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Question About Health Monitoring-Large Groups of Rabbits

J

Jack's-Jane

Wise Old Thumper
Although I have a lot of Buns they are bonded into pairs, not large groups(with 4 singletons) I have considered trying to establish some larger groups but apart from my fear of bonding :oops: I am also concerned about how well one can monitor the health of all the Buns kept in a large group :?
I use Bun poo production as a good daily monitoring system and can identify whose poo is whose in a bonded pair (sad, I know :roll: :lol: ) But how ever do you monitor GI function of all the buns in a large group :shock: :? :shock:
I have found reduced GI motility to be a reliable 'early warning system' for a health problem, long before the Bun 'acts ill'. Or am I just being over cautious in feeling more reluctant than ever to start trying to bond my Buns into larger groups.... :? :?

Janex
 
I think it is a risk with larger groups. In my group of four I have trouble knowing "who's is who's"! I'm not sure what the answer is. I like to think that I would pick up on anything that was wrong as I do think you get a kind of sixth sense about it.
I guess there are pluses and minuses with the larger groups and that's one of the negative points.
 
Sorry i don`t know about large groups of bunnies as i`ve only ever dared to go as big as a trio.
But with my 8 cats, who all use litter trays, I can tell who`s whos buy size & pong factor! :oops: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Su.x
 
Jack's-Jane said:
cannonwoman said:
I can tell who`s whos buy size & pong factor! :oops: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Su.x
Click to expand...

A bit too much information there Su...... :mrgreen:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Janex
Click to expand...


I can go into even more detail if you want?! :mrgreen: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Su.x
 
cannonwoman said:
Jack's-Jane said:
cannonwoman said:
I can tell who`s whos buy size & pong factor! :oops: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Su.x
Click to expand...

A bit too much information there Su...... :mrgreen:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Janex
Click to expand...


I can go into even more detail if you want?! :mrgreen: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Su.x
Click to expand...

Thats so kind of you but I think I can manage without........ :lol: :lol:

Janex
 
I havent gone beyond a trio so would be interested in replies to this. I find it hard even with a trio. I used to be able to tell poos apart but now I struggle

All I can do is notice if there are less poos in the tray/smaller etc. and then watch all of them like a hawk until I work out who isn't well. Scientific eh?

Fiona x
 
Well I am beginning to think I will keep my set-up as it is :?
If it aint broke why fix it!! :lol:

Also some of my pairs are so very close I would hate for that to be changed by the introduction of other Rabbits.

Janex
 
with my 6 i find that certain buns go in different litter trays.
aspen always prefers the tray in the crate that is covered and is dark.
the 3 sisters go at the other end of the room. i find ebby poo on top of the freezer :shock: and birch seems to go wherever :roll:
mine all tend to look the same though, so if i notice a slightly different poo i am extra vigilant. i also have a 4 foot crate set up in the bunnyshed with the door wired open, so if i really need to keep an eye on someone i cant put a fresh litter tray and hayrack in it, add the bun in question and close the door for a few hours to keep them seperate but without having to remove the bun completely from the group if that makes sense?
 
Well, if a miracle happened and all 5 buns suddenly bonded together, the only ones I wouldn't be able to tell apart are Fey and Sprite, as they are sisters and they both have the same wonky misshapen poo. Oberon has huge poop because he's a huge bunny, Loki is middle-sized, and Mocha is tiny and never goes in the litter box.

I find appetite is a better way to judge. Mocha has gone into stasis for about 12 hours several times. She will stop eating, but continue pooping until she's literally pooped out. I'd imagine you could find out which one is having diarrhea by checking bunny butts and feet.

Jane, maybe when you get new buns you could try introducing them into existing pairs? It would be easier to add just one rabbit than two to another pair. Bigger groups would cut down on the work for you.
 
It is more difficult in a large group and I can honestly say I couldn't even begin to tell you whos poo is whos amongst my lot. I check each bun over every other day and when I feed them I check they're all eating, if one hangs back then I know there's possibly a problem and I make sure they're all eating their hay which is easy to do as they all, bar Sam, jump on it when I first add new to their rack. When Sam was ill and the vet needed a urine sample and to know how much he was drinking I did have to seperate him from the rest for 24 hours but there were no problems when I put him back in - did it at dinner time so they didn't notice!
 
With my 9 - I can only tell the poos of 2 from the others. I feed Kendra separately from the others, cos she needed to gain weight, plus I hang around to make sure Flint doesn't eat the lot :lol:
I would rely completely on behaviour change to spot a problem. If someone doesn't try & eat my hand at feed time, there's sommat wrong :lol:

I have 2 closely bonded pairs, & haven't tried to bond them into the group as i don't want to upset their bond, so can see where you are coming from there.
 
i know its not really a large group, but when I fostered Chloe's 4 Beatles I just made sure that they all came to the food bowl when fed and had something to eat...I do this anyway with Audrey each morning and evening.

However, after Rowan died I've been haunted by the idea that he may have lived if he had treatment earlier...their were small poos in the litter tray and combined with Audrey being listless and not eating I thought those poos must also be hers. They both went to the vet and had a check up, but I was told Rowan's teeth and guts were fine and he WAS eating ok until later that week :(
 
When the big five were alive, I could always tell each one's poo from the others :D

Same as I can identify each buns poo in their hutch, out in the runs and I always know whose been somewhere they shouldn't :lol:

I guess it something some owners do and some don't, doesn't make anyone a bad owner :D
 
I have 6 together, or will have when I get pistachio back outside, and I tend to go on behaviour rather than poos, I know who are the hungry buns, and who will wait til later, so i always check about the time they should be eating; Thyme wont eat with the others, but waits until about 9pm, slightly odd bun! :lol: Plus I also go on how active they are, if they feel low they tend to sit in a corner and look uncomfy, whereas if they are all charging around i tend not to worry! And where pistachio has been ill she has been indoors so I could monitor her, but now its time to put her back out, just need to find the time as she has been out for about a month, so need to do a bit of re-bonding. However if your buns are happy in pairs, like you say, if it aint broke, why fix it? Do what is best for them, you could try it, it could make some of them even happier (although not sure your buns could be any happier if the pics are anything to go by :wink: ) Waffling now!! x Jess
 
My bunnies are like clockwork with their pooing. Feed them a few pellets, wait about 3 minutes and out come some poops. I would have thought you could still do poo monitoring with smallish groups of bunnies, should the urge get too much for you! :wink: :lol:
 
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