One of my beautiful Angora does died some time during the night. She had been eating well; was using the bathroom normally; had no wounds on her of any kind; and was only a little more than a year old.

She was eating out of my hand and bouncing around like normal late yesterday afternoon.

I've been watching all the other Angoras and the other rabbits carefully today and the rest of them seem O.K. What could have gone wrong with Princess??? She was just lying in her hutch dead when I went to check on them this morning. We've had other rabbits die in the past but it was usually rabbits much older than her.

I'm bleaching all her things such as her water bottle, feeding dish and all that and will sanatize her cage and let it have some down time before moving anybody else into it.

She was so beautiful...Anybody have any ideas of what went wrong????

-- Suzy in 'Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), May 21, 2000

Answers

Suzy,

Just wanted to say sorry, it sure is hard to lose an animal. As tough as I think I have become on the farm, it can be heartbreaking! We raised rabbits for years but never lost one like you have. I hope someone here can give you some good answers. Kim

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), May 21, 2000.

Suzy, sorry to read of your loss. Sometimes animals just die. She may have been frightened during the night and either broken her neck or hit her head hard enough to cause fatal internal injuries. You or the vet could cut her open and have a look. But that can be hard to do and expensive to have the vet do. Otherwise, you seem to be doing everything you can if it does turn out to be infectious, but what could she have caught? Have you brought in any new rabbits recently? Have you been around other rabbits or brought home used equipment? I'd still say the most likely reason is that she just died. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), May 21, 2000.

I've done rabbit rescue for many years now, and have probably had over 200 rabbits all told. Currently, I have about three dozen bunnies. One thing I can say is that Gerbil is right...sometimes they just die for no apparent reason. That has happened to me enough times to where I no longer rack my brain over it. When an "unauthorized death" occurs with my bunnies, I check close to see what obvious physical problems might have caused it, but if there are none, I just let it rest. I honestly think that sometimes they just decide not to hang around! It's probably nothing you did or could have prevented. Rabbits are peculiar in that respect, they die for literally NO reason.

-- Shannon (Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary) (gratacres@aol.com), May 21, 2000.

Hello, I am sorry for your loss. But in the last month we have had 2 bunnies die on us for no reason what`s so ever! One was 7 months old the other was 2 months old. Both were is very good health and only got the best of everything. Both died in their sleep, with their ears up, and eyes open and seemed to be relaxed. They we both very nice gentle Netherland Dwarfs,, my son loved very much. He was so gentle and kind with them. My husband even made a dirt sandbox with 1/2" hardware cloth so my 10 year old and the bunnies could dig together.And the bunnies would be safe. I have never had this much problem with bunnies before. Though this is the first time I have ever gotten this breed. Am almost affraid to get another bunny. Sigh... I know hair balls can sometimes plague Angoras.

-- Bergere (autumnhaus@aol.com), May 22, 2000.

I have had two does under two years die for no reason[ one was my fav and went for car rides with me]I suspected a annurism or heart attack. One was fine 20 min before,then I came back out and she was warm but gone [ didnt seem to suffer at all]A certian breed of quarter horses had a problem like that to, a friend of mine who raises them remembers coming out one day to find a three year old mare dead in her stall [ heart attack]I guess the key is to enjoy them while there here ,cause life is short and when its your time you have to go.

-- kathy h (saddlebronc@msn.com), May 22, 2000.

Is there any chance of snake bite?

-- Hendo (redgate@echoweb.net), May 23, 2000.

I've raised English Angoras for 15 years. I've been through my showing phase and 4-H and everything. My first thought would be blockage, even though she was eating fine it doesn't mean anything was coming out fine. I had the same situation in the spring time with mine when they were shedding. Two of my best bunnies just died suddenly. The second I took for an autopsy, because of her value as a show rabbit. The results were hair blockage. The vet gave me a few unsuccessful suggestions. I finally got in contact with the breeder of this doe and she told me papaya enzyme would do the trick. I've never used anything else, it is also good for human digestion. Even if they don't have a hairball problem I would suggest giving all of your angoras 1 or 2 pills daily. Papaya is available pretty much at any health food store but is cheaper by mail. Good luck with all of your bunnies. Cara Lewis cnllewis@email.com

-- cara lewis (cnllewis@email.com), May 23, 2000.