Totally stumped (bit long, sorry!)

[RussAb]

So far....not so good! I either get begging actions or glares of thorough disgust. I feel incredibly guilty! But she has been nibbling a bit. Not much went during the night so they must be pretty hungry.

Those strange noises returned again last night, although only once or twice. I hope it was just the tail end of the problems on Saturday....

Stupid question this probably....but if she wants to eat newspaper and cardboard, is that alright?! She seems much more interested in that than the hay and grass! She even had a go at my toolbox which I'd put on the floor temporarily whilst moving stuff around in the garage!

 

[Tamsin]

Has she had her teeth checked? Coud try offering her willow toys. Is it yummy hay you feeding, some buns can be fussy

 

[bunnytales]

So far....not so good! I either get begging actions or glares of thorough disgust. I feel incredibly guilty!

Awwww little Abbi - just what are you doing to us little Girl! - Don't worry Russ - maybe that there is a little bit of objection to just the Hay and no treats etc - as Tams mentioned tempt her with some good fresh Hay - natural apple sticks too are normally a winner - try and make sure they are organic though - why have I now got visions of you scouting around orchards with a pair of snippers :lol: :lol: :wink:

 

[RussAb]

Has she had her teeth checked? Coud try offering her willow toys. Is it yummy hay you feeding, some buns can be fussy

Not specifically had her teeth checked....I'll ask when we see this other vet later this week (comes recommended as very bunny savvy).

And I'm not a hay expert, but my dad had a look at it just before christmas and thought it smelled incredibly fresh (and that was about 4-6 weeks after we got it)....so will it still be pretty yummy now? It comes from a local farm who look after several horses.

She did obliterate the last willow toy I bought her, so it must be time for another....

why have I now got visions of you scouting around orchards with a pair of snippers

Well, next door do have an apple tree and raspberry plants in their garden... (or should that be 'did have':twisted: :lol: )

 

[Caz]

Zeus being on hay and water only has also upped his cardboard intake and proceded to strip the carboard boxes off the tiles stacked under the stairs - I pity my husband when he goes to lay them as if he picks the top of the box up - the tiles will just fall out :lol: !!

It hasn't seem to have done him any harm but as I always say he eats polystytrene with no ill effects but banana = :evil: !

Caz

 

[bunnytales]

"]why have I now got visions of you scouting around orchards with a pair of snippers

Well, next door do have an apple tree and raspberry plants in their garden... (or should that be 'did have':twisted: :lol: )

Hey you lucky thing! - Wish I'd got some apple tree's closer - I keep sneaking over to the Adele's and raiding the Orchards when she's not lookin :lol: :lol:

So hows our Abbi today then - behaving herself :?:

 

[RussAb]

Never thought I'd be saying this...but I've never seen them so happy and full of beans! This hay and water diet must be exactly what they both needed. Both have suddenly become a complete handful and, dare I say it, a bit more affectionate (I now get 3 strokes before they run off instead of one :lol: :lol: ).

We have been fortunate though in that earlier this week we found a local farmshop with fantastic hay (and £3 for half a bale - can't believe it!) - they haven't left it alone. Being naive I left the half-bale in the garage in it's plastic bag all day yesterday. Came back to find they'd managed to pull the bag all the way down to the floor and were munching away at this huge bale. Was really funny!

Only downside is that this hay is making them both drink quite a lot more, and one of the bunnies is leaving wet patches all around. But they were only getting through a quarter of a bottle a day between them before, so I was worried they weren't drinking enough.

 

[Towsbuns]

That is excellent news - the increased water intake certainly won't hurt them either - mine drink loads.

 

[bunnytales]

Yay!!!!!! - thats brill news - well done and the bunsters - suprising what a natural diet can do eh :wink: - I'm so happy for you - there is nothing quite like seeing the turnaround in bunnies when they have been a little low.

Sounds like you've got a good deal there on the Hay - and the munching bunnies agree by the sounds of things.

 

[Tamsin]

Thats great news! Its amazing how they manage to just eat mostly hay and still be happy, healthy animals with lovely glossy coats. They can go through it at quite a rate so I hope the shop has more

Tam

 

[RussAb]

We are pretty pleased admittedly. We've still got our appointment with the rabbit savvy vet tomorrow night (booked on the off chance the problems reappeared on cue! I suppose they still might.....) and I think we'll go anyway. A second opinion and general check up that she's still ok must be worth it.

Thanks everyone for all the help, much appreciated. I don't think I would've dared go for the hay and water option otherwise.

 

[luvabun]

Thats a great result! And I don't blame you for keeping your appointment with the Vet, like you say, its always good to get a second opinion.... and it gives you the chance to look smug when you say the diet is mainly hay- Vet's don't expect that, even in these enlightenend times. :lol: :wink:

 

[Leelou]

Hi Russ

Apologies I haven't read through all the other posts so if I am repeating someone's advice then bear with me.

Harvey (our house rabbit) went through a stage of having diarrhoea on occasions. He was perfectly alright in himself every time and the vet could find nothing particularly wrong with him. The only thing we could put it down to was that it seemed to coincide with things happening at home such as us having visitors generally. We therefore could only assume he was frightened or a bit stressed out and this is what brought it on.

Since we got Honey about 3 months ago he hasn't had any diarrhoea at all so we can only hope that having a friend has helped him feel a bit more settled and secure.

Is there anything that happens regularly just before she gets ill such as people coming over or louder noises or anything?

Just my thoughts.

 

[RussAb]

Hi Russ

Apologies I haven't read through all the other posts so if I am repeating someone's advice then bear with me.

Harvey (our house rabbit) went through a stage of having diarrhoea on occasions. He was perfectly alright in himself every time and the vet could find nothing particularly wrong with him. The only thing we could put it down to was that it seemed to coincide with things happening at home such as us having visitors generally. We therefore could only assume he was frightened or a bit stressed out and this is what brought it on.

Since we got Honey about 3 months ago he hasn't had any diarrhoea at all so we can only hope that having a friend has helped him feel a bit more settled and secure.

Is there anything that happens regularly just before she gets ill such as people coming over or louder noises or anything?

Just my thoughts.

Thanks for the thoughts ......we've racked our brain on this and just can't think what happens just on the weekend to stress them out. It was often there when we got in from work on Friday night, so it's not like we'd been around to set it off.

If all goes to form she'll be ill again in the next 24 hours. But her and Giles look as happy as they've ever been (and their poos are massive :lol: )so I'm hopeful we've cracked it, and it was their pellets.

They're drinking a phenomenal amount though.....emptied the bottle in 3 hours last night, which meant it ended up on the hutch floor a little while afterwards. They only seem to wee when eating. Strategic placing of hay so that they have to be sat in their litter tray to eat it hasn't worked! Hoping that's not summat to worry about.....we'll see what the vet says later. Now hoping my practice at looking smug hasn't gone to waste

 

[RussAb]

Spoke too soon She's ill again. Not half an hour ago she was bounding around happy as 'owt. At least we know it isn't:

1. Pellets
2. The car
3. Veggies
4. Megazorb

So to me it can only be stress, eating cardboard or possibly the readigrass they have alongside the hay - we did start them on that a week before the problem started.......

I did clean the hutch out last night, and it takes me a while. Perhaps that stresses her out?! But she was fine an hour ago, so could it be that.

 

[luvabun]

Hoping that's not summat to worry about.....we'll see what the vet says later. Now hoping my practice at looking smug hasn't gone to waste

It won't have.. .trust me... :wink: good luck at the Vets

 

[luvabun]

Spoke too soon She's ill again. Not half an hour ago she was bounding around happy as 'owt. At least we know it isn't:

1. Pellets
2. The car
3. Veggies
4. Megazorb

So to me it can only be stress, eating cardboard or possibly the readigrass they have alongside the hay - we did start them on that a week before the problem started.......

I did clean the hutch out last night, and it takes me a while. Perhaps that stresses her out?! But she was fine an hour ago, so could it be that.

Oh no!! you must have posted this as I replied to you. What time are you going to the Vets? And by the way, Readigrass does not agree with my buns - they get runny bums with it. Where is she whilst you're on cage cleaning duty?

 

[bunnytales]

Oh ek! - Just when we all throught you'd cracked it!! - will keep fingers crossed for little Abi - let us know how she gets on - sure seems a strange one this :?:

 

[RussAb]

Oh no!! you must have posted this as I replied to you. What time are you going to the Vets? And by the way, Readigrass does not agree with my buns - they get runny bums with it. Where is she whilst you're on cage cleaning duty?

They're always with me "helping" when I'm cleaning them out. I do use a spray to clean the hutch (recommended by the rescue centre) but get them out of the way when I do use it. And I'm as sure as I can be that I get it all mopped up again, so I'd hope they don't ingest any.

I always wondered about it....if it kills bacteria and a bunny ingests it.....surely it'd trash their good bacteria :?: .

I don't think it is that though....I usually clean their hutch out later over the weekend after she's been ill. Last night was a one-off as they'd trashed it.

Vet's appointment is at 5pm.

 

[RussAb]

Don't know if this is relevant or anything, but I've just been watching her. Quite frequently she suddenly rises up on her tiptoes, momentarily, then sits straight back down. The whole movement takes less than a second. Then, when the movement's over, she makes a noise. Hard to describe the noise, best I can think of is that it sounds like an old door creaking, or like when your tummy rumbles when you're hungry.

I think I've mentioned that I thought it was her passing wind. But the noise quite clearly comes from her nose or throat. It's almost like she's got hiccups or burps or something.