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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Good vibes needed for Bramble (also advice would be great)

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    • kirstyol
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        Bramble has not been himself this evening, I wont go into detail because I don’t want to leave him long while I type this but the short version is he was out in his pen earlier while I did some uni work on the laptop and I went to get a coffee. as I squeezed past his pen I noticed his heart was racing, I went in the pen and he seemed fine, figuring I had startled him I didn’t worry.

        A while later I gave him some veggies, he normally goes nuts as soon as he sees the bag but he showed no interest. I put them in his bowl anyway and left him for maybe fifteen minutes then went back to check on him since I found it odd. I went back and he hadn’t eaten anything and was sitting beside the bowl doing nothing, he normally comes running when I go near the pen, but he didn’t move an inch. I noticed he hadn’t drank either so I got a small dish with water and he took a few sips.

        We are now around six hours later and he has still not eaten, he wont take anything off me I tried hand feeding him hay, gave him banana, carrot, literally everything bunny safe in my fridge and he has eaten none of it.

        I just called the emergency vet who says to try and syringe feed him till morning since they are so far away, my vet opens sundays so we can go first thing. I cant get him to take anything, the other half will be home in about 15 mins so he can help by holding him, that’s what we had to do last time we syringe fed him after his neuter,

        he also hopped over to a corner and peed on the floor, he has literally never done this since he came home at six weeks old, not one time. Now he is sitting in his litter box, I am worried about him sitting in pee although I changed the box out as soon as I noticed he wasn’t eating properly so I could keep track of poops, so I moved him out of the box, three times I have lifted him and three times he has jumped straight back into the litter box. weird because he never sits in the box, he nips in does what he needs to do and nip out, he also doesn’t normally let me pick him up, only the other half. I am worried, really worried. I have a stethoscope (student nurse) I had a listen and I cant hear bowel sounds, but I might be listening in the wrong place, I deal with humans normally. The emergency vet says its likely his spurs but he was fine yesterday, I think its stasis.

        I am going back to sit with him, but will get alerts for replies on my phone.


      • Beka27
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          I wouldn’t try force feeding him right now in case he has a blockage.

          It could be that he has gas. Do you have any simethecone (baby gas drops) on hand? Those can be given safely whether or not he has gas. Do you see him posturing at all? Stretching/pushing his belly to the ground, not being able to get comfortable, or is he just curled into a ball?

          Other than this, there is not much we can suggest than keeping an eye on him and offering his favorite things. Take him to the vet in the morning and keep us posted.


        • kirstyol
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            At first I thought it was gas because he was sitting funny but now I think he is constipated. he went and sat in his litter box, I left him a while then came back he was still sitting there so I picked him up which he let me do without a fight which is not like him and he hopped straight back in. he did this three times then eventually just lay down in the litter box. the other half came in from work and held him up for me to have a look and I think I can see a bit of poop half in half out so I am definitely not force feeding him, I did syringe a tiny bit of water but just like last time, he just let it dribble back out. The emergency vet wants £160 just to get in the door plus treatment plus probably £20 in a taxi each way since my car is in the garage, its just not an option. The vets opens at half ten and its two am now but that will put him over 12 hours since he ate if he carries on not eating. I got him out in the living room and he ran about a little which is the most energetic he has been all night then he went over to his cage and started scratching so I figured he wanted in for the toilet since I hadn’t brought his litter box through like I usually do when he is in here. he is sitting in his litter corner doing nothing now but he is sitting in a normal position.


          • JackRabbit
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              If emergency vet and force feeding are out of the question, and he did run around a little, I’d take him back in the living room and see if he’ll run around some more. Hopping around helps get things moving so maybe this will help.


            • kirstyol
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                Thats exactly what I did, I left him in his cage for ten mins to see if he would poop then brought him back out. He did the scratching to get back in thing again so I put him in and he has pooped! Not a lot and they are really small but its an awful lot better than nothing. I waved some hay infronof him and he grabbed it off me but unfortunately he just put it down and didnt eat it. Going to get him back out again then might try and get a few hours sleep if he eats something, if not I will stay up and keep trying


              • Digmo31353
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                  You’ve already gotten a lot of advice here! But good vibes to Bramble! I love his name.


                • robyn and 'tipps'
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                    Positive vibes (((Bramble))) Hope the night goes well for you both. Yes, some poops are better than nothing but hope you can see a vet in the morning. Ps loved how he selected you (read the story) and he is gorgeous. Best wishes and please keep us posted.


                  • JackRabbit
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                      {{{{{Bramble}}}}} [[[[eating and poops]]]]


                    • kirstyol
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                        Thanks everyone! We went to bed for a few hours and have just gotten up to see some poops, they are small but they are still there, and he appears to have eaten most of the veggies I gave him, although his pellets haven’t been touched. Hard to tell exactly what he has eaten but he has definitely eaten which is the main thing. He looks a lot brighter and hopped over to see me when I got up. I am still trying to call the vet, their line has been busy since they opened half an hour ago, but I think he is over the worst of whatever it was that was wrong.


                      • robyn and 'tipps'
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                          Good news! Really hope he is on the mend (((Bramble))) Good luck at the vet and please keep us posted 🙂


                        • kirstyol
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                            I managed to get the vet eventually and spoke to the vet nurse, told her what had been happening and she went to speak to the vet. The vet said not to bring him in today but to keep encouraging him to eat and keep an eye on his litter box then bring him tomorrow. He is definitely looking better, although not quite his usual self. Now that I know we are not going to the vet right now I will let him out for a run, I didn’t want to let him out in case I had to catch him and get him in his carrier, I doubt that would have been easy. I have seen him eat some hay, and a wee bit of veg but not drinking or eating his pellets. he doesn’t drink much during the day anyway mind you he seems to save it for night time. He is still quite lethargic but I guess that’s to be expected since he hasn’t been well. the vet thinks he might have been constipated and now he has obviously been able to poop he will just take a while to get back to normal.

                            Anyone got any ideas on what makes bunnies constipated, I did a google search last night but none of what I came up with really fit Bramble. Most of what it said was about changing diet, or a bad diet. Bramble’s diet has not changed recently, I am still trying to get him to eat more veggies but nothing new in the last week at least and around the same amount he usually gets, he is on the same pellets and hay. He has not had an excessive amount of sweet things either, actually he hardly ever gets sweet things a very occasional bit of carrot and that’s about it. My only thought is a hairball, he is shedding like crazy just now but I am doing my best to groom him and get all the loose hairs off every day and he eats a lot of hay which should be helping with any hair he is ingesting.


                          • robyn and 'tipps'
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                              Mnnnn. Ill let people better qualified answer but Ive been thru this. Ie no change of diet, nothing out of the ordinary etc. Ive seen it and in my case it seemed stress related, a change of the simplest thing in her environment. These beautiful creatures are very sensitive, its hard to know what sets off changes. Most encouraging sign is your friend seems to be improving and I hope this continues for both of you:-) (((bramble…and you for caring about him so much)))


                            • kirstyol
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                                I just cant think of anything that’s changed, but I guess you are right it could be the simplest thing that I probably haven’t even noticed. He is definitely a whole lot better, he is eating a little and has moved about a bit. He is not hopping about mad like usual but at least he is hopping and eating small amounts, still haven’t seen him drink more than the tiny sip he took earlier, but since he has only really eaten veggies I am not too worried about that.


                              • robyn and 'tipps'
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                                  Wet the veges – no doubt you already do – might help his hydration 🙂


                                • Bam
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                                    Rabbits are often more sensitive when they’re shedding. It’s probably sth to do with their immune defense. Some bunnies becomne very grumpy when they are shedding.

                                    Wet veggies, lots of hay, see to it that he moves around, tummy-massages – those things often help.

                                    ((((Bramble))))


                                  • kirstyol
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                                      He is starting to eat hay now, only a few strands but something is better than nothing. he has eaten probably around half of the amount of veg he usually eats, still not drinking but he seems otherwise reasonably ok. he is not moving around too much but he is hopping about periodically, much preferring to just lie down and only really getting up for a very short time. I have done tummy massages and will continue with these and also try and get him moving about a bit more. he is not even running away from me when I try to pick him up – normally if I wanted to get him moving that would be a sure fire way to do it but just now he is actually letting me lift him without a fight.


                                    • JackRabbit
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                                        Did you try simethicone?


                                      • kirstyol
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                                          No I don’t have any and the vet told me not to give him anything until he has been seen although the emergency vet told me to give him painkillers if I could get him to eat first but I haven’t done that since my own vet told me not to. He is still nibbling periodically at his hay and veg but he has drank nothing since earlier, I would just feel so much better if he would take a drink.


                                        • JackRabbit
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                                            Best to listen to your vet. Wish the vet had seen him today.


                                          • kirstyol
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                                              So do I. Dont get me wrong I understand bunnies get stressed travelling to the vet but Bramble isnt that bothered, he usually tries to make friends with the biggest dog in the waiting room! I am still worried he isnt drinking, not eating enough and is still sitting in his toilet corner, he is pretty much refusing to stay out of his cage I have brought him out a few times and he just goes nuts trying to get back in. That is not normal bramble behaviour, he is usually the complete opposite. He is only in his cage overnight and literally the minute one of us gets up he is biting bars and scratching to get out. At least he is eating now though even if it is only a little. Why do our bunnies have to worry us so much?


                                            • robyn and 'tipps'
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                                                Are you seeing the vet today? ((( Bramble)))


                                              • kirstyol
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                                                  Yes but not till later on. I have just got up and he has eaten most of the food I left him with and done a lot of funny coloured poops, they’re really light in colour, never seen that before. He still doesnt look to have drank much if anything


                                                • robyn and 'tipps'
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                                                    Good luck later when you visit the vet. Hope his condition improves! (((Bramble))


                                                  • kirstyol
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                                                      Thanks, he seems a lot better in himself he was up at the bars wanting out this morning. He is in his pen just now since I have a class and if it wasnt for the funny coloured poops I would say he was on the mend. Hopefully the vet will have the answer later


                                                    • Sindri
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                                                        I hope the vet gives you the info you need and your bunny gets to feeling better! ((((Bramble))))


                                                      • robyn and 'tipps'
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                                                          Ditto that. Let us know how it went (((Bramble))) He is so gorgeous 🙂


                                                        • kirstyol
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                                                            Just back from the vet. She basically cant find anything wrong with Bramble, she checked his tummy and everything seems fine, his teeth look good which is an added bonus because he was due for a check up on those in a few weeks anyway because he had a spur a while back. She thinks he may have been constipated and this has obviously now resolved. I asked about the strange coloured poops and she wasn’t at all concerned, she said it was likely a change in diet which I said he has not had but she said it could just be because he has been eating his veg but refusing his nuggets since he started eating again. She has given me ranitidine just to be on the safe side but other than that just to keep an eye on him. We came home and I let him out of his carrier and he immediately peed on the floor again, so not like him. I am still concerned but not as much. vet says as long as he eats, drinks, pees and poops I shouldn’t be too worried. The only reason for the alleged constipation that me or the vet could come up with is ingesting hair, for a short haired bunny he is sure shedding a whole lot of hair just now. I brush him every day and there is still tonnes of it coming off him, I will buy another brush and see if that improves things. other than that she suggested rubbing him down with a damp towel but I don’t fancy doing that. I have just to keep an eye on him and take him back if anything else happens really, if it happens again he will likely need to go in for tests or something. She also told me not to give him baby gas drops, she said they are of no benefit to rabbits. I think I might buy some anyway because I know plenty of rabbit lovers swear by them

                                                            Thank you all so much for the good vibes and advice, they really helped me get through a tough 48 hours. Now just to get Bramble to take his medicine, unfortunately for me he learned how to avoid swallowing meds after his neuter.


                                                          • JackRabbit
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                                                              If he’s been eating hay but no pellets, that can make poop a lighter color.


                                                            • kirstyol
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                                                                That was what the vet said, it was such a drastic change though and he has been eating his veg reasonably well, just not his pellets. Either way the vet said it wasn’t something to worry about as long as the size and shape was ok which it is.


                                                              • robyn and 'tipps'
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                                                                  Hopefully this is a transient. He probably peed on the floor because he was a little stressed by the trip to the vet and was feeling out of sorts. Understand why you are still feeling concerned. Is this vet a rabbit savvy vet? Mine always does blood work when she goes in for a check up. The shedding might be a big factor and you are doing the right thing, keeping him well brushed. He clearly is loved and here is to hoping we will be reading soon he is back to his old self. ((( Bramble))) Try not to worry so much… though its hard not to, isnt it? 🙂


                                                                • kirstyol
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                                                                    Yeah, my vet is a certified small animal specialist. She said if he doesn’t improve they will bring him in for tests. He seems a little better, poops are more normal but he is still very lethargic and not drinking. Vet says he is not dehydrated so must be ok with just the wet veggies. I guess if he is not eating his pellets he might not need as much water. Will be keeping a close eye on him for the next few days, thankfully I am off tomorrow and Wednesday anyway so will be here most of the time to keep an eye on him.


                                                                  • JackRabbit
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                                                                      This may or may not be the case, but I’ve had Marlee pee on the floor upon returning from the vet. I had taken the buns to our old vet for nail trims and the tech cut two of Marlee’s nails too short. When we got home, she hopped out of the carrier, gave me the stink eye, peed on the floor, then hopped into the litterbox and glared at me again.


                                                                    • kirstyol
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                                                                        I just found it odd he did it Saturday night too. He has never done it before, even after vet visits. Saying that I dont think its anything to worry about unless he keeps doing it. I have just been so lucky with his toilet habits I guess, he was perfectly litter trained quite literally since we got him home at six weeks.


                                                                      • robyn and 'tipps'
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                                                                          If his toilet habits have changed its tempting to assume he is telling you something. Ive seen this with my bunny and then she returned to using her litter. Hopefully Bramble will return to using his litter and things will return to ‘normal’. I still suspect that whatever has been going on is more emotional with him than physical. Of course this may be nonsense in this case but these creatures can be upset by things we don’t even perceive. (((Bramble)))


                                                                        • kirstyol
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                                                                            If something has upset him I have no idea what it was. I am just keeping a really good eye on him just now but he is definitely heading in the right direction, eating his veggies almost in their entirety and some hay today, still not touching his pellets though. He is drinking a little bit better as well, still quite lethargic but definitely more alert than he was. I am hopeful that in a few days he will be back to normal.


                                                                          • robyn and 'tipps'
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                                                                              (((Bramble))) Please keep us posted in a few days. Best wishes. 🙂


                                                                            • kirstyol
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                                                                                He seems nearly back to himself already, perhaps the vet was right and he had just ingested some hair that made him a little constipated. I bought a new brush today so I will see if that makes things a little better, failing that I will just need to brush him a few times a day I guess until this run of shedding is over. He is still not eating many of his pellets but being honest he does this occasionally, just goes off them for a few days for no good reason. Other than that and being a bit more tired than normal, he seems pretty much back to his old self thankfully.


                                                                              • JackRabbit
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                                                                                  Glad he’s feeling better. As long as he’s eating plenty of hay and drinking plenty of water, I wouldn’t worry so much about the pellets over a few days. Hay and water will keep the ingested fur moving through his system. It always amazes me just how much bunnies can shed! We’ve gotten so that we just brush/comb the lops everyday so that the heavy sheds don’t get overwhelming. I have still caught Marlee with a big wad of fur hanging out of her mouth, just chewing away. Thankfully she’s a hay monster!

                                                                                  Continued vibes for Bramble and hopes that the heavy shed ends soon!


                                                                                • kirstyol
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                                                                                    I have never seen a shed like it in a short haired bunny! All be it he is quite fluffy for a short haired bun but still, its getting to the ridiculous stage now, his blanket was washed on sunday since he peed on it on Saturday night and its covered in hair again already! I have been brushing him almost everyday and its still not enough to catch it all. I am hoping this new brush will help. I also think he is going through a colour change which I suppose could explain the particularly heavy shed, he was brown and grey when we got him, he then became brown all over except his face which darkened a good bit, now a good portion of him is going grey again. I wonder if I will wake up one day to a grey bunny?

                                                                                    The big issue with Bramble is he is not a massive hay eater, he does eat hay everyday but no where near his body size a day. I have tried several types of hay, even tried mixing a few for variety and it doesn’t really make a difference he still eats probably only half what he should, some days he is better than others mind you.


                                                                                  • robyn and 'tipps'
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                                                                                      Thank you for the update! I’m happy to read Bramble is on the mend.That shedding is unusual isnt it? As for the color change, if you look at my pic of my ‘tipps’ that was her as a baby. Now she is almost identical in coloration to your Bramble and getting darker/greyer. Go figure 🙂 We love who they are inside though, don’t we? But the color change has been dramatic. (((Bramble)))


                                                                                    • kirstyol
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                                                                                        This is Bramble now, he is going more grey around his sides and his bum, but still brown everywhere else apart from his face which is now black. Its weird, he did this before, started turning grey then he must have changed his mind because he went brown again lol. I don’t mind what colour he wants to be, I just wish he would stop shedding quite as much! My profile pic is Bramble at six weeks.

                                                                                        We are just working on getting as much of the loose hair off him as possible at the moment to prevent another hair ball, other than that and still being a little less active he seems ok now thankfully. He is still not eating all of his nuggets, but he does that occasionally anyway so I am not too worried about that in itself.


                                                                                      • JackRabbit
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                                                                                          Color change is funny. Moshi went from gray and orange/brown with a black face to lighter gray, more orange, and now mainly a black nose. I had always heard that they get darker so it surprised me when Moshi went lighter. Marlee’s fur turns black tipped during heavy sheds and then goes back to orange and cream when she’s done. Kieko just gets black street map looking shed lines then goes back to normal.


                                                                                        • kirstyol
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                                                                                            Oh my god, I am so sorry for your loss. I didn’t see your thread but I don’t often check the behaviour section as its not something I could really give advice on, and not something I have really needed advice on either.


                                                                                          • robyn and 'tipps'
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                                                                                              My bunny died, makes me feel stupid i cared about yours. Is the reason is that you never cared ? I cared about yours.


                                                                                            • robyn and 'tipps'
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                                                                                                My bunny died, makes me feel stupid i cared about yours. Is the reason is that you never cared ? I cared about yours.


                                                                                              • Bam
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                                                                                                  I’m so so sorry for your loss, robyn and tipps. I saw your thread in the behaviour-section but since it was about a female acting hormonal, I didn’t reply – I know nothing at all about female hormonal rabbits.

                                                                                                  Again I’m so sorry. Please take care of yourself now. Poor little one.


                                                                                                • kirstyol
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                                                                                                    The reason I never commented on your thread is because I didn’t see it until after your post here when I went to look for it. I am truly sorry for the loss of your bunny and I absolutely do care.


                                                                                                  • JackRabbit
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                                                                                                      Robyn and tipps — I just sent you a pm but can’t tell if it went through. Please let me know if you did not see my message!

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                                                                                                  Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Good vibes needed for Bramble (also advice would be great)