Not drinking water but drinking pee?

[snowbunbun]

So, just for some context as I believe this maybe why he initially stopped drinking, yesterday my mom was coming in to talk to me, and I normally keep my door closed as to not let my dog in and she end up hurting Snow. Well, my mom left the door open while talking with me and my dog ended up getting in and chased him around my chair for a few moments. 

Thankfully, I got ahold of my dog very quickly and both of them escaped unscathed. But after this, Snow stopped drinking. I got out a syringe and he took water from that for a little bit, but then ended up just ignoring me when I try to water him with it a bit later. I’m thinking it may possibly have been the stress from being chased.. he has been getting liquids still, I have been spraying his veggies a bit and a little bit ago he took a bit from the syringe again, and he is expressing no issues, and I am trying my hardest to get him to drink from his bowl again.

Anyways, a little bit ago I was just playing with him and I noticed he began drinking a bit of urine that he missed getting into the litterbox. I’ve never seen him do this before, and he has a completely full water bowl right in front of him. If this persists, should I get him into the vet sooner? Its not like hes completely stopped drinking, like I said I have been getting his veggies sprayed and he is taking a bit from the syringe. I heard this maybe a sign of past neglect, and the place I got him from didn’t seem to have a lot of the proper things for rabbits, so I’m a bit worried that maybe he has underlying things I’m not seeing 

[Wick & Fable]

There have been instances of rabbit’s drinking pee. From my memory, a couple of cases come from desperation for hydration. This is unlikely the case for you since you are taking good measures to keep him drinking.

Another reason is stress-related. We’ve had cases of stressed rabbits eating the normal poo and drinking their urine when they feel their space has been invaded. That may be the case here.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Wick & Fable]

I would continue to monitor as your rabbit rehabituates and feels more secure in the environment after the scare. I would expect this to resolve in a couple days… But there aren’t many cases of this to go off of to my recollection.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[snowbunbun]

Yea, I couldn’t find a whole lot on it either. I’m doing my best to watch him just to make sure and he has been taking the syringe again, I just hope he gets back into drinking from his bowl soon, because I’m not sure how much longer said syringe is going to last as its a bit on the older side.

[FlemishDad]

Although it is rare in rabbits, I wonder about diabetes, because I could easily imagine a rabbit drinking sweet urine. It would be easy to check with diabetic urine test strips.

[snowbunbun]

Yikes, that could be a possibility. Thankfully, I think he is okay now, he was just drinking from his bowl a bit ago. Definitely gave me a bit of a scare  I might test him for diabetes anyhow just to be safe, if its a possibility. I never thought about that kinda thing in rabbits.

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