Hi. I haven't been here in a while, but I needed to come back as another friend has left, so suddenly too. Less than a year after my beloved cat passed away, I had my newly adopted rabbit die on me yesterday.

I'm really sad. Something terrible happened. I adopted a second rabbit less than 2 weeks ago and yesterday she passed away. I didn't have her for very long and yet I can't stop crying. Mostly because I think it was my fault.
I think she died from a heat stroke that could've been avoided. While she got used to my other rabbit, she was living away from him in the kitchen. But it has been really hot this week, today was really hot and humid and my house really gets hot easily. Her water bowl was full this morning when I left for work and it was completely empty when I came home. That's what makes me believe it was a heat stroke. There was nothing around that could've been harmful. I should've put her in a cooler place..There was too much light in the kitchen. Rabbits are very prone to heat strokes. My other bunny was in a different room which was cooler and darker. That`s why I`m pretty sure it's the heat...

When I came home I saw she hadn't eaten much and wouldn't touch her carrots which she adored. I could see she wasn't well. I left to go to the store to buy her nice herbs to help her eat more, but when I came back she was lying on her side, all stiff and I knew it was too late. If I had recognized the signs earlier, I could've tried to save her.

I feel so terrible! She was alive and hopping around just a few days ago. This didn't have to happen. It's my fault she died. She was so sweet and well behaved. I feel so bad. I knew it was hot, but I didn't think it would be this bad.I should've known better. She wasn't even a year old! I didn't even have time to make friends with her properly. I had been looking forward to getting a second rabbit for a long time...I had been watching her at the shelter for a while. It makes me very sad to think she'd still be alive if I hadn't brought her home. This wasn't supposed to happen. She was supposed to make friends with my other rabbit and be with us for a long time. She didn't deserve that. She had been at the SPCA all her life, and when she finally got a home she died. The adoption lady told me it's not my fault, that these things happen because rabbits are so fragile but I still feel responsible. I put her through this and she must have been in much pain when she died.

Here's a picture. Her name was Felicia
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/sap...na/DSC00257.jpg

Hi Sapphireluna,

I'm so sorry to hear about your bunny. I lost my bunny, Daisy, a year ago and I still miss her. I know it's easier said then done, but you can't blame yourself. You might suspect that it was heatstroke, but you can't know for sure (usually a bunny with heatstroke will show other signs other than excessive water consumption, such as: panting, lethargy, salivating, weakness/slow movement, acting confused, convulsing, etc.). She may have had an underlying condition that you didn't know about. The adoption lady is right -- bunnies are very fragile little things, and they can go downhill very quickly, with very little warning. I bet the short time she was with you was full of fun and happiness for her. And I'm sure she's having fun now in bunny heaven -- I'll ask my Daisy to keep an eye on her

Once again, I'm sorry to hear this sad news. Please, try to let go of the guilt. I hope you return and let us know how you're getting on.

Thinking of you -- Cheryl xx

Hi, Sapphireluna, please permit me to add my sincerest sympathies in the loss of your precious Felicia. Our forum friend Cheryl, who is so very knowledgeable about bunny kids, has offered you the most compassionate comfort I could hope to offer, so please read her note to you frequently.

When my Oslo and I were doing volunteer therapy visits with troubled youth I wrote up a study topic on rabbits, and was so o o o amazed at how truly fragile they are. They can literally seem perfectly fine one moment and the next - - in a dire medical emergency. So, both Cheryl, and the lady at the adoption agency, are right - - you really can't blame yourself.

I hope you will be able to find comfort that your precious Felicia is now surrounded by each of our beloved companions, and will be given speical attention by Cheryl's precious Daisy.

Sapphireluna, I know your heart is shattered with this loss, - - and I so understand how feel that your precious Felicia was supposed to be with you for a long happy and healthy journey together. But you DID give her two weeks of a loving home - - of knowing what it is like to have a home of her own. And your very last act was on her behalf - - to get her something to help her with her appetite. Your precious Felicia is looking into your heart and saying, "Thank you, mom, for giving me a home of my own and love. I'm so sorry I had to leave you so soon, but it's NOT your fault. Please don't be sad - - it's really okay - - I love you forever."

Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, Sapphireluna, and please let us know how you're doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello SapphireLuna

I am so sorry about the passing of your new bunny. Like Moonbeam has said so beautifully, the two weeks Ms Felicia spent with you had to be the happiest days of her life. I have no experience with bunnies, but from what people have written here it seems that they are VERY fragile. Sapphireluna, her passing is no ones' fault, least of all yours. Whoever made this universe made our precious fur-babies' lifespans much shorter than ours. It could have been anything - most likely some underlying condition that nobody knew about. Everything, EVERYTHING, you did for her was out of that special love some very rare people give and get when their very own one-in-the-world spirit-animal finds them and asks to be with them. That's you and Ms Felicia. And as wonderful as it is when we can see and touch them, that's how horrible it is when they go on to the perfect world. I think it was Moonbeam (a very wise person) who said that reason the hole in our hearts will never go away is the our soul-mate took part of it with them - and left us with a part of theirs. Felicia is safe, not in pain, and is going around that perfect world bragging to all her new friends about the most spectacular two weeks of her life. I'll send my Gretta (a beautiful chocolate lab, the kindest dog who ever lived) over to meet her - is she hasn't already.

There are ALWAYS should-have, could-have, would-haves - I think part of it is that demon guilt that human souls are so prone to and part of it is an expression of the deep sadness we feel and the even deeper longing for "just one more minute" (another demon). Sapphireluna, this site is a life-saver. It's peopled with those rare people whose spirit animals has found them in this whole wide world - and who have gived and received the best kind of love there is. We're here and we care. Many of us write through tears - in fact right after Gretta passed I felt there were so many tears inside me needing to be shed I came here and read the stories just to release some of the sadness. Your Felicia is an amazing creature. She packed a lifetime of love into just two weeks. You go, Ms Felicia.

Thank you for sharing your bunny-bun with us. Please keep in touch.

Gretta's mom

Gosh, Saphirreluna I am so terribly sorry to hear about the loss of your sweet little bunny Felicia.

I don't know a thing about bunnies but it sounds as though the consenus is that they are delicate yet beautiful creatures. There is absolutely no way you could have known that something serious was happening. There were no real signs, other than the water consumption and it would be so hard to imagine that a well naturally-lit kitchen inside a cool house would cause such a horrific occurrence.

And let's not forget that the whole reason you went out was to get Felicia some herbs to help her with her appetite (an act of love for her). Please do your very best to let go of this guilt you are feeling because this was NOT your fault.

I'm so sorry that you guys only got to love one another in the physical sense for such a short time but I do believe that Felicia is in the next world along with my beloved Abby and she's probably bragging about what a great mom you are. I'll ask my Abby to stop by and check on her-

Wishing you some peace tonight,
Abby's Mom

Good morning SapphireLuna,

Just a short note to send some care your way and an offer to take up a little of your burden today. I'm further along the road (coming up on 2 months) so I have a little bit to spare. Gretta and my new dog, Rufus, and I are all wishing for at least one moment of peace for you today.

Gretta's mom

Thank you all for your kind words. I am feeling a bit better, though it still hurts very much. It never gets easier, does it. If anything, I think it only becomes tougher.
I know rabbits are very fragile creatures..but the plan was to have her with us for a long time. I don't like it when the plan changes.
There are times when I wish so hard that I could go back in time. I'm sure you all feel the same.

You people are a great help. Thank you very much.

Hello SapphireLuna,

"It never gets easier, does it?" Gretta was the first dog I had as an adult, but I have a sister who has loved seven or eight dogs - all but one C-O-C-K-er spaniels so is an expert on "is it easier with the second .... or third ... one?" In a word, NO. That's why everyone who takes a chance on loving another animal and takes them into the family is a major saint in my book. The first time, before it happens, all you have is your head to guide you (and we all know how reliable THAT is!). Then when it does happen, you get to be shot through the heart, have you heart shredded, cry more tears than you thought were in the universe and then cry some more, break into tears at the most unexpected times and places, moan for your disappeared loved one ..... and more. You know the drill. I'm two months in and I've reached the stage where I'm carrying around a huge concrete block with a heart that's patched together with flimsy thread. I know, from my sister and from my Lightning Strike friends, that the searing, shredding pain does subside after a long time. It never does go away - that I'm certain of. Sis says she sometimes cries over her first dog (20+ years ago). Moonbeam said it perfectly - the soul-mate-shaped hole in your heart never goes away because they took part of your heart with them and left parts of theirs with you.

The true heroes, the saints on this earth, are the people who, like you, KNOW all this, have BEEN THROUGH all this - and still find the strength and love to bring another fur-baby into your heart and family. There spirpt animals find US, we don't find them. Imagine ... they search over all the world and its billions of people until they find their soul's other half, and then arrange to have themselves put into the path of the 'other-half' and have the human half recognize them, recognize the soul-to-soul connection and have the overwhelming love that sparks wipe out all memory of the Hades-on-Earth that their shorter life span is going to cause (again) and just open their heart as wide as it goes and scoop them up and love them.. That's a miracle, SapphireLuna. You're a miracle. We're all in awe and we're all here to lift you up like you have lifted us up by sharing your beautiful love story and love letters.

A shower of blessings to you, SL. Please try to find just a tiny moment of relief today.

Gretta's mom

How are you SapphireLuna? Just wondering. You're in my thoughts and prayers - every day.