• 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.
  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Bunny suddenly sleeping a lot, not eating much?

LupaFaelia

New Kit
Hi, so this is my first thread on this website XD
So I was worried about my bunny because since this morning after I put her back in her cage she has been very sleepy, and not really eating. Usually she bites on her cage frantically all the time to get out, but today she was just sitting in a corner. She doesn't eat much pellets, just kind of chews on them for a sec then drops it. She munched on a tiny bit of hay, then just sat there for the whole day.

She sometimes wakes up really quickly and starts biting at her fur around her legs or behind, but I've checked her whole body for any fleas or parasites :p
I just let her out of her cage now, and usually she goes tearing around the room jumping on everything, but today she just crept underneath my desk and is there right now. Also I can pick her up much more easily than before, and I can even roll her onto her back, and she kind of looks at me for a few seconds then rolls over and just leaves.

I'm really worried for her? She's a new bunny, I got her just over 2 months ago, and she lives alone, indoors, and I don't think she ate anything different lately, just a rabbit cereal bar (xmas treat :p) which I got rid of coz I'm not sure if it was that that was causing this. Also some of her poop is strange? Some of it is hard and normal round bunny poop, but some is really mushy and clumped.

She's a netherland dwarf, if that makes a difference :p
 
Is she eating at the moment? Drinking? What about her poo/wee - has she done any today, and what is it like?

And, as a little side note, it is no longer recommended or deemed 'good' to turn your bunny over onto her back. It causes extreme stress and fear, and is not a good idea unless in an emergency.
 
PS she seems healthy apart from this (eyes, skin, teeth etc) she's just so TAME now. Before she was really difficult and like a mini spawn of satan, and so I'm really worried coz of her sudden change. (she's about 4-5 months old)
 
I havent seen her drink since this morning, and I gave her a raisin and she ate that, but not the pellets. I'm not sure about her wee
 
It doesn't sound like she's behaving normally, does it? If it was me, I would be concerned enough to probably take her to the vets tonight. I know you said she's eaten a raisin, but the fact she hasn't eaten hay or pellets well, or at all, just rings alarm bells for me. That, combined with the reluctance to move and quietness means I probably would take her to the out of hours now. It may be she has dental problems that would need sorting ASAP, and could be given something to help her in the meantime. Or she could have tummy pains - does she seem to be pressing her tummy into the floor at all, i.e lying down and looking uncomfortable, like she's deliberately pressing it down?

Where abouts are you? Do you have a rabbit savvy vet near you that you could use?

If she stops eating completely, that is an emergency as rabbits' guts can shut down very quickly and it is difficult to restart them again. They need to be eating pretty much constantly in order to have good gut functions, and if your little one is picking at food that's not really a good sign.
 
It sounds like something is definitely bothering her, and since she's refusing most types of food and acting very off colour I'd be getting her to the vets asap. Stopping eating is actually an emergency in rabbits, as they're designed to graze constantly. All vets will have instructions about how to access an emergency vet.

http://myhouserabbit.com/rabbit-health/gi-stasis-in-rabbits-a-deadly-condition/ If it is stasis I would expect painkillers, gut stimulant(s), and recovery food to syringe to keep the guts moving. They may want to admit your bunny for IV fluids and more intensive nursing depending on how bad the case is.

Take some pics of the poo (size, quantity, consistency (i.e. is it like a bunch of grapes which would be uneaten caecals or is it splats of poo)) and take these to the vet too so it's easier for them.

Is your bunny usually a good hay eater?
 
OK thanks, I have a rabbit vet really close to me, but its closed for the night, so I'll take her there first thing in the morning. Thanks for the help!
 
OK thanks, I have a rabbit vet really close to me, but its closed for the night, so I'll take her there first thing in the morning. Thanks for the help!

Unfortunately by the morning it could be too late. Stasis (or bloat, or an obstruction - both of which it could be) can be fatal inside 5 hours and she's already been showing symptoms since this morning. Unfortunately by the time rabbits show symptoms it's already pretty serious since they hide their illnesses so well due to being a prey species. Your bunny will therefore be in a significant amount of pain to have stopped eating. I know all too well that emergency vets visits are costly and inconvenient, but they're part of the package. The sooner you obtain veterinary attention, the more chance she has at pulling through.

I hope you understand that I'm not trying to be too forceful or mean, but unfortunately on this forum we get a lot of threads like this and later find out the rabbit died due to the owner not obtaining veterinary attention.

In the longer term it would be worth seeing whether the amount of hay that you're feeding is sufficient. It should make up 80% or more of their diet, and it's necessary to keep the gut moving over properly. She should ideally eat at least a ball of hay as big as herself each day.
 
Unfortunately by the morning it could be too late. Stasis (or bloat, or an obstruction - both of which it could be) can be fatal inside 5 hours and she's already been showing symptoms since this morning. Unfortunately by the time rabbits show symptoms it's already pretty serious since they hide their illnesses so well due to being a prey species. Your bunny will therefore be in a significant amount of pain to have stopped eating. I know all too well that emergency vets visits are costly and inconvenient, but they're part of the package. The sooner you obtain veterinary attention, the more chance she has at pulling through.

I hope you understand that I'm not trying to be too forceful or mean, but unfortunately on this forum we get a lot of threads like this and later find out the rabbit died due to the owner not obtaining veterinary attention.

In the longer term it would be worth seeing whether the amount of hay that you're feeding is sufficient. It should make up 80% or more of their diet, and it's necessary to keep the gut moving over properly. She should ideally eat at least a ball of hay as big as herself each day.

I completely agree with this, sadly bunnies can go down hill very fast, your vet will have an out of hours service just ring your vet and you will either be transferred or told the number you need to ring. Best wishes for your bunny xx
 
Please please get your bunny to a vet. My bunny has,just died due to stasis.I don't want to.frighten you but if a bunny doesn't eat or drink or poo, it's whole system can shut down within 24 hours...

Good luck.. xx
 
Unfortunately by the morning it could be too late. Stasis (or bloat, or an obstruction - both of which it could be) can be fatal inside 5 hours and she's already been showing symptoms since this morning. Unfortunately by the time rabbits show symptoms it's already pretty serious since they hide their illnesses so well due to being a prey species. Your bunny will therefore be in a significant amount of pain to have stopped eating. I know all too well that emergency vets visits are costly and inconvenient, but they're part of the package. The sooner you obtain veterinary attention, the more chance she has at pulling through.

I hope you understand that I'm not trying to be too forceful or mean, but unfortunately on this forum we get a lot of threads like this and later find out the rabbit died due to the owner not obtaining veterinary attention.

In the longer term it would be worth seeing whether the amount of hay that you're feeding is sufficient. It should make up 80% or more of their diet, and it's necessary to keep the gut moving over properly. She should ideally eat at least a ball of hay as big as herself each day.

100% this. As a prey species by the time rabbits look poorly they are often very very ill, I hope you bun feels better soon.
 
Hiya,
If its cost thats worrying you, then getting her treated asap is cheaper than later as she wont need so much intensive treatment.
If you are concerned of calling the vets out of hours, then dont be, thats why they have emergency cover and are more than used to being called at all hours.
Please call the vet and insist on them seeing her straight away. I do know what you are going through as we have a very poorly bunny atm and its constant vet trips often as an emergency.
Im sure your bunny is worth all the care and vet treatment you can give her.
Please keep us updated and I hope she is better soon xxx
 
Back
Top