Our rabbit died. What do i tell my Leigha?

[Elli21]

Our rabbit has been living at my dads for the last 3 months as we were going to either talk our landlord around to let us have him, or find a new home for him.
We found a lovely new home for him, but we hadnt taken him there yet.
He was really ill when i went round to clean him out yesterday and he fell over when i moved him to put hay in his bed.
We think he had myximatosis (sp) as his eyes were gunky.
My dad rang this morning, Roo has gone on holiday.
Dad is going to bury him today and im going round tonight to clean his cage out.
I dont know whether to tell Leigha that roo has gone on a holiday...or not tell her and wait for her to notice hes not there and then tell her.

 

[Blah11]

I'd tell her. Kiddies need to learn about death somehow, but just watch how you word it so she's not very distraught.

 

[Elli21]

Im plnning on saying that Roo has gone on holiday because he was poorly.
Or is that bad coz im lying?
I dont like the thought of saying "Roo has died sweety"
I used to tell my brother and sister than when people pass they become stars, and that helped them...might go for that option.
Oh i dont knowwwwwww!!

 

[Blah11]

How old is she?
The star option is nice

 

[hypnorm]

My parents lied to me when my rabbit died of the same, i would rather they had told me that my rabbit had been very ill and died. Also if you suspect that he had Myxi you shoudl really take it to the vet to be cremated this will prevent further spread of the disease to other domestic and wild rabbits.
Such a horrible disease, RIP bunny.

 

[Whisper]

I think you should tell her that she has died, but now she has gone to play with all the other bunny rabbits in the clouds and is very happy jumping around and eating all day playing with her friends....?

 

[danni2609]

I would probably say the rabbit escaped to go live with the other animals or something thats what my neighbour did!

 

[helen1234]

i'd tell her the truth its part of life is death, when rosies hamster died last year i found it harder than she did in the end, and as the oh was burying it he tried to scoop it out the box and dropped it on the ground i we were mortified and the look he said i gave him was horrified. but rosie burst out laughing then we all started laughing then.
when i said the hamster had died she just said can we bury it now cos i want to watch hanna montanna lol.
ring vets though mixy rabbits should be dealt with there stop the spread. ask them about using the cage again too.
good luck

 

[Serene123]

Kids can suprise us but you know your little girl better than we do x

 

[leedsforever]

Kids can suprise us but you know your little girl better than we do x

I agree but I think its best to be honest!! But the star idea is nice... !!

 

[Uvlollypop]

my mum lied to me when my rabbit died as a child and i was really hurt to find out the truth later on.

just explain to her that some times animals get too poorly to stay awake and hes died which means a sleep that never ends.
maybe tell her that hes asleep in the sky as a star?

xxx

 

[Elli21]

I told her that roo had gone on holiday so he can become a star coz he had a belly ache. She kept asking why...why...why. So in the end i said that thats what happens when animals die, they go on holiday before going to the sky.
She seems happily enough about that.
Thanks everyone
Also, we wont be using the cage again.

 

[Uvlollypop]

bless her xx

 

[Serene123]

Glad she isn't upset!

 

[Elli21]

Shes a little upset as she said "roo didnt say bye" but i explained the star will shine in a few days and that will be roo saying bye. I hate talking like this to her...

 

[Serene123]

Death is so horrid!

 

[Whisper]

Death is horrible but kids do cope amazingly well with it.
I remember when my cousins best friend died (he had meningitis and died when he was 3yrs old, my cousin was also 3), it was a few weeks after and he had gotten a balloon at a party and said to his mum that he would let the balloon float up to the sky so that Taylor can play with it instead.
Needless to say my auntie was completely gobsmacked, kids say the sweetest of things.

Sorry if this was off topic but it reminded of then.

 

[Elli21]

Thats lovely whisper. Thanks for sharing.

 

[hypnorm]

You should be ok to use the cage again as Myxi is passed by fleas, just give it a good clean and it will be fine.

A close family friend died last month and we explained to Ewan that he had been very ill and had died, so he wouldnt see Roy again, but that he was now up in the sky with the stars and was all well now.

Some one I know did the dog has gone on holiday thing, and now she has died. My mate was terrified of going on holiday after that as she thought she would die too.
So they ended up explaining things again truthfully to her.

Life is hard, but kids seem to cope with it better than we do sometimes!

 

[Angeldust]

I remember when my rabbit died when i was younger i had her for about 8yrs though and i was gutted , I would tell her that ickle rabbit was very poorley and has gone to rabbit heaven to be with his mummy and his daddy ....

Kids do need to know about heaven etc and this way when somthing elsa happens with another animal if you get a new one then she will know all about heaven and you wont have to go over it again,

I remember when my neice was only 3 but she was very clever could talk new her phone number and house number and address if you asked her where she lived she would say it like routine i live at and then would say her door number address then go on with her telephone number .....
Sadley her dads mum died and they told her nanna had gone to heaven up in the sky because she was very sick and she would say my nanna is in the sky if there was a picture of her around at the time so yes you done the right thing in tellling her hun .... she will be ok xx