small poops

[gracenbun]

Hi! this is my first post and i didn’t see any posts that directly related to my problem. So i have had Bun for about 2 weeks she is 3 months old, i typically let her run around before i go to school and all day when i’m home. Today I woke up late and didn’t give her a chance to run around, i had work right after school so once again didn’t have a chance to let her out. i got off work around 10:00pm and finally let her out. i noticed none of her hay was gone, all her pellets were left and just the lettacue was gone. she did drink some water, not as much as normal though. She started pooping small poops, none in her cage or litter box though, just on the ground, i immediately started researching. managed to get some food in, hay and some apple (her favorite treat). she started running around like crazy and hasn’t pooped since. could this be due to lack of exercise? i really want to bring her to the vet but as a 18 year old who is going trough college and working a waitressing job i don’t have the money now. i’ve already called all 24/7 vets near me and none of them do payment plans i’m stuck! i know i will have to bring her to the vet if this continues into tomorrow but i need any advice i can get!
thankyou,
– a young mom and a young bun!

[Asriel and Bombur]

At 3 months I wouldn’t feed her apple. She shouldn’t have fruit until she’s about 6 months old. This allows for proper gut development. What’s her diet like? A bunny that doesn’t poop for over 12 hours is an emergency and should be seen by a vet. GI Stasis can kill, and quickly, if not treated. Small poops usually indicate gas or the start of stasis (which is why I ask for her diet). Assuming it hasn’t been over 12 hours, you can give some baby gas drops and a belly massage. If it doesn’t get better she needs a vet.

[sarahthegemini]

I agree with A&B.

Also, if you arent in a position where you can afford a vet, you shouldn’t have an animal. Sorry but rabbits get sick and go downhill fast.

[Bam]

How is your bun doing now? Have you seen more poop? If you dont see any poop in 12 hours, it’s a veterinary emergency.

It is always worrisome when a bun loses its appetite, and her young age makes her extra vulnerable. I’m glad you managed to get some food into her. It’s also great that she started running around, exercise helps the gut and aids the intestinal movement. If her inappetence was due to a gas issue, hopefully running around helped her get the gas out. If that was the case, she should have regained her appetite by now. Gas is painful for rabbits.

Baby gas drops (simerhicone) could be of help in this situation. It’s good to have at home anyway when you have a rabbit. You can give 0.5 ml every hour for 3 hours. It often takes effect after 20-30 minutes so the bun will want to eat again.

Wed be happy for updates.

[DanaNM]

Along with Bam’s advice, keep offering her whatever she’ll eat (not too much apple though). A big pile of wet greens can sometimes help whatever is happening pass through.

How is she doing today?

. . . 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.  

[Bunny House]

A bun who doesn’t eat for 12 hours can developed hepatic lipadoses and can cause liver failure. I agree with the others, bunnies are adorable but they need a owner who has a lot of finances to pay for vet visits as they can cost up to $1000 or more for a some simple diagnostic tests. I’ve spent thousands on mine so far this year and it wasn’t even for sick bunnies

[BinkyBunny]

Sarah you said  “Also, if you aren’t in a position where you can afford a vet, you shouldn’t have an animal. Sorry but rabbits get sick and go downhill fast.”    I understand how this can feel frustrating, but how is this helpful?  

Giving away the bunny has many risks so I wouldn’t consider it as a first choice so it is what it is at the moment, and have an opportunity to at least help someone figure out solutions when their bunny is in need right now. There is no guarantee our advice will be taken but  we can at least try.  Let’s be careful not to shame someone away.  This is their very first post and they need our help. 

Gracebun – You have found yourself in a tough spot and are learning the hard way about pet/vet expenses. Many people do not know the  real costs of having a bunny and learn by fire this way. So while not ideal, we will do our best to help – some of the answers are not going to be quick solutions, and it will have to be up to you to get the funds in case of urgency.  Being a college student, a mother with an animal companion, you have your hands full…no doubt.   Do you have family or friends you can borrow from?  Anything you can sell?  Can you put some of this on a credit card?  Once you get through this tough spot, you will need to start putting some “vet” funds aside.  There is also a card called Care Credit (but you have to seek out a vet that takes this.)  

This article may scare you a little because it has all the bad things that can happen, but is also has many tips and necessary information that will be helpful in caring for a bunny that has gi stasis — http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

Please keep us updated. We do care about what is going on with your bunny.

[sarahthegemini]

BB – because it’s important that people understand that with bunnies, you can’t really wait around til you have the cash to get vet help. It is a matter of life and death. Rehoming may be risky but keeping an animal when you can’t provide veterinary care is arguably more risky.

[BinkyBunny]

Sarah – your explanation’s tone is quite different from the tone of your first reply to the OP. The first one sounds snarky. The explanation of it though leans more towards advice. One is demeaning and the second is advice/suggestion. (some will agree and others will disagree with your advice- but that’s okay,). There is a difference though between the first post and the the explanation of that post.

Edited to add:
I think it’s also important to remember, that she didn’t say she wouldn’t take him, (she said she would if it continued),  She just received our advice about taking  her bunny to vet asap.  She didn’t know at the time how urgent it might be or may have just needed that confirmation….and the community let her know it was urgent.  I don’t think it’s helpful to jump right away to a statement that she shouldn’t have animals. It seems “shaming” whether or not you intended that.  Many people here may not have a big funds account saved up for a pricey emergency and yet, they find a way.  

Your explanation for that kind of reply was that you want someone to know how important it is – that they can’t wait around and it can be life or death.  That is a valid point, but do you think that is what your first post relays? 

[FlemishDad]

If she won’t eat anything but greens give her lots of lettuce. It’s important she eat something. My bun gets lots of greens for kidney reasons and he does fine.

[jerseygirl]

She started pooping small poops, none in her cage or litter box though, just on the ground, i immediately started researching. managed to get some food in, hay and some apple (her favorite treat). she started running around like crazy and hasn’t pooped since. could this be due to lack of exercise?

It is good she produced some poop and is moving around. You stated in your profile that she has a 2 storey hutch, so it’s not like she was completely restricted in space to move.
My guess is this may have happened due to the change in routine that day.
If it looks as if she didnt eat hay, that would certainly attribute to the size of poop, and there being less.

I’m hopeful she started to regain her eating habits overnight.
Have you seen an improvement?

Does she drink from a water bottle or bowl?

At 3 months old, you will probably start to see some changes in her in the coming months. She might become a bit stand-offish (not the case with all) it she might start marking with poop when she’s out or lose litter habits in the hutch. My first rabbit started hiding behind a curtain more and growled at me if I bothered her while she was there. I never knew they could growl until she did it.

[sarahthegemini]

BB – I said in my first post that bunnies go downhill fast. I think it’s pretty obvious what that means (i.e. no time to wait around). Perhaps it could have been more helpful. This is why I barely post here any more – can’t control my knee jerk reactions ??

If you wish to continue with this, you can PM me rather than making the thread more hostile. Thanks.

[BinkyBunny]

“Bunnies go downhill fast” isn’t that part that was shaming

 I have done the PM route and it doesn’t seem to help in the long run. I am addressing the “hostility” already posted so we as community can stop it and be helpful.  Members, especially new members, will not usually feel safe to PM someone that may have shamed them. Many times they will just leave.  So while I understand you don’t appreciate my addressing you about your comment outside of a PM, this should be also considered with “knee-jerk” reactions made in the threads to others. So what you want for yourself, you need to give to other members as well.  You don’t have to live in rose-colored Binkyland and be extra nice, but stay out of the Snarkville zipcode and you’ll be fine.  

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By BB on 3/29/2019 12:55 PM

“Bunnies go downhill fast” isn’t that part that was shaming

 I have done the PM route and it doesn’t seem to help in the long run. I am addressing the “hostility” already posted so we as community can stop it and be helpful.  Members, especially new members, will not usually feel safe to PM someone that may have shamed them. Many times they will just leave.  So while I understand you don’t appreciate my addressing you about your comment outside of a PM, this should be also considered with “knee-jerk” reactions made in the threads to others. So what you want for yourself, you need to give to other members as well.  You don’t have to live in rose-colored Binkyland and be extra nice, but stay out of the Snarkville zipcode and you’ll be fine.  

You said:

“Your explanation for that kind of reply was that you want someone to know how important it is – that they can’t wait around and it can be life or death. That is a valid point, but do you think that is what your first post relays?”

Hence why I clarified that in my first post, I said ‘bunnies go downhill fast’ That literally means the same as ‘act quick, it’s life or death’ Not sure why you consider that a valid point in my follow up response but not in my initial post.

I already addressed the shaming aspect – I admitted it was a knee jerk reaction.

I asked to continue this via PM because it isn’t necessary to go back and forth on here. If anything, it is just clogging up the thread…

I’ll be keeping my distance from rose-coloured Binkyland ??

[BinkyBunny]

I said: “Bunnies go downhill fast” isn’t that part that was shaming. I meant that wasn’t part of the shaming. (my typo made it seem as if it were the opposite, my apologies for that error). The shaming part is ” if you aren’t in a position where you can afford a vet, you shouldn’t have an animal.” Yes, you admitted afterward it was a knee jerk reaction. Thank you. I also explained why I posted here instead of PM. And while yes, it is clogging things up having to explain, it is good for members to know we will address alerts and snarky replies. I think we have pretty much beat this into the ground now.
The short message to this is: Stop the Snark.

[Author]

Messages