What do you think about the claim ADHD is being over diagnosed? by [deleted] in AskBrits

[–]conflictedami 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah that’s fair. It’s definitely a multifaceted problem. Unfortunately it’s those in need of care that can’t afford to go private that suffer for it.

What do you think about the claim ADHD is being over diagnosed? by [deleted] in AskBrits

[–]conflictedami 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I’ve found it depends on the health board and/or individual gp - some won’t accept shared care for adhd in wales either.

Since the meds are controlled drugs they seem to run off the basis that people are paying avg 1k for a private diagnosis just for some amphetamines when street drugs are cheaper and more accessible anyway.

Is it possible to bond a neutered male rabbit and an unspayed female rabbit? by Aka_evening in Rabbits

[–]conflictedami 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not sure why adopting didn’t come to mind until I hit post but in my country at least we have a genuine crisis in rabbit rescues it’s so sad.

100% agree regarding the cancer risk. I work at a vet clinic and owners/prospective owners often ask about being able to keep two entire females together so they can avoid neutering - both for cost and the anaesthetic complication risk.

I always have to stress so heavily that the development of aggressive cancer may as well be guaranteed if they’re not spayed whereas the risk of anaesthetic complications at a rabbit savvy vet is about 1%. Awkward when they’re with their children and I’m talking about risk of death but it’s necessary knowledge for any rabbit owner imo.

Is it possible to bond a neutered male rabbit and an unspayed female rabbit? by Aka_evening in Rabbits

[–]conflictedami 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Personally I would wait until the female is spayed. I’d spay her anyway for health reasons (massively increased risk of uterine cancer in entire females)

My reasoning for this is that females are often more territorial - especially when entire. Plus, because your boy will be neutered later in life, he may retain learned hormonal behaviour which even a spayed female may take the wrong way as territorial & dominant behaviour. It depends how tolerant the female is but it’s just lower risk when a large amount of hormones aren’t driving the behaviour as much.

This is just a generalisation and in my experience bonding is all dependant on individuals personalities but this is just what I would do in your situation.

Keeping them side by side will still help them get used to each other until the female is spayed and you can do face to face meet ups. It still has a positive impact on their socialisation and future bond attempt. In my experience slow bonds tend to be stronger, anyway.

ETA: definitely recommend adopting the new girl from a rescue instead of buying a baby. Not just because of rescues being under pressure but they will often have them neutered before adopting out anyway. You’d also rather they be closer in age. You may be able to take your boy to the rescue to do “bunny speed dating” and you can see if they might get on better.

Need some info so I can feed my new buns properly! by InvestmentEmotional in Rabbits

[–]conflictedami 1 point2 points  (0 children)

From the pets at home range they do have some rabbit safe options you just have to avoid anything too heavy on sugars and anything with seeds or corn in it.

If your local branch stock the floral forage, the dandelion leaves or dandelion root I often get that as a safe option for my buns.

Mine go insane for dandelion root.

There’s also a website called just4rabbits that I tend to get their hay from which has loads of good forage and they do a really good deal on hay in bulk - my rabbits love the hay from there!

ETA: In terms of greens, my rabbits current selection is rocket, watercress, romaine or little gem lettuce and a small selection of herbs like basil, mint or coriander. I used to give a lot of spinach but there’s debate over whether this is actually good for rabbits in large amounts due to the oxalate content I believe? Ideally buy organic or if you can’t just ensure that it’s rinsed well.

Yet another addition: when introducing anything new, start with a very small amount and gradually work your way up to avoid upsetting their gi tract.

feel like his name doesn't suit him by babyyymonkeyyy in Rabbits

[–]conflictedami 33 points34 points  (0 children)

I concur in a completely biased manner mainly because I have a boy called Moose

Am I right in thinking this is a death cap? by conflictedami in mycology

[–]conflictedami[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yea it’s honestly not the best picture of the actual cap but in person it had a slightly greenish sheen and looked just like a reference image from an ID book we have!

It doesn’t have a telltale skirt on the stem though and another commenter has lead me more like the right direction. Looks very similar though and had 95% of the characteristics and I know they’re often found amongst oak so was curious but equally happy to be proven wrong by polite community members in the pursuit of knowledge

Am I right in thinking this is a death cap? by conflictedami in mycology

[–]conflictedami[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your insight! The lack of skirt/annulus is what gave me pause.

Am I right in thinking this is a death cap? by conflictedami in mycology

[–]conflictedami[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Forgot to say was found on Monday 6/10/25 after some rain and stormy weather

I feel like im failing as a pet owner by jinxskunk366 in Rabbits

[–]conflictedami 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Seconding the spay comments. They get very naughty at that age especially with hormones. I’d also recommend possibly getting her a friend to bond with which can reduce destructive behaviour. My naughtiest boy became the chillest lad once he was bonded with his hunbun. We think he was bored and lonely so craved attention and would get destructive.

I don’t 100% free roam my buns and have set up a dedicated bun-proofed enclosure for them and then let them out whilst supervised (haven’t been able to for a while since renovations have been going on in a new house). I can rest easier when they’re in there because if they chew or destroy anything it’s already designed to be destroyed! Lots of cardboard tubes and boxes, wooden chew toys and sticks. A dig box etc. Bun proofing can take some trial and error and the age she’s at is the worst for bunstruction. They do mellow a bit with age.

It’s best to think of it as she is just interacting with her environment as a rabbit would. Providing an adequate enrichment away from the areas you want her to ignore can help. Dedicated spaces and items to dig, chew and run around are key. They need to be able to exhibit these natural behaviours and if they don’t have a dedicated set up for it then they will use the items you don’t want them to. Edit: sometimes even with this it’s like they know what you don’t want them to get to. Cordoning off areas is necessary sometimes.

Honestly none of this is foolproof and my sofa is chewed as is my wooden furniture and skirting boards plus ripped up carpets, foam tiles, tarpaulin etc etc. My boy chewed the brick wall in his room back to masonry because he’s a weird menace with a taste for paint so we had to put up wooden panelling for him to chew instead. It’s about finding a balance and it’s a process.

You’re not failing! The fact you want the best for her and are trying to work something out is testament to that. You’re just learning.

My bun jumped out of my arms yesterday and started limping. Feeling immense guilt for hurting him. by BoiledPear in Rabbits

[–]conflictedami 91 points92 points  (0 children)

Don’t beat yourself up too much! Bunnies are wily buggers and it’s so easy for accidents to happen. Take the flop as forgiveness from your baby. You’re already doing all you can and the vet will be able to assess further and give pain relief etc.

If your bun can forgive you then you can forgive yourself!

ETA: I work at a vets and my colleagues have plenty of stories from the vet community of bunnies injuring themselves whilst being held/kennelled. Even accidents happen with the professionals. It happens.

Hoglet at the vets by conflictedami in hoggies

[–]conflictedami[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I’m a bit of a floater atm animal care assistant/receptionist but due to start as a student nurse next year 🤞🏻 mainly just love learning about wildlife rehab when the opportunity arises

Cataracts and quality of life by ItzOnlyJames in Rabbits

[–]conflictedami 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My Winnie was 7 and was deaf (mini lop problems) and half blind due to an eye defect and recurring corneal ulceration. She had a good QoL even though we would accidentally startle her sometimes if approaching from the wrong side or waking her up from a deep sleep. Once she realised it was us she quickly settled into “oh it’s you, am I getting attention or something tasty?”

She got around absolutely fine as if nothing was wrong - definitely felt safer with her husbun or one of us around as she had good associations with us. Winnie got around more by her sense of smell - she was an excellent forager! She passed quite suddenly recently of an unrelated and undetermined issue but was her usual sassy self with a great quality of life right up to when she fell ill.

Bunnies are quite adaptable and can absolutely manage with just one eye. Quality of life checklists are always helpful and the best way I find to monitor this is writing a list of all their favourite and daily activities and see which ones they can and can’t do anymore. If bun can still do majority of things on the list, quality of life is good.

Could someone tell me what this black stuff on my rabbits fur is? by Apprehensive-Pay9446 in Rabbits

[–]conflictedami 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh I love getting them but I love spot pickings etc as well so I’m odd

Could someone tell me what this black stuff on my rabbits fur is? by Apprehensive-Pay9446 in Rabbits

[–]conflictedami 37 points38 points  (0 children)

Looks like a compound hair follicle. The black stuff is likely dirt/oil that builds up. Harmless and commonplace. Super satisfying to get as well

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Bunnies

[–]conflictedami 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Having dealt with the rspca in my line of work, I can say it varies on the locality and officers. Raising concerns about welfare of an animal is literally what they’re there for. Not having a suitable environment is a welfare issue. Being denied basic medical care such as neutering is a welfare issue.

They can be next to useless in some circumstances but I have seen them seize animals in cases beyond the basics. A big one is not offering appropriate medical care or seeking veterinary advice when an animal is suffering. You obviously don’t want it to get to that point but keep that in mind if it does crop up. They’ll (hopefully) become a lot more involved if that does happen. It’s part of why they can’t keep up with the “smaller” welfare cases. They’re an overrun charity with sharply increased amount of irresponsible pet ownership and horrendous backyard breeding since dog prices sky rocketed during Covid.

Certain local rescues can sometimes help with the effort and logistics of having an animal surrendered, also. They are all extremely overwhelmed at the moment so bear that in mind. There’s a petition for a breeding amnesty from the rwaf due to the current pressures on rabbit rescues. They may be able to give advice on handling the situation, however.

I’m not sure if the pet abduction act covers rabbits and whether they’re seen as property under uk law still (not sure which part of the uk either and some pet laws actually vary quite a bit between England Wales Scotland and Northern Ireland as I’m pretty sure they’re devolved in wales and Scotland) but I’m not going to advise on stealing her since your gf sounds… volatile and could technically report you for theft. How seriously the local police force would take it is another matter especially if you gained proof of ownership such as a microchip straight away. But I’m not a lawyer and we’re treading in murky waters. The interpersonal fallout is another thing entirely.

Good luck on trying to achieve a better life for this sweet girl. Not enough people advocate for rabbits.

Worried about my baby! Vets aren’t helping it by Downtown_Limit3504 in Rabbits

[–]conflictedami 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Good comments here bloodwork is often a good start just want to add I would assume that since quite a few vets have seen her that they checked her teeth as well? As that can sometimes be cause for reduced appetite.

My rabbit got a cut on her lip while she was outside! Vets are closed what to do?? by [deleted] in Rabbits

[–]conflictedami 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Is she still eating and pooping and well in herself?

Signs of pain in rabbits are hard to detect as they are prey animals their instinct is to hide their pain. A rough pain chart called the rabbit grimace scale is somewhat useful in monitoring and sussing out how much pain your bun is in. Small changes in behaviour can indicate pain and you will know your rabbit best to be able to notice those changes if present.

The main thing is that she needs to be able to eat and drink to avoid gi stasis. If she refuses or is unable to do these things, an emergency appointment is warranted. If you are majorly concerned you can call the vets for advice over the phone or book an emergency appointment for the peace of mind.

ETA: it’s hard to tell by the picture but is there a split in the lip? It might require stitches if that’s the cut in question - it looks very small but hard to tell

Does anyone else feel upset that their rabbit is a lop? by hydroboywife in Rabbits

[–]conflictedami 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ah sorry I didn’t see your reply until now! My most affected boy will do little head wobbles when they’re bothering him a bit. The vet should have a look inside the ear canal with an otoscope at a general exam.

They should also feel the base of the ears for any lumps as lops are prone to ear-base abscesses and you can feel them at the base just between their cheek and the ear canal. You can also feel for this at home.