My bun is acting…weird

[Jutchy]

Ok, sorry about the very vague title and summary.. but I have no idea how to explain it o_O

So, my rabbit is 3 years and a half or so, and I’ve had him for about 3 years… so I know his behavior and ”faces” by heart now..
He’s potty trained and he never eats furniture, so he’s allowed running around the apartment 24h a day. Yesterday afternoon, I left the house to meet a friend, and my bun was hiding under the sofa (he likes it there to nap.. no lights). Usually, when I come back and he’s been alone all day, he either comes to see me, or he heads for his cage to get treats. This time, he was nowhere to be seen. I called for him, shaked the bag of food, shaked the bag of treats… I looked everywhere until I found him, sound asleep, in a rather unusual dark corner.. I woke him up, and gave him half of a treat.

I usually fill his bowl of food when I go to bed (I go to bed around 5 am…) and he knows it. This time, still no bun running.. So I look under the sofa, and there he is, just staring at me. He didn’t look scared, he was breathing normally and he let me pet him. So I thought he wasn’t hungry… Today I woke up, and still no bun greeting me. So I went to look under the sofa again, and there he was, in the same spot..

A few hours passed and he still wasn’t coming out, so I tried to make him run out and succeeded. Only, he was running away from me, every time I’d get a little close he’d dash away, and hide in unusual places, and then he ran back under the sofa. I had enough time to see that he wasn’t injured. No limps, no grunts, no distress, and no blood (he’s white.. so it’s easy to see). Then I tried getting him out with a treat, not only did he refuse it (he never does) but he also tried to bite me. I put his bowl of water under there and he jumped on it… he seemed really thirsty so I guess he hadn’t been back in his cage for a WHILE. I then gave him a bit of food under there too and he ate it.

I don’t know if this sounds crazy but my bun seems to be pissed at me for some reason. He won’t eat from my hand like usual, but will eat from the floor. If I’m there he gets up, but when I go to check on him I often catch him ”lounging”, and if I try to pet him, he’s ok with it but after a few minutes he grunts and charges.

He’s had a furball before, and that’s not at all like what he was doing then. He was lazy, and sluggish. He didn’t hide.. he just.. wouldn’t move. Now he just seems really angry at something.

If he still does that tomorrow I’ll be calling the vet, but I thought I’d ask for advice here meanwhile…

thanks in advance

[Roberta]

My Pepper had a strange mood on the other day and refused to come out of the bungalow. No grinding, hunching etc but she did not want to eat just stretch out in the sleeping box. The weather was however appalling and though they are inside the sound of the wind and rain was quite loud. (I suspect she remembers the sound of the storm 2 months ago that caused our ceiling to implode inwards). The next morning she was fine and the first one to the breakfast salad.
Is there anything in the apartment that may have given him a scare or is there neighbours moving in or out, work going on nearby ? Could he have managed to chew on an electrical cord ? If he is still this way by tomorrow I think the vets is a very good idea as it could also be the onset of something that is causing him discomfort but has not fully manifested itself. Its a shame you can’t get hold of him to check his tummy… Has he been pooping ?

[BinkyBunny]

My question too — has he been pooping. Sometimes bunnies will act aggressive if they are in pain. If possible, try and get him and see if he feels bloated and listen to his tummy. Put your ear up to his tummy — if you can hear very gently gurgling every minute or so, that’s good. Otherwise if nothing or VERY loud, you can hear it by just sitting next to him, that could be a sign of some gi issue. Sometimes forcing your bunny to hop around can help with gas issues and/or a twisted intestine which can happen right below the stomach and sometimes it just takes a bit of exercise to get things on the right track again. Do you have any Simethicone? If not, you can get some at a drug store in the pediatric section, one version is called “Little Tummys”.

This is a great article to get familiar with http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html (Try not to let it scare you, but it is important to be aware of).

However, if you bunny gets lethargic and listless, then he’s taking a turn for the worst and you need to get him to a ER vet.

Otherwise, definitely get him to the vet first thing tomorrow when you wake up if things are the same. 

I am not trying to freak you out, but unless I am reading your post wrong, it’s now been almost 24 hours of not eating (not pooing?) and that’s why I am feeling more of a bit of urgency now.

[bunnyfriend]

Hmm sometimes rabbits can get into strange moods, but rabbits are so good at hiding illness or pain that changes in behavior like this are cause for concern. He could have something going on internally. It does sound like it’s a possibility that something scared him as Roberta said. I would make sure to have him checked out though, it would be better to rule that out first since that could be dangerous. He won’t go near his cage at all? Does he usually spend a lot of time hanging out in there? Has he been using the litter box like normal (I’m assuming he’s litter trained)? Have there been any changes in your house or routine with the rabbit?

[Jutchy]

He’s eating, just not if I’m around. I left a little handful of food under the sofa, and when I went back to check he had eaten a bit of it. Hay too. And he drinks too. As for pooping, it’s hard to know, the cage is due to be changed, but I think I saw a few under there…

he’s had a problem with the furball in the past. It blocked his intestines and he had stoped eating because his stomach was full. That was a little more than a year ago, after which the vet gave me cat laxative to give him, and he said to give him some from time to time to keep his digestive track stimulated and to prevent more furballs. He hates the stuff, and he hates being picked up, so my strategy it to put some on his lips, all sneaky like, so that he has no choice but to clean himself and eat the stuff at the same time. I gave him some earlier with little success, I’ll try again tonight. I don’t know if Simethicone is the same as laxative? If it smells better than the cat one I’ll definately get some of that.. do you know if it’s called the same in Canada?

No loud tummy noises by the way, but I can’t get close enough to put my ear on his belly

[Jutchy]

being scared is a possibility, but I wasn’t in the house so I have no idea. Nothing seems out of place though, so the only explanation would be the neighbor upstairs.

No changes in the house lately either.. and no change in foods. He usually hangs out in his cage if he wants to eat or play with his phone book. His usual place is really under the sofa. He likes company, so he hangs out under the sofa when we watch TV, and he’ll hop around when I’m working at the computer.

I’ll call the vet tomorrow, but I honestly don’t know how I’m gonna get him out of there, let alone put him in the cage x_x

[bunnyfriend]

If possible, it might a good idea to change the litter boxes/cage that way you could keep an eye on how much he is pooping.

[Jutchy]

yeah, just did

And, I found a way to kind of explain how he looks like… it’s like a girl going through her PMS. He’s like…angry at the world or something o_O

[Roberta]

Borrowed from RABBITSONLINE
What Is It?

Simethicone is an inert detergent-like substance which breaks large gas bubbles down into smaller ones, making it easier for them to move on their way through the digestive tract painlessly.

It is important to note that it will only help the air already in the tract to be more readily expelled, or at least more comfortable for the patient. It does not prevent the formation of gas nor does it make intestinal gases disappear.

It passes through the system without being absorbed into the body and is therefore considered safe.

RO EDITOR’S NOTE: Rabbits can receive medications intended for infants, but the dose for rabbits may well be much higher than what is prescribed for an infant. Larger rabbits may do better with adult brands.

US Brand Names

Anti-Gas Ultra Strength
Baby Gasz
Equilizer Gas Relief
Gas Aid Maximum Strength
Gas-X
Genasyme
Maalox Anti-Gas
Mylanta Gas
Mylicon
Mytab Gas
Phazyme
Simethicone (generic)

Canadian Brand Names

Extra Strength Maalox GRF Gas Relief Formula
Baby’s Own Infant Drops
Maalox GRF Gas Relief Formula
Ovol
Ovol-40
Ovol-80
Ovol-160
Phazyme Drops
Phazyme-95
Phazyme-125

Dosage:

Simethicone Liquid: For an acute gas attack, 1-2 cc of a liquid baby gas med (20mg/ml suspension) can be given as often as every hour for three doses, then 1 cc every three to eight hours.

Simethicone Tablets: Rabbits often will readily chew a fruit or other flavored tablet. Depending on the strength of the medication (it usually ranges from 40 to 125 mg suspensions) and the size of the rabbit, anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 of a tablet is an average dose. It also should only be administered hourly for three hours, or in accordance with the instructions on the package.

Preventative: If you suspect gas but you’re not sure, 1 cc by mouth 2 times daily for a day or two will help keep any gas moving through your bun’s digestive tract.

Note: It’s important to treat for gas as soon as the bunny shows signs of discomfort. A rabbit allowed to suffer gas pains for an extended period of time will lose it’s appetite and/or can potentially go into shock, see a drop in body temperature and other problems.

[Jutchy]

omg I love you *v*

I bet it’ll be SO much easier to give him these… the cat laxative smells so strong, I’m a human and I find the smell aggressive x_x

[Jutchy]

I managed to make him run out from under the sofa, And I locked him in his cage (the thing is huge though… 5 feet long or so)

He’s hoping around, ripping his phone book, and he went to pee. I’ll see how night/morning goes. (He also looks very pissed at me XD)

[Elrohwen]

I would take him to the vet. The symptoms sound a bit like tooth issues – still some eating, but slow and not with the normal enthusiasm.

[Jutchy]

he’s a little better today, but I haven’t seen any poop. Taking him to the vet in an hour…

[Jutchy]

Went to the vet, apparently the stomach was not doing it’s thing anymore, and my bun was getting bloated. He gave him a mixture of water, herbs and active charcoal to get it moving. He seems to want to stretch out lying down now, but still no poop. I was also given anti biotics to give him to destroy any harmful bacteria that might have been developing in his stomach. He’s still drinking and peeing, so there’s hope. I’m keeping my fingers crossed so that I may find a giant poop in his litter tomorrow morning…

[Roberta]

Hi Jutchy, Excellent news… You got him to the vet and he is getting treatment. That he is still drinking and weeing is good news. Hopefully now his tummy will spring back into action (I have heard the charcoal treatment is very good) and you will wake to a poop fest in the morning.

[BinkyBunny]

I am not as personal familiar with the charcoal treatment as my vet would administer a gut motility drug like metoclopramide (I think aka: Reglan). (It’s also been quite a while since I have had to deal with Gi Stasis (Knock on wood!) 

 Hydration is of utmost importance so the liquid mixture was probably beneficial as well.

How is your bunny doing now? 

[Jutchy]

Sorry I haven’t been on for a while! computer problems.. yay

Poutou is doing great now! He hadn’t pooped in the morning afterall, but he was acting more normal, and was getting out of his hiding spot and looked.. happier in general.

I confined him to a certain spot in the house to make observation easier. The day after the vet visit he started being sluggish again, then at one point he was lying down and breathing very heavily. Every 10 minutes or so he would suddenly get up, eyes still closed, and his belly would contract a LOT. After about 30 mins of doing that I decided to give him some cat laxative I had from a previous visit. About an hour later there was a GIANT poopoo in his cage, and he then immediately proceeded to eat a huge portion of hay and food. He’s hopping around now and comes to see me, licks me, he even does some binky jumps and eats my shoes now so I’m assuming he’s all better

Thank you all for your concern ^_^

[BinkyBunny]

YAY! Good to hear.

[Author]

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