Chief is breathing noisily again! U/d June, eye issues now too

[twistedtiggerz69]

Aw, thank you. Smudge must've been really cute with their smudgy nose.

You can click "Attach files" underneath the thingie where you're typing your post, and then select a photo from your computer and add it. That should work! Unless you mean adding a photo in your signature, which you can do in your account setting under "Signature".

Thank you yes that does help a lot. I am going through my posts now

 

[a reader of books]

I will ask the nurse when we go for a weigh in which we will be doing monthly. It's due this week actually so I will book them in. She has loads of rabbits so could help us with that I expect. They are insured so I expect they should be covered for arthritis. We are saving for Chief's next dental which I guess will happen soon enough as he had a slight burr when he was checked on the 13th May. We don't want it to affect him eating or cause him pain. He has never really been active as an adult but he has definitely got more active since he lost weight.

Yes Lillabelle is still quite skittish. If you walk past her she sometimes gets up and hides under the bed. Also sometimes when we feed her fresh herbs and veggies she won't come out from under the bed and we have to give her the bowl under the bed. She has been worse as she has just been spayed so I guess a surge in hormones is making her a bit nervous? However they do not move much whereas the smaller rabbits move about all day don't they? Other than that they are quite lazy in the day and wake up in evening for their grub then snooze again for a while. Later they are more mischievous and we give them toys and fresh willow to chew for that. Plus we try now to get them running back and forth for pellets later in the evening. Lillabelle is quick to learn but Mischief is still lazy. He does chase Lillabelle sometimes and they run around the bedroom and under the bed and down our long hall. If they sit by the kitchen door and wait I give them a treat of a sprig of herbs. I now know to take it from their usual daily food. This is now called the treat run and they wait every day for their herbs or whatever.

Lillabelle is up on the bed asking for food. She does this all evening pretty much so we have her pellets ready to hand feed her a few. She is weird about getting too close to us sometimes and stretches so far to get pellets. Another day she just sits right up next to us. So strange.

Mischief has sussed that I do his eye drops when he jumps up on the bed for his pellets. I have to hide them as I grab him from above before he bolts. He runs really quick sometimes when he wants to. He got very cross tonight. He spotted I was holding the eye drops and tried to leg it. He is a nightmare to give eye drops. He squeezes his eyes so tight. I try to open them gently and kind of wait above him until his eye opens then drop them in but he sometimes is too quick and shuts them again!

Awwww imagine if we had all the buns together for races! We could have little jumps as well and tunnels to run in

You would be shocked watching Chief eat. He can eat 3-4 sprigs of herbs in one go and he just eats them in one big bunch. We have to make him slow down sometimes and take it away as he rushes too much. He acts like he is permanently hungry but that has calmed down since we introduced the new timothy hay to them

That sounds like a good idea. I hope their weigh-in will go well and they've lost a bit of weight, and that Chief can stay comfortable until he needs his next dental (hopefully not too soon!). Insurance has definitely helped a lot with Sophie's arthritis (Casper isn't insured).

Aw, she does sound skittish. That's understandable that she's been worse since her spay. It's a big thing to go through. She and Mischief do sound less active than Casper and Sophie. That's great that you're trying to get them to run back and forth for their pellets, even though Mischief doesn't sound like he's playing along, haha. Clever Lillabelle has caught on, at least. It's so cute that they'll sit and wait by the kitchen door to get a herby treat.

Aw, sounds like maybe some days she's feeling a bit more confident than others? She must be getting a lot of exercise jumping on the bed all evening to ask for food!

Aww, giving him his eye drops must be quite a challenge. Clever boy, shutting his eyes before the drops can get in.

They'd probably end up all taking a nap.

Wow, sounds like he can eat a lot of food very fast! I'm impressed when Sophie or Casper do two sprigs at the time, but that's nothing compared to Mischief. I'm glad the new timothy hay is helping with him acting permanently hungry.

 

[twistedtiggerz69]

I will get him checked over for arthritis as he is getting old as far as frenchies go
Thank you yes they are doing well so far. I hope our scales are right
Why is Casper not insured? Do you mind me asking? Is it due to his health? I did consider whether to insure Mischief as he has health issues in the past but I decided to do it just before he reached 5 years old as insurance stops then for buns. I got them both insured together as we don't have much spare money and insurance kind of protects us from the huge vet bill.

Yes she is settling down now but still occasionally pulls out the litter trays and drags all the hay and wood pellets out on to their big tray. Then my OH has to clean it up depending how my back is. It's quite funny to watch his reaction as he mutters under his breath. However Lillabelle has a sweet spot for him and wraps him around her little paw so he always gives in and talks all gooey to her My granddaughter Ivie is the same. She winds him up so much

They are more active but Chief is still not active enough really. It could be his older age or that he still needs to lose weight though? He can shift if he wants to. He can fly off the bed if he sees earlier drops in my hand. I have to grab him from behind and hold on to him. They also both do the usual dash for cover whenever we come in the room carrying bags or boxes and they think it is some monster
And he can jump up on the bed although he does that less now and we often pick him up if he won't jump up. I just realised it could be because of arthritis! He may need a step to get on the bed now. Or even better still we can go down to him at ground level some times

I have not ever had an elderly bunny before as an adult. Both my past buns were put to sleep. My first ever french lop, Misty was my shadow and I adored her. She was always with me. I lost her due to a terrible accident. My reclining chair fell down by accident and hit her on the head. That was a terrible experience that haunts me to this day

And my other past bunny and french lop Bonnie was the most loving bunny I have had. She would literally lick me to death. One day we had gone out with my daughter and grandkids and came home to Bonnie dragging herself around in a circle. She had lost the use of both legs. We took her to the PDSA who said we should pts and that was heart breaking for me too

So I need to do the best for Mischief and Lillabelle including checking them for arthritis. And regular vet checks as well although we do check them over regularly ourselves.

Yes she has some days where she is nose bumping you constantly as even let's you stroke her for a while and another time she pounces at you in fighting stance and growls (which sounds like an angry bee buzzing) and you dare not touch her in case she has your hand off! My OH calls her Bellatrix and it suits her better No I joke. We love them both dearly. However I don't think Lillabelle has arthritis from the way she moves around

Yes we watch them eating for ages and he is such a piggy! It is shocking how quick he can eat. Lillabelle is just so dainty like a little princess. Mischief knows he has a hot girly. He is so much in love

Oh honestly the kerfuffle he makes over them! I say to him it's only eye drops! He closes his eyes so closed it is impossible to open them! And after he has been getting his pellets and he kind of snatches them out of my hand then gives me this side ways stare and is all huffy. He is such an old man and sooooo bossy!

I love that Yes they would and I wouldn't be far behind these days! I fall asleep standing up as well due to my meds!

I apologise if I repeat myself. I feel I am making this conversation go around in circles

 

[a reader of books]

I will get him checked over for arthritis as he is getting old as far as frenchies go
Thank you yes they are doing well so far. I hope our scales are right
Why is Casper not insured? Do you mind me asking? Is it due to his health? I did consider whether to insure Mischief as he has health issues in the past but I decided to do it just before he reached 5 years old as insurance stops then for buns. I got them both insured together as we don't have much spare money and insurance kind of protects us from the huge vet bill.

Yes she is settling down now but still occasionally pulls out the litter trays and drags all the hay and wood pellets out on to their big tray. Then my OH has to clean it up depending how my back is. It's quite funny to watch his reaction as he mutters under his breath. However Lillabelle has a sweet spot for him and wraps him around her little paw so he always gives in and talks all gooey to her My granddaughter Ivie is the same. She winds him up so much

They are more active but Chief is still not active enough really. It could be his older age or that he still needs to lose weight though? He can shift if he wants to. He can fly off the bed if he sees earlier drops in my hand. I have to grab him from behind and hold on to him. They also both do the usual dash for cover whenever we come in the room carrying bags or boxes and they think it is some monster
And he can jump up on the bed although he does that less now and we often pick him up if he won't jump up. I just realised it could be because of arthritis! He may need a step to get on the bed now. Or even better still we can go down to him at ground level some times

I have not ever had an elderly bunny before as an adult. Both my past buns were put to sleep. My first ever french lop, Misty was my shadow and I adored her. She was always with me. I lost her due to a terrible accident. My reclining chair fell down by accident and hit her on the head. That was a terrible experience that haunts me to this day

And my other past bunny and french lop Bonnie was the most loving bunny I have had. She would literally lick me to death. One day we had gone out with my daughter and grandkids and came home to Bonnie dragging herself around in a circle. She had lost the use of both legs. We took her to the PDSA who said we should pts and that was heart breaking for me too

So I need to do the best for Mischief and Lillabelle including checking them for arthritis. And regular vet checks as well although we do check them over regularly ourselves.

Yes she has some days where she is nose bumping you constantly as even let's you stroke her for a while and another time she pounces at you in fighting stance and growls (which sounds like an angry bee buzzing) and you dare not touch her in case she has your hand off! My OH calls her Bellatrix and it suits her better No I joke. We love them both dearly. However I don't think Lillabelle has arthritis from the way she moves around

Yes we watch them eating for ages and he is such a piggy! It is shocking how quick he can eat. Lillabelle is just so dainty like a little princess. Mischief knows he has a hot girly. He is so much in love

Oh honestly the kerfuffle he makes over them! I say to him it's only eye drops! He closes his eyes so closed it is impossible to open them! And after he has been getting his pellets and he kind of snatches them out of my hand then gives me this side ways stare and is all huffy. He is such an old man and sooooo bossy!

I love that Yes they would and I wouldn't be far behind these days! I fall asleep standing up as well due to my meds!

I apologise if I repeat myself. I feel I am making this conversation go around in circles

Good idea. It can't hurt to get him checked out.
When I adopted Casper I tried to insure him, but he had already had some health problems at that time, and they said they couldn't (didn't want to, more like) insure him because of that. It's unfortunate, because I do think insurance is a good idea. Sophie's insurance has saved me so much money, and I agree, it's a good protection against huge vet bills.

Aww, sounds like Lillabelle can do what she wants and your OH will clean up after her, haha. It's hard to stay annoyed with bunnies.

It's amazing how fast and agile they suddenly become when it's time for medication, isn't it? Or, yes, when the box monster shows up! It must be weird for them when a moving tower of boxes and bags suddenly appears. Aw, yes, maybe try if Mischief needs a step to get on the bed more easily. Though I think floor time with them is really nice, too.

I'm really so, so sorry again about the heartbreaking ways you lost Misty and Bonnie. Sweet dreams, special bunnies.

I understand why you need to do the best for Mischief and Lillabelle, and I think you really are doing so. You put so much effort into getting everything right for them, it's really wonderful to read about.

Aww, sounds like she has some social and some less social days. I've never heard a bunny buzz like an angry bee. It does sound like Lillabelle is much too speedy to have arthritis!

Misschief the piggy, aww. He must have quite the appetite! It's cute that Lillabelle eats very daintily instead. They do sound like they make a good pair.

Well, I can't say I blame him; it does sound unleasant to have someone put eye drops in your eyes. I think old bunnies get to be bossy and have everything their way, don't you? I feel like they've earned it.

It sounds like all of us should just take a nap, then.

That's really okay; I didn't feel like you are.

 

[twistedtiggerz69]

Good idea. It can't hurt to get him checked out.
When I adopted Casper I tried to insure him, but he had already had some health problems at that time, and they said they couldn't (didn't want to, more like) insure him because of that. It's unfortunate, because I do think insurance is a good idea. Sophie's insurance has saved me so much money, and I agree, it's a good protection against huge vet bills.

Aww, sounds like Lillabelle can do what she wants and your OH will clean up after her, haha. It's hard to stay annoyed with bunnies.

It's amazing how fast and agile they suddenly become when it's time for medication, isn't it? Or, yes, when the box monster shows up! It must be weird for them when a moving tower of boxes and bags suddenly appears. Aw, yes, maybe try if Mischief needs a step to get on the bed more easily. Though I think floor time with them is really nice, too.

I'm really so, so sorry again about the heartbreaking ways you lost Misty and Bonnie. Sweet dreams, special bunnies.

I understand why you need to do the best for Mischief and Lillabelle, and I think you really are doing so. You put so much effort into getting everything right for them, it's really wonderful to read about.

Aww, sounds like she has some social and some less social days. I've never heard a bunny buzz like an angry bee. It does sound like Lillabelle is much too speedy to have arthritis!

Misschief the piggy, aww. He must have quite the appetite! It's cute that Lillabelle eats very daintily instead. They do sound like they make a good pair.

Well, I can't say I blame him; it does sound unleasant to have someone put eye drops in your eyes. I think old bunnies get to be bossy and have everything their way, don't you? I feel like they've earned it.

It sounds like all of us should just take a nap, then.

That's really okay; I didn't feel like you are.

That's what I thought

My insurance company, Agria, did not ask me for details of Mischief's past health. Both of them are not insured for any illness or injury that happens after their policies start. Mischief has past health issues but we decided to get him covered and hope we never have to use it. I did not think to check that he was actually covered at all. They sent me the policy docs OK so I just thought it was sorted. Should I have checked what he is covered for or anything? I have not insured my buns before.

Sorry A Reader of Books but do you like your name in capitals or lower case please? No we never get annoyed with them. How can you? My OH (Phil) and I are constantly going to each other...'Shush! Quick. Come see this...' and it is always to show each other one of the buns flipped out on their side or both of them nose to nose in love or Mischief actually licking Lillabelle for a change (he is sooooooo lazy! )

Mischief definitely does not look like a bunny with arthritis in those moments I shouldn't laugh really but sometimes I have been standing somewhere for ages and then they suddenly see me and bolt

Q1q1Yes I need to look in to getting a step for him. He is getting older now and maybe he will come up and see us more if we do. Yes I have been having floor time today Mischief is very wary of me putting my hand out to touch his head and starts to run off the bed since yesterday. I have stopped eye drops for a couple days to slowly gain his trust again. On the floor he is much less wary and we have been nose to nose a few times today and I was a great climbing frame for both of them

However I need to work out if he is just being a silly rabbit about the eye drops. Or is he flinching as his eyes are sore? I was looking at them today and they still look a bit red. However it was dark then so I need to check in daylight. I will take a look tomorrow and if needed get him looked at when we do their weigh check next week.

Thank you. Yes the more you love them the harder it is when they are gone. Misty Bonnie
That is so lovely of you to say. I feel more confident that I am doing my best for them now. Only because Rabbits United has educated me so well on bunnies though. And I love that it is all about the bunnies on here as well. I mean there are other threads but they are the stars of the show

Yes it sounds like an angry bee. It is quite loud as well. She just hates to be picked up. We try not to unless deemed necessary. I often think how we would feel if we had the same treatment as our bunnies do from some giant...
Yes they are so in love I must try and do a photo shoot of them together. And alone. They won't be anywhere as good as yours though

I agree that he has earned his moody moments. He is very grumpy of late though. Perhaps his eyes are sore? Actually I forgot that I did his ear cleaner yesterday. That is probably why he is stroppy but I will keep a close eye on him

I am always up for some sleep time

 

[a reader of books]

That's what I thought

My insurance company, Agria, did not ask me for details of Mischief's past health. Both of them are not insured for any illness or injury that happens after their policies start. Mischief has past health issues but we decided to get him covered and hope we never have to use it. I did not think to check that he was actually covered at all. They sent me the policy docs OK so I just thought it was sorted. Should I have checked what he is covered for or anything? I have not insured my buns before.

Sorry A Reader of Books but do you like your name in capitals or lower case please? No we never get annoyed with them. How can you? My OH (Phil) and I are constantly going to each other...'Shush! Quick. Come see this...' and it is always to show each other one of the buns flipped out on their side or both of them nose to nose in love or Mischief actually licking Lillabelle for a change (he is sooooooo lazy! )

Mischief definitely does not look like a bunny with arthritis in those moments I shouldn't laugh really but sometimes I have been standing somewhere for ages and then they suddenly see me and bolt

Q1q1Yes I need to look in to getting a step for him. He is getting older now and maybe he will come up and see us more if we do. Yes I have been having floor time today Mischief is very wary of me putting my hand out to touch his head and starts to run off the bed since yesterday. I have stopped eye drops for a couple days to slowly gain his trust again. On the floor he is much less wary and we have been nose to nose a few times today and I was a great climbing frame for both of them

However I need to work out if he is just being a silly rabbit about the eye drops. Or is he flinching as his eyes are sore? I was looking at them today and they still look a bit red. However it was dark then so I need to check in daylight. I will take a look tomorrow and if needed get him looked at when we do their weigh check next week.

Thank you. Yes the more you love them the harder it is when they are gone. Misty Bonnie
That is so lovely of you to say. I feel more confident that I am doing my best for them now. Only because Rabbits United has educated me so well on bunnies though. And I love that it is all about the bunnies on here as well. I mean there are other threads but they are the stars of the show

Yes it sounds like an angry bee. It is quite loud as well. She just hates to be picked up. We try not to unless deemed necessary. I often think how we would feel if we had the same treatment as our bunnies do from some giant...
Yes they are so in love I must try and do a photo shoot of them together. And alone. They won't be anywhere as good as yours though

I agree that he has earned his moody moments. He is very grumpy of late though. Perhaps his eyes are sore? Actually I forgot that I did his ear cleaner yesterday. That is probably why he is stroppy but I will keep a close eye on him

I am always up for some sleep time

Do you mean they're not insured for any illness or injury that happened before their policies start? That's how it normall works. Insurance that doesn't cover any new illness or injury doesn't sound very useful? I think if you can check what he's covered for that sounds like a good idea. That way you won't have any unpleasant surprises if you find out later he's not covered for a certain thing.

Oh, that's kind of you to ask. I'm fine with both. Some people on here just call me Reader, which is good, too. I totally get that. I don't live with other humans, but I'm always sending my best friend photos when Sophie and Casper are being cute.

Aww, they don't sound very observant if they only notice you after ages of you standing there.

I'm glad you've been having fun floor time. That's so cute that they used you as a climbing frame. That makes sense that Mischief is wary of your hand near his head now. Personally, though, but it's your decision, of course, I wouldn't stop the eye drops for a few days if they're still looking a bit red, especially if you think they might be sore. I do understand wanting to regain his trust again, but it sounds like he still needs the eye drops and might get worse again if he doesn't get them for a few days, and then you'll just have to keep giving them for even longer until he's better again. It's tough, though, I know, when they start being wary of you because of your giving them medication.

I'm glad you've been finding it so educational to be here. I really like that it's focused on rabbits here, too.

Sounds like you should rename her Lillabee. I always think like that, too. "How would I like it if some giant picked me up? How would I like it if some giant made me take gross meds?" etc. I certainly wouldn't like being picked up! So, I understand why Sophie and Casper don't, too, and like you do with Lillabelle, I try to only do it when necessary.

I would love to see more photos of them, both together and on their own.

I'm sorry Mischief has been so grumpy lately, aw. His eyes bothering him and having his ears cleaned would make me grumpy, too, and getting the eye drops probably doesn't help, either. Keeping a close eye on him sounds good.

I can always use some extra sleep, too.

 

[twistedtiggerz69]

Sorry my mistake.Am I personally able to delete this post or do I ask somebody? Sorry I am trying to read up on using the forum at the moment

 

[a reader of books]

Sorry my mistake.Am I personally able to delete this post or do I ask somebody? Sorry I am trying to read up on using the forum at the moment

I don't think you can delete your own posts anymore since the forum update. I can't find the option, at least.

 

[twistedtiggerz69]

Do you mean they're not insured for any illness or injury that happened before their policies start? That's how it normall works. Insurance that doesn't cover any new illness or injury doesn't sound very useful? I think if you can check what he's covered for that sounds like a good idea. That way you won't have any unpleasant surprises if you find out later he's not covered for a certain thing.

Oh, that's kind of you to ask. I'm fine with both. Some people on here just call me Reader, which is good, too. I totally get that. I don't live with other humans, but I'm always sending my best friend photos when Sophie and Casper are being cute.

Aww, they don't sound very observant if they only notice you after ages of you standing there.

I'm glad you've been having fun floor time. That's so cute that they used you as a climbing frame. That makes sense that Mischief is wary of your hand near his head now. Personally, though, but it's your decision, of course, I wouldn't stop the eye drops for a few days if they're still looking a bit red, especially if you think they might be sore. I do understand wanting to regain his trust again, but it sounds like he still needs the eye drops and might get worse again if he doesn't get them for a few days, and then you'll just have to keep giving them for even longer until he's better again. It's tough, though, I know, when they start being wary of you because of your giving them medication.

I'm glad you've been finding it so educational to be here. I really like that it's focused on rabbits here, too.

Sounds like you should rename her Lillabee. I always think like that, too. "How would I like it if some giant picked me up? How would I like it if some giant made me take gross meds?" etc. I certainly wouldn't like being picked up! So, I understand why Sophie and Casper don't, too, and like you do with Lillabelle, I try to only do it when necessary.

I would love to see more photos of them, both together and on their own.

I'm sorry Mischief has been so grumpy lately, aw. His eyes bothering him and having his ears cleaned would make me grumpy, too, and getting the eye drops probably doesn't help, either. Keeping a close eye on him sounds good.

I can always use some extra sleep, too.

I definitely will ring Agria and discuss what he is NOT covered for. That would give me piece of mind to some degree ( hopefully) that he is covered for the rest although ears and eyes and lungs are often all issues for bunnies. He has not had a lung issue since but the recent problems with sneezing and breathing due the the dust in the herbs might not help even though the vet said his airways seem ok.

Thank you for clarifying about your name. Mine is from an email I have not changed since I was a dancer. The night I worked for was called Twisted. I don't think you can change your name on this forum can you? I checked at the time as did not mean to give Twistedtigger as it is rather an unusual name to call yourself Really my nickname is Tigger or Tigz but I am happy with Twistedtigger or TT as well. I say this to everybun as I am happy to be called any of them. I totally get why you want to put their photos on here. I love seeing your photos of your best buddies. They are indeed very cute and they always look so clean. Mischief always manages to get dirty somehow. He currently has a bright green mouth. It could be from the fresh herbs he ate or maybe from the sweetheart cabbage they had today. We had that for dinner last night and when it was cooked it ended up turning bright green. They love sweetheart cabbage.

I think Mischief tends to not see well due to him needing a moult soon. He usually has a large moult around September as he was born on September the 19th. The fur on the top of his head has got rather long and we think it may be affecting his sight. I am too nervous to cut it to help him see better in case he moves quick and I hurt him with the scissors. And I don't want to make a hash of it. We call him 'bouffant boy' due to his hair However it is both of them that dash off sharpish due to us suddenly moving after ages. Maybe they don't remember us standing there in the first place?

Yes the floor time is so lovely. They are more confident of us when we are on the floor but they get confused when I pass them something I have in my lips ( without it touching my mouth at all due to germs) however Chief got it earlier and was eating hay I passed to him I did really carefully check his eyes today. The skin looks a bit sore and red above his eye and feels a bit bumpy. I am wondering if there is anything I could put on there to help it heal quicker such as Aloe Vera? I know it is ok around the eyes as I have used it when I had a style. It does sting slightly at first though. Or maybe vaseline to put the on the sore bit to protect it? His eyes look much better than they did though. He has pink around the eyes anyway and white eyelashes so it looks pink anyway. I have not stopped the eye drops but I am wiping around his eyes with cooled boiled water and cotton pads and it seems better. He still runs off if I go to stroke him so I have to catch him and do it quickly but gently. Like you I think he needs the eye drops but I will check with the veterinary nurse when we go back.

That is such a good name for her. She really is a Lillabee! We have lots of nicknames for them. I thought about starting a thread on this but I thought it was probably done already. I often think that it must be scary how us giants do things to them. I think doing Chief's anal glands is the most intrusive. We have not done Lillabelle's as she won't stay still long enough and my OH is an expert in holding Chief. She literally spazzes out like a wild cat biting and scratching. I will ask the vets to check that as well. Something I have not checked with RU...do most people on here clean their bunnies' anal glands as a rule? I'm not sure if we are supposed to do this or leave it as nature intended tbh? Chief's do get smelly and messy if we don't do them.

Yes we do need to take more photos. Our bedroom needs a paint job though which we are planning to do when we are both feeling ok. God knows when that will be The photos show off where we need to decorate too much!

Yes Chief has always growled at my OH when he goes near However he has started growling at me as well. It could be that I am no longer cuddling him a few times a day. I have taken a back seat for Lillabelle to feel comfortable. She worries when I give Chief any attention. She gets very unsettled whenever I have him on me for cuddles running around us and although I try to include her she won't come too close. I can lie on the bed with them together though and stroke them both if I can manage to get Lils in the middle

Yes I am with you on that. I need 12 hours sleep a day due to all the meds I am on. Unfortunately I am getting nowhere near that atm. If we met it would be a sleep fest

 

[twistedtiggerz69]

I don't think you can delete your own posts anymore since the forum update. I can't find the option, at least.

Thank you for looking in to it though

 

[a reader of books]

I definitely will ring Agria and discuss what he is NOT covered for. That would give me piece of mind to some degree ( hopefully) that he is covered for the rest although ears and eyes and lungs are often all issues for bunnies. He has not had a lung issue since but the recent problems with sneezing and breathing due the the dust in the herbs might not help even though the vet said his airways seem ok.

Thank you for clarifying about your name. Mine is from an email I have not changed since I was a dancer. The night I worked for was called Twisted. I don't think you can change your name on this forum can you? I checked at the time as did not mean to give Twistedtigger as it is rather an unusual name to call yourself Really my nickname is Tigger or Tigz but I am happy with Twistedtigger or TT as well. I say this to everybun as I am happy to be called any of them. I totally get why you want to put their photos on here. I love seeing your photos of your best buddies. They are indeed very cute and they always look so clean. Mischief always manages to get dirty somehow. He currently has a bright green mouth. It could be from the fresh herbs he ate or maybe from the sweetheart cabbage they had today. We had that for dinner last night and when it was cooked it ended up turning bright green. They love sweetheart cabbage.

I think Mischief tends to not see well due to him needing a moult soon. He usually has a large moult around September as he was born on September the 19th. The fur on the top of his head has got rather long and we think it may be affecting his sight. I am too nervous to cut it to help him see better in case he moves quick and I hurt him with the scissors. And I don't want to make a hash of it. We call him 'bouffant boy' due to his hair However it is both of them that dash off sharpish due to us suddenly moving after ages. Maybe they don't remember us standing there in the first place?

Yes the floor time is so lovely. They are more confident of us when we are on the floor but they get confused when I pass them something I have in my lips ( without it touching my mouth at all due to germs) however Chief got it earlier and was eating hay I passed to him I did really carefully check his eyes today. The skin looks a bit sore and red above his eye and feels a bit bumpy. I am wondering if there is anything I could put on there to help it heal quicker such as Aloe Vera? I know it is ok around the eyes as I have used it when I had a style. It does sting slightly at first though. Or maybe vaseline to put the on the sore bit to protect it? His eyes look much better than they did though. He has pink around the eyes anyway and white eyelashes so it looks pink anyway. I have not stopped the eye drops but I am wiping around his eyes with cooled boiled water and cotton pads and it seems better. He still runs off if I go to stroke him so I have to catch him and do it quickly but gently. Like you I think he needs the eye drops but I will check with the veterinary nurse when we go back.

That is such a good name for her. She really is a Lillabee! We have lots of nicknames for them. I thought about starting a thread on this but I thought it was probably done already. I often think that it must be scary how us giants do things to them. I think doing Chief's anal glands is the most intrusive. We have not done Lillabelle's as she won't stay still long enough and my OH is an expert in holding Chief. She literally spazzes out like a wild cat biting and scratching. I will ask the vets to check that as well. Something I have not checked with RU...do most people on here clean their bunnies' anal glands as a rule? I'm not sure if we are supposed to do this or leave it as nature intended tbh? Chief's do get smelly and messy if we don't do them.

Yes we do need to take more photos. Our bedroom needs a paint job though which we are planning to do when we are both feeling ok. God knows when that will be The photos show off where we need to decorate too much!

Yes Chief has always growled at my OH when he goes near However he has started growling at me as well. It could be that I am no longer cuddling him a few times a day. I have taken a back seat for Lillabelle to feel comfortable. She worries when I give Chief any attention. She gets very unsettled whenever I have him on me for cuddles running around us and although I try to include her she won't come too close. I can lie on the bed with them together though and stroke them both if I can manage to get Lils in the middle

Yes I am with you on that. I need 12 hours sleep a day due to all the meds I am on. Unfortunately I am getting nowhere near that atm. If we met it would be a sleep fest

That's a good idea, I think. Check whether dental stuff is covered, too, because most bunny insurers don't cover that, I think. Sophie's doesn't.

Oh, you used to be a dancer! That's so cool! I don't think you can change your forum name, no, but I'm not sure... Maybe ask a moderator about it? I'll remember your nicknames. I'm glad you like Sophie and Casper's photos, aw. Silly Mischief getting so dirty from his food, haha. Maybe give him some napkins next time?

Aw, bouffant boy. Since he's nervous right now of your hands coming near his head, it sounds like it'd be difficult to cut his hair right now so it doesn't get in the way of his sight. Do you have some small scissors with rounded tips? Those would be safest to use, I think.

That's so lovely that they're more confident when you're having floor time with them. That's good that Mischief has caught on on your passing him hay with your lips, haha. I'm not sure what you could put on the skin around his eyes to make it heal faster. The vet nurse should know, I'd think. I think the problem with aloe vera or vaseline might be that he or Lillabelle could groom it off and ingest it, and I'm guessing that wouldn't be safe. I'm glad his eyes look a lot better than they did, though. That's good news.

I think there's been threads about nicknames before, but new members must have joined since then, so you could always make a new one. Most bunnies keep their anal glands clean themselves. I'd only do it if the bunny can't do it themself. I do it for Sophie sometimes because she has trouble with her arthritis, but I never do Casper's. If Chief's get so dirty it sounds like he has trouble doing it himself, though, so I think it's a good idea to do his for him so they don't get blocked, though finding out why he has trouble with it would be a good idea, too.

Aw, I'm sure that if you take photos of Mischief and Lillabelle the only thing people will see are two cute bunnies, and not the room they're in.

How come Lillabelle worries when you give Mischief attention and cuddles? That's so nice that she still likes strokes on the bed, though.

I need a lot of sleep as well, so I think a sleep fest doesn't sound so bad.

 

[twistedtiggerz69]

I just read your reply again and so tried ringing Agria but they are closed. I did read up on what they are covered for and it does NOT cover teeth if their teeth have not been checked for 12 months by a vet and if I do not get their teeth fixed within 3 months of the recommendation by the vets. I do not say the exact wording on the policy but from that criteria it seems that they do have their teeth covered if done within their stipulations. I will get it checked though.

Yes I was a dancer but seems like a lifetime ago! I would imagine that everybun loves your bunnies when they model for their beautiful photos Yes a napkin would be great for Mischief except he would demolish it in second

I don't think it would be a great idea to try and cut his hair myself. He does not sit happily for any treatment and just scratches his claws on the bed or the floor and acts very agitated. I have rounded pet scissors but I would be too worried he will move quickly and end up being stabbed in the eye or something plus I am no hairdresser. I will ask the veterinary nurse about this and whether it does actually need doing in the first place. Hopefully his bouffant hairstyle will go as he moults in August/September.

I actually didn't think about Lillabelle ingesting the aloe Vera/vaseline from Chief's eyes! I am such a wally to not think of that! I could ask the nurse however I think she will say the same thing. Maybe just boiled water then or even used camomile teabags maybe? I remember now that I have read about using them on here. Do you know if that could help with soreness around his eyes or is that more for the eyes themselves? I think it was Jane that recommended using them on the eyes but I can't remember for what problem....

I will start a thread maybe then but will wait until I feel better first (as I have both sinusitis and an abscess in my mouth which is triggering nerve pain in my face) as I struggle to keep on top of it if have too many threads active at the same time. I did wonder why he has very dirty anal glands. He also struggles to clean the area each side of his boys bits since he had his neutering. It could be due to being so overweight and so I would hope to see that it has improved since his diet however it could be due to arthritis. I will ask the nurse about this. I had better take a list!

Yes of course they are the stars in their pix but our bedroom needs a good decluttering and decorating but it is a challenge when they live in here with us. We would have to move them out for a few days!

I don't know why Lillabelle worries when we do anything to Chief. As soon as I start cuddling him she jumps up and starts looking anxious and keeps checking he is ok. Is that not a usual thing for buns to do then? She is a very nervous bunny for a giant. From my experience they are usually so laid back about everything but she is the opposite really. We try to make her feel loved whenever she looks nervous and she has improved from when we first got her but she is still anxious most of the time. I hope it is nothing we did.

When we went to see her as a baby the breeder showed us her mum and dad. Mum was bigger than Mischief but the dad was twice the size. He was huge! I wonder if he was actually her dad as she is very small for a french lop. It just goes to show you that even when you see the parents they may not actually the real ones. I hope she isn't small due to over breeding? It is difficult to find bunnies to adopt here. We no longer drive due to health problems and there are not many places to adopt locally.

I think a sleep fest would be an amazing idea! We could have a sleep marathon where the person or bunny that sleeps the longest is the winner

 

[twistedtiggerz69]

I just read up that bunnies can't eat cabbage as it affects their digestion. They don't have it often but we sometimes give them a leaf of mainly sweetheart cabbage as they love it. Should we stop feeding them this then?

 

[Omi]

I just read up that bunnies can't eat cabbage as it affects their digestion. They don't have it often but we sometimes give them a leaf of mainly sweetheart cabbage as they love it. Should we stop feeding them this then?

This almost feels like a joke question haha. I don't know what you've been reading, but please don't value anything that person writes ever again. Because they are wrong.

It's very true that SOME bunnies will develop digestive problems with SOME foods, but this is much more likely to be a problem with the bunny's digestion than the food. I don't even limit the quantity of cabbage that I feed my two.

So let them eat cabbage

 

[InspectorMorse]

I agree with Omi, whilst cabbage might cause an individual Rabbit to get a gassy tummy cabbage itself is not ‘unsafe’ to feed. It’s recommended to stick with dark green varieties.

Recommended Vegetables and Herbs

Discover recommended vegetables and herbs for your rabbit's diet. Explore expert advice to ensure a healthy and balanced diet for your furry friend. Learn more

rabbitwelfare.co.uk

I rarely feed any to my three, purely because they are not that keen on it, not because cabbage is ‘unsafe’

I tend to just feed my Rabbits fresh herbs rather than veg now. They all much prefer herbs.

 

[twistedtiggerz69]

We only give them a leaf of savoy or sweetheart cabbage each when we have it. As I am on a regulated diet we now get a lot of veggies in and we thought why not give them some of what we have for ourselves? I thought I checked it a while ago (when we started to feed it to them) but then I came across it on a post on Google (not RU though) saying that cabbage causes digestives problems due to causing too much gas so I thought best to hold off feeding it until I checked.

We only feed them a little as they have a varied diet of greens anyway. Usually a mixture of spring greens, curly kale, cavolo Nero, spinach (in moderation) plus a few sprigs of herbs -usually dill, parsley, coriander and mint. We also give them a little of cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Pak choi, bell peppers, celery, celeriac, butternut squash, cucumber and others from our own foods just to vary it a little.
Thank you Omi and IM

Can I also ask about Mischief please? He has been really ravenous the last couple of weeks and looking for food constantly. He has also got very moody and gets really cross when I handle him to do his eye drops or anything plus pounces and really growls at us. He has never been a bunny to sit and wait patiently but he has never been this aggressive before. He also seems to have put on weight again. Our scales however change each time we put them on the scales. They are slipping and sliding and trying to run off so we are going to get some fluffy material or something to glue on the scales so they don't slip.

But I think he is getting bigger personally. My OH was reading up on Google and a post from RU came up and he was reading it to me. I forgot to ask him which post it was but anyway...it mentioned how a bunny can be really moody and greedy and wanting extra food around their moulting time. Mischief usually moults in Spring but also has another big moult before his birthday in September. But it usually starts July and ends around late August. His fur is really long plus very dense and he almost goes bald everywhere as he loses the top coat. I remember he was moody last time for a while before a big moult. Could this be the reason for him really being a piggy about food atm? I mean even worse than usual

And if that the case do we feed him as normal even if he seems bigger? I mean of course we will properly weigh him first. Could moulting be the reason for his change in mood perhaps? And if so do we let him just eat more?

I think he is eating all his meals and eating even more hay as well. Or has he sussed we are feeding him less? And so eats more hay to compensate? That would not surprise me. He is the greediest pet I have ever owned. And I have had 3 labradors

 

[InspectorMorse]

First you need to establish what his weight is really doing. His grumpiness could be due to his eyes being sore. Is the treatment helping at all?

How is the soreness manifesting itself? Does he have any sign of entropian/ectropian, a problem French Loos are prone to ?

Entropion/Ectropion - Pet Owners - Eye Vet

Entropion/Ectropion Eyelid abnormalities are common in the veterinary world. Entropion and ectropion are seen regularly and if left untreated can cause considerable discomfort and damage to your pet’s eye Click here to download our information leaflet on Entropion/ectropion.

www.eye-vet.co.uk

If his weight is stable then there is no need to feed him more of anything. He sounds to have realised that he has to eat more hay if there’s no other choice. That is the result wanted

 

[Omi]

First you need to establish what his weight is really doing. His grumpiness could be due to his eyes being sore. Is the treatment helping at all?

How is the soreness manifesting itself? Does he have any sign of entropian/ectropian, a problem French Loos are prone to ?

Entropion/Ectropion - Pet Owners - Eye Vet

Entropion/Ectropion Eyelid abnormalities are common in the veterinary world. Entropion and ectropion are seen regularly and if left untreated can cause considerable discomfort and damage to your pet’s eye Click here to download our information leaflet on Entropion/ectropion.

www.eye-vet.co.uk

If his weight is stable then there is no need to feed him more of anything. He sounds to have realised that he has to eat more hay if there’s no other choice. That is the result wanted

I agree with all of this.

When considering vegetable type foods, including herbs, forage etc, establish first whether the food is toxic. If it isn't, establish whether it is a food, which for some rabbits might cause digestive issues, in which case observe how it affects your bunny. If a food is not toxic and has no ill effects on your bunny, feed it without any worry. Remember too, that the majority of a bunny's diet MUST be hay for them to remain healthy.

All of my bunnies (unless unwell) have always wanted to eat most of the time that they are not sleeping. They cannot control WHAT food is available to them and I very much doubt whether consciously they have a concept of not being given foods of a higher calorific value and therefore becoming 'grumpy' because of that. It is therefore up to us, their carers, to provide food, which will maintain them at a healthy weight. I have never observed any difference around moulting time. I personally also do not believe that rabbits will be moody or grumpy because of it. They might, as Jane has suggested, feel uncomfortable, depressed etc if their health issues/treatment are affecting them.

Regarding his weight, I would strongly advise you to continue with what you were doing and doing successfully in getting him to lose weight. Either get some accurate scales (from Vinted perhaps) or take him to the vet nurse. It's impossible to judge accurately by observation whether a bunny is gaining or losing weight, unless extreme circumstances obviously.

When are they due to see the vet nurse?

 

[a reader of books]

I just read your reply again and so tried ringing Agria but they are closed. I did read up on what they are covered for and it does NOT cover teeth if their teeth have not been checked for 12 months by a vet and if I do not get their teeth fixed within 3 months of the recommendation by the vets. I do not say the exact wording on the policy but from that criteria it seems that they do have their teeth covered if done within their stipulations. I will get it checked though.

Yes I was a dancer but seems like a lifetime ago! I would imagine that everybun loves your bunnies when they model for their beautiful photos Yes a napkin would be great for Mischief except he would demolish it in second

I don't think it would be a great idea to try and cut his hair myself. He does not sit happily for any treatment and just scratches his claws on the bed or the floor and acts very agitated. I have rounded pet scissors but I would be too worried he will move quickly and end up being stabbed in the eye or something plus I am no hairdresser. I will ask the veterinary nurse about this and whether it does actually need doing in the first place. Hopefully his bouffant hairstyle will go as he moults in August/September.

I actually didn't think about Lillabelle ingesting the aloe Vera/vaseline from Chief's eyes! I am such a wally to not think of that! I could ask the nurse however I think she will say the same thing. Maybe just boiled water then or even used camomile teabags maybe? I remember now that I have read about using them on here. Do you know if that could help with soreness around his eyes or is that more for the eyes themselves? I think it was Jane that recommended using them on the eyes but I can't remember for what problem....

I will start a thread maybe then but will wait until I feel better first (as I have both sinusitis and an abscess in my mouth which is triggering nerve pain in my face) as I struggle to keep on top of it if have too many threads active at the same time. I did wonder why he has very dirty anal glands. He also struggles to clean the area each side of his boys bits since he had his neutering. It could be due to being so overweight and so I would hope to see that it has improved since his diet however it could be due to arthritis. I will ask the nurse about this. I had better take a list!

Yes of course they are the stars in their pix but our bedroom needs a good decluttering and decorating but it is a challenge when they live in here with us. We would have to move them out for a few days!

I don't know why Lillabelle worries when we do anything to Chief. As soon as I start cuddling him she jumps up and starts looking anxious and keeps checking he is ok. Is that not a usual thing for buns to do then? She is a very nervous bunny for a giant. From my experience they are usually so laid back about everything but she is the opposite really. We try to make her feel loved whenever she looks nervous and she has improved from when we first got her but she is still anxious most of the time. I hope it is nothing we did.

When we went to see her as a baby the breeder showed us her mum and dad. Mum was bigger than Mischief but the dad was twice the size. He was huge! I wonder if he was actually her dad as she is very small for a french lop. It just goes to show you that even when you see the parents they may not actually the real ones. I hope she isn't small due to over breeding? It is difficult to find bunnies to adopt here. We no longer drive due to health problems and there are not many places to adopt locally.

I think a sleep fest would be an amazing idea! We could have a sleep marathon where the person or bunny that sleeps the longest is the winner

Oh, that's great if their teeth are covered as long as they get checkups and dentals on time. It can get expensive when they need dentals and they're not covered.

Aw, thank you. Yes, I thought he might just destroy the napkin.

Ah, that does sound better to ask the vet nurse about it, then, yeah. I would expect him to get more hair during his autumn moult, so his bouffant hairstyle might just get bigger.

I'm not sure if camomile tea bags would help with his eyes... I don't really have any experience with that kind of thing. Sounds like another question for the vet nurse?

Sounds like a good idea to ask the vet nurse about him not keeping himself clean down there, too, yes. You have quite a list now.

Ah, I see. Sounds like they might have to move for a few days, then!

Aw, Lillabelle sounds very protective of Mischief. I've never had bunnies worry about their bunny friends when getting human attention, so I wouldn't think it's common, but it makes sense for Lillabelle, I think, since she's such a nervous bunny in general. That's really good that she's improved over time, though. I don't think it will be anything you did, since you say you try to make her feel loved when she's nervous. Some bunnies are just more anxious than others, I think, just like humans.

Ooh, since she's very small for a French lop it sounds like the huge bunny might not have been her dad, then? I know nothing about genetics, though, so maybe he is her dad but she's just small... I hope it's not because of overbreeding, too. It must be difficult to get to a rescue when you don't drive, yeah, especially when there aren't many places around.

Ooh, now that sounds like a marathon I might actually win!

 

[twistedtiggerz69]

First you need to establish what his weight is really doing. His grumpiness could be due to his eyes being sore. Is the treatment helping at all?

How is the soreness manifesting itself? Does he have any sign of entropian/ectropian, a problem French Loos are prone to ?

Entropion/Ectropion - Pet Owners - Eye Vet

Entropion/Ectropion Eyelid abnormalities are common in the veterinary world. Entropion and ectropion are seen regularly and if left untreated can cause considerable discomfort and damage to your pet’s eye Click here to download our information leaflet on Entropion/ectropion.

www.eye-vet.co.uk

If his weight is stable then there is no need to feed him more of anything. He sounds to have realised that he has to eat more hay if there’s no other choice. That is the result wanted

Awww that looks painful. Well his eyes are fine in the eye itself. I asked PDSA and the other vets to check his eyes, ears, breathing, heart, weight in the last check up and everything was fine except a slight rasping with his breathing and his ears having wax in them. I asked vet to prescribe something for waxy ears when I brought him in and he gave me ear cleaner. We need to keep an eye on his raspy breathing.

The eyes were fine but as he had a problem with his eyes a while ago I wanted them checked. The PDSA suggested eye drops for him as we thought it could be that his eyes get his fur in them. He has very fine fur that gets everywhere and I am always getting his fine fur in my eyes and it hurts. So now he has eye drops for that.

But he has always had one eye that has a white discharge from it and it seems to make his skin sore and he loses fur around his eye. So we have to clean the eye and the skin around that eye. And the eyesdrops seem to help as his fur is growing back.But he seems very nervous and flinches when I go to his eyes now. And he goes to run whenever I go to do his eye drops. I have to sneak the eye drops past him and go behind Mischief and grab him before he legs it

So I have been checking his eyes and they do look better than they did however he has a slightly sore area above one eye on the eyelid. I don't know if it's from cleaning his eyes or what but I was asking if I could put something on it like vaseline or aloe vera to help heal and protect it. I was asking if it would be safe for his eyes but a reader of books rightly pointed out that Lillabelle could lick it and so probably not.

I don't know what I meant to say but I didn't mean let him just eat more. I actually meant if he is gaining weight do we cut down his meals more than they are already. If he is still gaining weight we would need to cut his food down more really wouldn't we?

I guess I was thinking if it is the same as humans. As I have been on a long term diet and lost 3 stone but through that time whenever I lost weight I would have to reduce the amount of calories I can now eat at this new slimmer weight.

So we cut his pellets to a quarter of an egg cup full from a half so he could lose weight. But now he weighed more on the scales. I explained they are too slippery for Chief and his paws all slip from under him. He has the same trouble with slippery floors. I think his paws are so full of fluffy fur that he can't get any grip bless him.

But if he has put on weight I guess we need to reduce his meals more?