Is she just adjusting or should I be concerned? - She's doing much better

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 23sd replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 15 years ago by mocha200.

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- 03/28/2011 at 7:43 AM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  I know I shouldn’t be so worried but I am. Kelly is a very food motivated rabbit and hasn’t been eating much. She ate her pellets on Saturday night but didn’t eat but half of them last night. They were still there this morning. Yesterday she would take a treat from me but today she won’t even eat those and she hasn’t touched her hay since yesterday morning when I saw her pick at it. At least she is still drinking.
  
  The other thing that I thought was stange is her behavior. She went from being very scared the last two days to doing nothing but laying. Before she would run away if you even looked at her and would bolt like lightening if you tried to pet her. She was playing under our table and laying there all day yesterday. Now she won’t come out of her room and lets you just walk in and pet her and she doesn’t even move or sniff at you.
  
  She has been laying down for the past 5 hours not eating, drinking or anything.
  
  I’m probably just being paranoid. lol She has gone from one extreme to another over night. Should I be concerned?
- 03/28/2011 at 8:05 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Hmmm…it’s so hard to know. It could be that she is adjusting. Is she pooping?
  
  I imagine the first few days she was in sensory overload.
- 03/28/2011 at 8:14 AM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  She is pooping but not much. I haven’t had to change or clean out her box yet.
  
  I did forget to mention something. At the rescue she was with her 2 daughters. They were separated by the rescue but were kept in pens next to each other and still had playtime with each other. Could she be depressed or missing her girls?
- 03/28/2011 at 8:22 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  That is very possible! Do you have a rabbit double you could put in her pen? I don’t know if would really help, but it wouldn’t hurt. That and lots of attention.
- 03/28/2011 at 8:26 AM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  Between me and my girls she can have TONS of attention. I just didn’t know if we should be going in there and bothering her like that. Yesterday she stayed where we couldn’t reach her. Now she’s just laying in her litterbox. She almost looks depressed now that I think about it. I could probably find a stuffed critter for her. We have lots of those in the house. Any stuffed rabbit I have would be a lot smaller than her though! Does that matter or should I look for something her size?
- 03/28/2011 at 8:45 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  I don’t know – try anything. It could be too that this is just her normal demeanor. Can you email her foster parents and ask them?
- 03/28/2011 at 8:48 AM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  Yes, I did that too. I’m a little over careful I think! Actually her foster mom was one of the founders of the rescue. She said if she hadn’t finished her pellets from last night by tonight to let her know. She was shocked she wasn’t eating her fresh hay though.
- 03/28/2011 at 9:29 AM
  Balefulregards
  Participant
  715 posts
  My guess is that she may be having a bit of stasis from the stress of the change, Not that it is anything you did.
  
  Do you have any greens to tempt her to eating?
- 03/28/2011 at 11:41 AM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  I actually don’t have any greens in the house. I wanted to get her switched to a better pellet before I introduced her to greens. So I didn’t buy any yet.
  I did give her a stuffed friend a few hours ago and I sat in there while I iced my knee about 30 minutes ago and just stroked her head for about 20 minutes. After that she sat up and ate a few pieces of hay, cleaned herself, drank A LOT of water and is now laying by her stuffed friend again. I did give her a small piece of fresh apple and she took and ate it.
- 03/28/2011 at 1:53 PM
  Monkeybun
  Participant
  10479 posts
  Sounds like she’s missing her girls then. The stuffed rabbit might help her a bit
- 03/28/2011 at 3:24 PM
  RabbitPam
  Moderator
  11002 posts
  I never like the sound of a bunny missing food and drink, and acting lethargic, no matter what circumstances may cause it. Problem is, it could be more than one cause. I like your rescue friend’s advice. If she doesn’t show continued improvement in her eating and behavior, I would see a vet tomorrow.
- 03/28/2011 at 4:24 PM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  Thanks for all the help everyone. She seems to be doing a little better tonight. She hasn’t eaten her pellets but she has eaten more hay and is still drinking. She seems to perk up after we spend a long time petting her. The rescue told me to bring her into the living room so she won’t be so lonely. So I moved her litterbox in there with us and she ate some more hay. Tomorrow my girls will be at their Grandma’s house and will spend the night. Hopefully less noise and less running feet will help her too.
- 03/28/2011 at 5:27 PM
  brittbritt
  Participant
  542 posts
  Hopefully she’s just craving some more attention since she’s missing her girls. I hope she’s eating better for you soon. I would be worried too.
- 03/29/2011 at 5:23 AM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  I noticed that through the night she did eat some hay and she did drink a whole bowl of water but she still doesn’t want her pellets. She didn’t eat any of them this time or the treat I put on top of them for her.
- 03/29/2011 at 6:55 AM
  mocha200
  Participant
  4486 posts
  I hope she gets better soon! are you going to go to the vet today?
- 03/29/2011 at 8:34 AM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  I actually have no way to get her there. So I called and they said as long as she was still eating hay and drinking water that they weren’t concerned yet since she is still adjusting. The rescue said the same thing too.
- 03/29/2011 at 1:25 PM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  A new question. Kelly just ate 3 baby carrots. She scarfed them down! lol
  
  Kelly is eating hay and she drinks A LOT of water. I know pellets aren’t a crucial part of a rabbits diet. Would for me to give her greens if she doesn’t eat her pellets if she is still eating her hay and drinking? I would still offer the pellets to her though.
  
  She is also much more active today. She is a very lazy bun. They said she doesn’t really like to play and just lounges.
  Thanks for the help!
- 03/29/2011 at 2:36 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Glad she is better. I’m not sure what your question about greens is though.
- 03/29/2011 at 2:47 PM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  If I can get her to eat greens and she is eating hay and drinking, Is it ok if she doesn’t eat her pellets?
- 03/29/2011 at 2:53 PM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  Has she been getting greens regularly? If she hasn’t, I would wait to introduce them.
- 03/29/2011 at 5:50 PM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  Thanks Beka. I didn’t even think about that. I’ll hold off on the greens for now.
- 03/30/2011 at 12:29 PM
  RabbitPam
  Moderator
  11002 posts
  I disagree slightly with Beka. I like the idea that she is showing interest in the fresh carrots, so I would introduce one mild green such as green leaf lettuce. (Never Iceberg, by the way.) I think a small amount to see if she’s interested in it, along with as much hay and water as she’ll go for, could be OK.
- 03/30/2011 at 1:04 PM
  AbbyGirl
  Participant
  921 posts
  She is doing so much better today. She ate most of her pellets last night and has eaten a ton of hay today. She’s even been hopping around the house and she came right up to me while I was on the floor. She had me all worried for nothing. lol. I’m just happy she’s adjusting and eating again.
  I’m going to be switching her pellets slowly. After that I’m going to introduce her to romaine.
  
  Thanks again for all your advice and opinions!
- 03/30/2011 at 5:01 PM
  mocha200
  Participant
  4486 posts
  Glade she is doing better!
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