Rabbit Sitting in Unusual Place

[Rabbit201]

One of my rabbits, Pugsley, has been behaving in an unusual way. There is a corner litter pan that she has been sitting in a lot which is something she didn’t do before. Other times she will sit elsewhere like normal. But I am worried there is something wrong with her belly because I’ve read that bunnies will sit on hard surfaces to put pressure on their bellies when they’re in pain or something is stuck.

 

She doesn’t use that corner pan – she uses the regular pan like normal. She eats, drinks, pees and poops and doesn’t make any sound or show any other sign of pain. I felt her belly and it is soft. I gave her a belly massage and 0.5ml infant gas drops 2x 6 hours apart (fell asleep and didn’t give a third dose). The only other unusual thing is that she will eat half her pellets in the morning and not eat the rest until later, but that might be normal…maybe she’s just full? The soonest I can see the vet is Friday afternoon. I’ve attached photos of her sitting.

 

I’m worried because I don’t know if something is wrong and I know rabbits can get bad very quickly. I don’t want to lose my rabbits. Should I take her to an emergency vet?

[DanaNM]

The first picture is adorable, that is a pic of a very comfy and relaxed bunny. 🙂

The second pic is hard to say, but she looks fairly relaxed in that on as well. Some buns just like to sit like this. She doesn’t appear to be squinting, which is another pain symptom that often goes along with the belly pressing.

How long have you had her? And how long has this been going on? How many pellets does she get per day? And was she excited to eat them at first? Is her appetite for hay and veggies normal?

I’m wondering if she has a larger portion of pellets so maybe she eats some and then saves the rest for later. Some buns start to do this once they feel very “food secure”. My buns are all in bonded pairs so they wolf their pellets down really fast, but when I had solo buns they would graze on them a bit more. Eating selectivity can be an indication of a dental problem as well, usually pellets or hay are harder to eat for buns with dental issues.

If she is pooping and has eaten in the last 6-8 hours, and isn’t turning down all food now, then I don’t think there is an emergency.

I’m partially wondering if she like that spot as a bed because it might be a bit cooler since it has the grate, and temps have been warming up (assuming you are in the Northern Hemisphere). It could be as simple as her deciding it is a nice place for a nap (especially with that first pic!).

Overall, I would personally just keep monitoring based on what you’ve described. Keep offering her hay and encourage water. You can give some extra wet salad if you think she could be a bit dehydrated. If her poops look good and her appetite for hay and veggies is normal, but she continues to not want her pellets, you can take her in Friday for a dental check.

. . . 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.  

[Rabbit201]

Thanks for the reply.

I have 2 buns and there is an eating/dominance issue going on. My other bun, Roo(male) is 3 years old, Pugsley(female) will turn 4 this year. They currently get 1tbsp of pellets each in the morning. Used to be 2tbsp each, but they felt like they were getting fat and I decreased it. Pugsley is typically dominant, but Roo has been fighting her on food for a long time. He can’t share. Even though I’ve given them separate bowls, he will wolf down his then start on hers. Sometimes I have to take him out of the habitat just so she can finish eating. He pulls lettuce out of her mouth too.

I’m thinking of getting a couple of ceramic tiles to help them cool down because, yes, it’s gotten very hot recently.

Another problem is that it’s hard to tell if it’s Pugsley’s poops or Roo’s. But she’s eating as usual.

[Azerane]

You’re right to be worried about different sitting positions though. My rabbits only sit in their litter tray to eat hay, poo, pee and then leave. Unless they are feeling unwell then they may loaf in there for a while. Sometimes it just seems to be something mild and they’re normal otherwise and continue eating and toileting normally. But when I do see it I make sure just to keep a close eye for the rest of the day in case something else pops up. It’s always good to test them with a favourite food as well.

As mentioned the first position is extremely relaxed, the second one does look a bit like belly pressing but I’m not sure if it is or not because of the way the bum is hanging over the edge of the tray, that could just be how she ended up. In regards to the eating/dominance issue, I would skip the bowls and scatter feed them, just sprinkle the pellets randomly over the floor or better yet put some in the bottom of a cardboard box with shredded paper and toilet paper tubes so that Roo has to forage for them, and then give Puglsey hers. The forage box might keep Roo distracted long enough to allow Pugsley to finish.

[Rabbit201]

She had some gas and lingual points on her teeth. The vet clipped the points off of her teeth and said she should be fine and to watch her, but the gas isn’t very much and should pass with the help of some natural pineapple juice in water. The vet said her eating fewer pellets can be because of Roo and I should feed them away from each other. Other than that, she’s ok as long as she keeps eating and pooping.

[Wick & Fable]

I would not add pineapple juice to the water, unless it is in very, very small quantities and your rabbit is unwilling to hydrate herself without it. There is debate over the use of pineapple and papaya in helping rabbits in various GI distress situations that you can read about here: https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Health_FAQ#Are_bromelain_from_pineapples_and_papain_from_papayas_effective_at_treating_hairballs_in_rabbits?

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.

[LBJ10]

I agree, I wouldn’t use pineapple juice. There are digestive supplements with papaya available that would be less sugary. Oxbow makes one. There is debate about whether or not it is actually effective. But a supplement formulated for small animals certainly isn’t going to hurt anything.

[Rabbit201]

The vet told me to do this. They did not say anything was wrong with it. Like I said originally, I used natural pineapple juice from a real pineapple, not a fruit juice from the store as advised by the vet.

[Rabbit201]

Glad to know everyone is happy that Pugsley is ok and nothing was seriously wrong.

[Author]

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