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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.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BEHAVIOR Changes after GI Stasis recovery

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    • Dymii
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        Sprinkles (3yrs, male, neutered, part lionhead) has recently recovered from GI stasis and he has changed drastically. I’m not sure what to think. I’m going to do a before and after list for his activity, behavior, food, and bathroom habits. I thought he was healthy before, but now I’m not so sure. I think he might be more healthy now but at the same time I’m not positive? I just would like some opinions if people care to share them!

        Before:

        -At one point in the past used to do bunny 500 (race around the house), binky, destroy things

        -Slowly became more lazy, lounging all the time, not running as often, vet classified as overweight

        -used to have little poops that were quite hard

        -“pellet addiction”, with alfalfa pellets and the treats inside (I KNOW but he wouldn’t eat the timothy ones)

        -Would eat greens and hay, just not a whole lot

        -Would let us pet his forehead, but that was pretty much it for handling

        Enter GI stasis and vet stay, in which his teeth were trimmed and he was handled a lot

        After:

        -Since recovery, has been running and much more active, even doing binkys

        -poops are larger and soft, round now. 

        -Only eats pellets a little bit, still not so big on the timothy ones

        -is constantly eating greens, and seems to be eating a bit more hay. His favorite appears to be a stiff almost staw like hay that was the roof of a toy “snack shack”. can’t find that anywhere for him to eat on his own though..

        -is constantly chewing, tearing, ripping. Destroys junk mail, cardboard, has started at the carpet again (he got over that like a year ago), chewing on wooden furniture

        -When he does eat pellets I can hear him chewing. Part of me wonders if they trimmed his teeth slightly uneven and he’s trying to grind it down?

        -Has initiated contact multiple times, if I pet him and move away he follows me, allowed me to stroke his head, ears, back, and sides

        He had GI stasis one other time when he was little, right after he was neutered. When he recovered, he changed his eating habits and oddly his drinking.. he went from a bottle to a bowl. So I understand that he changed because I’ve seen it before..

        I think for the most part he is getting healthier! I’m concerned about his teeth though, I remember once at the dentist I had my teeth filed and I couldn’t close my mouth without it hurting, I went back and they filed it again and I was okay! Also slightly unsure about the poops but I think it’s just because he’s increased his greens so much. I’m having to go to the store and get more 3 times a week instead of two now! 

        Aside from that I’m very happy he’s more active, and is letting me pet him!

        Has anyone else seen dietary or behavior changes after GI stasis?


      • Bam
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        16836 posts Send Private Message

          My guess would be his teeth was the problem all along. If his gums hurt, it’s natural that he didn’t want to eat tough stuff, that his poop became smaller (it does when the bun can’t chew properly) and that he became less energetic and wasn’t very interested in cuddling.

          I saw change in my bun when he had his teeth fixed, he was like “a new rabbit” after. I had to syringe-feed him for a month before my vet finally decided to file his teeth. And he did become much cuddlier after – weirdly enough since he really really hated the syringe-feeding so I wouldn’t have been surpised if he’d never wanted to cuddle with me again.

          It’s great that your bun is chewing now, because that’s what he needs to do to keep his teeth in check. Especially hay.

          It sounds like a very happy story, thank you for sharing.


        • Dymii
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            Hmm, I thought his teeth were okay before because the vets checked them every six months. I’m going to have them check again when we go back in a couple months just in case.


          • Bam
            Moderator
            16836 posts Send Private Message

              They can develop spurs at any one time in their lives, and their teeth really grow fast. And their molars are not easy to see unless the bunny is anesthetized. Some buns (like my Yohio) react to the tiniest tiny little spurs. My vet thought his teeth looked fine with the otoscope, so she didn’t theink they were the problem, but it turned out there were tiny protrusions that caused him not to want to eat.

              Here’s a little info on the growth rate of bunny teeth that I found:
              It has been estimated that these teeth grow between 1-5 mm per week. The rate of teeth growth varies between the different teeth and between individual animals. The caudal cheek teeth erupt 1 to 2 cm (10 to 20 mm) per month. The upper incisors grow approximately 2 mm per week which is slower than the lower incisors, which erupt at rates of 2.4 mm per week. Dental growth can be influenced by age, health, gender (pregnancy) and nutrition. The balance between tooth eruption and tooth attrition (ware) from normal occlusion is thought to be heavily influenced by correct nutrition.” http://www.mypetsdentist.com/rabbit-rodent-dental-care.pml

              (Caudal cheek teeth are the teeth at the back of the mouth. 20 mm/month is almost an inch/month! (An inch is 25 mm). So if the teeth don’t get worn down like they should, trouble can develop fast.)


            • Dymii
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              63 posts Send Private Message

                I really think you are on to something there. Thank you for the information!

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            Forum BEHAVIOR Changes after GI Stasis recovery