FORUM

What are we about?  Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

FORUM HOUSE RABBIT Q & A 4 Year Old Behaving Oddly; Health Problem?

Viewing 6 reply threads
  • Author
    Messages

    • ZanyZebra
      Participant
      4 posts Send Private Message

        Hi, I’m not sure if this is a general health question or a behavior question. However, it has me really concerned!

        I’ve had rabbits for awhile and have a vet that works with them. While I’m not a super level rabbit manager< I'm experienced in their case. I have a 4 year old Mini Rex neutered boy. He’s been healthy and had no issues at all. Until this morning…. When I woke up today, he was his fine and typical self. I showed him a snowball from outside and he was interested in it. My mom fed him (I am an adult but just had a double organ transplant so I’ve been told to avoid his pen, not to clean it, etc, because of bacteria from poop.) and he was his normal self, *My mom feeds him all the time since after my surgery because of this and I rely on her to get it done. Well, he went for a tear around his pen. Throwing everything around and pushing the liners/bedding out of the way. Then, he would throw himself down. Wait a few seconds and then throw himself down again. He did this over and over. I picked him up to check out his back legs and they’re mobile. His belly felt really loose too. So, I put him down on the floor (carpet) to see if he’d be more comfortable there. He’s not. He’s getting up, digging at the carpet and throwing himself down. To me, it looks like colic in horses. I’ve had bunnies that had digestive problems but they weren’t eating and lost their energy. So, I took them to the vet and hand fed them until they were better. But this I don’t know… I’m trying to see if he’s still breathing heavily (like after his tear up and getting up/down a lot) but he’s behind a table leg now! Oh, if it matters, when he lays down, he always goes into porkchop position. I rang the vet but today is his in clinic surgery day so I probably won’t hear back from him until late afternoon. Does this sound like anything to you? Digestive? Musculoskeletel? Other illness? Thanks in advance… I’m so scared!


      • Sirius&Luna
        Participant
        2320 posts Send Private Message

          It does sound like it could be gas, which I think is essentially the same as colic. Is he eating?

          You can give him some baby gas drops with simethicone in them. These are perfectly bunny safe and don’t get absorbed by the body, they just break up gas bubbles. Lots of people have had success giving uncomfy bunnies these. In the UK it’s sold as infacol, and you can give 1ml every hour for 3 hours. Often just one dose is enough to help.

          You could also try a belly massage – if you google it, a youtube video comes up which shows you what to do.

          If he’s not improved in 3 hours, then it’s probably worth taking him to the vet so that they can investigate further.


        • ZanyZebra
          Participant
          4 posts Send Private Message

            Hi, thanks for the reply!

            Ah yes, I am aware of the baby gas drops as I used to have them on hand. Tossed them out when I never needed to use them. Stupid me!

            At this point, I definitely think it’s gas. He’s stopped throwing himself down (been upright for over a 1/2 hour I would say) and I caught him grooming. However, he hasn’t pooped since being on the floor. He hasn’t ate either (not sure when my mom fed him a few hours ago) but I put some hay and water on the floor for him. He went up, sniffed it all and left.


          • Sirius&Luna
            Participant
            2320 posts Send Private Message

              Yes, the problem is while gas sounds like a minor problem, it can often lead to stasis as it can be very painful for the buns so they don’t eat or poop.

              Keep monitoring, and try the massage if he’ll let you get hold of him (and if you’re able after your transplant of course).


            • ZanyZebra
              Participant
              4 posts Send Private Message

                Hi and thanks again for taking the time to reply!

                Well, I am definitely worried about his poop. They are much smaller than usual. I wore a paper mask and gloves to get close… that is how much he worries me! And, they aren’t in his usual quantity, either. So, I will definitely pick up some baby gas drops again and fresh pineapple. He’s never had pineapple before so it should be interesting.

                He had two long drinks and he sparingly munched on some hay for a minute. But thank goodness, no more of him getting up and throwing himself down. He’s been upright (or sleeping in a meatloaf position now) all morning. He must feel good, in general, because he did some of his zoom runs around the house and binkied a handful of times. But, his poop and tummy definitely need attention.

                I’ll attempt a belly massage when he lets me and with a mask.


              • ZanyZebra
                Participant
                4 posts Send Private Message

                  Hi,

                  I just wanted to give an update on my bun.

                  Whatever happened that day, I’ll never know. Before I got baby drops or pineapple into him, he started to poop as normal. He ate as normal too. He’s been his normal self ever since!

                  I’m starting to wonder if he got too wound up from a temper tantrum. Who knows!


                • LittlePuffyTail
                  Moderator
                  18092 posts Send Private Message

                    Glad to hear he’s better now.

                Viewing 6 reply threads
                • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

                FORUM HOUSE RABBIT Q & A 4 Year Old Behaving Oddly; Health Problem?