change of diet

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 2sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 4 months ago by blubudgie.

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- 02/29/2016 at 1:33 PM
  Sydney
  Participant
  1 posts
  Hey!
  I recently saved two baby bunnies, male and female from a horrible pet shop. In this petshop they were kept in glass tanks with many bunnies. I saved the runt and the only female of the litter.
  I’m worries about the runt (male). I have no idea what they were fed at the store but it was pellets. At home neither will eat pellets so I give them ample veggies (spinach, a little carrots, a slice of banana) each day with unlimited hay and water. Both bunnies are eating all of this just fine and drinking water.
  The big problem(s) is/are that my male (the runt) is making gurgling noises in his belly and his poop is sticking to his fur on his tail, also that when I go to pick it off him it is slightly stick to the touch.
  Should I take him to the vet? Is there anything at home/at the store I could use to stop this? Is he sick?
  Any advice/ commentary would be great as I want my little guy to be okay!
  He’s the most cuddly guy ever and will sit with you for hours which I noticed him doing to momma also.
  Remember he is six weeks old… after I saved them I was told it was too young to take them but I can’t bare to bring him back to that place as it wasn’t a good place.
- 02/29/2016 at 9:34 PM
  tobyluv
  Participant
  3312 posts
  It’s recommended that veggies shouldn’t be fed until a rabbit is 12 weeks old, and you really have to be careful about giving fruit and carrots due to the high sugar content. It is very good that they are eating hay. It may be that their digestive systems aren’t developed enough to handle all the veggies and fruit, and that is making the male have somewhat soft or messy droppings and the gurgling noises.
  
  Here are 2 good articles on feeding vegetables and fruits. Note that spinach is one of the veggies that should be limited, and not given every day, even to an adult rabbit.
  
  http://rabbit.org/suggested-vegetables-and-fruits-for-a-rabbit-diet/
  
  https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/VeggieList/tabid/144/Default.aspx
  
  A vet visit would be a good idea. Both bunnies should be checked out and you should discuss their diet with the vet. The male may need some medication, supplements or probiotics to help with his apparent GI problems. The vet may recommend that you cut back on the greens and fruit and concentrate on giving them hay. Or start slowly introducing some other greens, such as romaine lettuce, green or red leaf lettuce, kale or cilantro, or any of the greens that are most recommended from the lists. You may want to try some other brands of pellets – just the plain kind with no seeds, nuts or colored bits in it. Pellets do have vitamins and nutrients that are important in a growing rabbit.
- 03/03/2016 at 1:26 AM
  blubudgie
  Participant
  178 posts
  6 weeks is very young. Definitely make a trip to the vet asap especially if one of them is having digestive issues as it sounds like he is. Rabbits can go downhill very fast, especially so for baby ones. A sudden change in diet could possibly have caused the digestive upset so consider finding out what pellets that store was using and buy a little to gradually switch your bunnies to whatever pellet you want to use. use a warm damp towel to gently wipe the poop off the male’s butt so he doesn’t get fly strike or something.
  
  Look at the articles posted above and talk to your rabbit vet about what kind of diet these babies should be getting. good luck!
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