my new baby rabbit very underweight and weak

hi
im new to this forum, so not totally sure how it works but im hoping for some advice!!
i got a french lop eared bunny about a week ago and he only roughly 9 weeks old, but he is really underweight and weak, i rushed him to the vets last night coz he really didnt look to good. hes better to day and his dirroeahea has cleared up. the vet has given him some antibiotics and says i just need to make sure hes eating plenty,
so, what do you reckon is the best food for him to puts ome weight on without upseting his tummy
thanks
jess

lots and lots of hay They will harden up her poo. Hay contains no fat so once her diarrhea has cleared up it would be best to put her on high fibre pellets like science selective or allen and paige, fab pellets. Also make sure she gets plenty water because of the diarrhea she may be de-hydrated. Hope things get better and other people should be able to give you more tips

I totally agree with this advice lots of hay, and no vegetables until he is at least twelve weeks old. I would also ask your vet for Fibreplex, it is amazing at clearing up diarrhea, or you can order it at VetsOnline.

Well done for taking him to the vets, diarrhea is an emergency situation in rabbits, and young buns like yours can often have digestive upsets :wave

thanks

thank you, he has pellets and hay so i hope this is enough for him, hes got a hutch outside but i have brought him indoors for the past 2 days since he has been ill, but is he better off outside as i got him from an outdoor bunny farm place. i dont want him to catch a chill or am i just being pathetic! very worried about him as he wasnt well when i got him (i didnt know this at the time) and the vet didnt seem to positive about him pulling through!!??

ah poor little bunny, did the vet have any ideas as to what was making him sick or has he just given him what I assume is baytril and hoped it would clear up?

I would keep him indoors with you so you can keep an eye on him and keep him warm. Def lots of hay as the others have said, try a couple of different varities to tempt him more. Pop some cooled boiled water in a bowl for him too, my bun def prefers that when he's feeling ill

Sending lots of get well vibes xxx

the vet basically thinks that he is very underweight, hes from a bunny farm and was with loads of other bunnies in the same enclosure and him being the only baby from his mother, i think he may have been harder for him as there were groups of babies that were brothers and sisters, so he was by himself im not sure if this would actually affect him but more to the point, i dont think there was much individual attention where i got him from so his lack of weight had gone unoticed, but the vet gave him a course of antibiotics, some minerald and a vaccination,
just want him to get better

Hi !Its very important to make sure hes eating - & has continued gut movement......like the other said - hay hay hay! A bowl of water - as also mentioned is important too - as when buns arent feleing well they often wont lift their heads to drink from a bottle - so a shallow bowl is good for this....

When I got my 2 bunny girls - about 9 weeks old -Indiana was very under weight & also almost didnt make it one night - i called a vet & after advice - gave Indiana some fresh cool water with a tiny (and I mean very tiny - like a 1/2 cm square _ of honey mixed with the water. I also gave her a small pice of sliced apple.

This was because she was not eating or drinking at all as she just wasnt well - so this gto her appetite going again & after a tiny amount of apple she started eating her hay.....

She also has a messy bum - hay is the answer to sorting this out i think.

Hope your bun feels abit better soon - all the changes do knock them for abit - esp. if they are weak anyways.....

You could also weigh him every few days to make sure hes putting on some weight....
Rememebr though too many pellets can also contribute to a messy bum if they not eating enough hay......
Keeping him inside is the best for now until hes ok - they can deterioate so quickly.....

Keep us updated!"

how's your bun today? still sending lots of vibes xxx

well i think he is on the mend, going to vet on thursday to make sure he is improving! i think he is getting there i hope, hes pooping alot and always seems to be munching on something wen i pass him, he still seems pretty weak though, hes gettin antbiotics everyday which he really doesnt like
but im quite worried that when i have picked im up, wen i put him back down again he loses his balance, im puttin this down to bein very weak as he is so skinny, but could it be something else that i shud be aware of?????

:wave: I am not sure that the vet should have vaccinated him - which vaccine was it Myxi or VHD - both are required but, when he is fit and strong.

This rabbit needs intensive care I think, I would be really careful in case this is an infection like EC - I don't have any experience of it but, he will need to be kept warm, monitored for eating, drinking and output. What are you feeding him?

well he is gettin unlimited hay and he has excel rabbit pellets for young rabbits and obbiously water. im not sure what the vet gave him all he said was it was for something specific common in rabbits so i think it was a vaccination but the vet was in a rush so didnt get a chance to really speak. is there anything else i can give him to eat??

It's really important that you know what the vet has given your bun. Can you give them a call & ask?

my baby smegal has passed away, he seemed ok this morning when i was giving him his baytril, but wen i came back an hour later to get ready fro work he was lying down and i just he was really bad so put him in the car and went straight to vet but he died on the way. im totally gutted and really hope there was nothin more i could of done for him, i had only had him a week but i loved him so much.
thank u for everyones advice over the past few days.
i hope he is happy somewhere nowx

Awwww so sorry for you It sounds like you did everything you could for him, although I do question whether your vet could have investigated more :?
Im so glad he spent a loved and well cared for week with you
Sweet dreams baby Smegal xxxxx

Ahh I'm so sorry about Smegal.

Oh I'm so sorry you did everything you could, I know no matter how hard we try we always feel like we're letting our buns down. He was well-loved and you took him to the vet as soon as he needed, and nursed him yourself. I agree with Gemma that your vet might have let you both down, but this wasn't your fault at all Sleep tight Smeagal, he will be at the Rainbow Bridge now xxx

so sorry, binky free little one xxx

I'm so sorry

Binky free little Smegal