Possibly Sick Rabbit

[Aaron]

Some of you may know that my rabbits have these little spurts of eating and not eating (occurs every few months). Today I went to give Sebastian and Juliet their afternoon snacks, and the both came over, but only Juliet ate. Sebastian went and laid down. This is NOT like him, as he eats usually like a 500 lb pig. He did drink water, but he didnt eat anything. Should I call the vet? I am contemplating about calling my rabbit-savvy vet and telling her this. He has been kinda lethargic all day, and I went to feel his stomach, and it felt a little hard.  

[Aaron]

He also passed some cecotrophs not too long ago.

[Wick & Fable]

A hard stomach is normal if there’s food in it, so if he just ate, that is normal. If it doesn’t dissipate in a few hours or is more of a “bloated” feel, rather than a solid feel, that is more significant. Lethargy is also a bad sign. If he hasn’t eaten or pooped in over 6 hours, I advise a vet visit to see if he has some sort of solid or gas blockage.

If it happens on and off, I wonder if something in his diet is not agreeing with him, so over time it builds up and gets him to a point of discomfort, and he refrains from eating to get over it.

Did you change brands of any food or introduce new food in these past months? Rabbits have different tolerances, so something your one rabbit can tolerate may not be the same for the other.

What do his poops look like? Is he eating hay?

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Aaron]

Nothing has changed in his diet. Same brand of pellets, same veggies. He passed some cecotrophs not too long ago. I gave him some of his favorite treats, and he did eat those. I haven’t seen him eat his hay. I texted my father about this (as I am not an adult yet), and he said that if he is still feeling bad, we can take him to the vet in the morning (its 6:45 PM right now where I live). I feel that this is too long of a timeframe.

[Aaron]

He isn’t sitting all hunched, he is loafing. I haven’t seen him eat hay all day.

[Bunny House]

Hi!
Have you given him baby gas drops and done belly massages (softly)? Is there anything he could have gotten into that made his tummy upset (since they can’t throw up, it will have to pass in their bowels.
If you feel like the morning is too late then if you have the money, and a ER vet that has specialized rabbit savvy vets near you, to take him there tonight. They would be able to give fluids and pain meds and help you further on what else can be done for Sebastian.

[Aaron]

I am going to run out to the drug store to get some simethicone right now. I did massage his stomach for about 15 minutes gently, and the only thing that I can think of is that he LOVES to rip up the carpet underneath the cage. I am wondering if he ingested some and its stuck.

[Aaron]

I coaxed him to eat some hay and to eat some lettuce which is good.

[Wick & Fable]

Carpet fibers can be dangerous if they don’t past through the gut. It can lead to a blockage so if a rabbit keeps eating, it can build up and that can actually make things worse! If you suspect a blockage, it’s best to go to a vet to have them assess and take action from there. Make sure the vet is rabbit experienced.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Mcessay]

I bought white bunny, but one of my friend tell me, that white bunnies die quicker. Is this true?

[Bam]

Hi Mcsessay! No, white bunnies are often very healthy. They don’t see quite as well as bunnies with brown eyes, but the white color is not associated with deafness like it often is in white cats.

White rabbits don’t survive very well in nature because the white fur makes them easier for predators to spot.

[Author]

Messages