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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.

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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Cold weather/salt? Bunny not eating that much

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    • melbunny
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         Hi everyone,

        I have two quick questions. 1) This is my 5th winter with my girls, but it’s the first one where i have a bun that doesn’t have a bond mate. Essy still have not bonded with Mary, Leah, and Beka and is pretty much on her own. My question being is that has anyone noticed their single bunny eating less in the winter?  I have a heater in there for them, but still….



        Lately, Essy hasn’t been eating or moving/causing a mess as much. I’m not sure if it’s from the cold OR because someone stupidly put a bag a ice melt right against the bunny pen and she chewed a hole in it. As soon i discovered it i called the vet and check over all the bag. It was just plain salt. That was friday (thought i could have been chewed thursday) morning. I’ve noticed Essy hasn’t been eating/active pretty much since sun/mon. So i’v been giving her critical care, but still nothing. I took her to the vet yesterday and Dr. Jeanne didn’t feel anything in her tummy. She gave me some pain meds and metoclopramide to give to her twice a day. Last night she ate a bit but she hasn’t seemed to eaten today. 



        I have no idea what is up with her. She is always the healthy one. Has anyone’s bunny ever gotten into the salt stuff and gotten sick off of it? Also i noticed (or have been noticing, but forgot to mention to Dr. Jeanne) that she seems to be making this popping sound when i pick her up (course on the follow up email i wrote this morning i mentioned she was feeling better and forgot to mention the noise. Course buny being a bunny afterwards she decides not to eat). Any idea what that noise is?



        I’m so worried about her. My paid off car got hit by an old man and was deemed irreparable. So now i have a car payment to make and so i’m freaked out on money and freaked out about Esther. I don’t know if i’m being overly sensitive (paranoid) or if something is actually wrong with my girl…..



        Speaking of the girl  obligatory bunny pic of Essy 

         


      • Monkeybun
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          If she ate a bunch of the salt, she could be dehydrated


        • bunnyfriend
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            I second Monkeybun. Have you been syringe feeding her water as well? If not, maybe you could give that a try. If you do it though do it very slowly. Water is really important for a rabbit. I would continue feeding her the Critical Care.

            What is the temperature of the room your bunny is in in the winter?


          • melbunny
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              She got fluids at the vets and i’ve been giving her syringes of water when i’m home. She looked to have eaten while i was at work, but she’s only nibbled at her dinner tonight….

              It’s usually between 50-70 degrees in there.


            • Pandorachik
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                I third Monkeybun, I think you should maybe feed her with a syringe as said by bunnyfriend, If this not eating thing continues for more and mor days bring her to a rabbit savvy quick! (Is that what Dr. Jeanne is?) Anyway I sure pray she will be better soon!


              • Pandorachik
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                  melbunny: 50-70 is not TOO cold so idt that is the prob…


                • Sarita
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                    I would do bloodwork and see what that says.


                  • Pandorachik
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                      ^ true that ^


                    • melbunny
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                        Dr. Jeanne is the head exotic vet at my vets. Yep. ^^

                        I’m hesitant to do blood work unless i need too. It’s so! very expensive and i’m on a limited income. If it comes to it I will do it though. I want my little girl to get better. I don’t think i can lose a third this year. I’m watching her as carefully can and will schedule another vet appointment if she doesn’t get better very soon. I think Essy is becoming a bit irritated with how closely i watch her when i’m home. ^o~


                      • bunnyfriend
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                          Healing vibes to Essy. I hope you find out what is wrong soon.

                          Actually, 50’s sound a little too cold for rabbits.


                        • melbunny
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                            Thanks ^^ I’m hoping she feels better soon too. She seemed better this morning, but tonight she was hesitant to eat again. We’re having some funky weather right now and i’m wondering if that’s not causing some of it…

                            I try not to keep things too cold for them. Usually if things stay all closed they have about high 50’s. I have the sides of the pen closest to the door covered in towels to block off drafts. They also have their hidey boxes….


                          • Kokaneeandkahlua
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                              I’ve gone off topic. Heaters are very dangerous and there have been fires caused by them. I would ensure your heater meets all safety regulations and is on a GFI plug. Also I don’t know that I’d have it plugged in when not home…
                              I’m lost though-are they outside? IF so do you have a fire alarm to warn you in the house if a fire started? Perhaps if you turn it off when you are out and weather is not too cold where you are and insulation is good, they would stay warm until you return? I’m just nervous about that heater, on a british forum, though everyone was ok, they had a fire in their rabbit house out back because of the heater.


                            • melbunny
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                                Hi,
                                They live inside big pens in our garage ( 5 dogs and my mother and sister became “cat” people this year. My mother’s was a stray that took to living under our deck and my sister’s a kitten) [it’s connected to our house}. I have their heater away from the pen and hay. It’s on top of bunny fridge. It’s a ceramic one that has sensors to turn off if it reaches above a certain temperature, if any thing comes close, or if it falls over. Its’s also considered “green”. Needless to say it’s not one of the cheap ones. ^o~


                              • RabbitPam
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                                  I think 50s is fine for a bunny, since cooler is much better for them than too hot.

                                  I’m wondering if the bag she nibbled through is more the culprit. Was it plastic? It could be having trouble passing, and the salt is dehydrating, so keep up the critical care. Are you syringe feeding the cc? You can make it even more liquidy if you want. Does she drink water out of a bowl? I’d continue with the syringe water (don’t let her inhale by accident), and give her easy options for drinking, like a low bowl that she can get to. Maybe a bit of flavoring in her water would help, like a drop of apple juice to make it taste good.

                                  If she’s interested in real food, you could try unsweetened canned pumpkin. It’s soft and mushy, like the cc, but it may also taste good to her.


                                • melbunny
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                                     That was Dr. Jeanne’s guess. She wasn’t really sure what was wrong with her since she didn’t display any obvious symptons. It was the soft white plastic. I’ve been giving her 2 syrings (2cc  or 2mil) in the morning, when i get home from work, and before i’ve been going to bed.  She’s been getting the critcal care at night. About 2 teaspoons (or 10 cc/mil) of it.  

                                    She has one of those big huge water dishes that automatically refills itself. It’s one of the reasons i have no idea how much she is drinking… I wonder if she would like apple juice… I have pinapple on hand, but she’s is not fond of it.  I do have some canned pumpkin, bunny food apple sauce, and baby food green veges (Brighton and Rachel were on them, and i’ve kept them since they’ve haven’t expired). I might try giving or some of that. Good idea! 

                                    I have been places her parsley to stick inside her box. I’ve notice some leaf nibbles from that. I know she is still not feeling all the way. She has been all over cilantro these last 3 months and the last 2 days she has ignored it. 

                                    It’s so frusterating since she is digging in her blankets and moving the hay around (not to mention digging at me and trying to chew my shirt when i pick her up), but does not want to eat that much. I already know she and the other girls arn’t fond of the brome grass, but timothy hay had a really bad year and i couln’t get it….. 

                                     


                                  • melbunny
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                                      So Esther went back to the vet today since she improved, but then went back to not eating again. I had to work so my mother took her in. She was originally schedule with just Dr. Brady, but because she wouldn’t cooperate to get her teeth checked she saw both her and Dr. Jeanne. (A bit funny it takes two vets to check one small gray bunny teeth.). Her teeth were fine. They felt no gas, nor anything in her belly. Something they were concerned since there should have been food in there. She got an IV of fluids and some pain meds. Right now they think it may be an intestinal irritation. She’s on 3 teaspoonsfull of critical care twice a day, the reglan, and metacam. If she doesn’t start eating by thursday I have to drop her off to get x-rays and blood work done.

                                      I really can’t go through a third loss in a year……


                                    • RabbitPam
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                                        {{{{{{{{{{{{Healing vibes for Esther}}}}}}}}}}}}
                                        Hang in there, melbunny. It sounds like she’s being well treated. I don’t think you’ll lose her. It’s scary for you, but she’s getting some very good care and attention, so try not to worry.

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                                    Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Cold weather/salt? Bunny not eating that much