At the age of six, rabbits are already young pensioners. At the age of seven, they suffer from typical ailments. They move more leisurely and become increasingly clingy. They have long known all of our peculiarities and have adjusted to them. We see through their nature just as well and know when they feel good and when they are annoyed. Humans and animals are now closer than ever before. That is why these last years can be the most beautiful and heartfelt.
The signs of old age
Hoppler oldies don't have to worry about wrinkles. The flanks are sometimes a little sunken, the fur can be thinner and the hair around the muzzle and ears shows gray tips, but the fur still fits tightly around the skin. When stroking, we can sometimes feel the bones. If we pull up a piece of fur with two fingers, it takes longer than before for the fur to lie flat against the body again. However, most signs of aging are not so obvious and can only be observed by those who know their rabbit well.
senior rabbit
- sleep longer and more often
- eat leisurely and less
- show angular movements
- avoid jumping and climbing
- are less active overall
- avoid quarrels with others
- sometimes seem disoriented
- often no longer clean themselves or only briefly
Because oldies like more attention anyway, help a senior rabbit with cleaning. With a brush you go over your head, back and stomach. Use a warm, damp cloth to loosen dirt around the tail and cut off any stuck hair.
Feel the whole body every time to see if you can find any nodules or swellings, because the older animals are more prone to tumors.
Even an oldie needs company, but if spirited young rabbits bully the senior, try to mount them all the time, or push them away from their food, don't put up with it. The ideal company for an older rabbit is a calm animal.
The Hoppler has to be weighed once a week. Only then can you determine whether it is tending to decrease or increase. Both are possible with senior rabbits and you can counteract this by changing their feeding . With extra treats from your hand or light food you keep the weight on a good level.
Climbing and jumping in old age is difficult and often painful for the oldies. Build ramps to the overlooks that are easily accessible. An extra layer of hay or a thick pillow that adapts to the shape of the body is put in the bunkhouse.
Because the senses also diminish with age, offer particularly fresh greens and fragrant hay that tickles the senior's nose and stimulates the taste buds. If the animal startles when you approach it, it may be hard of hearing or deaf. Then always approach it from the front or with heavy steps so that the floor vibrates.
Very important: If you notice a serious change, such as a haze over the eyes or frequent teeth grinding due to severe pain, be sure to consult a veterinarian. No animal has to suffer unnecessarily today, there are enough medicines available for the twilight years, which ensure a significantly better quality of life.
The good bye
Most aging rabbits die of natural causes at home because of heart and circulatory failure. Sometimes, however, a terminal illness causes unnecessary suffering. Then you should ask the veterinarian to gently release the rabbit at home. This will save him the stress of the last trip to the vet.
If you have a garden, you can bury your long-eared bat there, as long as it hasn't died of a plague. There is also the option of having it cremated and keeping the urn in a pet cemetery or at home.
