Sick Rabbits Dying

Rabbit Talk  Forum

Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Aug 5, 2022
Messages
85
Reaction score
71
Location
Kempner Tx
Not sure whats up with some of our rabbits. We had noticed a few weeks a a rabbit with a wet nose and sneezing so we separated him from the cage he was in which had about 5 rabbits. The others all looked healthy. Then a few days later another had that same symptom so we separated that one too.
So I looked up and read that a wet nose and under neck could be a cold. So I went ahead and dispatched those two. I looked at their livers and lungs and they looked healthy. I read that the meat should be safe to eat so we be those in the freezer.
Then we had two more from a second cage that also had about 5 rabbits in it that had the same symptoms so we separated those. They too had a wet nose that was a little greenish color too.
One of those rabbits died yesterday and the other today.
So we dont know whats going on these was all young rabbits about 5 months old.
We have now about 17 rabbits left till this heat wave is over so we can breed again.
 
It's no good isolating the symptomatic rabbits only. Any nearby rabbits have already been exposed. The first thing to do is to separate any symptomatic rabbits into a separate area. Also any rabbits anywhere close, also separate, preferably away from the symptomatic ones. Wash your hands well in between each group, always.

I personally would add a bit of cayenne pepper to their feed... maybe mix in a half-or quarter tsp before putting the feed in the dish. If it's not sticking to the pellets, I'd mist them *lightly* with water first. If you have fresh or dried whole cayennes, you could see whether they like them. I've fed mine fresh cayennes, mostly to avoid wasting them. (I may have over-planted... at any rate, they gobbled them up.)

OR you could use a cayenne pepper infusion (Make a tea by pouring simmering water over the pepper (chopped fresh and/or powder). Let it steep 15-20 minutes, then add some to their water. If you have some left over, refrigerate it for the next time you refill their water. Keep refilling it until you see progress. If it's not working, increase the dose. I don't know whether your rabbits will mind the taste, but it won't hurt them.

If you feel you're not making progress, and you have it, you could try mixing a pea-sized dose of ivermectin paste into their water. I would hesitate to use iver drench b/c that does have a small amt of diesel in it to help it stick to the cattle, sheep, etc. hair/wool. That said, the buns are dying and if the cayenne doesn't work, I would personally try it. If you have injectable for swine/cattle, that should be okay to use. Just remember, it shouldn't take a lot. Start small.

If you try any of this, please let me know how it works.
 
Last edited:
I agree that you should seperate all of them as good as possible from each other, no matter if there are symptoms or not. remember all those Pandemic proceedures, washing hands and if possible changing clothes? Good opportunity to practice that now.

Cayenne isn't going to stop anything serious going on, how would that even work? I know it has some mild antibiotic properties, but that's a far cry from real antibiotics even if you blast the rabbits wih bear spray (which most likely would kill them, at least would be cruel torture) Low doses they actually would take wouldn't hurt I guess, but I would not expect anything of it, that's wishful thinking, same goes for random use of Ivermectin without a diognose.

Personally, would be at the vet right now already. There is no "cold" with rabbits. If it's something serious and contagious, have them tested.

In my first year with rabbits I had a Myxo outbreak, only one out of 15 survived. My mistake was to not cull and seperate them in time. First symptpoms were like a human cold, but progressed to breathing problems, and swollen ears.
 
Last edited:
It's no good isolating the symptomatic rabbits only. Any nearby rabbits have already been exposed. The first thing to do is to separate any symptomatic rabbits into a separate area. Also any rabbits anywhere close, also separate, preferably away from the symptomatic ones. Wash your hands well in between each group, always.

I personally would add a bit of cayenne pepper to their feed... maybe mix in a half-or quarter tsp before putting the feed in the dish. If it's not sticking to the pellets, I'd mist them *lightly* with water first. If you have fresh or dried whole cayennes, you could see whether they like them. I've fed mine fresh cayennes, mostly to avoid wasting them. (I may have over-planted... at any rate, they gobbled them up.)

OR you could use a cayenne pepper infusion (Make a tea by pouring simmering water over the pepper (chopped fresh and/or powder). Let it steep 15-20 minutes, then add some to their water. If you have some left over, refrigerate it for the next time you refill their water. Keep refilling it until you see progress. If it's not working, increase the dose. I don't know whether your rabbits will mind the taste, but it won't hurt them.

If you feel you're not making progress, and you have it, you could try mixing a pea-sized dose of ivermectin paste into their water. I would hesitate to use iver drench b/c that does have a small amt of diesel in it to help it stick to the cattle, sheep, etc. hair/wool. That said, the buns are dying and if the cayenne doesn't work, I would personally try it. If you have injectable for swine/cattle, that should be okay to use. Just remember, it shouldn't take a lot. Start small.

If you try any of this, please let me know how it works.
Thank you we definitely will try this. We didn't know that cayenne peppers was good for rabbits. We knew they was for chickens so we add the flakes to their feed now and then too. They eat it up like its candy lol.
 
Thank you we definitely will try this. We didn't know that cayenne peppers was good for rabbits. We knew they was for chickens so we add the flakes to their feed now and then too. They eat it up like its candy lol.
Yes, I have to keep my chickens out of my greenhouse. They're very enthusiastic about peppers, and positively apocalyptic when it comes to destroying any low-mid hanging tomatoes. 😒😒😏
 
If you want to dose with ivermectin - it's really easy! I use the injectable type - DON'T inject it. I put it in a small bottle with an eyedropper (2/$1.25 @ Dollar Tree)

1 drop treats 2 lbs. I drop it on the back of their necks. You could drop it on their feet if you want.

It is practically IMPOSSIBLE to overdose. I once gave a little 2 lb kit the dose for a 25 lb rabbit (this was before I did the math and used a dropper) He not only didn't die, he thrived and is the largest buck.

When I take it, I overdose myself by about 25% on purpose :) Been doing it at least 2x a month for 2 years, so far I haven't grown an extra head or anything.

Liz
 
If you want to dose with ivermectin - it's really easy! I use the injectable type - DON'T inject it. I put it in a small bottle with an eyedropper (2/$1.25 @ Dollar Tree)

1 drop treats 2 lbs. I drop it on the back of their necks. You could drop it on their feet if you want.

It is practically IMPOSSIBLE to overdose. I once gave a little 2 lb kit the dose for a 25 lb rabbit (this was before I did the math and used a dropper) He not only didn't die, he thrived and is the largest buck.

When I take it, I overdose myself by about 25% on purpose :) Been doing it at least 2x a month for 2 years, so far I haven't grown an extra head or anything.

Liz
Thank you its always good to know these things for when our furry friends get sick on us.
 
I would definitely use the ivermectin. I'm wondering how something like this gets started. Where did it come from?
Well....I am not sure what you are really asking....

I am not sure how dosing with ivermectrin got started.

Ivermectrin is for parasites, and if you dose at low levels constantly, you build resistant parasites. Then when you need to treat for parasites you need a new drug.

I know if you are in the "ivermectin is a miracle drug for everything" camp, my point will not be helpful, but please consider that this is literally how antibiotic resistant super bacteria is made--low level constant "preventative" antibiotic doses in factory farming, and overuse in hospitals. I do not want to duplicate that effect in my home grown meat. I doubt you will grow an extra head from constant antibiotic use either, but talk to me if you end up with an untreatable staph infection.

I think, though, you are asking where any respiratory infection might come from. I would say we all probably have birds and rodents in our barn or feed storage, which can be a vector for many diseases when their droppings or other leavings contaminate food or bedding.
 
Well....I am not sure what you are really asking....

I am not sure how dosing with ivermectrin got started.

Ivermectrin is for parasites, and if you dose at low levels constantly, you build resistant parasites. Then when you need to treat for parasites you need a new drug.

I know if you are in the "ivermectin is a miracle drug for everything" camp, my point will not be helpful, but please consider that this is literally how antibiotic resistant super bacteria is made--low level constant "preventative" doses in factory farming, and overuse in hospitals. I do not want to duplicate that effect in my home grown meat. I doubt you will grow an extra head from constant antibiotic use either, but talk to me if you end up with an untreatable staph infection.

I think, though, you are asking where any respiratory infection might come from. I would say we all probably have birds and rodents in our barn or feed storage, which can be a vector for many diseases when their droppings or other leavings contaminate food or bedding.
Yes, asking about infection. Been using the iver since I was probably 13 with horses and now take it myself now and then. The bunny illness always kind of upsets me. I'd like to make sure I keep the risk down. Sorry you have to go through that, bummer.
 
Since mine is the only voice here with this perspective, and since this realization has helped me invaluably since I discovered and tested it, I feel compelled to share...

There's just not enough science to back up the infection/contagion theory of disease spread. In fact, of the science that we have, disease-spreading appears to be *literally impossible* from bodily fluids/contact. The studies on this are interesting, and this idea really needs to be heard by all adults who've lived through 2020 propaganda, so I'm going to keep sharing until everyone's had their chance to hear it.

That germs actually attack living tissue, rather than clean up already dead cells, do we know this? Is it just unchallenged fact that most diseases progress until they eat us alive from the inside out, with random symptoms based on where germs get lucky and how "good" our "immune system" is? Is the immune system even a real system? Is it's function actually to find and attack armies of miniature freeloaders?

These are good questions when you're first starting out researching. And you don't have to come to my same conclusions, but at least you will have researched all the sides before coming to your life-changing belief.

What I believe is happening with sickness is that our body is self-healing, it is in repair mode. It's not fighting and struggling against an invader, but is rather producing it's own cleanser, and using that self-produced mycrozyma (bacteria/yeast/virus) cleanser to consume toxic cells, along with symptoms to expel both the cleanser and dead tissue which depends on the environment being cleaned - mucus in the affected area, dripping noses, urge to cough/sneeze.

I say all this to take away fear of being sick. I believe sickness rarely progresses enough to kill the body being cleansed. If it does lead to death, I do wonder if the cause of death is due to the high toxicity being released into the system along with the lack of nutrients to protect and offset that short dose of a higher toxin load.

Eco2pia might come for me for this one and I'd be absolutely grateful to read her take. I've been studying this for 2 years and I couldn't believe I never questioned it at first, but since I started doing my own tests my family has been forever less sick than any of my peers so I can't stop myself from proclaiming to the rooftops like some street preacher nut. This WORKS.

To be sure, we still wash our hands and don't go out into the world much with noticeable symptoms, we don't want to be rude and make others worry unnecessarily! But since I've researched this and found the "accepted" science to be on the wrong side of history, I've decided to approach the subject from the confidence of someone who's fully has researched, tested, and seen the results for myself - and in effect move through the world with so much more ease and gratitude for life.
 
Since mine is the only voice here with this perspective, and since this realization has helped me invaluably since I discovered and tested it, I feel compelled to share...

There's just not enough science to back up the infection/contagion theory of disease spread. In fact, of the science that we have, disease-spreading appears to be *literally impossible* from bodily fluids/contact. The studies on this are interesting, and this idea really needs to be heard by all adults who've lived through 2020 propaganda, so I'm going to keep sharing until everyone's had their chance to hear it.

That germs actually attack living tissue, rather than clean up already dead cells, do we know this? Is it just unchallenged fact that most diseases progress until they eat us alive from the inside out, with random symptoms based on where germs get lucky and how "good" our "immune system" is? Is the immune system even a real system? Is it's function actually to find and attack armies of miniature freeloaders?

These are good questions when you're first starting out researching. And you don't have to come to my same conclusions, but at least you will have researched all the sides before coming to your life-changing belief.

What I believe is happening with sickness is that our body is self-healing, it is in repair mode. It's not fighting and struggling against an invader, but is rather producing it's own cleanser, and using that self-produced mycrozyma (bacteria/yeast/virus) cleanser to consume toxic cells, along with symptoms to expel both the cleanser and dead tissue which depends on the environment being cleaned - mucus in the affected area, dripping noses, urge to cough/sneeze.

I say all this to take away fear of being sick. I believe sickness rarely progresses enough to kill the body being cleansed. If it does lead to death, I do wonder if the cause of death is due to the high toxicity being released into the system along with the lack of nutrients to protect and offset that short dose of a higher toxin load.

Eco2pia might come for me for this one and I'd be absolutely grateful to read her take. I've been studying this for 2 years and I couldn't believe I never questioned it at first, but since I started doing my own tests my family has been forever less sick than any of my peers so I can't stop myself from proclaiming to the rooftops like some street preacher nut. This WORKS.

To be sure, we still wash our hands and don't go out into the world much with noticeable symptoms, we don't want to be rude and make others worry unnecessarily! But since I've researched this and found the "accepted" science to be on the wrong side of history, I've decided to approach the subject from the confidence of someone who's fully has researched, tested, and seen the results for myself - and in effect move through the world with so much more ease and gratitude for life.
I was asking about rabbit sickness.
 
Not sure whats up with some of our rabbits. We had noticed a few weeks a a rabbit with a wet nose and sneezing so we separated him from the cage he was in which had about 5 rabbits. The others all looked healthy. Then a few days later another had that same symptom so we separated that one too.
So I looked up and read that a wet nose and under neck could be a cold. So I went ahead and dispatched those two. I looked at their livers and lungs and they looked healthy. I read that the meat should be safe to eat so we be those in the freezer.
Then we had two more from a second cage that also had about 5 rabbits in it that had the same symptoms so we separated those. They too had a wet nose that was a little greenish color too.
One of those rabbits died yesterday and the other today.
So we dont know whats going on these was all young rabbits about 5 months old.
We have now about 17 rabbits left till this heat wave is over so we can breed again.
Are the 17 still holding strong?
 
Eco2pia might come for me for this one and I'd be absolutely grateful to read her take.
While I appreciate your openness to dialog, Eco2pia is too tired to debate these types of things today.

I am happy to explain things using my education, background, and experience, for people who are actively trying to understand accepted scientific concepts and maybe lack knowledge--as in conversations about genetics for instance. I enjoy being helpful and explaining whatever I can. But I do not actually enjoy challenging what are obviously thoughtfully considered opinions differing from my own.

I would rather focus on things we have in common, going forward.
 
Since mine is the only voice here with this perspective, and since this realization has helped me invaluably since I discovered and tested it, I feel compelled to share...
The germ theory is just that, a theory, never proven. Terrain theory is more believable IMO. Thank you for taking the time to write up a great explanation, which i am saving for future use. ♥️ And you are not the only person here ♥️

Liz
 
Since mine is the only voice here with this perspective, and since this realization has helped me invaluably since I discovered and tested it, I feel compelled to share...

There's just not enough science to back up the infection/contagion theory of disease spread. In fact, of the science that we have, disease-spreading appears to be *literally impossible* from bodily fluids/contact. The studies on this are interesting, and this idea really needs to be heard by all adults who've lived through 2020 propaganda, so I'm going to keep sharing until everyone's had their chance to hear it.
The term ‘contagion theory of disease spread’ presumably refers to physicians from the 1700s and before that first postulated that what they called ‘animalcules’ were responsible for causing diseases. Fortunately we have moved on a bit since then, and can now identify a whole range of bacteria and viruses that are known to cause a whole range of symptoms in our rabbits and in our own bodies.

To say that there is not enough science to back up this important understanding of human and animal health is not just wildly inaccurate, it is also potentially harmful.

Unfortunately when statements of this kind are posted on public forums, most people avoid challenging them because of the enormity of trying to explain some of the key concepts that have been developed over three hundred years of research. :(
 

Latest posts

Back
Top