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Vibes please UPDATE - MONDAY

Hi there. Hope your bunny gets on the mend soon. Poor wee mite but she is lucky to have you giving her lots of good care.

You will be an expert by the end of this! I just try to get as much in as possible in any one go when I have to syringe feed my bunnies.

When I do it, I tend to mush down my pellets with boiled cooled water and make it into a paste. I mix in a little baby food to smooth it out a little. I use the syringe that you can buy in Dentinox Infant Colic Drops and snip off the end completely. That gives it a very wide bore (its a thick 2.5ml syringe) (By the way I then bin the Dentinox Colic drops as I don't think it can be given to bunnies...you can buy it in Tesco next to the Infacol etc.). That little syringe is fab and allows the food to be quite pasty and sooks up well with none of those pesky air bubbles. Its a good size to get into the bunny's mouth but allows you a thicker consistency of food. I usually get the 2.5mls in my bunny in three goes.

I have to say, I always heat my syringed food up before I start the process. Obviously just to a nice warm temperature, not roasting hot. Often I try to use boiled water that has been cooled to nice warm temperature. The difference in the amount my bunnies take when the syringed food is warm compared to when it is cold is phenomenal!!!

Good luck to you and bunny. Wish I was closer and I would you come and help you to give you a break. Sending vibes anyway

Fiona x
 
hi. syringe fed her again last night. just been out and bought kale, purple topped broccolli, baby sweetcorn, mange tout, pak choi for her. she had a quick nibble of the kale and sweetcorn but just looked at the rest. also bought some vegetable baby food. she has poohed again but it only moves through when i am massaging her tummy. At this rate she will have to come to work with me tomorrow so i can continue to syringe feed her. wont be able to take her to the vets until 4pm ish, unless i have a couple of students away and get some free periods! :) Should I just leave her with the tasty sweet veg etc for the afternoon and see if she eats some of it? or carry on with the baby food? kinda thinking she might be full and therefore unlikely to eat as she has eaten nearly 2/3 of the jar of baby food since yesterday morning and pineapple juice. dont know. once again all advice gratefully received. Jess
 
I too have had to manage all of my syringe feeding around working full time. I just make sure my bunny has had a good syringe feed in the morning and then leave lots and lots of treats,hay and pellets for during the day. I have usually always managed to sneak off home early to get another syringe feed done/get to the vets etc! But of course it adds to the stress of it all.

You can only do what you can do in these circumstances and as long as she gets something in as regularly as possible, that's all you can do when you have to fit work in too.

I managed to get one rabbit to syringe feed so successfully that she gained weight. I think that was a spot of luck though. The point of this story is that I was convinced that she was so full that she didn't eat on her own but I don't think so now. I think the stress of syringe feeding can depress them and stop them from eating on their own, but probably not completely. But needs must of course! She'll just have to put up with it :wink: I usually cut down and stop syringe feeding onlywhen I am satisfied that they have nibbled enough. Its a tough call, but I wouldn't expect 'fullness' to be to blame for her not eating on her own just yet. I suppose its still very early days following her big op.

Snuggles to your bunny. You are doing a good job.

Fiona x
 
She has nibbled at some kale and eaten a couple of baby sweetcorn which i am pleased about. I will give her 5ml of baby food tonight and then leave her tonight then syringe feed in the morning again and hopefully she will cont to eat the kale. Am so tired I dont think i can do another night of 2 hr feeds. She still isnt pooing unless i massage her tummy so having to remember to do that. glas she is going back to the vet again tomorrow. Thanks Fiona for all your empathy, it helps!
 
Hi all just a quick update to say that about 8pm she was happily munching. I still syringe fed her before going to bed, then fed her again this morning before i went to work. When I got home lots of kale gone and lots of poohs. Took her to the vet to have the drain removed and have now bonded her back into the group outside. She seems ok but will obviously keep a close eye on her for next couple of weeks. Just very tired now and could sleep for a week!! Thanks for all your advice and support, it was good to have it and know there were people who were thinking of her. thank you x Jess
 
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