# Sold Rabbits Dead. Your thoughts???



## that's*satyrical (Jul 22, 2012)

So we sold a pair of healthy Am Chin does born on May 13th yesterday & the guy that got them from us just let us know that they died. He used the feed that we gave them, made sure they had water & hay like we told him too & says he put ice bottles in with them during the day when it was hot. Do you think this was stress related? I am assuming the rabbits were not sick as all their litter mates that remain here are just fine. If it was stress related what is the best way to prevent this happening in the future? Or can it not really be prevented it is just something that happens sometimes?? Thanks for any & all feedback.


----------



## Alice Acres (Jul 22, 2012)

It sounds like stress. And with this heat, added to stress, that would be my thoughts on what happened. 
Of course, I'm assuming the new owners are being truthful with you about what happened.


----------



## that's*satyrical (Jul 23, 2012)

Thanks for confirming our thoughts. They SEEM like they are telling the truth but then you never really know with people these days...  In any case, we will try to make it right & replace the rabbits. I just want to know if there's anything you can do to lessen the chances of it happening again???


----------



## ruthless (Jul 23, 2012)

I would not feel obligated to replace rabbits that died after two full months in someone elses care.    Maybe if they died the first week or two but not two months.    Anything could have happened to them.    

You are certainly not responsible for the heat although you should make new owners aware of problems that heat can cause with keeping rabbits.   I always ask people if they have kept rabbits before and encourage them to research rabbit care before they get rabbits.


----------



## lastfling (Jul 23, 2012)

I agree in that two months in the care of others should absolve you of any responsibility for their well being.  How do you know what there management practices were during this time.  Several weeks, I can see possibly feeling an obligation, but not two months.


----------



## Bunnylady (Jul 23, 2012)

that's*satyrical said:
			
		

> So we *sold *a pair of healthy Am Chin does born on May 13th *yesterday* & the guy that got them from us just let us know that they died. He used the feed that we gave them, made sure they had water & hay like we told him too & says he put ice bottles in with them during the day when it was hot. Do you think this was stress related? I am assuming the rabbits were not sick as all their litter mates that remain here are just fine. If it was stress related what is the best way to prevent this happening in the future? Or can it not really be prevented it is just something that happens sometimes?? Thanks for any & all feedback.


The order of words in the first sentence  may have made it a little confusing, but what I read is two rabbits that are two months old, that were sold one day and were dead the next. I'd be very curious to know what happened to them between leaving your place and arriving at the new owners'. People can be astonishingly stupid sometimes - did the rabbits get left in the car while they made a quick stop at the grocery store, or something? But in the interest of good customer relations, I'd replace the rabbits, and just not ask any questions. However, if these rabbits also die mysteriously, I'd arrange a sort of raincheck, where the rabbits will be replaced at some date in the future when the weather is cooler. If these folks are pulling some sort of scam, they probably won't want to wait that long. If they are on the up and up, they should be concerned enough about the animals to try to fix whatever went wrong.

My first thought, of course, is that something seems a bit fishy - 2 deaths in 24 hours, when everything seemed normal before? While it _could_ happen, with reasonable care, it shouldn't, even at this time of year.


----------



## ksj0225 (Jul 23, 2012)

We recently bought 2 rabbits in this awful heat and after transporting in the cool car and setting them up in the cages which are in the shade and we give them frozen bottles, they were were still panting.

I believe the panting was from the stress.  We were very concerned, but they pulled through.


----------



## that's*satyrical (Jul 23, 2012)

Well we told them we would give them 2 kits out of our next litter & by then it should be cooler outside. We also offered to give them the money back instead if they wanted it & they preferred to take the kits so I think they really do want the rabbits & it is not a scam. They sent a pic of the dead rabbits so we know they are not lying about the rabbits passing just to get their money back or extra free rabbits. So are there any ideas to lessen stress next time around we can pass on to them? I am not going to replace the rabbits a second time so they need to figure out what went wrong & go from there. And yeah, sorry about the confusion the rabbits were 2 months old & they had the rabbits in their care for one day. Littermates are still doing fine here.


----------



## WhiteMountainsRanch (Jul 23, 2012)

*I would send them a couple real good links on rabbit care and especially heat stress. Sounds like they left them in the car or they got too hot and died. Who knows though. If it was the very next day I would replace them in good faith.*


----------



## PinkFox (Jul 23, 2012)

not nessicairly...
i bougth 2 lops from a lady about an hour and a half away, same climate, they were in outdoor hutches, we feed the same feed, got them home and the next day they both died form heat stress (i had ice bottles and frozen tiles in wiht them, they were in the shade, ect)  they were fine one minute and literally gone an hour later...

some bunnies just dont take the stress of the seperation, and stess of the trip, plus the stres of a new place, PLUS the heat well.

op not much you cna do to reduce stress, make sure thier hutches/cages are set up in the shade, and you might try encoraging apple cider vinegar use (1 tsp per gallon) the electorlytes help)  but otherwise once there out of your hands, in the heat weve all been having lately...its up to the new owners to make sure ther providing and changing out ice bottles regularly, might be worth telling them to get cheap tile form lowes and keeping a couple per cage in the freezer and swapping them out regularly, and even misting with the hose...


----------



## that's*satyrical (Jul 23, 2012)

PinkFox said:
			
		

> not nessicairly...
> i bougth 2 lops from a lady about an hour and a half away, same climate, they were in outdoor hutches, we feed the same feed, got them home and the next day they both died form heat stress (i had ice bottles and frozen tiles in wiht them, they were in the shade, ect)  they were fine one minute and literally gone an hour later...
> 
> some bunnies just dont take the stress of the seperation, and stess of the trip, plus the stres of a new place, PLUS the heat well.
> ...


Thanks for the input. One more reason not to breed these guys during the summer or rehome them during the summer. I will recommend the ACV to them when they take the next pair home too.


----------



## DianeS (Jul 24, 2012)

I agree with wondering how they were transported. In a closed box set in direct sunlight? Left in the car while the owner made a "quick" stop? Put in a hot garage while the owner finished getting the hutches ready? That sort of thing. 

If you delivered the rabbits it would let you know they were transported safely. (Have a show or anything in that direction at the time you'll have the new kits?) It would also let you check out their accomodations in case the owners did something dumb there (like having a tin roof in sunlight, or the hutch right beside a poisonous bush, that sort of thing). I also imagine it's possible there are children around who might have injured the rabbits accidentally, but then put them back in the hutch without saying anything. If you are on the spot delivering the rabbits you could see all sorts of things, and educate the owners.


----------



## ChickenPotPie (Aug 2, 2012)

My guess is that, if they were not sick, it had to be stress.  At 85 degrees, rabbits can start dying.  No guarantee should cover heat stress.  That said, I think you are good to replace them and that is is good to have seen photos of the dead rabbits.  It it good to think the best of people while at the same time, knowing there are a few out there who will try to scam you.  I don't think these people were out to do that.  Best of luck with your next litter.  I hope the next time around goes much better for your buyers.  

And, if you don't have one already, consider writing up an official health guarantee for all rabbits you might sell.  It's just a good idea.


----------



## lexibot (Oct 27, 2012)

Could have been anything. A dogma, heatvon the way to their new home... Sometimes rabbits are so delicate.


----------



## sonnythebunny (Oct 28, 2012)

i got my first rabbit in washington (a lop) and he survived the trip all the way to california in about 70-100 (august) degree weather with only one ice pack (we refoze it)
and was in a tiny little box,


----------



## terri9630 (Oct 29, 2012)

sonnythebunny said:
			
		

> i got my first rabbit in washington (a lop) and he survived the trip all the way to california in about 70-100 (august) degree weather with only one ice pack (we refoze it)
> and was in a tiny little box,


Some animals travel better than others.  Yours was in a box which could have reduced the stress since he couldn't see the 'scary' world flash by.  I bought 3 rabbits from Phoenix and drove 6 hrs home.  I covered the travel carrier with a towel, one of the does was stressing and upsetting the other 2.  After I covered them they all settled down.


----------

