Forum

OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS.  SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED.  We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. 

You may have received a 2-factor authentication (2FA) email from us on 4/21/2020. That was from us, but was premature as the login was not working at that time. 

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

What are we about?  Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Weight Loss

Viewing 46 reply threads
  • Author
    Messages

    • Maisy
      Participant
      54 posts Send Private Message

        Hi,

        My bunny is 14 weeks old, she is a dutch cross and her name is Maisy Today I was patting her and I noticed that her hips and ribs were sticking out a lot more than normal I did some research and I found something that said it might be worms so I have wormed her now. I have brought her some pellets to help her gain some weight and I am giving her more fruit than normal, I know too much is not good but I read that the sugar in the fruit fattens them which is exactly what she needs. I have checked her front teeth and they seem fine, not overgrown or anything.

        Does anybody have any idea of what else it could be? I am stressing out so much because I havent had the best of luck with rabbits in the past and I dont want to lose her!

         

        Please help

         

        Georgia 


      • Maisy
        Participant
        54 posts Send Private Message

          Also she is still eating fine, although she was a bit lethargic today. And she weighs 360 grams. Please help im really worried about her :/


        • longhairmike
          Participant
          1069 posts Send Private Message

            at that age you can give her unlimited alfalfa pellets as well as all the hay she can eat. unlimited alfalfa pellets can usually fatten up a bun without much help
            sugar can do far more harm than good. I wouldnt be giving her any sugary fruits that young though.


          • Maisy
            Participant
            54 posts Send Private Message

              Thank you for your help! So do you think she has just lost weight because she is growing or could there be something wrong with her?


            • Sarita
              Participant
              18851 posts Send Private Message

                It would be a good idea to have a vet check her out to determine if there is something wrong with her. I would suggest the vet do a fecal test to check for worms or coccidia.


              • Maisy
                Participant
                54 posts Send Private Message

                  I have wormed her today so I will give her a couple of days to let it kick in and I will be feeding her as much as I can, and if there is still no improvement I will definitely take her to the vet.


                • Maisy
                  Participant
                  54 posts Send Private Message

                    Another thing I just thought of is whether it is because of the cold, we have had a couple of cold days lately, could this contribute to her weight loss? she has plenty of hay in her hutch but maybe this could be the cause?


                  • Sarita
                    Participant
                    18851 posts Send Private Message

                      Rabbits don’t catch colds like humans but they can get upper respiratory infections. Is she outdoors? If she is I would HIGHLY recommend you bring her indoors.


                    • Maisy
                      Participant
                      54 posts Send Private Message

                        Yes she lives outside, it is not possible for her to live inside, but I am able to provide her with blankets and if it gets really cold a hot water bottle so she is not being neglected at all…the coldest it gets here at night is about 8 degrees and she always has plenty of food..


                      • Tate
                        Participant
                        734 posts Send Private Message

                          Would you want to sleep outside in 8 degree weather?? That’s cruel! Maybe she’s losing weight because she has to burn so many calories just trying to stay alive?
                          Also, you should have a vet, especially since your other rabbits died prematurely. They are very delicate but dedicated owners NEVER just “don’t have the best luck with rabbits”. You should probably have her teeth checked. The front ones generally aren’t the problem.
                          And stay away from sugar. There is a difference between healthy fats, found in alfalfa pellets, and bad fats, that lead to… a premature death.
                          What brand of food are you giving her?


                        • Maisy
                          Participant
                          54 posts Send Private Message

                            Ok im trying to find out whats wrong with her so I would appreciate it if you didnt get nasty ok, thanks. And also My rabbit paralyzed himself and im pretty sure thats not something you can prevent. It is not cruel keeping her outside she has shelter food and water and 8 degrees really isnt that bad when she has the right protection from the weather and there is no way she would die in that temperature.

                            I feed her rabbit pellets as well as oaten and lucerne chaff and vegetables and hay and grass.


                          • Tate
                            Participant
                            734 posts Send Private Message

                              Also, what kind of worms did she have and what did you use to treat it?


                            • Tate
                              Participant
                              734 posts Send Private Message

                                And we are a *house* rabbit society. I don’t think any one on here would ever advocate leaving a rabbit outside. Domesticated rabbits are very different than wild hares. They are not meant to be outside, like so many pet stores would leave you to believe.
                                Also, what brand of pellets are you feeding her? I.E. Oxbow, Kaytee, American Pet Diner… 

                                And, very sorry to hear that one of your previous rabbits had paralysis. Their spines are so delicate that holding them the wrong way or dropping them can really mess them up! Treatable bacterial infections can often cause it to, along with just plain old age. :\ 


                              • Sarita
                                Participant
                                18851 posts Send Private Message

                                  Tate, she means 8 degrees celsius and do let’s try to be understanding. We need to remember on the forum we have members from all over the world and we are here to help.

                                  Maisy, not sure what the wormer you are using and it’s obvious you aren’t in the US either. Worming rabbits in the US is not something we usually do unless it’s directed by our vets.

                                  I would say if you don’t feel the wormer is working and the pellets aren’t making her gain weight, then you should definitely try to find a vet in your area if you can that can help you diagnose what could be wrong with her.

                                  Even a vet will want to see your rabbit and do a physical examination to make a proper diagnosis and prescribe the proper medications.


                                • Maisy
                                  Participant
                                  54 posts Send Private Message

                                    Im from Australia. I usually worm my bunnies and guinea pigs every couple of months we dont generally go to the vet to get them wormed but yeah if she doesnt improve I will definitely be taking her to the vet


                                  • Maisy
                                    Participant
                                    54 posts Send Private Message

                                      And Tate I did not cause my bunny to hurt his spine, I know how to hold a rabbit. I came home one day and he was dragging his back legs and I took him to the vet and had him put down and he was 10 weeks so it wasnt old age. I was devastated and im still not over it so it would be good if you could be a bit nicer about it, thanks.

                                       

                                      Im from Australia so we dont have the same brands of rabbit food. My pellets dont have a brand, they are just pellets. Also I would have thought that a forum like this would be willing to help anyone who has a rabbit. We cant all keep them inside. For some people it is just not possible.


                                    • Sarita
                                      Participant
                                      18851 posts Send Private Message

                                        Maisy, we have alot of members from Austrailia and hopefully they will see this post and help you with some recommendations for rabbit food – I’ll alert Jersey to see if she can help.


                                      • Maisy
                                        Participant
                                        54 posts Send Private Message

                                          Thank You for that


                                        • Beka27
                                          Participant
                                          16016 posts Send Private Message

                                            Posted By Sarita on 05/27/2011 06:29 AM
                                            It would be a good idea to have a vet check her out to determine if there is something wrong with her. I would suggest the vet do a fecal test to check for worms or coccidia.

                                            I agree with Sarita.  About 4-6 months is when coccidia can really become a problem and can lead to weight loss, lethargic behavior, and eventually death.  I’m not sure how common that is in Australia, but I know it’s a very real risk here in the US.

                                            I’m not sure if we’ve crossed paths before Maisy, but I want to welcome you to Binkybunny!  Please keep us posted on what your vet says.


                                          • Maisy
                                            Participant
                                            54 posts Send Private Message

                                              I’ve Only just joined so I doubt we would have met, thank you most people have been very helpful so far. Like I said to sarita I have wormed her today and bought some pellets so I will give her a couple of days and see if she improves. She is currently 360 grams and I will weigh her every day to see if there is an improvement. If there isnt though I will take her straight to the vet. I will definitely keep you guys posted though


                                            • Tate
                                              Participant
                                              734 posts Send Private Message

                                                I didn’t mean to offend you about your other rabbit. I’m very sorry for your loss and I understand that it’s not easy to lose any pet. Paralysis seems to come around so suddenly and really can be due to many different causes. Many people DON’T know how to hold a rabbit- When I got one a few months ago, I thought that they even liked to be held, which I now know is obviously not the case. Accidents happen and I was just pointing that out.
                                                Many people just simply don’t realize that domestic rabbits are meant to be inside- I didn’t know and my rabbit from when I was 8 or 9 years old lived a very short and unhappy life outside. He wasn’t even neutered! No one ever told us to bring him inside, so I try to make it a point to others that rabbits should be inside.It’s less traumatizing and house rabbits are less likely to get infected with bacteria or worms and other parasites. But, I can see how there are a variety of circumstances that would not allow a rabbit inside.
                                                I’d like to point out that I am merely a member of this forum and in no way a voice for the people on this forum, nor am I forum leader. I’m sorry if this confused you- my opinions are mine. I do realize that my views on animal welfare do not happen to coincide with the rest of the population- they are radical at the least. But as someone who has witnessed all kinds of abuse, I do believe it’s my responsibility to speak up. Sorry for my short fuse and sorry to offend you.
                                                You can go to rabbit.org, which is the US House Rabbit Society webpage. They have a section here: http://www.rabbit.org/international/index.html that links to Australian based house rabbit forums and societies. It might be beneficial to look at these sites as they have so much information on health and diet and wellness.


                                              • RabbitPam
                                                Moderator
                                                11002 posts Send Private Message

                                                  Hi, Maisy,
                                                  Welcome, and glad to have another member from Australia joining us. Jerseygirl is the member Sarita mentioned – she’s on often and has great tips for her fellow countrymen. (women, and bunnies, too.)

                                                  I wouldn’t be too concerned about putting the weight on quickly. In fact, it’s not good to change a diet dramatically with a bunny, but do it gradually so she will retain the food to process and grow. However, that said, I definitely agree that a visit to a vet is called for, and you want to establish yourself with one you like so you always know you have a vet you trust available if needed again.
                                                  When things improve for you and Maisy, we would love to see pictures. We are a House Rabbit site as the others mentioned, so have some creative solutions on habitats if you want to change her set up as well.


                                                • RabbitPam
                                                  Moderator
                                                  11002 posts Send Private Message

                                                    P.S. Tate, thank you for your explanation. We get passionate here, too, but have found it to be most helpful to lurk first to get to know the other members, read the forum rules to understand the way we go about things here, and keep it as positive and helpful as possible. We would rather take a gentle approach to members’ dilemmas, especially new folks we just met, so a bunny’s life can gradually improve while the “slave” feels welcome to discuss it with us.
                                                    But someone who is passionate about bunnies, well, join the club!


                                                  • jerseygirl
                                                    Moderator
                                                    22338 posts Send Private Message

                                                      Welcome Georgia

                                                      Some pellet brands I can think of off hand are Barastoc Rabbit Pellets or Laucke Ol’ Jack Rabbit Premium Rabbit Pellets. Both are lucerne (alfalfa) based. Actually, all pellets available here are lucerne based. Other parts of the world have more grass (Timothy) based pellets available. Laucke have a guinea pig & rabbit pellet but it’s better to give rabbit specific pellet as their nutritional needs are different. I believe those 2 brands are available country wide. I’m in SA by the way.

                                                      At Maisys age she can have free feed amount of pellets but as they get older, you do need to limit the amount they get so they don’t become overweight. With her current feed, is this a chaff, grain and pellet mix? I see that available alot but sometime rabbits pick out what they like and not eat what they need. Like kids.

                                                      360 gms seems small to me but I don’t know what rabbits of her breed mix should be. If you’ve noticed her looking leaner then before, it definately needs attention. Dutch breed is a lean rabbit but better safe then sorry. What are her droppings like? And her eating habits? Does she seem like she has an appetite? Does she seem like a picky eater?

                                                      Also, is she in with other rabbits that might be eating her share?

                                                      I’m sorry to hear about your boy bun. : ( That would have been a sad discovery. A friend discovered her guinea pig like this and doesn’t know what happened. Both have such delicate spines.

                                                      I hope we can help you discover what the trouble is with Maisy. I’ve sent you a PM giving you contact details for a woman who might be able to give further support. She’s very knowlegable with rabbits and has nursed countless numbers back to good health.

                                                       


                                                    • Kokaneeandkahlua
                                                      Participant
                                                      12067 posts Send Private Message

                                                        Welcome!! It’s a super idea to weigh your bunny often. You might not have noticed weight loss so quicky if you were just looking at her figure, and weight loss is often an early indicator of illness so good on you! Keep us posted!


                                                      • Maisy
                                                        Participant
                                                        54 posts Send Private Message

                                                          Hi guys just an update on maisy. I went and checked her this morning and she has gotten worse :/ Very lethargic not eating anything. But I have spent the whole day (and I mean the whole day..I havent eaten anything yet..oops ) with her and I have been syringe feeding her water and since doing that I have noticed an improvement. She is even starting to show some interest in food. I have been offering her some pellets that I have soaked until it is just sloppy and she seems quite interested in that and she tried to eat a little bit of grass which is a good sign. She is drinking heaps so I am keeping the water up to her and she is wrapped in a blanket and surrounded by hay so she is nice and warm too. I am going to give her until monday and if she hasnt improved I will be taking her straight to the vet

                                                          Jerseygirl: She is not in with any other rabbits. She has a guinea pig for company but they are in separate cages because she gets aggressive with him.
                                                          Her eating habits normally are quite good (she is a massive pig) but she is not that interested in it at the moment.
                                                          Yes the food I have been feeding her is a grain chaff pellet mix but i have since introduced more chaff and pellets becuase both her and the guinea pig were just picking out the chaff and pellets and leaving the seeds and grains.


                                                        • LoveChaCha
                                                          Participant
                                                          6634 posts Send Private Message

                                                            Hi Maisy,

                                                            I would personally not wait until Monday. Rabbits, if not given vet care asap, can pass away very fast I don’t mean to scare you, but it is the truth. I hope that bunny gets seen right away.

                                                             

                                                            Drinking a lot of water is also not a good sign.


                                                          • Maisy
                                                            Participant
                                                            54 posts Send Private Message

                                                              Hi guys. I think maisy is finally getting better! She did a big poop which had a lot of mucus in it which scared me a lot so I did some research to find out what it could be and I found a site that said it was to do with the diet and not getting enough fiber which upsets the bacteria in their tummy. It said that you should give them a teaspoon of youghurt twice daily which will help to put the good bacteria back into her tummy, so I have done that. Since she has done the poop she seems so much happier, she is actually moving around now which is great and she is so much more alert and she was also cleaning her face She is currently sitting out in the sun and she seems much better I understand that she is not out of the woods yet and I will be keeping a very close eye on her over the next few days. Thank you to everyone for your advice!!


                                                            • Tate
                                                              Participant
                                                              734 posts Send Private Message

                                                                Yogurt is actually one of the worst things that you can give to a rabbit and will surely slow her system down further. The reason yogurt is prescribed to dogs and cats is because of the probiotic content. Dogs and cats can break down yogurt, whereas rabbits do absolutely horribly with it. You would want to find a small animal specific probiotic to supplement her with, although I’m not sure whats available in Aus.
                                                                In this case, cecals do not sound like she is heading in the right direction. They can be due to diet and not getting enough hay, but with everything else that’s wrong with her, I don’t think that it’s a good sign. Like ChaCha said, they go fast. Rabbits hide illness very well. 
                                                                Let us know how her vet appointment goes. Were you able to get her in for tomorrow?


                                                              • Maisy
                                                                Participant
                                                                54 posts Send Private Message

                                                                  Well since she did that poop she has been really happy and active so I dont think that she is going down hill. But like I said I will be keeping a close eye on her


                                                                • BinkyBunny
                                                                  Moderator
                                                                  8776 posts Send Private Message

                                                                    well..WHEW! I am sorry for what you have had to go through. I know those worry days and sleepless nights, not eating etc.  I really understand.  Rabbits can really keep us on our toes with worry.  When I read that your bunny was getting lethargic I became very concerned as this can be a very bad sign, and if that happens again, I do recommend a vet ASAP.    When I get into worry mode, I have the directions printed out to the ER vet so that I don’t have to think about it if something happens. 

                                                                    Though I do know some sites will advise yogurt, be very careful with that as that is not something I would normally recommend.  (Though I am VERY happy your bunny seems to be doing better regardless!)  

                                                                    Here is a good article to read (though it can be a bit scary, it is also very helpful.) http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html   In section E it discusses yogurt in particular. 

                                                                    I’m sending continued  healing vibes your bunny’s way and hope she is on the road to recovery!


                                                                  • Maisy
                                                                    Participant
                                                                    54 posts Send Private Message

                                                                      Thanks BB I will definitely read that article, I really hope that maisy gets better …she is such a sweet bunny


                                                                    • LoveChaCha
                                                                      Participant
                                                                      6634 posts Send Private Message

                                                                        i hope she gets seen. I really hope that you reconsider her health and take her in. Her life is dependant on you  my friend had a rabbit with the same symptoms as yours has and passed away in december.


                                                                      • Maisy
                                                                        Participant
                                                                        54 posts Send Private Message

                                                                          I will be taking her to the vet if there is not improvement by the morning Im not going to let her suffer.


                                                                        • Beka27
                                                                          Participant
                                                                          16016 posts Send Private Message

                                                                            I am keeping you guys in my thoughts. I hope she continues to improve!


                                                                          • RabbitPam
                                                                            Moderator
                                                                            11002 posts Send Private Message

                                                                              I am glad to hear she’s showing improvement. My main reason for recommending seeing the vet right away even if she is responding well is so she can be thoroughly checked for a cause that may not be evident at home, and prescribed any medication that may be the turning point in her treatment. You are doing the best you can with researching and using home remedies, but sometimes it’s just not enough to wipe out the cause. If you can get her in right away, or call and make an appointment for first thing Monday morning while you monitor her closely until then, I’d urge you to do that.

                                                                              We send out healing vibes on this website. Seems to help.
                                                                              {{{{{{{{{{{{{Healing vibes to Maisy}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}


                                                                            • Beka27
                                                                              Participant
                                                                              16016 posts Send Private Message

                                                                                The yogurt controversy is very confusing. To make matters worse, many “old-school” vets still recommend yogurt to aid digestion. Because of this, and the fact that the internet is divided half and half as to whether or not it’s effective, I cannot fault someone for giving it a try. A person may sincerely be doing what they think is best, and when their vet backs them up, it’s not our place to attack for following advice.

                                                                                I think if we presented an anonymous BB poll of who has ever, even once, given yogurt to their rabbit, the results would be eye-opening.


                                                                              • BinkyBunny
                                                                                Moderator
                                                                                8776 posts Send Private Message

                                                                                  Beka has a very good point.
                                                                                  When and if you do end up seeing a vet, I would discuss with him/her the yogurt advice you found (and also bring in articles, like the one I posted, the warn against it). We are here as a resource to help you discuss things with your vet and in the end you have to do what you feel is best for your bunny as we are not vets.


                                                                                • jerseygirl
                                                                                  Moderator
                                                                                  22338 posts Send Private Message

                                                                                    .

                                                                                    Yes the food I have been feeding her is a grain chaff pellet mix but i have since introduced more chaff and pellets because both her and the guinea pig were just picking out the chaff and pellets and leaving the seeds and grains.

                                                                                    Yeah, I see those feed mixes around a lot. It’s actually good they were avoiding the grains and seeds as they’re not good for rabbits. Not sure in regards to guinea pigs. A plain pellet is better.

                                                                                    Regarding probiotics – I have heard of giving Yakult as this is dairy free. But it has sugar so….you’d have to watch that. Another probiotic I seen (and been given by a vet) is Protexin in a powder.
                                                                                    I personally don’t put a lot of stock in them because of the way the rabbit digestive system works. Plus, they have beneficial bacteria that is not natural to the rabbit gut. But there seems to be some anecdotal reports that it can help balance the gut flora so…

                                                                                    It’s really a personal choice (using probiotics) and one to chat to the vet about as advised by the other members.

                                                                                    The mucus in the poop can be caused by several things. One cause is when their guts slow down, the lining of the stomach becomes inflammed and produced mucus. If she became lethargic and stopped eating, this *may* have been happening. Gut slow downs do happen because of poor fibre diets BUT it can also happen when a rabbit is not well from something else. It can be a secondary condition. So although she improved after pooping, the cause of weight loss still needs to be addressed and whatever caused her to stop eating and acting so poorly.

                                                                                    I hope you can discover that with the vets help.


                                                                                  • Maisy
                                                                                    Participant
                                                                                    54 posts Send Private Message

                                                                                      Hey guys thank you for all of your advice. Just letting you know that maisy has made a full recovery and is now back to her old self! And I am now watching her diet very closely!! It was a bit of a learning curve for me, never realised how sensitive they were with their diets…but im just glad that she made it through


                                                                                    • Maisy
                                                                                      Participant
                                                                                      54 posts Send Private Message

                                                                                        Hey guys thank you for all of your advice. Just letting you know that maisy has made a full recovery and is now back to her old self! And I am now watching her diet very closely!! It was a bit of a learning curve for me, never realised how sensitive they were with their diets…but im just glad that she made it through


                                                                                      • LoveChaCha
                                                                                        Participant
                                                                                        6634 posts Send Private Message

                                                                                          Did you take her to the vet?


                                                                                        • Maisy
                                                                                          Participant
                                                                                          54 posts Send Private Message

                                                                                            No I didnt need to, she recovered by herself back to being food obsessed now I will weigh her tomorrow to see if she has put on weight, cause shes had 2 full days of eating like a pig haha


                                                                                          • BinkyBunny
                                                                                            Moderator
                                                                                            8776 posts Send Private Message

                                                                                              Posted By jerseygirl on 05/29/2011 04:45 AM
                                                                                              .

                                                                                               Gut slow downs do happen because of poor fibre diets BUT it can also happen when a rabbit is not well from something else. It can be a secondary condition. So although she improved after pooping, the cause of weight loss still needs to be addressed and whatever caused her to stop eating and acting so poorly.

                                                                                              I hope you can discover that with the vets help.

                                                                                              I think that Jersey has a good point, and even though your bunny has improved (yay!), it is definitely important to find out what the cause was since there is weight loss.   Keep us updated!  And continued healing vibes!


                                                                                            • Maisy
                                                                                              Participant
                                                                                              54 posts Send Private Message

                                                                                                I know this might sound horrible but because she has improved I dont think I will take her to the vet because I really cant afford to (im only 17 and work once a fortnight) if there was something wrong then I would take her but she is better now so…


                                                                                              • BinkyBunny
                                                                                                Moderator
                                                                                                8776 posts Send Private Message

                                                                                                  I am so happy that Maisy  has recovered from her bout of gi troubles. I think the only concern on the table now is that you had mentioned weight loss. What is going on with that part? Because of your description of her ribs and hips sticking out, I recommend that you still have her checked out by a vet.  I know it’s financially tough at your age, but hopefully your folks or relatives can help out.   IF you find yourself later in an emergency after hours, emergency vet costs can be triple and so in the long run you may be able to save yourself  $$ by getting some preventative vet care now. 

                                                                                                  I also recommend for the future saving up a vet care fund for your bunny.  Even my own vet care funds have been maxed out over the years, and so that goes to show — it’s used!   Important to be able to make sure that you have enough for the care you need to give your bunny.   

                                                                                                  Keep us updated! 

                                                                                                   

                                                                                                   


                                                                                                • Maisy
                                                                                                  Participant
                                                                                                  54 posts Send Private Message

                                                                                                    Hi guys Maisy is doing really well now, she has been eating heaps and I think she is starting to regain the weight that she lost…I think my only concern now is that she is probably going to get really fat! Hehe

                                                                                                Viewing 46 reply threads
                                                                                                • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

                                                                                                Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Weight Loss