ill rabbit need help with hay encouragement

[rainbowseason]

My bunny is ill and had been to the specialist for exotic animal. She’s under medication at the moment. 

While she stayed with the vet for 3 days and they told me they feed her fresh grass, bok choy and oaten hay.

My bunny came home not eating the oaten hay I bought but she’ll eat any and every freash vegy and herbs.

I notice that’s all she would eat and is starting to get soft poo which is bad.

When i removed the vegy she wont eat hay so I went out and pulled some grass which she happily ate.

When the grass dried up i guess it becomes hay she wont eat them.

It seem to me like she’ll only eat freash grass or vegy. no hay at all.

Since i’m not sure if grass just off the street is even safe or what type of grass they are. I’m concern.

I went out to buy some oxbow timothy hay and pellet but she wont eat the pellete. Day 1 she  ate some of the timothy hay. Now she’s back to the freash stuff only. But she’s really sick she’s under medication for e.cuniculi.

Sorry for long post but do you think I can spray the hay with some apple juice or carrot juice or something?

I dont really wanna give her the sugary stuff but iono i’m out of ideas.

[bpash89]

As long as the grass isn’t treated with pesticides or something it’s fine to feed it to her. If it is or you aren’t sure than it is best not to feed it to her.

Bunnies can be rather particular about their hay, as you obviously know. Did the vet say she was eating the oat hay while she was there? If yes I would call your vet and ask what brand it is so you can be sure to buy the same one (yes, some bunnies are even particular about brand). Also, there are many different varieties of hay you can try and see if anything strikes her fancy (meadow or orchard grass maybe?) or you can see about finding a local farm or stable that might sell to you. You can generally find it fresher and cheaper that way. Just experiment with different kinds and see if there is anything she will take to.

[AnnaW]

Try various different brands, some have different flavours like mint and marigold in them
Also try sprinkling her pellets in amongst the hay, that may get her a little more interested
At one point I was even putting a little bit of honey on my ill bunny’s hay, apple juice may have the same effect … I was desperate and knew it was sweet enough to tempt him!
Good luck x

[Beka27]

Where is her hay kept, do you have a hay rack or is it just spread around or in the litter box? Will she nibble on it when her veggies run out?

[rainbowseason]

I went back to the vet today about her eating behavior. They said since she’s ill she can be very picky and not feel like eating hay.
I got a packet of Oxbow critical care for her, they told me to mix it with baby food.
She loves it but her poo is going sticky again. Having same effect like eating too much fresh vegy. Don’t know if that’s gonna be a problem.
About where I keep her hay, I spread her hay everywhere all over the place so she can access it. Since She’s suffering from e.cuniculi her head is tilted balance is off so she seldom move around.
Another major problem is once she falls she wont be able to get up again. She attempt to get up and she rolls. Which is no problem if she rolls a bit but can get up on her own but she CANT!!! Unless I help her. She just lay there helplessly panting. I check on her every 30min. Unless I’m sleeping then there’s nothing I can do if she falls over. Luckly for the pass 10 days that she’s home I was able to help her up every time.
But today I took a nap for about 3 hours. She must have fallen over soon after I went to sleep. I woke up found her laying there. I helped her up and notice she got the rapid eye movement. Started rolling a lot just cannot even stand straight for a moment. I attempted to hold her straight for 2 3 hour i attempted everything to hold her straight I saw her stop being dizzy I let go then she move around a little and falls again and got all dizzy and rapid eye movement is back again. I think this has happened because she had fallen down and laying there for a extended period of time.
I’m so worry what if this happen again. Right now she’s in a box to basically keep her straightening up right. Hopefully her dizziness eye movement thing go away. My concern now is that she can’t get back up on her own once she falls over. Is there nothing I can do to help this situation. Unless I stay up 24/7 a day.
I already wake up every 2 3 hour and stay up all night for pass 10 days to look after her. If anyone has any idea please throw them at me.

PS: extra info when I first found her suffering from e.cuniculi and had the rapid eye movement and head tilt. I took her to the vet. She stayed there for 3 days. Her rapid eye movement and dizziness went away completely. I don’t know if they given her medicine or she just got use to it and stop being dizzy. Since then She haven’t fallen for long period of time when I hear some noise I instantly help her.

[Beka27]

Okay… so she’s right in the middle of a head tilt episode. At this point, you need to feed her whatever she will eat. If she eats veggies, feed her veggies. The soft poops can be caused by diet and/or meds, so don’t worry about that right now. The important thing is that she is eating and poop is passing through.

What medications did the vet give you to treat the EC?

What kind of cage or pen is she in?  Is the bottom padded with blankets or a pet bed?

[rainbowseason]

Caring for Salmon the bunny rabbit:
Oral Medicine:
Fenbendazole 1ml for 28days
Melexicam 0.2ml 2x for 5 days then 0.2ml 1x for 5 days
Enrotril 0.6ml 2x a day for 10 days
Bactrim 1ml 2x a day for 5 days
Wound Care:
clean wound: Chlorhex 2x a day for 10 days
apply on wound: Flamazine thin layer 2x a day for 10 days
Food:
Oxbow Critical Care 50% Baby food 50% mix 20ml 2x a day

She started medicine and treatment on the 1st of NOV.
She is now only on Fenbendazole 1ml per day until 28th of nov.
She have a wound and is getting cleansed and cared for with the above listed stuff.
Oxbow timothy hay and pellet is purchased but she will not eat it.
when she’s out of vegy she will maybe nibble on few strands of hay. so the hay thing is completely out of the question. Should I try to spray some apple juice on the hay with a spray bottle and see how she react to that?
At first I thought if vegy is all she’ll eat I would give it to her. But I read everywhere that vegy should only be 20% of their diet. Also how they can get runny or sticky poo and it might cause them this stomach gut problem that will kill them within 48hr or something. I got very scared. Especially she’s taking all these medicine and stuff.

Currently she’s in the shower. Next to my room. Floor is layed with towels. She use to live in a HUGE cage outdoor. It’s impossible to move it indoor.
I’m now thinking of buying a small cage to keep her in. Because as mention earlier today. she lost her balance and been laying on her side and is now all dizzy and can’t balance. I put her in a box so she have 2 side to lean on. So she’s currently in a smaller box for the night with towel and cloths at the bottom. she’s surrounded in hay but obviously she’s not gonna eat it.

So ATM the vet told me to give her 20ml of oxbow critical care 50% with baby food 50%. Twice a day. She loves it and will eat that. Then I offer her vegy as well.

[Sarita]

No apple juice on the hay – can cause mold.

Most likely the reason you see sticky poo is that due to her head tilt she is unable to eat her cecals.

Veggies do not give sticky/runny poo. If she is eating fresh greens then give her fresh greens.

[rainbowseason]

I’ve been experimenting with her food to see what gives her sticky poo what doesn’t.
I have blended her pellet and some hay together with oxbow critical care. She’s eating that well and it gives her solid nice poo.
After awhile I feed her fresh grass and some vegy. She gets the smelly jelly black like squishy poo.
As usual doesn’t eat her hay or pellet. Her head is tilted but she’s able to pick up food on her own for sure.
I give her vegy and grass and she picks it up fine. With hay she doesn’t wanna eat anything dry it seems.
Even if i stick it to her mouth she wouldn’t eat it. I’ve changed hay and didn’t work. T_T

[rainbowseason]

Hey guys. Sorry about spaming u guys out.

I’ve just asked my neighbour to pull their grass cos I didn’t have any in my backyard.

These are the grass they had growing everywhere bushy in their backyard.

I know how some grass probably not suitable for rabbit but I don’t know what these type of grass is.

Just wondering if u guys know if they are ok to feed my sick rabbit.

Thank you

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