I just can't do this anymore. Advice, please!!

[goatkeepers]

Thanks so much, speckledhills! Your kind words help so much.
I'll see what the rehabbers say, hopefully they will call back soon. I just don't know if I could put them down.

 

[Skyesrocket]

You are right about the mom's poo. But, you can replace that with probios. When I raised mine I used the powdered probios. I mixed it in with the goats milk.
Feed twice a day only. It's how mom does it. Don't over feed. Better to errr on too little than too much milk.
A rehabber is the best bet. But if you have to do it yourself use the probios.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

I am so sorry you are going through this. I know it hurts so much to want to help and be unable to. Whatever you choose, it is obvious you are doing your best for them and that is what counts.

 

[Beekissed]

I guess I just don't get this...why not let the dog do his job? Why distress yourself trying to raise these rabbits when the natural order of things is so effective? I know they are cute and even I get all sorry when the cat is bringing in them in on the back porch....but, to be quite honest, that is how the food chain works. Maybe we weren't meant to interfere? Why let this upset or stress your life to this degree when you don't need to? The rabbits are full of worms, or warbles, and need to be eliminated anyway. Sorry to sound mean, but isn't it just common sense to let nature take its course?

 

[perfectly_polish]

If they have worms/maggots already the chance of them surviving is pretty slim. But mother rabbits dont' stick around durring the day, they feed them at night and leave in the morning so she doesn't attract predators. You can put a small stick over the hole where the rabbits are and check back the next day. If she came back the stick will be moved. Good luck!

 

[goatkeepers]

Thanks so much, everyone. The rehabber took them and she will give raising them a try.

The reason I didn't let my dog have 'em is because I believe everything should have a chance to live. And I walked down to the pasture at just the right time to interfere with Sam eating all of them, so I think they deserve a chance. That is my opinion.

 

[chickbea]

I can totally sympathise with you for getting upset about this; I would have as well. Not everyone has a hard enough heart to "let nature take it's course".

"...but, to be quite honest, that is how the food chain works."

Well, if we really wanted to start a spat

, many say that allowing domestic cats and dogs to freely hunt is not part of the natural food chain.

 

[PoultryPedia]

Quote:
Agreed.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

If it happens again. Just pull the dog off and let the bunnies natural mother and predators take care of them. I know it is hard, but it's nature.

I don't agree with letting the dog have them. You probably don't want your puppy eating maggot infested baby rabbits, for the dogs health. I do agree that dogs are not a part of the natural food chain. They are predators, yes, and are related to natural predators, but they themselves are not a part of the foodchain.

By just pulling the dog off and walking away, you are doing one or two things. You are either giving the mother a chance to come back and raise her young, you are giving the natural predators of the area(snakes/hawks/etc) the chance to feed themselves and their offspring(not the snakes of course), or you are doing both.

I know how frustrating it can be. I have had it happen to me and it is border line heartbreaking. I usually just have to take a deep breath and walk away with my pooche.

-Kim

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Now see, that is the beauty of living where everyone has a right to their opinion! I was raised in a very common sense environment and dogs and cats are hunters, predators and carnivores. When they do what comes natural and are successful, that is natural and right. My dogs and cats are only domesticated so far as they are my friends and copartners in this life we are living. They don't live in my home but they visit frequently. I don't expect them to adapt to my environment and stop being who they are. They leave my domestic stock alone as that is what is expected. Anything wild that comes into their range is, and as God intended, fair game. I provide them with fresh water, a warm place to sleep, food, a safe environment and friendship. I don't trap them in the house and let them out only when I feel like it. They have claws and teeth and they weren't meant for chew toys and scratch posts, folks. I like that my animals are still animals and I don't impose human feelings on them any more than I have to. That is not hard hearted, that is what used to be known as common sense. There is enough real suffering going on in the world to stop and get all emotional over the natural way of things. If your animals are not vegetarians, something had to die for their food. How is this different? Because it died in a different setting? Because you didn't see it die? It still died and probably with more misery and suffering than did that rabbit. Now who is the hard-hearted one? If you are not a strict vegetarian, you are also eating something that was killed. Does that make you hard-hearted? I bet you would say that it doesn't.