Foster Bun

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 4sd replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 2 months ago by guineapig724.

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- 03/04/2016 at 10:59 AM
  guineapig724
  Participant
  108 posts
  Hi!
  So, yesterday I found a home for one of my foster hamsters!
  I was asked if I wanted to foster a rabbit, it was the only one there, the others are in foster homes. Of course I said yes, and was able to take molly home with me, as I currently have 10 foster hamsters, and they know I love animals.
  
  Molly appears to be a very fluffy dwarf rabbit. She has the same colourings as Oreo, but is the size of his head, and longhaired. I put her in quarantine, she is in my (developed) basement, freerange in the guest room. So far, she is insanely skittish. I haven’t touched her, but spend time with her reading out loud to her. She has flattened herself againts the far wall. She has about five large wooden bendy bridges, and some cardboard boxes and toys. She hasn’t showed interest in anything.
  
  According to the rescue, someone caught her out of the wild, which probably explains her fear of people. I will take her to the vet as soon as I can touch her, she didn’t get a checkup at the rescue. Bonding tips? Also, how long should I keep her in quarantine? She hasn’t eaten anything, is it stress? Or should I give her grass or something she would have eaten in the wild. I have some catgrass, I’m pretty sure its safe, as I feed it to Bobbi and Oreo, but I just want to make sure.
- 03/04/2016 at 11:56 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17033 posts
  Thank you for taking a foster-bun =)
  
  It’s good if she can have some stuff to eat like what she’s been used to of course, like grass, but hay is considered safe too. You just want to avoid over-feeding rich stuff until her tummy has adjusted. That she isn’t eating sounds like stress. Maybe she’ll be tempted by the cat-grass. If she doesn’t eat in 12-24 hours, you’ll have to try and syringe-feed her.
  
  When I caught my Yohio I kept him quarantined for 14 days, then I took him to the vet and had him vaccinated, then I had him neutered and brought him inside. We have myxomatosis here and RHV, so I had him in quarantine until the incubation-period for those diseases were safely over. I had him outside in a hutch/run so he could eat grass there together with the other stuff I fed him, he was very skinny but completely healthy. You of course want to watch for sneezing, discharge from nose and/or eyes, sticky/runny poop and even look for worms in her poop. I didn’t find worms and Yohio’s poop was perfect, so my vet didn’t recommend deworming, but it might be different where you live, you probably have other types of worms too.
  
  Yohio also had a slight case of cheyletiella mites (fur mites). That too is common in buns that’s been living outside.
- 03/04/2016 at 3:26 PM
  guineapig724
  Participant
  108 posts
  I put some catgrass in her enclosure. She hasn’t touched it. She also has some timothy hay, and oxbow pellets in her cage as well, along with some orchard hay.
  
  I’m not even sure if Molly is a she! Neither is the rescue, they just thought she looked like a she?!
  
  It is a little bit chilly outside, so I would prefer if she stayed inside. That is a good idea to keep them outside for a bit, that would most likely help them cope with stress.
  
  I’m really hoping she becomes somewhat tame, I would like for her to find a great home. I guess it’s too early to see if she will become tame.
- 03/04/2016 at 4:05 PM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17033 posts
  That’s so cute, she looked like a girl so they named her Molly
  Over-heating can be a problem if you bring a bun straight indoors from having been living outside. The temp diff should preferably not be greater than 10 degrees C or about 18 F. But I’m guessing the shelter has been keeping her indoors for some time before you got her so she’s adjusted.
  The most important thing now is to get her to eat. Bunnies need to have food in their system all the time, but you know that of course since you have 2 buns You can syringe-feed pellet slurry/mash if she won’t eat on her own. I hope she starts eating soon, but if she doesn’t she might need vet care so she doesn’t get dehydrated or go into stasis.
  Please keep us posted!
- 03/04/2016 at 5:43 PM
  guineapig724
  Participant
  108 posts
  I’ve had her for approximately 20 hours. I figured it was time to feed her, so I force fed her critical care about 25 minutes ago. I had to corner her in the room, and she was freaking out. She did calm down, and I was able to syringe feed her. She didn’t react too badly, and is actually flopped in a far corner of the room right now.? I’ll take that as a good sign! My concern is that she hasn’t drank anything yet. I offered her both a water bottle and bowl. I didn’t check her gender, as I was to stressed about getting food and water into her, but if I have to force feed her again I will. I know she got some water when I force fed her, but how often do rabbits drink? Oreo hardly drinks anything(he’s healthy though, I asked my vet) and Bobbi can’t go an hour without drinking some water, so I guess it varies by the bunny. I will take her to the vet tomorrow if she still isn’t eating. Also, how often should I force feed her? Is every four hours okay? I’ve only had to force feed buns a few times, and it was usually less than a day that I had to. I feel so bad that I’m causing her so much stress!? The rescue just had her in a dog kennel, as it was temporary. I lowered the temperature for my basement, as none of my other pets live down there. It is at 10 degrees celcius, and it’s about 4-5 degrees outside. I also provided her with a snuggle safe heat pad, I don’t want her to be cold. And a wooden box filled with hay as another source of warmth.
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