Bloat where there was none before in a charlie

[EnglishSpot]

One month ago I bought a rabbit that is a Charlie. I know that charlies can have intestinal issues and was an acceptable risk factor when I purchased the buckling. He wasn't bloated a month ago. He transitioned over to the feed and hay at my place and I started him on greens slowly also. In the last couple weeks, I noticed he has a bloaty potbelly. Did I overload his system his system? He has nice round berries and no wet poops, eats and drinks.

What should I do? I'm cutting the greens out of his diet (plantain and blackberry canes); should I take out the pellet and feed him oat? Mix oats with his pellets?

The breeder I purchased him from said that if he made it to four months old, he'd do okay and that's in three more weeks. If some things are inevitable, then it's inevitable, but I'd rather not hustle him down the path unnecessarily.

How can I help him?

 

[Homer]

Cut the pellets and greens, give him old fashioned oatmeal and all the Timothy grass hay he wants and make sure he is drinking plenty. Put ~1/4 tsp. of Bene Bac probiotic powder on the oats twice a day to get that gut working. When the bloat goes down slowly start pellets again.

Maybe hold off on the greens till he's about 6 months old.

 

[EnglishSpot]

Thank you, Homer! Today when cleaning cages I saw his poo has become blocky shaped and he hasn't been touching the hay. He has been vacuuming down the oats. I've been letting him loose to help work out some of the bloatiness--exercise helps me, ya know? He's cheerful when loose and he's not in pain that I can tell. Thank you for the advice, I really want this buckling to live.

Nutritionally will he be okay on just oats and hay??

 

[Homer]

He should be ok on that. It should only take a few days to get him back on course then you can SLOWLY reintroduce pellets. Are you giving him some probiotics too. It make a huge difference in getting their guts cooking like they should.

 

[EnglishSpot]

Yes, I had a packet of Bene Bac that I've started to put on his food. Earlier I was thinking of how people get fecal transplants to get their gut bacteria corrected but I couldn't think of how to do it to a rabbit. Thankfully you mentioned the BeneBac and I was like, "Duh, Suzanne!"

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Earlier I was thinking of how people get fecal transplants to get their gut bacteria corrected but I couldn't think of how to do it to a rabbit.

Oh my- I don't think I love anyone enough to have some of their fecal matter transplanted to my body. *Shudder!!!*

As for the rabbit- that is simple. Make a slurry of bunny berries (cecotropes, ideally) and water and syringe it into his mouth. Or even just add it to his water source for a few days.

 

[ladysown]

NOT trying to be a problem, just wondering at your thinking... why do you want to have this rabbit?

If he's having health issues...why do you want him?

generally it is true that if you get them to four months they will be fine, but also if they have problems before four months, you can expect trouble down the road as well.

just wanting you to think about that aspect as well.

 

[EnglishSpot]

He wasn't having any issues until I started him on greens, probably too fast.

He comes from GC broken and solid NZR parents and grandparents, but I need his charliness to bring more white into my broken lines. All my broken reds are getting to be more than 80% solid, which is as undesireable (color-wise) as showing charlies. Since gut issues and charlies go hand in hand, any non-charlie offspring shouldn't be affected. And the body structure on this guy makes my heart go pitter-patter! Those are the genes I want to incorporate into my line and maybe start becoming a player in the Red game here in NE Ohio.

 

[ladysown]

so he's a means to an end... I get that.

if he fails on you, you could try a lightly marked broken (but not a charlie) out of a lightly marked broken and a solid and see if that will do better for you.

 

[EnglishSpot]

Thanks to the great advice of y'all, my Charlie has lost his bloat and is pooping like normal!!

However, he is super thin now. He picks at the hay but doesn't gobble it down, eats his oats, and I've slowly started putting pellets back into his diet. I've already broken the no greens rule because he's so disinterested in the rest of the feed. I've only fed him a daily leaf of either plantain or strawberry leaf, but he sucks those down like candy.

Any other suggestions to start packing weight on him? Should I add BOSS to his limited feed?

 

[Homer]

Black oil sunflower seeds are a good source of protein and fats so yes. Start slow (or the poops will come back) and work your way up to about a teaspoon full a day. A little piece of banana now and then will help put some fat on him too. :yes:

 

[michaels4gardens]

I agree with Homer...
As you are aware- Charlie are prone to GI [and other issues] you "may" have to give him a probiotic as a part of his forever feed plan. also-- pellets are low in long stem fiber, - rabbits with motility issues need a lot of long stem fiber. As long as he tolerates the greens [ the ones you just mentioned, not greens in general]-- [without bloat or runny poop] it should help him-- but as Homer has mentioned-- Slow- is very important...