbroken and haven’t cried so much in our lives over the past 20 hours. Yesterday morning we woke up to the regular routine of getting the greens ready and some fruit in the kitchen for our two buns. Benji, Gertie’s bond mate, was waiting like usual but k didn’t see Gertie. I figured she was in her little box though so I didn’t think too much of it. After I started getting their plates ready though and making chopping noises, I knew something was wrong.
I stopped getting the plates ready and looked in the litter box and she wasn’t there. I proceeded to check her 4 favorite places and the last one in her tunnel on her blanket, all I saw were two still little back feet pointing out. I touched her and she didn’t move. I immediately called out to my wife and broke down crying. She was laying on her side with her little front feet crossed on one of her favorite blankets. Her body body was still warm. She must have just passed within the last hour or two. I picked her up and just lovingly held her while sobbing.
We adopted Gertie when she was 5 and had for 6 and a half years. She was an Easter Bunny that was confined to a cage for the first 5 years of her life. We went to the humane society to find a dog or cat but poor Gertie was just sitting there amidst all the dogs barking after being returned from another family. My wife and I put a reserve in for her and picked her up the next day!
We brought her home to be a free roam rabbit and she loved us dearly for it. She was such a people person rabbit that would sleep next to you and snuggle up for cuddles every morning. She was my routine for over 6 years. Every morning was coffee with Gertie as we sat and enjoyed the peacefulness of waking up together.
Gertie was the survivor of several surgeries and was a tough rabbit. When we adopted her she had several fatty lipomas that we eventually had removed. She was never able to lay on her side until they were taken care of as they shifted around. This never stopped her from zooming and binkying though. She loved to race up and down the stairs, go through her tunnels and jump towards when you shook the treat bag.
She was the best cuddler. Sometimes I’d sleep in the floor with her all night. She would just lay right by my pillow or snuggle up next to my body, like she was watching over me.
Gertie at her age was starting to go blind about seven months ago. Her bond mate, Benji, became her seeing eye bun and she did so well with him. They loved each other and spent hours laying out and grooming one another. It makes me a little worried for Benji as he is a rabbit that seemed to love her more than us. Gertie loves humans but Benji will take just a few pets and be just fine with that.
Gertie’s poor hips and back legs were starting to wear out too. she couldn’t do stairs anymore but has plenty of room on the main level. She used to love sitting at the top of the stairs looking out the window and it makes me think she did that one last time before going blind and her body starting to fail her and I never knew it. We had her on an every other day dose of meloxicam to help with the hip and leg arthritis. She was slowing down but mobile enough until the end to follow her brother around. I knew her body was starting to give up on her because during her last checkup she just didn’t have the muscle mass/density she normally did, but her spirit was strong and she was always such a good eater. I’ll miss waking up to her chomping away at hay in the morning. Such a lovely sound.
I thought she maybe had 6 months left in her but it came so much more quickly than that. I had been sleeping on the floor with her lately about every 4 days just to be with her. I guess maybe I subconsciously knew her time was closer. I wish I would have been with her last night. Right now I write this laying next to her stuffed animal and blanket, with Benji nearby and a little confused where his bond mate is. I can’t stop crying.
I don’t think I’ve ever been this upset in my life. Gertie was our first pet and taught us so much and in return gave us a ton of love. We said our final goodbye yesterday evening at the emergency vet where they will cremate her remains for us. Please love your buns a ton today. We thought that we had more time to spend with Gertie but she decided it was time to cross the rainbow bridge.
I want to thank everyone for reading about Gertie. She was such a loving rabbit and I’m thankful that I was able to spend over 6 years of my life with her.
by thetreatment456