Neither!  You could adopt a young rabbit and it may only live a couple of years (due to unforeseen health problems) or it may live up to 10 years or more.  Or you could adopt an older rabbit destined only to spend a few months in a loving environment but which could surprise everyone by living on for many more years.  Please don't disregard an older bunny, they are often more placid and calm than younger buns.

Molly's story:

An advert was placed on the Rabbit Rehome website in June 2004, this is what it said:

Molly, 11 years old, Needs a Home

Molly is 11 years old and has just lost her life long partner Spot. She has been in a Hounslow Animal Welfare Society foster home (Middlesex) for over 5 years and now that she has lost Spot I would like to find her an olderbun so they can see out the rest of their lives together.
Molly has always been in good health and sometimes acts more like a 2-year-old than her 11 years.

Jill spotted the advert and made some enquiries, she decided that she would adopt Molly give her a loving home in which to spend the twilight years of her little life.

Jill picks up the story from here:

Its about Molly, my inspirational old bunny. I got her a year ago and she was the grand old age of 11 then. She had spent the past 5 years of her life in rescues.  I can only presume it was because of her age as she has the sweetest, gentlest nature ever. I'd had her a month when we discovered she had "masses" in her abdomen and not knowing her medical history i.e. spayed or not, we decided she was too old to be operated on. I've been giving her Essiac Tea (an alternative remedy that allegedly shrinks tumours) since then, although not religiously as she's not too keen on it. Here's some photos from the past year......






I can't count the number of times I've been tapping away on the pc with Molly on my lap - she would stay there for ever and when I get up to go to the loo, she does too. We watch tv together too... she sits there very contented, even when I'm watching loud stuff like Kerrang, bless her.......
I recently tried to bond her with a toyboy but it didn't work out.... perhaps they knew something we didn't...........  It did look hopeful for a while but wasn't to be. 


 

Well she's now on borrowed time as she is riddled with tumours, you can feel the clusters of lumps in her insides. I've decided its not fair to operate due to her age and am taking each precious day with her, one day at a time. I'm going to be guided by Molls - whilst she can still hop round the garden in her own elegant way, I'm going to let her be. She has good days and not so good ones...... some days she barely eats yet others, well look at this picture of her getting stuck in.. literally



she really has been an inspiration - totally defying her age.

Thank you Jill and Molly for sharing your story.

Read Pie and Mash's story here