*Why Raising Rabbits is so Hard*
Dove was not my first rabbit, nor was she my first rex, but there was something magic about her that stuck her close to my heart. Dove was born into a litter of 7, she was the only opal with six castors as litter mates. At 4 weeks of age, her litter was hit hard with coccidia. While battling the bug, all six of her litter mates weren’t strong enough to pull through. Dove, however, was very strong willed. At some points, she seemed to be fading, but other times she shined like a star. I told her I would keep her forever if she could just pull through, and I had picked out a beautiful name that she could keep… but only if she stayed strong. As the days passed and she got stronger and healthier, the time finally came to give her her name. As beautiful as a dove, and always present every morning for me to see (just as the doves sing every morning) I grew to love each time I saw her. As crazy as it sounds, I would trade away every last one of my rabbits just to have her back.
At the age of 2, Dove left us unexpectedly on May 31st, 2011. The day was bound to happen, I know, but not that soon. I love you Dove and thank you for the memories. I kept my promise, you were with me from birth to your last breathe… Now it is time for you to fly free my little Dove.
At the age of 2, Dove left us unexpectedly on May 31st, 2011. The day was bound to happen, I know, but not that soon. I love you Dove and thank you for the memories. I kept my promise, you were with me from birth to your last breathe… Now it is time for you to fly free my little Dove.
Everyone remembers their first rabbit... Mine was Caramel. She was a beautiful broken lilac tort mini lop. At 6 months old, my very first show, she won Grand Champion. Her next step was to begin breeding, always giving me litters of 4. She always loved the little ones, even those who were not hers. She loved raising little ones so much she just about forced me to let her try again. When she was not allowed to have a litter, she became depressed and started dropping weight. After she would have her litter, the weight would come back, her day brighten up, and she was happy. At 6 1/2 years old, she gave birth to her final litter of 4 amazing little kids. When her litter was 4 weeks old, she finally had to leave them. She was glowing even up to her dying day. A few days before she died, Caramel was in charge of baby sitting her and another does litter. I noticed then she was slowing down and was just tired. When we fed the morning of her death, we found her lying inside the nesting box snuggled up to her babies. I've never seen such a happy mama, and I think it finally gave her that last satisfying moment in life that she felt it was time to leave. I can't believe that she held on long enough to wean her babes before she left.
*January 2004 - May 12, 2010*
*January 2004 - May 12, 2010*