LOL – it’s not that difficult. I administer mine a little different – I set on the floor of my bathroom and put the bunny in between my legs. I pet and soothe them. It’s really just the initial #$@! of the needle that bothers them – it stings a little but after that they are fine.

Osprey – I do the IV bag and I get it from my vet. I usually have 1 full one in case of emergency and my current ones don’t expire until 01/2010. I have the vet’s office put the tubing on too because in the past I’ve always punctured the IV bag and well, that’s a waste of money. The cost per bag with my vet is $21.00 but I’ve seen them on-line very cheap but you do need a prescription. I use the fluids alot with my bladder sludge rabbits and have used this for my rabbits with stasis issues (blockage and gas).

I think the bags would be easier to administer and control than the syringe because you can hang the bags up. Usually I use 100 ml’s to 150 ml’s of fluids and the bag has 1000 ml’s. I do need to find out if the expiration date is good for when the bag is opened although I go through mine fairly fast.

I’ll have to look at my needle size too – I only know it by the cover which is green – that works the best for me.

I put the bag on a coat hanger – the bathtub in my rabbit bathroom has those sliding doors and I put the bag on the hanger on the towel rack thing which is about waist high. Then I put a towel on the floor and sit down and straddle the rabbit with my legs with their face facing outwards (although I have done it with the rabbit facing me as well). I have a big walk in closet in the rabbit room and when it’s not stuffed to the gills with hay and I can use the bottom rack to put the fluids on I can use that too – I think the bathroom is better though because it’s cooler. I don’t think I would have enough control of the rabbit on a table and I don’t cover their face either – just face my rabbit away from me.

It really can be a lifesaver and I think this helps make the rabbit feel better.

My friend is neither a vet or a vet tech – I think her vet’s office helped her do this.

It’s the 19 gauge then.

I think for regular shots I use the 20 gauge (pink) and also I have a needle with an orange top that works well for shots – not sure which gauge that is. I usually pull the medicine from the tube into the syringe with one needle (usually a larger one) and then administer the shot with a fresh needle. I’ll have to look at home at the orange needles to see the gauge if I can read the lettering.

Osprey the Flemish Giant named Teddy Bear in the Nutrition video is from North Texas Rabbit Sanctuary.

I rescued him from one of the Dallas Animal Shelters – he was surrendered because he was getting too big :~( I named him Mr. Magnificent – Rene who adopted him renamed him. I didn’t realize he was in one of the videos. He’s a cool rabbit. He was a big hit at the vet’s office too.