Diareha

[1970gto]

So we got into rabbits when a friend gave us some femish giants. We built a colony pen. With females together amd males divided into individual pens. They are on the ground with a brick floor to keep from digging and straw hay as bedder. After realizing that they weren't the best meat rabbit we decided to get some new zealands. So we got 4 2 month olds. About 3 weeks later all the new zealands devolved diahrea and died. While the flemish giants who are about 6 months old were fine. Thinking mabey we had them on pellet band alpha was to much protien we pulled the pellets and switched to Timothy hay. We then got 3 more 3 month old new zealands. Same thing about 3 weeks later they had diahrea and died except 1 who did not have diahrea and acted fine.. it just died one day no visible reason.Flemish giants are still fine. Researching trying to figure out what was going on to no prevail. We then picked up a 6 month old trio. Thinking starting with older rabbits may help. Now 2 of the 3 have diahrea. We are at our wits end. Any help would be much appreciated

 

[MaggieJ]

This reminds me of a situation I had with my rabbits. They were meat mutts, all purchased from one source, and seemingly healthy. The buck was on the small side and eventually we bought a larger buck and a doe from another source. We put them in quarantine for a month and then in cages alongside our original rabbits. Within 24 hours, the doe was dead. In my case it was not diarrhea and appeared to be a respiratory problem. The buck survived for about six months, but then died quite suddenly as well. All the offspring from both bucks were healthy.

The conclusion we came to after a while was that my original rabbits, though healthy themselves, must be carriers of a disease -- probably a form of snuffles. After that we worked entirely with our existing rabbits and no rabbit left our herd except as meat. We certainly did not want to pass the problem on to someone else.

I think it is quite possible that your original Flemish giants are carriers of something -- illness or parasite. When you bring in new stock, they have no resistance to whatever it is.

The other possibility that comes to mind is that there is something lingering in the pen that is causing this in the new rabbits -- something that your initial rabbits are resistant to. A probable culprit is coccidiosis caused by a one-celled parasite that is very common just about everywhere. Be sure to read this link from Medirabbit:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Protozoal_diseases/Cocc_en.htm
Please understand that these are guesses about what is causing this problem, but the fact that the rabbits you are bringing in die with similar symptoms points in that direction. An analysis of the rabbits' feces would be a good first step. Consult a veterinarian about how to have this done.

When you do get a diagnosis, please post an update so that others can benefit from your experience.

 

[Preitler]

Did those rabbits all come from the same source?
How were they (and the whole line) housed and fed previously?

Intuitive I wouldn't expect it to be something one of the flemish carries, would think it unlikely that the other flemish would be symptomless too.

To me coccidia or such sounds more likely. Here, with rabbits living in unsanitary wood hutches and on the ground since forever, often fed forage, I think those susceptible to it got wiped out long ago. No breeder I know here even knows what coccidioses is. Doesn't mean that it doesn't pop up, but it isn't a big problem. Breed them for some generations in wire cages and on antibiotica laced food (labled as coccidiastatica or so, but imo also in there to boost meat growth) and you might end with lines that can't live on the floor anymore..
Granted, that's a rather wild theory of mine, but it's the reason for those questions.

If you find any hints about what it really is, please keep us updated.

 

[1970gto]

Sorry wife had intensive surgery. Vet says they are 2 weeks out on appointments. This is the 3rd trio that we have gotten from different breeders. Only the trio I have now was caged. All the rest were on the ground. I did corid water amd put electrolytes in it as well since I can't get them to the vet yet. I am going to keep updated as to what I find

 

[rockyhillrabbits]

I'm thinking there's something in the straw that's making them sick, unless it's the same straw you've been using with the Flemish? Are you putting the new rabbits in with the Flemish? Are you using the same kind of feed the seller used with the new rabbits or bringing new rabbits home and just feeding what you feed the Flemish? A sudden change in feed can cause digestive upsets.
Are you feeding new rabbits any grass or treats, or just pellets and hay? I would only feed hay until the diarrhea clears up.

 

[hotzcatz]

Are there any people remedies for diarrhea which would work for bunnies? Maybe some banana? I think that's what my grannie always gave us and bunnies like bananas. Although, if you have the type of bun who only gets pellets, hay and water, a new food item may not be useful and could maybe make things worse? The buns here get fed a whole bunch of different things, so they're used to oddments here and there.

Since you've gotten different rabbits from different sources and the result has been the same, then it's not the rabbits, IMHO. Something in the environment, food or water is probably/possibly causing it?

Here's a website that lists a whole pile of different bacteria which causes diarrhea in humans, maybe they're the same in bunnies? If it is bacterial, then your existing bunnies must be immune to it. Not sure if they can share cecotropes to get immunity? (I'm not a vet, I'm just trying to logic a way through this).

Or get an adult NZ buck and breed him to your existing does. Keep the most NZ like buck from that and rebreed and keep doing that until you get something closer to a NZ?

 

[ladysown]

That's actually a good idea... the one above. Your rabbits are proving to be immune to whatever is going on. So I'd breed your does to an adult buck, of the type you want, as soon as you get him. If he lives fantastic, if he doesn't, then he's done his job.