Bun on back

[DethronedbyQueenB]

I am having a moment of high stress.

This is so much like when I had my first child. I feel like I am so not qualified and everything I read scares me because it seems like there is a monster at every corner and illness and bunnies are so fragile, etc, that at any given moment one is going to suddenly drop ill or worse.

My hubs says I’m overly concerned, son says maybe I should just stop giving them everything they want and they aren’t as fragile as I think.

I can’t tell wants from needs yet and yeah, I am constantly at their beck and call and looking for improvement because I am worried about doing it wrong and killing one of them. Or them not being happy.

If I thread for every time I saw something that concerned me, you guys would wonder if I’m ever off the internet.

Just a few minutes ago one youngin scared the dickens out of me.

Ok, I’m cleaning up their area and he is laying on a mat thing that has a ledge of only half an inch or so, very very slight. He rolls over the side very slowly and is on his back, feet in the air.

I stand there staring at him for a moment- he is breathing but not moving. I look at Queen sitting next to him because she usually alerts me if someone needs something and she seems fine. He still doesn’t move and his eyes are open, still breathing so I point to him and ask Queen…”Is he ok?” (Yeah, I talk to my rabbits.)

She looks at him, licks him and he doesn’t move but she didn’t seem worried.

I cautiously reach out to poke him fearing the worst and he STILL doesn’t move so I start to roll him over and as soon as I start to move him he bounces up and goes about his business like nothing happened.

IS THAT NORMAL?!?

[Cottontail]

I know that when Pete was tiny (less than 1 month) I watched him like a hawk, and what you’re describing doesn’t really make me too concerned. When Pete lost his balance or sank into blankets/pillows the first couple times he just kind of ‘went with it.’ He’d just kind of relax and sit/lay there for a couple seconds deciding whether he liked it or not before going back to being a baby bunny… To me, this sounds exactly what you described.
Still, if you think there’s cause for alarm keep an eye on him: I do not claim to be an expert–or anywhere near it! I can only tell you what I’ve seen with Pete, for comparison.

[JackRabbit]

I know how you feel. Hopefully, you will be more comfortable and relaxed as you learn more about *your* bunnies and have more experience. That being said, I’m still a worry wart about my babies and its been over a year! I just about had a heart attack the first time I saw Kieko asleep on her side. (BTW, Kieko did the roll over onto her back and ponder the ceiling thing the other day — this time my first thought was “where’s the camera?!” instead of “is she dead?”). I’ve rushed them to the vet like a mother with her first newborn. I’ve even taken them to the vet on a Saturday for what turned out to be normal fur molt! I have started to get better at distinguishing between what is urgent and what is not, but still err on the side of caution.

It is hard to not to worry about the cute furrybutts!

[DethronedbyQueenB]

Thank you guys and YES I worried the first time I saw the side lay too, lol.
Eyes wide open and feet straight out, oh my.

[Philomena]

I completely understand worrying about every little thing. I’ve been able to manage my stress by being like a mom and saying “if you run around like that your going to bonk your head again” its not that this convinces her nor does it actually do anything but it tends to make me feel less worried about the little things they get into because then I can calmly say “see? You bonked your head now come here and let mommy take a look.”

This lets me enjoy Philomena being Philomena. It’s like watching a kid at a playground and enjoying the kids just being kids. If they fall and get back up and continue what they’re doing then there’s nothing to worry about, but if they fall and scrape their knee you go and help out, but its still a blast to watch them even if it means that they fell down. I only have to worry when she scrapes her knee, but if she decides to act silly I’m not going to stress over it. This might not work for you but it works for me.

In regards to the whole “lying on their side issue” Philomena was once asleep on top of her hut and I look over as shes twitching in her sleep and she rolls off of her hut in her sleep. She woke up a bit but then went right back to bed. Made me laugh after I knew that she was OK.

[Deleted User]

I must be the worst bunny mum ever, ha ha ha! I never worry about Henry – one time he did a flop on the end of the bed and fell off, it was SO funny, it took me what seemed like forever to control my laughter to check on him, only for him to leave the room in embarrassment. Lol!
Honestly, once you get to know your bunny you won’t give this and any other stuff you needlessly worry over at the moment a second thought. My Henry is so routine with his behaviour, I don’t need to check this and that – I would know if he was unwell by him not sticking to his routine. But everyone is different, you’ll eventually work out what works for you.
Another good example, it is very late here and Henry has disappeared from behind me and taken himself off to bed, so I know it’s bedtime for me too! Lol! But I will admit I have worried over Henry twice – the first time was how in the world do I stop him from spraying all over us and our bedroom – eeek! That was a huge worry for me, ha ha ha! And the second time, (being serious) he fretted when the dog’s (his companions/friends) went to the groomer’s for the first time since we got him – he wasn’t happy and didn’t move from their spot all day. Once they got home, he was all good – so another thing I learned about his behaviour that no longer causes me concern.
It will take a while for you to get to know your bun’s, but once you do – you’ll know when something is genuinely wrong and your worry now, over anything weird that bunnies do (why do they do weird stuff??? Lol!) will be a thing of the past – it does get easier and better. Leaving you more time to enjoy all the fun bunny stuff.

PS – If your bun ever does that again, don’t hesitate to ‘poke’ it! If you don’t get a response, give your bun a shove with your foot, that should do the trick, ha ha ha! Good luck DethronedbyQueenB, cheers.

[DethronedbyQueenB]

Thanks guys.

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