worried about Teddy

[Meg]

 Hi all!

I’m worried about Teddy, my 6-month-old.  He seemed fine through this evening – up through 3 hours ago Athena (my other bunny) was grooming him and they were chilling as usual out in my bedroom by their cardboard castle.  But then Athena went back to their playpen/condo area in the kitchen and Teddy stayed out in my room – just acting a little funny.  Sitting still for a long time… nothing too dramatic, but he doesn’t usually just hang out by himself that much.  He didn’t go back in the kitchen, even when I put their supper (lettuce) down.

Then a few minutes ago I found that he had pooped and peed in two places out in my room – I’ve had him 3 1/2 months, and Athena longer, and neither bunny had ever done that before.  I worried about a bladder infection, but it doesn’t seem like he’s dribbling and he hasn’t done it since.  I guess it’s conceivable that he just couldn’t figure out how to get back to the kitchen, but there weren’t any unfamiliar objects in the way of his normal path (it’s right next to my bedroom, very nearby).  

So after hanging out with him a bit I picked him up and carried him back to the playpen.  He thumped and hopped a few feet but then just kind of sat there a while, and Athena ignored him.  He hasn’t shown interest in the lettuce or hay, although he did eat a dried blueberry (his favorite) I just gave him.  Athena did groom him a little a minute ago, but now they’re apart again and he’s hiding.  Athena is often more excited about food than he is, so that’s not utterly atypical… and he has been grooming himself sometimes and investigating me a little.  But he just seems quieter than normal, and I don’t know what happened with the peeing/pooping in my room! 

What do you think?  Is my poor little one sick?  Or did something upset him?  (I can’t think what; nothing abnormal happened that I could tell.)  Maybe I am making too much of this, but I just don’t want anything to be wrong with my beloved baby bun.  

Thank you so much for your help,

Meg

[Meg]

ooo! a happy update! I gave Teddy some alfalfa hay (his favorite kind), and he did start eating that. Then 10 minutes later he was hopping around some and even did a couple of binkies! I’m heartened by this. I’ll still keep an eye on him, though, and would still be grateful for your thoughts. I’m a new bunny person (just 7 months) and am not very experienced.

Also, if that pooping/peeing in my room all of a sudden wasn’t sickness — and I sure hope it wasn’t! — then I’d love some help on how to stop that from happening again! I did pick up the poops and clean the carpet pee spots with water and vinegar solution, and then sprayed some of the perfume I use to keep them from chewing furniture.

[mrmac]

How is Teddy doing today? Been drinking water? Sometimes my bunnies get this, kind of a stasis blockage. Has Teddy been going through a shed recently? Sometimes when mine go through a shed this happens when they ingest too much fur while grooming. This can result in stasis and you may see some poops strung together with hair. As long as he ate some hay and is eating/drinking and peeing and pooping he is probably ok but I would still keep an eye on him. When my bunnies get this they are usually back to themselves the next day.

[Meg]

thank you so much! Teddy seems like his old self this morning, and bounded over to devour his morning alfalfa hay!! The water level in their bowl is down, although I’ll have to keep an eye on him to make sure he’s drinking water. I worried about stasis too except when he pooped in my room last night the poops were normal-looking. He is very fluffly, though, so it is definitely something to keep an eye on even just from grooming.

I still don’t know what to make, though, of the fact that he peed and pooped so much in my bedroom — neither bunny has ever done that before. Could it be that he was upset? That he and Athena were in a (nonphysical) fight I didn’t know about? That he somehow didn’t realize that he could just hop on back to their territory (and litterboxes) in the kitchen? How do I prevent this in the future?

Thank you so much,

Meg

[mrmac]

The misplaced pee and poos most likely were due to the upset tummy, just being uncomfortable and not wanting to move. Maybe adding another litter box outside of their pen in their play area would help prevent future accidents some. Glad to hear Teddy is back to his normal self!

[Meg]

ohhh, OK – thank you so much!!

[RabbitPam]

The other possibility is that he decided to claim your bedroom as “his” territory, so marked it.
But since he had a wee bit of a tummy problem that is now better, it could have been mrmac’s explanation as well.

Just keep an eye on his eating/pooing habits over the next few days to be sure he’s OK.

[bunnytowne]

If  you notice him uncomfortable like that again  a tummy rub might help  or some simethicone  baby  gas pills.   Ruby gets that way on occassion.  

I do both the above and she is feeling better in about an hour.    Could it be a new vegie or food he tried?  OR the hair with the shed. 

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