Question for bam

[Sr. Melangell]

Hi Bam, I have seen you mention on some posts about syringe feeding a sick bunny, its interesting and I would like to know about mashed pellets in case of an emergency.

Do you mix the pellets with water? 

How sloppy should it be? 

Can it be stored in a fridge then left out to get to room temperature? 

How much do we feed them?

It is recommended that an adult and not a child syringe feeds bunny, is that correct?

Just wondering for just in case Olly or any Bunny has a 911 problem.

Thank you bam.

Thank you bam from Olly 

[MoxieMeadows]

I know this is a question for bam, but I just wanted to say that I’ve tried syringe feeding pellets/water in an emergency. What happen to me was all the water squeezed out and left the pellet “paste” in the syringe all dried out. Luckily Moxie was okay.
Normally people will syringe critical care (can be bought online, even in the Binky store)

[Sr. Melangell]

Well Moxie, as nice and caring BB is, I really can’t see BB driving a truck from the USA to England UK, to drop of some Critical care, sadly BB’s store does not send to the UK, if BB did I would order a ton of stuff every month to spoil my Olly.

[jerseygirl]

Hi Pinky

I would bookmark this site if you haven’t already.

http://www.thehayexperts.co.uk

You can critical care from them or rabbit recovery, another assist-feed formula. They also stock some exclusive Binky bunny products like the Maze Haven. : )

I think you might like this article also. Very informative and work printing out.

http://www.mybunny.org/info/gi-stasis/

[Bam]

Hi Pinky! You can get Critical Care in the UK, f ex online here: http://www.vetuk.co.uk/rabbit-supplies-pet-rabbit-care-c-649_197/oxbow-critical-care-for-herbivores-p-2426
I’m surprised your vet doesn’t sell it, most vets here do.

Pellet slurry is easy to make though, depending on the type of pellets you have. If you have Oxbow pellets you can just soak them for a bit in water, with other brands you might have to use a pestle and mortar to grind up the pellets or the pellet-dust in the bottom of the bag. I recommend you save that dust every time Olly finishes a bag of pellets. Keep the dust for future use in a glass jar with a tight lid and store it in the freezer. (You might have to ask someone to help you pour the dust into a jar using a simple funnel made of a sheet of paper, you know the type of funnel your Jamie Oliver makes.)

Add water little by little to a few teaspoons of the pellet powder until you get a paste that’s manageable with a syringe. It swells rather a lot so it will take like 5 minutes until it’s reached its final thickness. You should always have a feeding-syringe at home, you can get one at a pharmacy (or online).

Just as with CC (It’s a powder) there’s no optimum amount of water to add – it depends on the syringe you have and the bunny’s condition. I often make the mix rather runny, and I never mix more than I need for one serving. The prepared mix can be kept for a few hours in the fridge, but I prefer to mix only a little at a time.

Syringe-feeding a bunny is for adults or children over 15 or so. It takes some practice to successfully both hold the bunny and insert the syringe and push out the right amount of CC/pellet mash. You have to go slow, the bun must swallow so it doesn’t aspire the mix into its lungs. If it’s possible you should be two humans, one that holds the burritoed bun in his/her lap, one that does the feeding. There will be food on the bunny’s chin, your face and clothes etc, so don’t wear anything nice.

I of course sincerely hope Olly will never have to be syringe-fed, but it’s wise to be prepared!

[Sr. Melangell]

Thank you bam, we were wondering if the dust in the pellet bag was useful for anything and I saved some, put a label on so I don’t think it is pepper, Olly was fed once by a vet, there were no problems and Olly reached up and gave the vet a kiss, (He even kissed the vet after an injection)when I got him home and had to give him another feed, he was feeding himself, but knew he needed his medicine food, he would stamp and go to his food bowl and eat, so I put it on banana or mixed it with a tiny bit of oats, I have a few Syringes, the pharmacist gave them me for free, for just in case, but even if I show a friend them Olly just goes to his bowl thinking. “Erm, no thank you.”
So you said it is messy, so no prom dress or Hugo Boss Tuxedo? Lol

[Author]

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