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Small pets

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Original poster

HELP!!!! Rabbit (fluffy kind) related

46 replies

puds11 · 26/07/2012 21:44

Just went out to feed and water my rabbit, and he was flopped on the floor, and didnt react to me until i picked him up. He normally freaks out as soon as the door is opened.

Do you think its the heat? Has anyone elses rabbits been a bit lacklusture today?

OP posts:
PurplePidjin · 26/07/2012 21:47

Vet. Now. Mine was like this with a gut infection and needed IV antibiotics (and still didn't make it)

GotMyGoat · 26/07/2012 21:47

Hopefully it's the heat - although it can be a warning sign for lots of other worrying things too - is your bunny drinking/eating ok? If not then off to the vets now! Otherwise, wait and see if he hops around and acts normally.

I've had two very floppy buns today, but they respond pretty quick if i get near them. They have ice packs in their shed to keep them cool in the day.

PurplePidjin · 26/07/2012 21:49

You have a very short window of opportunity with a small animal. Keep his mouth wet while you find the emergency vet number - squeeze a cloth/sponge over his tongue, maybe wet his ears as that's their cooling system.

Fingers crossed

Original poster
puds11 · 26/07/2012 21:50

I'm going to go check on him again and see how he responds, if its snappy, i think i will relax a bit, if not i think i will cry Sad

OP posts:
GotMyGoat · 26/07/2012 21:54

Offer food and water - that can tell you a lot. A healthy bun will pounce on food, i agree with purple though, sound like your bunny needs a vet.

It's much cooler in the day now, my two are jumping all over the place - it shouldn't be zonked out now.

PurplePidjin · 26/07/2012 21:54

The ice pack idea is good, wrap one in a towel and put it under him?

Original poster
puds11 · 26/07/2012 21:58

I went outside and brought him in to see what he would do and he hopped back outside. I'm going to go get him again (testing his responses) and dampen his ears a bit and give him some water off a sponge and see how he is. He is generally quite a sit still kind of rabbit, he never really runs around, but it is unusual for him to let me pick him up so easily.

OP posts:
PurplePidjin · 26/07/2012 22:01

Act on instinct. I left my bun for a couple of hours monitoring and lost him Sad

I appreciate i may also be overcautious from personal experience...

GotMyGoat · 26/07/2012 22:03

I just saw your other thread with a bit more info.

If he's not eating, that's an emergency.

Original poster
puds11 · 26/07/2012 22:16

ive put him in the bathroom which is quite cool, and put some water on his ears. I gave him a bowl of water and he had a little bit, but doesnt like me watching him. He has eaten a bowl of food today, but didnt eat the hay i offered him. He only tends to eat rabbit sweeties from hand and i dont have any Sad Going to have a rumage and see if i have anything he would like. His ears are up and he is lloking around at me and stuff like that. Ive brushed all his excess fur. Going to look up the vet number whilst monitoring him.

OP posts:
GotMyGoat · 26/07/2012 22:24

Have you any salad leaves in the fridge? Or some fresh grass you could offer - even a carrot?

Anything yummy will do.

c4rnsi1lk · 26/07/2012 22:30

My rabbit can be like that in the heat. When he did have a stomach problem he didn't respond to anything at all - I thought he was going to die right there. My vet instructed us to not give him anything except hay and water and he recovered really quickly. Carrots aren't particularly good for them apparently. They need the veg that they would get in the wild - the green leaves at the top of a carrot for example.

Original poster
puds11 · 26/07/2012 22:31

Ive given him some apple, and he is in the bathroom. He's been trashing the place, so thats a good sign as that is what he would normally do. The vet says to keep monitoring him, and they are not worried as of yet, so we shall see how things progress.

OP posts:
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 26/07/2012 22:33

No rabbit experience to offer-and I know they do differ alot from guinea-pigs- but both prone to heat stroke.

I've just dived down to our Pighouse (Boys were put to bed at 8pm, been out in the run most of the day). Our Pighouse is a childs playhouse so I can stand upright.
I've lifted the lid of their haybox to circulate the air a bit. They're both sitting in hay (which will keep them warm, hopefully not too warm)

Main difference I can see- rabbits have a bigger bulk to surface area than GPs, so in theory they'd keep heat longer.
And they can't eat as much veg. Mine have scoffed cucumber, rocket, salad and herbs. That much green wouldn't be good for a rabbit.

Puds11 there have been 3 guinea deaths reported on SFA site today.
Must be the heat Sad

GotMyGoat · 26/07/2012 22:40

Carrots are ok as a rare treat - thought it might be a good temptation for a reluctant bunny.

Really glad you called the vet, glad he's acting more like himself too.

c4rnsi1lk · 26/07/2012 22:40

If he's trashing he place that sounds about right! Apples aren't great for them though so don't let him have too much - might give him the runs!

c4rnsi1lk · 26/07/2012 22:41

Yes I agree carrots are a good temptation - our bunny loves them but he gets uh an upset tummy if he has too much.

Original poster
puds11 · 26/07/2012 22:45

Ive been and picked him some greens, washed them so they are nice and wet. Will see if he eats them.

OP posts:
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 26/07/2012 22:46

If they are reluctant drinkers, maybe rinse any leaves with water so they get extra moisture that way.

They might want to eat when it's later, do they usually do their pooh eating at this time of night?

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 26/07/2012 22:46

X post Grin

Original poster
puds11 · 26/07/2012 22:51

Im hoping he will eat some. Going to leave him to settle in the bathroom for a bout half an hour and check back then. I keep checking, but i think im getting in the way. He is very good at knowing when he is being spied on. He is very secretive, so im going to leave him too it.

OP posts:
c4rnsi1lk · 26/07/2012 23:46

hope he feels better soon and you can relax

Stepmumm · 26/07/2012 23:50

Try duracell

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 26/07/2012 23:55

Is the rabbit on tiles to keep him cool (or in the bath).
If you've got the window open he should get a nice breeze.

Animals really do try the patience of a saint, don't they.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 27/07/2012 10:12

How is Rabbit this morning?

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