I think I'm losing Lucky

[Omi]

Sending lots of vibes for Lucky. I hope he improves so that you do not have to worry about him.

 

[Orenoko]

Gut stasis (if that's what it is) becomes critical within hours, not days. Your vet is the best person to diagnose what is wrong, and what the primary causes may be.

Having had very recent contact with baby rabbits which have since died, plus another from an unknown source, it's quite likely that there are residual issues from them. Hygiene (such as daily cleaning of litter trays) is very important when the cause of recent illness / death has not been confirmed. Sudden changes in diet also cause stress - so removing hay, then removing pellets and going to hay only in a matter of days is maybe not the wisest course of action under the current circumstances.

I hope that Lucky gets some appropriate help before his condition deteriorates.

Agree with this, it's highly unlikely to be something in your flat causing it and more likely to be linked to one of the above. Rabbits with stasis can go downhill in a matter of hours, although they can also improve quickly too with the right treatment. I hope he's doing better today but would also get him checked at the vet. I've paid for consultations and then my rabbits have been absolutely fine and I think maybe I could've done without in hindsight but I'd rather be sure.

 

[Lord Trellis]

I will continue to empty there litter trays daily. I don't think the pellets are doing them any favors so if the rabbits have got early signs of gut stasis then its best to keep them on the hay and water and avoid treats and pellets. I understand about the sudden change in diet isn't good however the change wasn't too sudden, I still give them a handful of pellets in the mornings which is getting less and less each day. They are getting lots of hay. Lucky seems to be doing ok but I don't want to speak too soon at this point. I also need to get my flat tested for possible Radon gasses just encase.

 

[Lord Trellis]

I don't think I'll ever stop worrying about my bunnies after what happened. Lucky is still ok and eating and pooping normally. I would really like to see him do a binky or zoomie just so I know he is ok. I checked all his responses to things which seem ok.

I haven't seen any more dark urine. His urine is normal in color.

 

[bunny momma]

A vet visit may either diagnose the issue or put your mind at ease. Sending vibes.

 

[InspectorMorse]

I don't think I'll ever stop worrying about my bunnies after what happened. Lucky is still ok and eating and pooping normally. I would really like to see him do a binky or zoomie just so I know he is ok. I checked all his responses to things which seem ok.

I haven't seen any more dark urine. His urine is normal in color.

Things you can do to monitor your Rabbits health at home.

1 Get to know what normal poop output is for each Rabbit, ie size and quantity of poo. Any change in poo can be the first sign of a problem, even if the Rabbit is still eating.

2 Weigh each Rabbit once a week. Unexplained weight loss is another red flag. If the Rabbit loses some weight consistently over 3 weeks then a Vet check is needed, even if the Rabbit remains well within themselves.

3 Get to know what your Rabbit’s normal resting times and places are. A Rabbit who starts to hide away or changes their routine/behaviour is potentially a Rabbit with a health problem

4 Groom your Rabbits regularly and feel all over them for any lumps, especially along the jaw line and at the base of each ear. Incisor teeth can be checked but it’s not possible to check the molar teeth without appropriate equipment. Even then it isn’t possible to see 100% of a Rabbit’s oral cavity whilst the Rabbit is awake. Check the coat for any sign of mites. Check the toenails are not too long and check the hocks are not losing fur/bald/sore. Check inside the ear canals for any signs of a lot of wax build up or inflammation.

5 Bum checks should be done at least once a day, twice a day in Summer months

6 Have a good basic husbandry routine. All litter trays should be changed and disinfected daily

7 Ensure all Rabbits are up to date with their vaccinations

8 Feeding a diet that is based on 80%-90% hay. Fresh clean water should always be available.

Whilst Rabbits are now the third most popular pet they are the most likely to be cared for incorrectly. Not because people do not care but because they have not researched what good Rabbit care really is.

Rabbits are a prey species and therefore very skilled at hiding illness or injury. So it is often the case that if a Rabbit is looking sick they are actually very sick. Subtle warning signs being missed by inexperienced/ill informed care givers. Consulting a Vet promptly is always essential if the care giver has a gut feeling something is wrong. With Rabbits prompt Veterinary attention can mean that a problem can be addressed before it becomes serious. This will save a lot of heartache and a lot of money.

 

[Lord Trellis]

Things you can do to monitor your Rabbits health at home.

1 Get to know what normal poop output is for each Rabbit, ie size and quantity of poo. Any change in poo can be the first sign of a problem, even if the Rabbit is still eating.

2 Weigh each Rabbit once a week. Unexplained weight loss is another red flag. If the Rabbit loses some weight consistently over 3 weeks then a Vet check is needed, even if the Rabbit remains well within themselves.

3 Get to know what your Rabbit’s normal resting times and places are. A Rabbit who starts to hide away or changes their routine/behaviour is potentially a Rabbit with a health problem

4 Groom your Rabbits regularly and feel all over them for any lumps, especially along the jaw line and at the base of each ear. Incisor teeth can be checked but it’s not possible to check the molar teeth without appropriate equipment. Even then it isn’t possible to see 100% of a Rabbit’s oral cavity whilst the Rabbit is awake. Check the coat for any sign of mites. Check the toenails are not too long and check the hocks are not losing fur/bald/sore. Check inside the ear canals for any signs of a lot of wax build up or inflammation.

5 Bum checks should be done at least once a day, twice a day in Summer months

6 Have a good basic husbandry routine. All litter trays should be changed and disinfected daily

7 Ensure all Rabbits are up to date with their vaccinations

8 Feeding a diet that is based on 80%-90% hay. Fresh clean water should always be available.

Whilst Rabbits are now the third most popular pet they are the most likely to be cared for incorrectly. Not because people do not care but because they have not researched what good Rabbit care really is.

Rabbits are a prey species and therefore very skilled at hiding illness or injury. So it is often the case that if a Rabbit is looking sick they are actually very sick. Subtle warning signs being missed by inexperienced/ill informed care givers. Consulting a Vet promptly is always essential if the care giver has a gut feeling something is wrong. With Rabbits prompt Veterinary attention can mean that a problem can be addressed before it becomes serious. This will save a lot of heartache and a lot of money.

Thanks for the info.

I can't feel any lumps on him and from what I can tell his teeth are good and his bum is always clean and his nails are good. He is resting more than normal and his eating habits have changed so I will get him to a vet tomorrow. It could be that he just wants to rest, rabbits often rest a lot and sleep throughout the day I could be worrying about nothing but then again his eating habits have changed, normally he eats more.

I was going to bring him to the vet today but I had to wait in for my hay delivery so I'll have to take him tomorrow instead for peace of mind.

 

[Lord Trellis]

Coming to think of it... birds are almost the same, you don't know there ill until they show signs of illness and then they go down hill very quickly, its probably the same with a lot of small animals. I've learned quite a lot over the past year about both birds and rabbits although rabbits are not new to me. My old bunnies must have been made from very stern stuff because I used to be careless on what they ate "I wasn't as knowledgeable back then" before the internet became a common thing in homes. They would eat all sorts of stuff like toast, veg treats they didn't always have hay and not once did any of them get ill. They lived for a very long time. Maybe some rabbits have poor genes or not as strong genes or something.

 

[InspectorMorse]

Coming to think of it... birds are almost the same, you don't know there ill until they show signs of illness and then they go down hill very quickly, its probably the same with a lot of small animals. I've learned quite a lot over the past year about both birds and rabbits although rabbits are not new to me. My old bunnies must have been made from very stern stuff because I used to be careless on what they ate "I wasn't as knowledgeable back then" before the internet became a common thing in homes. They would eat all sorts of stuff like toast, veg treats they didn't always have hay and not once did any of them get ill. They lived for a very long time. Maybe some rabbits have poor genes or not as strong genes or something.

I think so much has changed over the last 20 years regarding keeping Rabbits. It was once considered to be fine to keep Rabbits alone at the end of the garden in a 4ft hutch and feed them on nothing but a Muesli Mix. Yes, some Rabbits did still live long lives. But probably not happy ones.
When I had my first Rabbits 26 years ago they were an impulse buy from a Pet Shop. I knew nothing about how to care for them and fed them all the wrong foods. Also, I assumed that all Vets knew about how to treat sick Rabbits. I soon realised that was far from the case. Sadly it cost the lives of two of my Rabbits. I think the RWAF have done a huge amount to educate people and to improve the welfare of Rabbits. You won’t go far wrong if you refer to the advice on the RWAF site

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/

You don’t have to become a member, but if you do you get a free quarterly magazine called ‘Rabbiting On’ and there is usually some interesting articles in it. Plus you can submit photos of your own Rabbits which might be selected for publication

 

[Zarla]

I would not change their diet to hay only after all the stress they've been through recently. Keep feeding them a small amount of pellets. I've never not given my rabbits pellets. They also need greens.