• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

New and inexperienced bunny owners........FLYSTRIKE.

Mrs. Bunnykins

Wise Old Thumper
It is the time of year when the flies are starting to come out in force.:(

Please, please make the time to check your rabbits over for any sign of flystrike.

Places usually targeted are:

Bottoms. Above and below the tail.
Tummy.
Around dewlap area.
If in doubt..............check it all out!

Ideally check your bunnies at least twice a day.

Flystrike is disgusting and will kill your rabbit. A very slow, painful and vile death.

Please, please check.
 
Last edited:
It's taken me over a year to be able to carry Spenser safely from hutch to run. :oops:Last year my attempts to do bottom checks ended in fur flying, several scratches and a very cross rabbit. :roll:I'm hoping my handling techinque will now be up to the job.
 
It's taken me over a year to be able to carry Spenser safely from hutch to run. :oops:Last year my attempts to do bottom checks ended in fur flying, several scratches and a very cross rabbit. :roll:I'm hoping my handling techinque will now be up to the job.

Go girl, you can do it.

Better a few scratches than the nasties taking hold.

I am sure many people and bunnies gets stressed doing such checks but, as you know there is no choice.

I found flystrike on one of my bunnies, Maisie many years ago. We managed to catch it within a few hours. I felt sick doing the business with her bottie, and disgusted with myself that it had happened. She went on to live for many years.

I dread to think how many neglected bunnies get flystrike and die a truely horrific death.

Best of luck.x

Oh just seen the time.......................11.05pm. Way past my bedtime!!

5 more mins then must go to bed.

Sweet dreams susie and Spenser. x
 
I'm not scared of scratches (or even bites now that I've had a tetanus booster) but I worry that he might injure himself kicking out. It doesn't matter how much I tell him he will get curly kale for tea ... he definitely considers 'down below' to be none of my business. :roll: Even some of our vets have problems handling Spenser.
 
I'm not scared of scratches (or even bites now that I've had a tetanus booster) but I worry that he might injure himself kicking out. It doesn't matter how much I tell him he will get curly kale for tea ... he definitely considers 'down below' to be none of my business. :roll: Even some of our vets have problems handling Spenser.

my rolo is the same!! his back legs are sooo sooo powerful and really hurt!!
 
We lost three to flystrike over the years, but the last one was a few years back now. One was a dwarf lop,and another a giant lop ):

Checking vigilantly this summer!
 
Have to try and handle Buckley. He won't allow me to get my hands on him to check him and a bunny burrito wouldn't be much use for this. Do you think if I picked him up in his litter tray and set him down on my bed he might let me lift him? Because he'll be on unfamiliar ground.
At the vets he always lets me pick him up because he's on the high up bench and is already scared poopless :shock:, it's like when he's scared he feels safe in my hands.

I know it's mean to "scare" him but it's the only time I'm allowed to lift him, so putting him on a table might help?
I dunno... do you think this might work?
 
I'm one of those "you will have this done, whether you like it or not!" type of people sometimes. When the vets ask if I can give my cats a pill, for example, I always think if they need it, I'll get it in there! :lol:

I'm lucky though, my bunnies have been pretty easy to handle in recent years, Gertie's pretty good. :) I had a spinny bun a few years back, you'd pick him up and he'd spin until he had his head under your chin. Not idea for bum checkage! :lol:
 
I'm one of those "you will have this done, whether you like it or not!" type of people sometimes. When the vets ask if I can give my cats a pill, for example, I always think if they need it, I'll get it in there! :lol:

I'm lucky though, my bunnies have been pretty easy to handle in recent years, Gertie's pretty good. :) I had a spinny bun a few years back, you'd pick him up and he'd spin until he had his head under your chin. Not idea for bum checkage! :lol:

Buckley hates it. He lets me lift him at the vets but he'll stamp his feet all the way back into his carrier at the end of the appointment :roll:
I can't catch him at home because it's his kingdom and he can zip here there and everywhere.
I sometimes think he can either teleport or there are 3 of him as he seems to get places so fast.

If I lift him at home he gets free, no matter how i do it, even burrito'd. he's like houdini :shock:
 
Buckley hates it. He lets me lift him at the vets but he'll stamp his feet all the way back into his carrier at the end of the appointment :roll:
I can't catch him at home because it's his kingdom and he can zip here there and everywhere.
I sometimes think he can either teleport or there are 3 of him as he seems to get places so fast.

If I lift him at home he gets free, no matter how i do it, even burrito'd. he's like houdini :shock:

Jessie is like this too. I have big cuts down my arm from when I tried to check her bum a couple of days ago. Most the time now I get her the stretch right up on her hind legs and move her tail to check, you can see pretty much everything, and she doesn't get as stressed. We're getting there slowly but I don't want to scare her more than I need to...

She jumped off the vets shoulder and onto the floor the first time we were there too. Second time vet did everything on the floor :oops:
 
Those who struggle handling their buns, I've found the best way to check nervous buns is to put them on a table, place your hands under their front legs and gently tip them back towards you keeping their two back feet on the table. You should be able to see underneath them well enough or can ask someone else to take a quick look for you.
 
Jessie is like this too. I have big cuts down my arm from when I tried to check her bum a couple of days ago. Most the time now I get her the stretch right up on her hind legs and move her tail to check, you can see pretty much everything, and she doesn't get as stressed. We're getting there slowly but I don't want to scare her more than I need to...

She jumped off the vets shoulder and onto the floor the first time we were there too. Second time vet did everything on the floor :oops:

Buckley lunged at my OH and bit him the other day after we tried to check his bum. Quite hard too, drew blood. He apologised straight away with lots of licks and nuzzles and "I'm sorry, I'm reeeeally sorry but you jolly well asked for it" looks :lol:
 
Buckley lunged at my OH and bit him the other day after we tried to check his bum. Quite hard too, drew blood. He apologised straight away with lots of licks and nuzzles and "I'm sorry, I'm reeeeally sorry but you jolly well asked for it" looks :lol:

Oh Buckley you're such a little adorable, cute, squee, squishy, gorgeous monster! :lol:

I've been feeling my 2 some days, rather than looking. They don't seem to mind me sticking my hand near their bits as much as tipping them upside down. I check every 2/3 days (by looking) and a few times a day (by feeling). Due for a looksy later, much stomping will be had by everyone :roll:
 
Oh Buckley you're such a little adorable, cute, squee, squishy, gorgeous monster! :lol:

I've been feeling my 2 some days, rather than looking. They don't seem to mind me sticking my hand near their bits as much as tipping them upside down. I check every 2/3 days (by looking) and a few times a day (by feeling). Due for a looksy later, much stomping will be had by everyone :roll:

The joys of bunny ownership! Bottie checks abound. :lol::lol:

yaretzi..............you are also in Worcs. Might I see you at the fundraiser on 11th June at Pershore College? Would be good.
 
Back
Top