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Awful

bumblicious

Warren Veteran
:( It's awful having to pick up the bunny who hates being picked up so much who the vet called a stroppy bunny to give her medicine. She makes noises squeaks and stuff. It takes us ages to get her because she's clever she knows. She struggles and it's all because she's terrified. Awful
 
I'm sorry - sounds like she hates being picked up even more than Spenser. :shock:

Have you tried wrapping her in a towel so that she feels more secure (and you are less likely to be scratched!).
 
I'm sorry - sounds like she hates being picked up even more than Spenser. :shock:

Have you tried wrapping her in a towel so that she feels more secure (and you are less likely to be scratched!).

I tried this last time we had to give her medicine and I couldn't get it right. I couldn't get the towel on her so it was tight so she still had room to kick and it meant I didn't have as good hold on her as when it was just her so it's better without it.I've got a scratch on my tummy today... want to take bets on where the scratch will be tomorrow and how many?! Couldn't care about scratches as long as she wasn't so scared

:(
 
I tried this last time we had to give her medicine and I couldn't get it right. I couldn't get the towel on her so it was tight so she still had room to kick and it meant I didn't have as good hold on her as when it was just her so it's better without it.I've got a scratch on my tummy today... want to take bets on where the scratch will be tomorrow and how many?! Couldn't care about scratches as long as she wasn't so scared

:(

It's really upsetting to have a bun that needs medicine and won't let you administer it. :( I've had this a few times with Spenser, who is very much a 'paw's off' rabbit. :roll: The only time I managed to administer he was really quite poorly and not well enough to kick. :( The vet once had to roll him in a towel to check his teeth, and she had the help of a vet nurse. 'Bunny enchilada' she called him.
 
Yes it is :(

I can't see to do the bunny burrito. She's not even poorly it's just a preventative measure because my other bunny's poorly. The vet said she was a stroppy bunny when she had to do her medicine!
 
Yes it is :(

I can't see to do the bunny burrito. She's not even poorly it's just a preventative measure because my other bunny's poorly. The vet said she was a stroppy bunny when she had to do her medicine!

My heart really goes out to you. She's not a stroppy bunny she's a frightened bunny & just behaving normally for a frightened bunny. How can they be expected to know that the disgusting stuff, nothing whatsoever like their plant medicines, is supposed to help them? It must taste more like poison to them.:(
I guess you've had all the advice in the world & it doesn't work.

It's a million to one chance it might help. Benjie's impossible too, but the thing he hates is the syringe going in. I can sit him beside me, stroke him calm, & put about 0.2ml blob in my palm & he'll lick it. If he refuses to lick, I just have to lift the side of his muzzle, & boy he licks like crazy. I feel right mean for threatening him.:cry:
 
The poor wee soul, she does sound scared. You might have some success if you can get her to associate meds with treats. A tiny blob of manuka honey might do the trick. You could even try a droplet of medicine in a blob of honey and see if she licks that up. Although I would check with your vet first in case the medication is not compatible with food.
 
Aw, that must be so hard for you :(

This is probably a stupid suggestion, but how about taking a load of blankets so it isn't slippy and sitting in an empty bath with her?

If you sat in there, then she'd have a little area where she could move about, but it's a small space where she couldn't really escape out of your reach. And you could try to tempt her with the syringe rather than making her take it.

(Sorry if that's really stupid, only thing I could think of to sort of keep her in a small space without her being stressy from being held and without confining her in her own territory which would also annoy her)
 
To give meds, I kneel on the floor with the bunny between my knees facing out, my feet together (to top bunny backing out) and lean forward. One hand over the bunnies head/eyes (thumb one side of head/fingers the other) and then put the syringe in the side of the mouth just behind the front teeth with the other hand.

The other option is to hide the meds in something she'll eat, eg mushed up banana or pureed veggies. You'll have to experiment to see what hides the taste and sometimes you have to swap when they get wise :)
 
I am sure you've already tried this but I feed any meds my buns need in something, the most successful being the Ella's kitchen baby food which is just puréed fruits, it's smooth so meds mix in really well and the bunsters think they are getting a treat rather than scaring them.

I supposed it depends on the tastiness of the medicine, and also whether diluting the medicine will affect it, you'd need to ask your vet about that, but it's always worked for me!

(I can't do the bunny burrito either, I tried to follow a YouTube video and Loki was rather forgiving and let me have a few goes but I still ended up with holes in the towel, a large scratch in my arm and a flick of bunny feet as he hid under the table :roll:)

Eta: oops tamsin beat me!
 
Yes it's awful because it's so obvious she's frightened :(

Last time we tried putting her medicine on food and it didn't work so I don't really want to do that as I can just see the medicine being wasted each time at least this way we're actually getting it in her. We'd give her it on food and she'd eat a little bit - if we're lucky then no more so she'd only have a bit we tried it on a few different things she only ever ate the first bit if we were lucky. She's so clever she knows it each time.

I've also tried the putting between knees bit that didn't work although even for that I'd have to pick her up to get her in position anyway. The only way I can seem to do it is if I pick her up and hold her and OH puts the medicine in. She'd still be scared in bath too I'd have to pick her up to get her there and she'd go all over the bath I know she would I need her still to put the medicine in.
 
Today Bumble took the medicine herself without being picked up or anything! (we tried it after we noticed while she was in my arms yesterday she was chewing the medicine at one point) Wierd because Bee won't voluntarily take the medicine that Bumble has. Not sure if she's realised we'll pick her up if she doesn't.... We'll see if the same thing happens tomorrow....
 
Great update! :thumb:

They can change with time. Mulberry hated being picked up for years but when she got nodular myxi she needed loads of meds for months, and ever since then has been fine about being handled. Not a good way for it to have happened, but does show that even ingrained behaviour can alter dramatically....
 
To give meds, I kneel on the floor with the bunny between my knees facing out, my feet together (to top bunny backing out) and lean forward. One hand over the bunnies head/eyes (thumb one side of head/fingers the other) and then put the syringe in the side of the mouth just behind the front teeth with the other hand.

The other option is to hide the meds in something she'll eat, eg mushed up banana or pureed veggies. You'll have to experiment to see what hides the taste and sometimes you have to swap when they get wise :)

I do this too. Even works with Nutmeg :lol: as they have their feet on the floor it's a bit less stressful for them. I get her onto the landing and then do it so I dn't have to pick her up.

I see you've managed. :thumb:
 
I do battle twice daily with Milly. The catching is bad enough, she runs me ragged. Then she bites as hard as she can and scratches. I have permanent scratches on my neck and chest. She isn't scared as such, she just hates furosimide. She clenches her teeth and spits it out. I have to sit with my back against the wall with my knees bent and Milly facing me. I literally have to drop one drop at a time onto her lip which then sort of seeps into her mouth. She mini swallows three drops then she needs to lean onto my chest and swallow properly. Then back up a it for anther three drops, back onto my chest etc. It takes an age especially as she also has metacam once daily and septrim when she has cystitis. If I do it any other way she let's it seep under her chin and then it can get sore. Especially as she won't let me dry under her chin. Milly is gloriously feisty, with tonnes of girl power but meds are hell. Every vet nurse has said she spits everything out.

If it's not much meds apple juice can help. Either mix them or syringe a bit of apple juice in first, then the meds, then a little more apple juice. I also wipe the syringe clean as the taste can remain on the syringe from when you extract the meds from the bottle and put them off. Jacob bunny liked a treat after meds which can help with a more positive attitude and it gets rid of the taste but Milly isn't fooled by this strategy alas!
 
Today Bumble took the medicine with us putting the medicine thing through the wire.... no picking up required!......

Bee will not voluntarily take the medicine Bumble will take so I picked Bee up (which is not a problem he's not like Bumble) gave him the same medicine Bumble has then gave him the medicine he loves - he didn't want to let go of that pulled it back. Then Bee felt so comfortable in my arms that he licked me after! :love:
 
Today Bumble took the medicine with us putting the medicine thing through the wire.... no picking up required!......

Bee will not voluntarily take the medicine Bumble will take so I picked Bee up (which is not a problem he's not like Bumble) gave him the same medicine Bumble has then gave him the medicine he loves - he didn't want to let go of that pulled it back. Then Bee felt so comfortable in my arms that he licked me after! :love:

Aww ... :love:
 
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