Sick Bunny? Please help…

[FunnyBunny Mama]

Hi, this is my first post here. I’m a fairly new Bunny Mama too. I got in to this ignorantly thinking a bunny would be a good starter pet for my then 6 year old son. Little did I know…of course I learned there’s a lot more to caring for a rabbit than it seems. I also have become 100% the crazy bunny lady. I love my bun so much he’s the loveliest pet I’ve ever owned. And now he’s sick and I’m scared.

It started about 2 weeks ago with some changes in behaviour, digging up carpet and eating everything and anything he could put in his mouth, including the carpet. Was still eating drinking and pooping so I decided just to keep a close eye as the last two times I rushed him to the expensive Rabbit vet he checked out fine and I wa out over $ 300 each time!

This continued and he also started to get dominant almost jealous of my son and very needy of my attention. He just wanted to snuggle with me all the time and he’d be asking me for something (he communicates well) head bumps and little nips if he needs something…but he had food, water, lots of chew toys and hay. He just seemed out of sorts. He began almost obsessive about pellets and treats as if he were starving. Trust me he is now t. He gets more treats and pellets than he probably should! I’m a sucker for this little guy! I noticed he’d have trouble finding his treat, he’d smell it no problem but seemed to have trouble seeing it.

Now he’s pooping strings of pellets and obsessively digging at and trying to eat the carpet he’s confined to his cage (very large cage) because he just heads straight for the spots he’s digging carpet. He is still eating, drinking and pooping but his poops are worrisome. I called his (former) vet they wouldn’t see him until Friday. So I got him in at another clinic but their Rabbit Vet is not in until tomorrow at 2:15pm. Is there anything I can do for him in the meantime? I am watching him closely and will rush him to emergency if he declines any but I’m hoping tomorrow’s appointment will be enough.
Any and all suggestions are appreciated! Thanks so much!

[Bam]

Is he neutered? Is he shedding right now?

Both un-neutered and neutered bunnies can get March hare craziness this time of year (if you’re in the Northen hemisphere that is). It’s worse in un-neutered bunnies though. An increase in the amount of light influences the production and excretion of many hormones, not just sex hormones.

Pooping strings of poop means he has ingested hair, and that’s not ideal. More hay and more water is the best thing to keep the intestines in good working otder, plus you should brush him every day if he’s molting. If he gets veggies you can serve them dripping wet so he gets extra fluids.

Is his appetite still good? Obsessiveness about treats and pellets is very normal rabbit behavior. I don’t know of any rabbit illness that involves an increase in appetite, but the opposite is a very important sign of sth being wrong.

Rabbits have a blind spot right in front of their noses, so they can’t see a treat on the floor in front of them, they have to find it with their sense of smell. It can look a bit pathetic when they can’t find what’s right there, but it’s normal. The have a very broad visual field, but they see much better from the side than from straight ahead.

[Luna]

I agree with Bam. Luna could be munching on hay for 30 mins and she will still vacuum up pellets out of my hand afterwards.

[FunnyBunny Mama]

Oh thank you Bam! I can’t tell you what a relief it is to read this response!!! He is molting and it’s insane the hair he’s losing this time! I’ve been using 3 different tools for grooming him and still can’t seem to see an end to the shedding! I use a furminator first, then the rubber brush he likes, then the sticky lint roller.

He is neutered but still young. He’s about a 1.5 years old. I neutered him When my sweet little bunny loven’s turned to the spawn of satan! He was about 8 months old. We live in Alberta Canada. I had no idea the effect time of year could have on him. Maybe that’s my kids excuse too! Lol! Only my child doesn’t Binky when he gets caught doing what he knows is not allowed! That’s all Bunny.

Should I still keep the Vet appointment I wonder? I don’t have any extra money to throw at a vet right now. However I would like to find a new one for Wilbert.

Thank you so much!

[Bam]

I don’t think this is sth a vet could do much about. It’s all normal albeit a bit inconvenient. The fact that he has a voracious appetite is definitely just a sign of health in a bun.

Buns can act a little different from their usual selves when they’re molting heavily. Some get tummy aches, some get grumpy, some get extra cuddly. Right now my Bam is having a mega molt par none. I pluck out so much fur every day it’s ridiculous.

[Author]

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