What could be going on/Heath drinks (happy update)

Rabbit Talk  Forum

Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

TeaTimeBunnies

Well-known member
Joined
May 3, 2017
Messages
420
Reaction score
1
Location
Dresden, TN
Ok, so I got two free rabbits yesterday form loving pet owners who realized they couldn't give the rabbits the right amount of attention. Well they haven't eaten any of the food or hay they brought with them, they haven't drank any if the water, and there is pretty much no poo under the hutch (litterallylast 3 pieces of poo). The female has a slightly runny nose too (no sneezing). It is decently hot, they are under a lot of stress from moving, and their fur us all over the place because of the stress. Now I'm thinking of making a "health boost" mix of apple cider vinegar and pineapple juice. Has anyone made something like this before? What do y'all think could be causing the runny nose?
 
I'd certainly try the "health drink" to get some fluids into them and perhaps stimulate their appetites. Both those flavours are strong so you will need to dilute them well with water.

The symptoms could be from the heat and stress of moving, but keep in mind that diseases such a pasteurella may not show symptoms except under stress.

A few questions:
1. Did the two rabbits come from the same home?
2. Were they indoor rabbits now housed outdoors?
3. Have you put good isolation protocols in place to protect your other rabbits?
4. Have you talked to the previous owners to learn what you can from then?
 
Thanks MaggieJ. I planned on mixing the drink up and adding a bit to their water each time I give them fresh water. Now for the questions:

1. Yes, they did both come from the same home. They are a bonded pair that are proven breeders

2. They were outdoor rabbits still being outdoors, but also the only rabbits they had at their home. They are also from Kentucky, and I'm in Tennessee so there are different types of allergens

3. I have a quarentein hutch on the full opposite side of my house, with really strick rules about going around the other rabbits. Hands and arms get well washed, and clothes get changed

4. I have talked to the previous owners, and they said they seemed to be perfectly healthy rabbits. The die had her first litter a few weeks ago, but it didn't survive. The two rabbits were housed together so it's likely that she is also pregnant again. They got the rabbits 5 month ago as kits from a feed store, so I'm estimating their ages are 6 1/2 - 7 months old. The original owners traveled a lot for their jobs, and didn't feel the rabbits were getting the proper amount of attention. They didn't want to give them away, but did it for the sake of their beloved rabbits. The wife of the two original owners was holding back tears as they dropped off the rabbits so I could tell that they were not dumping the rabbits due to illness. So if they are ill, it is likely they were carriers until the stress kicked in and weakened their immune systems <br /><br /> -- Wed Aug 02, 2017 3:24 pm -- <br /><br /> Updated, they have now decided to drink water, and there are a few more poo berries (not many, but more is still more) I'm going to get the pineapple juice and ACV tomorrow when we go grocery shopping. It wouldn't hurt to give it a try
 
So if they are ill, it is likely they were carriers until the stress kicked in and weakened their immune systems
This is what I was thinking was a possibility. Glad you stick to your quarantine rules! It could be stress plus different allergens, but better safe than sorry.

Anything that gets them drinking is good. Ladysown has been known to dip bunnies so they get moisture from grooming afterwards. I don't think you need to go that far though if they are coming around.

Do they have hay? It's good to keep the GI system functioning if they are still refusing their pellets. Fresh greens, especially dandelions, plantain and prickly lettuce, can tempt appetites too. Just don't overdo it if they are not accustomed to greens, although plantain, raspberry. blackberry and strawberry LEAVES are most unlikely to cause problems. (Latin names in the Safe Plants sticky if you are in doubt about identiflying these plants.

It does sound as though they are coming around and I hope for a good-news update soon. :)
 
They have their own bale of Timothy hay (pretty much a whole bale) that their previous owners brought too so it's also the brand they are use to, and in one of the bins that came with them too. I figured maybe using something that smells familiar might also entice them. I've noticed them nibbling a little bit of either hay or food, but they have still barely touched either. I've done the fresh greens with stubborn kits I've bought, and was tempted to try it, but I wasn't sure if it would make things worse since they aren't kits anymore. I'll try giving them done of my strawberry leaves, dandelion, and plantains. It's usually one of those three that work for stubborn kits
 
I think it's worth a try, giving them some greens. If it gets them eating, it will also help them calm down and decide their new home isn't so bad.

The problem rabbits have with greens generally happens when a novice pet owner gives their rabbit lettuce, cabbage etc. when the poor rabbit has had nothing but kibble. That can spell big trouble, especially if the rabbit is enthusiastic and the new owner gives too much.
 
Put some fresh greens in the hutch for them. They wouldn't eat from my hand so I'm hoping that they'll eat them on their own
 
Especially since I got them some of the nice and tender new leaves :D

-- Wed Aug 02, 2017 6:10 pm --

They caved and ate the greens!! They waited to make sure I wasn't going to catch then eating the greens <br /><br /> -- Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:00 pm -- <br /><br /> More good news!! I went to check on them and found a large mass if sticky poo, and a lot more bunny poo under the hutch (still not the amount it Should be at this point, but way better than what it was). So one of them is getting back to normal. Hopefully the health drink will help them along more
 
Good! The mass of sticky poo might be cecotropes, but it's progress. The greens may whet their appetite for the pellets and hay. I'm encouraged to think it was just a case of stress from the move and that in another day or two they will be back to normal.
 
I was thinking it was a cecotropes too, but it didn't look like any other I had seen before (probably from stress), but it was also embedded with fur ( probably from all the fur that was loose from stress). So I'm still planning on giving them a shot of the health mix in their water for a few weeks too. Now to just keep a close eye on the runny noses. I sat with them for hours today and will do the same tomorrow, just to listen to their breathing and/or any sneezing. Didn't hear any sneezing today other than one sneeze, but there was a clump of loose fur stuck to her nose, so I understand that sneeze <br /><br /> -- Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:49 am -- <br /><br /> Happy day!!! I came out to a nearly empty food dish, a nearly empty water bottle, and the proper amount of poo under the hutch. I also checked noses and they don't feel all that runny anymore!! Fingers crossed about the noses though, It's still early.
 
And I'm still not hearing any dreaded wheezing or sneezing either. As my normal protocol with new buns, they will stay in quarantine for at least a month, so they have till September 1st before I'll decide whether or not they can be moved into my rabbitry, stay in quarantine, or get sent to the freezer (unless sneezing and snot show up sooner). Though it'll be interesting to see what happens around that time since that is also 31 days since their previous owners put the two back together after her failed first litter. They didn't know exactly how often rabbits will breed. I'll probably be bringing the hutch that the doe is to be housed in around to the quarentein area to give her (and hopefully some Kits) plenty of room and a proper place for a nest
 
Rabbits will breed any time the doe permits the buck to do his thing. So chances are good you will have kits in the nest box around that time. :)

I think it would be a good idea to keep them on the quarantine side of the house until the kits are weaned, provided that you don't have any new rabbits coming in during that time. Just in case the new stress of kindling and raising a litter lets something nasty show up long after you would expect it. Just my gut feeling, not a "must" or even a "should."
 
I probably will leave her in the quarintein area until the kits are weaned or even sold off. I'm pretty sure the only reason I wouldn't get kits is if the buck happened to be heat sterilized around the time they let them back together. I'll keep adding updates throughout the month, and hopefully will get popple pictures to put up :D <br /><br /> -- Sat Aug 05, 2017 12:55 pm -- <br /><br /> Things are looking good with adding the health boost to their water. I'm having to clean under the hutch about every other day!!! The poo looks healthy, and noses are drying. Still no sneezing or anything else. One thing I thought I mentioned, but apparently didn't is that they are lop mixed so they have the boxy heads. I've heard the boxy heads can lead to some allergen issues so I don't know if that is also a part if this or not, but so far so good
 
Now I'm just itching for the end if the month, and to see what her kits will look like. Maybe my doe that's due Tuesday will help me :lol: I just can't wait to have babies around again. :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: It'll be a busy month for us though, we have three litters due!! <br /><br /> -- Wed Aug 09, 2017 9:09 am -- <br /><br /> So noses have been completely dry for the past three days in a row, all day each day. So I'm thinking it was stress, heat, and new allergens. The health drink seems to have given them that boost they needed. Now they are acting like rabbits do. Now I just have to be patient with their hissy fits about the feeding schedule. Their previous owners had an automatic gravity feeder that they always kept filled, so the two are a bit overweight. My feeding schedule is I give them their food for the day in the mornings. They don't like that so much. They'll eat their food by about dinner time, then pull the food dish(which I've used wire to try an keep them from throwing it) down, and throw it around until the next morning when I put it back on the wall and feed them
 
Glad they seem past their problems from the move. :)

I can't remember, TeaTime, do you also feed hay? Some people feed the hay first and the pellets later, feeling that the hay has taken the edge off their appetites. Others feed pellets in the morning, as you do, and hay later so they still have something to nibble. Just something to consider.
 
I give hay about an hour or so after I feed <br /><br /> -- Wed Aug 30, 2017 9:52 am -- <br /><br /> Both rabbits have ended the quarentein period, and are behaving perfectly. There is no issues I'm seeing now. My doe also gave birth to 5 this morning. The picture isn't great because it is so cloudy here right now, but I plan to get a better one when I can. The towel is my method of counting babies and being sure not to miss or double count anyone. I rub the towel down mama, petting her between strokes of the towel. Then I carefully count babies
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20170830_094954.jpg
    IMG_20170830_094954.jpg
    376.3 KB · Views: 1,139

Latest posts

Back
Top