I found a male lop bunny by the side of a country Lane last Sunday evening, near the motorway, no houses nearby. He was covered in flies, lots of fur missing on his neck, I initially thought he’s been bitten by a fox or similar. He hopped up to me and my DC, we took him home, brushed the flies off and cut the fur where they had laid eggs.
Was given a vet appointment the following morning. It’s a vet we know well as we have dogs. Was at the vet for a couple of hours, the vet and nurse shaved off patches of fur, removed eggs (no maggots) said it’s mostly dermatitis on his paw (he was a bit lame). I was given flamazone to put on his sore patches on back of his neck and paw, antibiotics and pain killers. They said if nobody claims him within 7 days we can own him. The treatment so far cost £180. I paid this to save his life, but I can’t continue to afford costs like this.
He is friendly in an outdoor run that is actually meant for chickens. It’s an Omlet walk on run, grass floor. He eats and drinks well, let’s us stroke him. He takes his medicines as long as I squirt them on a salad. However, he licks off the flamazone cream and yesterday morning he has broken the skin on his back from biting himself where I had applied the cream.
Yesterday when I was petting him I noticed many more clumps of tiny eggs shaped like rice grains. I cut them all out and noticed adult large green iridescent flies on him. Checked him for sores and maggots - none. Called vet nurse, and I have a new appointment today. I brought him inside to keep him away from flies. He is distressed in the cage, humps the play tunnels I put in relentlessly, bites the bars and rips at his fur.
Whenever I take him outside, he plays normally, stops humping, but still grooms a lot, so has patches of wet fur where he licks himself and flies come onto him and start to crawl under the tufts of his fur.
My guess is that sadly he was dumped and perhaps was a handful. We are so lucky to have a big garden and other animals (dogs, chickens, Guinea pigs) and DC who will take an interest.
I’m anxious about costs though. I’d really like to be his proper owner so we can have him insured, neutered etc but I’m also wary of taking on an animal who may need more than we can offer.
My thinking is that he is intact and bored, possibly in a habit of fur biting/ pulling and has attracted flies. He’s now in a vicious cycle. I was at home this week so had time to check his fur for new eggs a few times each day, but next week we’re all out most of the day and he can’t be checked as often.
I’m back at the vet later this morning and trying to work out what to ask specifically. I’d like to know why he keeps being targeted by flies. I have Guinea pigs out in a nearby run, not a fly on them. He’s clean, keeps himself clean, no dirty bedding and doesn’t smell.
I'm also concerned about keeping a lone rabbit. I had a lone male bunny as a child for many years who I am sure was not neutered, but I have read posts on here and understand that isn’t recommended now.
Thanks for reading this far. I’ve been worrying he’ll get fly strike and really want to give him the best life after the way we found him.