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Trying to gauge the health of my wildie is so hard!

Sky-O

Wise Old Thumper
He's not right and hasn't been for a few days, but nothing abnormal for a wildie who doesn't cope with the wind. Today, however, he's not eating, but I don't know if that's because he is spooked and he'll eat when I'm not staring at him, or if he is ill, or what!

I'm going through all the steps I need to (including stuff advised by the vet), but if I'm not convinced then I'm going to have to take him to the vets- but if he is just spooked tha's going to make him worse.

It's so tough!
 
It may be the wind - several of mine are scared, though not to the point where they're not eating... Really not sure what to suggest... :?
 
Thanks guys. He was getting back to normal last night but this morning is worse and neither have drunk anything overnight (not dire for Sandy because she was at the vets yesterday with gas and was given fluids there).

I've dosed him up with Metacam and now I've taken the extreme step (for him) of bringing them in. He's on alert but hopefully with it being quieter here and having the food and water all much closer he will settle.

He has tucked right into one very large dandelion leaf which is progress.

I've cancelled my date for Roger so he better appreciate it dammit! :lol:
 
Everything crossed for Wildie Sky-O
I've no advice for you, except to confirm what you already know. Although our pet buns have most of the behaviours of wildies, there are some very marked differences.

I suspect that wildies "hide illness" even more than domestic buns, not only to be less vulnerable to predation, but also less vulnerable to challenge from other buns wanting to increase their status in the social heirarchy.

I'm sorry this doesn't help you much.
However I have every confidence in your vast knowledge of buns, that you'll do the right thing for him.
 
Thanks guys.

Jusy you're right. When he doesn't feel 100% he becomes much more scarce and hides much more. It's easy to pick when he isn't right because he simply stops coming for food. It always happens after a really windy night (but not day, oddly enough). Normally I can take him food and he will eat wherever he is, this time he didn't. My suspicion is that the wind caused him to panic so much and stress so much (and not feel able to get water) that he's put himself into stasis. I also believe he is probably exhausted.

Thankfully I have good instructions from my vets and so can manage the majority of things at home, which was what I've done. The problem with taking him to the vets is that it could delay his recovery even further. He doesn't cope with hands and wouldn't tolerate much intervention, so a real 'hands off' approach is needed.

He has now eaten Excel pellets (I find that often when my bunnies are sick they won't eat SS but will eat Excel more willingly- maybe because it's not as healthy and tastes and smells sweeter?) and had a fair bulk of parsley, some basil and a couple of bits of hay. Not seen him drink any water yet but he is very lively- and not in a stressed kind of way. He's even started attention seeking :roll: A tug on the bars and then a 'get me out of here' look.

His wifey Sandy has been in an exceptionally deep sleep and I suspect he needs this too- probably neither have slept well for a few days and the use of adrenalin has made them both even more tired. He has been sleeping on and off with his ears down which is good because it shows he isn't on alert. My plan is to allow them 24 hours to recover indoors and then put them out at the mildest time tomorrow, unless they need to stay in for longer.

Thanks guys :)
 
We don't often think of how hard the life of a wild rabbit must be. Constantly on the look out must be very exhausting.

I wonder if living indoors for a domestic rabbit eliminates most fears. What will the domestic rabbit be like in a few hundred years time ?
 
We don't often think of how hard the life of a wild rabbit must be. Constantly on the look out must be very exhausting.

I wonder if living indoors for a domestic rabbit eliminates most fears. What will the domestic rabbit be like in a few hundred years time ?

That's a really interesting thought.
 
All three of my wildies are very spooked at present. None are coming out to graze - although Pippin is coming out for a brief while just to sit on the lawn and look scared.

They are only eating forage an only if its placed where they can eat whilst in hiding.

The wind and torrential rain is totally freaking them out and interfering also with their ability to sense predators.

I hope Scamp (?) feels better soon.

We are having a lull here right now - though the rain is meant to return later.
 
All three of my wildies are very spooked at present. None are coming out to graze - although Pippin is coming out for a brief while just to sit on the lawn and look scared.

They are only eating forage an only if its placed where they can eat whilst in hiding.

The wind and torrential rain is totally freaking them out and interfering also with their ability to sense predators.

I hope Scamp (?) feels better soon.

We are having a lull here right now - though the rain is meant to return later.

I'm glad you replied because I know you've got your own outdoor wildies, and it's reassuring to know Roger (think Tamsin's wildie is Scamp?) but I'm sorry they are also struggling. We're also in a lull, but the clouds are massive here, but the wind has dropped significantly.
 
It's sounding good, & an excellent plan.
Wow you're saying just the same things Maizey says about her wildie. Always apprehensive of humans, even though they've been hand reared from a young age. Really object to being shut in when well, but are grateful for protection in bad weather. Baby is an amazing climber too!

I've tried to think more about the problem of wind at night. I'm right on the edge of a large town & the "night life" really hots up round here. A remarkable number of cats & both urban & rural foxes.
Neither Thumper nor Benjie will stay downstairs on their own at night. I've known Thumper detect a cat digging a hole 100' down the garden through locked double glazed flood proof doors!

I'm just wondering whether high winds impair both their hearing & smell? Sorry I don't know what their night time vision is like. Although they got a huge field of vision, 3D vision is confined to a very small segment, much of the rest is mainly movement. I'm imagining that they'd be very edgy with all the movement going on during high winds.

Have they made a burrow somewhere?
 
I'm glad you replied because I know you've got your own outdoor wildies, and it's reassuring to know Roger (think Tamsin's wildie is Scamp?) but I'm sorry they are also struggling. We're also in a lull, but the clouds are massive here, but the wind has dropped significantly.

Sorry about getting name wrong:oops:

Mine are Pippin, Peasgood Nonsuch and Harebell.

Peasgood Nonsuch is the flightiest - Pippin almost tame as hand reared from 9 days, and I think had we had him without other wildies he would be tame.

Other two definitely in hiding today but Steve tells me they all came out for pellets this evening and were all very very hungry.
 
Sorry about getting name wrong:oops:

Mine are Pippin, Peasgood Nonsuch and Harebell.

Peasgood Nonsuch is the flightiest - Pippin almost tame as hand reared from 9 days, and I think had we had him without other wildies he would be tame.

Other two definitely in hiding today but Steve tells me they all came out for pellets this evening and were all very very hungry.

Don't worry :) I have so many I wouldn't expect anyone other than me to get them all right :)

I would never remember the names of yours although seeing them I do remember you talking about them before :love:

I'm glad your three are now settled.

Roger also seems to have settled now- but is still inside. He had a proper deep sleep this afternoon which really perked him up. He's eating pellets and hay as he normally would at this time.

Roger used to be bonded to two very friendly and easy going girls and they often came/lived inside and he loved it. Now he is with Sandy and she is highly independent and very territorial and just the smell of another bunny in an unexpected place is enough for her to fight him so they have to stay outside. However I had them both out in the hall for a bit an hour ago and both were pottering around fine. I was laying on the floor smugly thinking I made the perfect barrier, but no. Roger strolls on over, jumps on my back, explores my back, and then hops down the other side. Had to really work to contain my excitement and not emit any sort of energy other than what I was emitting. Was lovely. I think if he lived inside, or with a more easy going bunny then likely, like you think would happen with Pippin, he would probably become very comfortable with me.
 
Don't worry :) I have so many I wouldn't expect anyone other than me to get them all right :)

I would never remember the names of yours although seeing them I do remember you talking about them before :love:

I'm glad your three are now settled.

Roger also seems to have settled now- but is still inside. He had a proper deep sleep this afternoon which really perked him up. He's eating pellets and hay as he normally would at this time.

Roger used to be bonded to two very friendly and easy going girls and they often came/lived inside and he loved it. Now he is with Sandy and she is highly independent and very territorial and just the smell of another bunny in an unexpected place is enough for her to fight him so they have to stay outside. However I had them both out in the hall for a bit an hour ago and both were pottering around fine. I was laying on the floor smugly thinking I made the perfect barrier, but no. Roger strolls on over, jumps on my back, explores my back, and then hops down the other side. Had to really work to contain my excitement and not emit any sort of energy other than what I was emitting. Was lovely. I think if he lived inside, or with a more easy going bunny then likely, like you think would happen with Pippin, he would probably become very comfortable with me.



Pippin is still comfortable enough with us to be stroked and to follow us to the food bowl and to sit in the garden with us . . Just as a hand reared bun I might have expected even more from a domestic bun rather than a wildie. i guess as a wildie its pretty amazinG!
 
Pippin is still comfortable enough with us to be stroked and to follow us to the food bowl and to sit in the garden with us . . Just as a hand reared bun I might have expected even more from a domestic bun rather than a wildie. i guess as a wildie its pretty amazinG!

It's luscious. Roger was in the wild for about 6-9 months so I treasure every time he lets me stroke him, every binky he does in front of me, when he begs for food, when he 'helps' me sweep, but he'll always have his wild streak; I just need to respect that and we get on fine :)
 
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