• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Snuffles

H

Harvey_Rabbit

New Kit
We recently adopted a rabbit from a rescue and while in their care he developed the Snuffles. He recovered very quickly and since treatment has been just as happy and energetic (and crazy) before he became ill. The rescue said that he cannot live outside and weren't sure whether it would be safe for him to be neutered or even go outside occasionally on the grass. They don't usually take in rabbit so couldn't give us much information and we haven't got round to going to the vets yet.

He does have a fairly decent size 2 story cage in a busy kitchen where both of us work from home and is very sociable and we have rabbit proofed the kitchen so from 8am to 10pm he is able to hop about. However we have a huge garden and previously we had guineapigs- we put up a secure fence and they basically had a 'paddock' they spent the day in if it wasn't raining. It seems such a shame if he can't even go out for an hour or so every now and again. I can't think of anything he'd love more than to be able to be outside digging and sprinting around. I've never had a rabbit before but a few friends who have seen him and have experience with rabbit before they have said he is particular hyper!

They also said the condition may mean he can't be neutered... this also made us disappointed as from everything we've read in preparation to getting a rabbit they appreciate each others company. We are happy with just having Harvey but I would hate for him to get lonely and we were prepared to get two rabbit anyway until we fell in love with Harvey!

Basically wondering whether the rescue gave us the right information? We've only had him for about 3 days so we've been mainly focusing on him settling in, he spent maybe about half an hour in his little house in his cage and since then he has been right at home :lol:

Is there a particular bedding he should be having? We have horses so currently we're using that hay for bedding and food and washing/cutting it up for him so it's not dusty or too long. He does have sawdust on the bottom but I've read this isn't great for rabbit anyway?

Thanks :love:
 
Harvey_Rabbit said:
We recently adopted a rabbit from a rescue and while in their care he developed the Snuffles. He recovered very quickly and since treatment has been just as happy and energetic (and crazy) before he became ill. The rescue said that he cannot live outside and weren't sure whether it would be safe for him to be neutered or even go outside occasionally on the grass. They don't usually take in rabbit so couldn't give us much information and we haven't got round to going to the vets yet.

He does have a fairly decent size 2 story cage in a busy kitchen where both of us work from home and is very sociable and we have rabbit proofed the kitchen so from 8am to 10pm he is able to hop about. However we have a huge garden and previously we had guineapigs- we put up a secure fence and they basically had a 'paddock' they spent the day in if it wasn't raining. It seems such a shame if he can't even go out for an hour or so every now and again. I can't think of anything he'd love more than to be able to be outside digging and sprinting around. I've never had a rabbit before but a few friends who have seen him and have experience with rabbit before they have said he is particular hyper!

They also said the condition may mean he can't be neutered... this also made us disappointed as from everything we've read in preparation to getting a rabbit they appreciate each others company. We are happy with just having Harvey but I would hate for him to get lonely and we were prepared to get two rabbit anyway until we fell in love with Harvey!

Basically wondering whether the rescue gave us the right information? We've only had him for about 3 days so we've been mainly focusing on him settling in, he spent maybe about half an hour in his little house in his cage and since then he has been right at home :lol:

Is there a particular bedding he should be having? We have horses so currently we're using that hay for bedding and food and washing/cutting it up for him so it's not dusty or too long. He does have sawdust on the bottom but I've read this isn't great for rabbit anyway?

Thanks :love:
Click to expand...

Hi there and welcome to RU :wave:

I have no idea why you have been advised your rabbit can't go outside :? It's lovely warm weather, and the exercise and Vitamin D would do him good! I am living with a snuffle bunny who has been like it all his life. He's been neutered, had various ops and goes outside every day. He's a very active fellow and lives with his wife.

I know of no reason not to let a bunny who has the label 'snuffles' applied to them live a normal and happy life doing bunny-like things like digging and running around a garden having fun :D

I should book yourself in to see a good vet (is he vaccinated?) and get some advice. Make sure your vet is rabbit savvy ...

Also, you were right - ditch the shavings. No good for a bunny to inhale, especially one with possible respiratory issues.

And ...... photos please :love:
 
I have 2 rescued buns that went into rescue with snuffles. They were treated successfully and when I first adopted them they got a bit snuffly. I took them to vet and they were treated and the vet suggested it could have been the stress with having a new home and total change in their surroundings. They live in a huge hutch in the garden and come out every day for a run around. They love it. Snuffles is caused by a bacteria which often lays dormant. It can flare up occassioally. As long as you are aware and you have a good rabbit savvy vet I'm sure you could let your bun out for a little while on a nice day. If you have a good vet they will be able to tell you if your bun is suitable to neuter. My two are does and have been done. Poor girls were originally used for breeding and never saw daylight so the life they have now is 100 times better than they ever knew before.
 
Thankyou for your replies.
I am so glad about this! I was so worried he was going to be confined to a cage and a kitchen floor. Setting up the fence this evening for him! Also glad neutering is ok, hopefully in the near future he'll be able to have a wife!!
 
I think most of your concerns haver been covered but you ask if horse hay is suitable and it should be, I use hay for horses but we don't normally wash it. Do you let it dry out before you give it to your rabbit? His diet should be 80% hay, good for teeth and digestion.
 
Harvey_Rabbit said:
Thankyou for your replies.
I am so glad about this! I was so worried he was going to be confined to a cage and a kitchen floor. Setting up the fence this evening for him! Also glad neutering is ok, hopefully in the near future he'll be able to have a wife!!
Click to expand...

Glad you found us here :wave: He will have a lovely life with you, no doubt!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Truffles has snuffles
Replies
5
Views
145
Bats
B
cyane182
Relapse on antibiotics
Replies
4
Views
177
Barn Yard Bunnies
Barn Yard Bunnies
P
Bunny still off food and hay, drooling and teeth chattering
2 3
Replies
49
Views
986
twistedtiggerz69
twistedtiggerz69
Back
Top