Encourage More Water Drinking?

[wildeden]

I have a buck here that really has slacked on drinking water. He did come from an indoor rabbitry but did fine right up until the warmer weather and residing outside in my barn.

His poops have become very small. He still eats, and drinks a little water but just the drinking is minimal. A few nights ago I gave him sub Q fluids to help.

Any other suggestions?

*edited original post. I had accidently typed IV instead of sub Q!

 

[akane]

An open dish instead of bottle will encourage more drinking. Some flavored horse electrolytes can be put in the water or over the feed but you have to calculate down from the horse dose. I think I had this brand http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html ... ple%20elit . You can also just give a salt/trace mineral wheel or block and hope they use it. For temporary use gatorade or pedialyte can work if you change it often. The high sugar content of human sports drinks isn't good long term and makes it go bad in the bottle very quickly. I did occasionally give my guinea pigs gatorade in the summer though. Never had to with the rabbits but I had out horse salt and mineral blocks in the colonies.

 

[Miss M]

You can also dilute tea and give that to them.

 

[michaels4gardens]

I have a buck here that really has slacked on drinking water. He did come from an indoor rabbitry but did fine right up until the warmer weather and residing outside in my barn.

His poops have become very small. He still eats, and drinks a little water but just the drinking is minimal. A few nights ago I gave him an IV to help.

Any other suggestions?

so-- did you really give him an IV ,-or,- was it sub Q fluids, -?? [I would discourage anyone from giving an IV to a rabbit for dehydration problems]- and apple juice or cranberry juice added to the water will sometimes help some rabbits drink more, [from a bowl not a water bottle . as they need to be able to smell it ] and-- leafy greens added to the diet will add some fluids to his diet.

 

[wildeden]

I have a buck here that really has slacked on drinking water. He did come from an indoor rabbitry but did fine right up until the warmer weather and residing outside in my barn.

His poops have become very small. He still eats, and drinks a little water but just the drinking is minimal. A few nights ago I gave him an IV to help.

Any other suggestions?

so-- did you really give him an IV ,-or,- was it sub Q fluids, -?? [I would discourage anyone from giving an IV to a rabbit for dehydration problems]- and apple juice or cranberry juice added to the water will sometimes help some rabbits drink more, [from a bowl not a water bottle . as they need to be able to smell it ] and-- leafy greens added to the diet will add some fluids to his diet.

crap -- it was sub Q fluids...whoops! sorry about that. I just had a very long day working with 4-Hers