I have this bunny...in for spay (update 11/7)

I took her off a bloke at work who had actually contacted a Rescue I've fostered for before - with the intention of me vacs/spaying whatever & then her going to them for rehome when she was ready & they had space.

There's something odd about her & I can't work out what- but I have had this in bunnies before - all who died.


She's kind of baggy - as if she was overweight but lost it fast. You can feel her spine - but moreso than normal & can't see it. And when she sits she's staring into space - sometimes for hours.

Shes been vaccinated so healthchecked - I'm just wondering if I should send her for bloods or something? She's got a good appetite, has been panacurred & is belting around her run. She doesn't drink a lot of water. She eats her hay, veg & pellets.

The buns I've had before were a frenchie (Luke - from my cousin - indirectly from a breeder), who had lived in a dog crate - he was 2 years old. He was the same - baggy & "not always there", plus a conti - Jamie - ex breeder bun. Both died - Jamies just before neuter & Luke after 3 day check (on the way home!).

I didn't know if it was maybe just lack of space or something. She's very friendly

Angie65 said:

I took her off a bloke at work who had actually contacted a Rescue I've fostered for before - with the intention of me vacs/spaying whatever & then her going to them for rehome when she was ready & they had space.

There's something odd about her & I can't work out what- but I have had this in bunnies before - all who died.


She's kind of baggy - as if she was overweight but lost it fast. You can feel her spine - but moreso than normal & can't see it. And when she sits she's staring into space - sometimes for hours.

Shes been vaccinated so healthchecked - I'm just wondering if I should send her for bloods or something? She's got a good appetite, has been panacurred & is belting around her run. She doesn't drink a lot of water. She eats her hay, veg & pellets.

The buns I've had before were a frenchie (Luke - from my cousin - indirectly from a breeder), who had lived in a dog crate - he was 2 years old. He was the same - baggy & "not always there", plus a conti - Jamie - ex breeder bun. Both died - Jamies just before neuter & Luke after 3 day check (on the way home!).

I didn't know if it was maybe just lack of space or something. She's very friendly

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Don't bunnies do this when they are very depressed?

Angie65 said:

I took her off a bloke at work who had actually contacted a Rescue I've fostered for before - with the intention of me vacs/spaying whatever & then her going to them for rehome when she was ready & they had space.

There's something odd about her & I can't work out what- but I have had this in bunnies before - all who died.


She's kind of baggy - as if she was overweight but lost it fast. You can feel her spine - but moreso than normal & can't see it. And when she sits she's staring into space - sometimes for hours.

Shes been vaccinated so healthchecked - I'm just wondering if I should send her for bloods or something? She's got a good appetite, has been panacurred & is belting around her run. She doesn't drink a lot of water. She eats her hay, veg & pellets.

The buns I've had before were a frenchie (Luke - from my cousin - indirectly from a breeder), who had lived in a dog crate - he was 2 years old. He was the same - baggy & "not always there", plus a conti - Jamie - ex breeder bun. Both died - Jamies just before neuter & Luke after 3 day check (on the way home!).

I didn't know if it was maybe just lack of space or something. She's very friendly

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Do you know how old she is ?

Is she yet to be spayed ?

Nothing constructive to add but I think she's lucky to be with her Auntie Angie who actually cares!

Vibes for her.

:wave:

I'd have bloods done :wave:

Jack's-Jane said:

Do you know how old she is ?

Is she yet to be spayed ?

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I was told 18 months. I was also told spayed, but contacted old vets & she wasn't (& also doesn't look/act spayed).

She looks a lot older.

I wonder if she is depressed. Or has been? She's now in a run alongside my others, but 2 meshes between them.Plenty of space now & she mastered a catflap within 24hours. Her run was build for 4 buns. I'm really wary of spaying as lost Luke & another frenchie immediately after neuter. And with her having Luke's "look". Jamie never got neutered as first attempt - I had bloods & he came back with raised somethings to show he was fighting an infection,so I rebooked after his course of pain relief/anti biotics/panacur. He died then though.

She's a dwarf lop - possibly x frenchie as she's way bigger than my previous DLs

Angie65 said:

I was told 18 months. I was also told spayed, but contacted old vets & she wasn't (& also doesn't look/act spayed).

She looks a lot older.

I wonder if she is depressed. Or has been? She's now in a run alongside my others, but 2 meshes between them.Plenty of space now & she mastered a catflap within 24hours. Her run was build for 4 buns. I'm really wary of spaying as lost Luke & another frenchie immediately after neuter. And with her having Luke's "look". Jamie never got neutered as first attempt - I had bloods & he came back with raised somethings to show he was fighting an infection,so I rebooked after his course of pain relief/anti biotics/panacur. He died then though.

She's a dwarf lop - possibly x frenchie as she's way bigger than my previous DLs

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I'd definitely get bloods done and ask the Vet to have a good feel of her uterus.

Jack's-Jane said:

I'd definitely get bloods done and ask the Vet to have a good feel of her uterus.

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Thanks. I will book her in

is this the bun due to come to us ..then didn't ?

poor love ...

Patrick pumpkin had that look and lots of baggy skin ... he had had a rough time (possibly kicked in the face) but had also been a stray .
We thought he had lost weight quickly at some point .
He was neutered successfully and had his insisors removed .

I think that blank look could be due to depression ...or pain ... or even just that that's all shes ever been able to do as she never had any stimulation before ..

Id be wary at leaving unsprayed because of the cancer risk (and womb infection risk) but understand you concern. maybe do the blood tests .

I know Jane is thinking maybe cancer, but my first instinct is how much space did they have before? Is increasing the space to quickly and giving them too much exercise too much on the heart? The others you mentioned were both giants who have a predisposition to heart issues. :?

Loads of vibes for her whatever it is. x

My REW sits 'daydreaming' but then they are known for having poor eyesight. Does she act as if she cant see??

Poor little thing, whatever the outcome at least shes now in a good place.

I'm still wondering about the depression though as well. Previously I have known 2 bunnies who were like this. They were a bonded pair but were being housed in housing that was no where big enough for them, and they were large buns, and it was like habit formed. For over a year they had been like this, rarely being let out, and all they could do was sit and stare at the wall so to speak. How large was her set up before? My friend was told to bring them inside if possible which she did, and change everything to how it had previously been all their lives. Initially they were very confused/bemused even and still sat staring at the wall but my vet talked about how to challenge their way of thinking, and break the rut that they had got into, by kind of like enforced interaction, play that kind of thing, and then one day after about 3 weeks, it was like a switch had flicked and they finally realised they had space and could run about and play. I think it is just as likely to be behavioural as it is health wise, but if she has previously been housed in a very small environment, she could maybe be a bit overwhelmed with how things are now, and not sure what she is supposed to do. She certainly sounds interesting though. We must have pics please.

bunnymadhouse said:

is this the bun due to come to us ..then didn't ?

poor love ...

Patrick pumpkin had that look and lots of baggy skin ... he had had a rough time (possibly kicked in the face) but had also been a stray .
We thought he had lost weight quickly at some point .
He was neutered successfully and had his insisors removed .

I think that blank look could be due to depression ...or pain ... or even just that that's all shes ever been able to do as she never had any stimulation before ..

Id be wary at leaving unsprayed because of the cancer risk (and womb infection risk) but understand you concern. maybe do the blood tests .

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She's booked in for Bloods tomorrow & spay next Thurs when results come back - if ok.

I only had her vacs 3 weeks ago so wanted to leave a couple of weeks - plus had Egypt - but yes it's the bun you know about. She's incredibly friendly, runs circles around me when I go into her pen & comes running over when she's free ranging - but when I'm watching her from indoors, it's like she's not aware. She also sits outside 24/7, despite being able to get into the shed.

I can keep her indoors after spay for a bit & interact with her more. I'm out a lot, but if I keep her she can be bonded with some bun.

madcatwomen - yes I've had rews before but it looked like they were trying to see - this is like she's daydreaming.

She has toys, but she's not interested. When I'm home (& they've heard me in the kitchen or in the garden), she sits by the aviary door. When I'm not (or I'm watching from upstairs!), she sits at the top of the run (it's stepped) looking out.

Jenova said:

I know Jane is thinking maybe cancer, but my first instinct is how much space did they have before? Is increasing the space to quickly and giving them too much exercise too much on the heart? The others you mentioned were both giants who have a predisposition to heart issues. :?

Loads of vibes for her whatever it is. x

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That was my first thought too. Initially -I kept her in the shed for two weeks, with cat flat fastened shut apart from a couple of hours a day, then an hour in a morning/2 on a night, then we went full time open.

I was told she had a massive hutch & run, but she was delivered to my work, so I didn't see. Plus he said she was spayed....she isn't.

maybe she just doesn't know how to play? (causing the blank sitting rather than the excess skin)

Angie65 said:

That was my first thought too. Initially -I kept her in the shed for two weeks, with cat flat fastened shut apart from a couple of hours a day, then an hour in a morning/2 on a night, then we went full time open.

I was told she had a massive hutch & run, but she was delivered to my work, so I didn't see. Plus he said she was spayed....she isn't.

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ive had massive hutches donated ...and smashed them up cos they were too small even for piggies ..

what 1 person sees as huge ...another sees as tiny .

Angie65 said:

She's booked in for Bloods tomorrow & spay next Thurs when results come back - if ok.

I only had her vacs 3 weeks ago so wanted to leave a couple of weeks - plus had Egypt - but yes it's the bun you know about. She's incredibly friendly, runs circles around me when I go into her pen & comes running over when she's free ranging - but when I'm watching her from indoors, it's like she's not aware. She also sits outside 24/7, despite being able to get into the shed.

I can keep her indoors after spay for a bit & interact with her more. I'm out a lot, but if I keep her she can be bonded with some bun.

madcatwomen - yes I've had rews before but it looked like they were trying to see - this is like she's daydreaming.

She has toys, but she's not interested. When I'm home (& they've heard me in the kitchen or in the garden), she sits by the aviary door. When I'm not (or I'm watching from upstairs!), she sits at the top of the run (it's stepped) looking out.

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I think she sounds bored and lonely ..

bunnymadhouse said:

I think she sounds bored and lonely ..

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Well that's fixable

Angie65 said:

Well that's fixable

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:thumb:

Bless her