Bunny in the corner

Hi everyone
Haven’t been on for ages but now need some advice please.
My beautiful elderly Skittle (10 & a half years old) was fine Monday, her normal sprightly self. Tuesday morning she appeared OK but didn’t make her usual mad dash to her food. Didn’t see her during the day as i was at work but Tuesday evening she made her way into her outside run as per her usual routine but then just sat, hunched, in one corner (a corner she never sits in) and despite every attempt by her adoring husband Mojo, to get her to engage, she wasn’t interested. I kept an eye and by 9.30, in the dark, she was still sitting in the same spot. I was able to pick her up (far too easily) and we put her back in her bedroom hutch.
This morning at 5am she is back out in her outside run, sitting in the same corner, looking miserable, not even tempted by her favourite herb mint.

Is this the sign of a poorly bunny - or is it the sign of an elderly bunny dying of old age?

I will take her to the vet of course but if she is just in the throes of dying from old age I don’t want to put her through the stress of the hated trip to the vet and would rather she died peacefully in her home with her best fluffy friend in attendance.
Feel really sad right now but want to do the right thing by her x

It's really impossible to determine what is causing this behaviour in Skittle. To me it sounds like an unhappy, poorly bunny. The cause of this could be something quite minor or alternatively quite serious.

Personally I would want to get a vet to examine her to try and establish what the problem is and whether it is easily treatable. Sending loads of vibes for her and please keep us updated.

honeywebb said:

Hi everyone
Haven’t been on for ages but now need some advice please.
My beautiful elderly Skittle (10 & a half years old) was fine Monday, her normal sprightly self. Tuesday morning she appeared OK but didn’t make her usual mad dash to her food. Didn’t see her during the day as i was at work but Tuesday evening she made her way into her outside run as per her usual routine but then just sat, hunched, in one corner (a corner she never sits in) and despite every attempt by her adoring husband Mojo, to get her to engage, she wasn’t interested. I kept an eye and by 9.30, in the dark, she was still sitting in the same spot. I was able to pick her up (far too easily) and we put her back in her bedroom hutch.
This morning at 5am she is back out in her outside run, sitting in the same corner, looking miserable, not even tempted by her favourite herb mint.

Is this the sign of a poorly bunny - or is it the sign of an elderly bunny dying of old age?

I will take her to the vet of course but if she is just in the throes of dying from old age I don’t want to put her through the stress of the hated trip to the vet and would rather she died peacefully in her home with her best fluffy friend in attendance.
Feel really sad right now but want to do the right thing by her x

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i think it would be hard for anyone to tell but she does sound ill. it could be that she's old & on her last days, alternatively she may have something else wrong & would have many days left if it is sorted.

imo, she needs to be looked at by a vet asap.

wishing her the very best xxx

She definitely needs to see a vet. Whether it be minor or that she is indeed reaching the end of her life, sitting hunched and looking miserable in a corner to me would indicate pain, so whatever the reason she most certainly will need pain relief and either treatment or making more comfortable. Poor Bun x

Hi all - thanks for replies, vet opens at 8.30 this morning so I am taking her down there and hopefully get seen straight away.
She’s still sitting there, so sad as poor Mojo is sitting near her looking confused. Can’t bear it.

Sorry to hear this, glad you are taking her to vets, hope she gets on ok. Sending lots of vibes for your bunny and for you xxx

Well this is all very confusing - just looked out the window for the thousandth time to check on her to see her bound across her run and up her tube into the hutch!

I would definitely still go to the vets - rabbits are very good at hiding illness, so once you spot that something isn’t quite right, it is often quite serious.

I am glad she seems brighter now, but I would still get her checked out by a vet just in case there is something going on. Rabbits can go downhill so quickly. I would also ask for her to be weighed as this is an indicator of general health (eg if she isn't eating as much and is losing weight), and check her teeth with an otoscope. Has she been eating normally? Is she weeing and pooing normally?

TheBee said:

I would definitely still go to the vets - rabbits are very good at hiding illness, so once you spot that something isn’t quite right, it is often quite serious.

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Shimmer said:

I am glad she seems brighter now, but I would still get her checked out by a vet just in case there is something going on. Rabbits can go downhill so quickly. I would also ask for her to be weighed as this is an indicator of general health (eg if she isn't eating as much and is losing weight), and check her teeth with an otoscope. Has she been eating normally? Is she weeing and pooing normally?

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Shimmer said:

I am glad she seems brighter now, but I would still get her checked out by a vet just in case there is something going on. Rabbits can go downhill so quickly. I would also ask for her to be weighed as this is an indicator of general health (eg if she isn't eating as much and is losing weight), and check her teeth with an otoscope. Has she been eating normally? Is she weeing and pooing normally?

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I took her in at 8.30 this morning. Her weight was fine, no loss, and so were her teeth. She had weed but I don’t know when she last pooped as Mojo lives with her so it could be his. Vets thought she may have an upper respiratory tract infection plus maybe abit of gut stasis as I don’t think she has eaten anything since yesterday. They admitted her as I am at work all day so they could keep an eye and give her some meds to stimulate her gut and get her eating. They also mentioned force-feeding. Bless her. So just waiting upon an update really.

honeywebb said:

I took her in at 8.30 this morning. Her weight was fine, no loss, and so were her teeth. She had weed but I don’t know when she last pooped as Mojo lives with her so it could be his. Vets thought she may have an upper respiratory tract infection plus maybe abit of gut stasis as I don’t think she has eaten anything since yesterday. They admitted her as I am at work all day so they could keep an eye and give her some meds to stimulate her gut and get her eating. They also mentioned force-feeding. Bless her. So just waiting upon an update really.

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I hope the vet can get her back on track & the abx kick in quickly

Hope the vets can get her sorted quickly, and she will soon be home