Giving meds to a very wriggly bunny

[Buka]

Hi all,

I’ve got two bunnies on meds now. Flopsy is quite good taking her meds but Benji is really difficult.

Benji is much bigger than Flopsy and very strong so I struggle giving him meds. It took me 30min this morning and it was very stressful for him, I can see he is still quite annoyed about it.

He’s got an ear and eye infection and I have to give him eye drops
He’s got quite thick eyelashes which means that I have to pull his eyelid to administer the drops and he won’t let me do it. So I end up having to grab him and he’s really good at wriggling out of my arms. I am afraid I’ll hurt him if I restrain him too much and I’m afraid it’s stressing him.

He’s also on 3 oral meds. I wonder if I could mix them in with some food? What has worked for everyone?

If I can get him to take his oral meds with food then I’ll only need to worry about the eye drops.

I’ll appreciate any tips, thank you

 

[KCG]

Hmm, I can only advise, but I still prefer to give the medication without mixing it with the food. Frankly, do you treat him after each drug, I apply it a lot, it works a little. It pairs the meds with something positive in its head. Also, if you're having trouble, can't you make 2 people to do it quickly? Maybe it will be faster, can someone help you?

 

[joey&boo]

If you can master a bunny burrito it would be so much easier. Its a way of wrapping bunnies in a large towel with just their face out. It makes them feel really secure. My vets were amazing at it, I could only do Joey, my girls escaped. So the wrapping needs to be proper, if its weak they'll know & take advantage. On food is fine if they consistently eat it - this has always been a bit troublesome IME, a bunny sometimes eats only half the food so how much meds have they had? are you going to run out of meds as only been prescribed so much. Hiding on food is better with stuff they already like, such as metacam.

youtube has instructional bunny burrito videos if you're interested. Good luck

 

[Omi]

It's worth giving the bunny burrito a try.

I use an alternative method. Most of my bunnies have felt insecure being picked up and much prefer all four feet on the ground. I take them to a place unfamiliar to them, which makes them feel a little less confident. Then I kneel on the floor, placing the bunny on the floor between my thighs/knees, facing forward with its head level with my knees. Using this position to restrain them I use my arm in front of them to prevent them moving forward and escaping. I find I can manage most medicating that way.

Hiding in food is only OK if you can be confident that the bunny will eat it all every time, as j&b said.

 

[Buka]

Thank you all

I have tried the bunny burrito but I struggle to actually get Benji to the point where I can wrap him as he wriggles so much if I try to pick him up.

I’ll keep trying and see how I go over the next few days.

I agree with the food thing. I’ve managed to give Flopsy some medication this way and she’d eat it all. Yesterday I tried Benji and there was some left over (not much) so it’s a bit of a risk as you all say.

 

[a reader of books]

Poor Benji, having an ear and eye infection. I hope the eye drops are helping him, and that he'll feel better soon.

I do what Omi does, though I don't take them to a different space, and it works really well with my two. If he won't run away, you can try to kneel over him where he's sitting, and then you won't have to pick him up at all. He won't be able to get away with your legs on the sides and your feet in the back and your hands in front.

 

[AnjaSanja]

Can you pick him up on higher ground. Or corner him. For some reason everything is easier on the counter.

 

[Orenoko]

I've got one on oral meds and eye drops atm, and she hates being picked up or stroked for very long. I mix the oral meds with banana or something else tasty. Then after she's had that I give her a treat and while she's eating it I put the drops in. It's not the ideal bunny diet but the way I look at it is she's much less stressed and it's only temporary! Hope you can work something out for yours.

 

[Buka]

I've got one on oral meds and eye drops atm, and she hates being picked up or stroked for very long. I mix the oral meds with banana or something else tasty. Then after she's had that I give her a treat and while she's eating it I put the drops in. It's not the ideal bunny diet but the way I look at it is she's much less stressed and it's only temporary! Hope you can work something out for yours.

Benji accepted his meds today with some basil and a slice of banana. However I did not succeed in giving him his drops today he is on oral antibiotics though so I hope he will be ok even if I miss some eye drops… he’s still so stressed and still thumping if I go anywhere near him <facepalm>.

Thank you for all your tips everyone, I’ll keep trying with the various methods

 

[keletkezes]

Don't feel too disheartened with the burrito fail, we never managed with Lopsy! This was as far as we got:

We were lucky with eyedrops, I could ninja them in when he was eating his antibiotic-laced treat!

Best of luck xxx