Personal Check-ups

Well,evry other dayI like tosit on the back porch where my bunnies are free to go in and out of the4(feet)(length) by 2(feet)(width),to the 5(feet) by 10(feet) (about)porch.But if your busy it can be done wekly, max.I take my seat, sitdown and pick one up and start the procedure.

1:I check the ears first.I run my fingertoward their neckslowly to look for mites or red bumps.If there are any, I'd need someflea spray, spray it into a measuring cup, then nto an eye dropper, butonly for the outer part of the ear.Use Linseed oil for the inside withan eye dropper.I also smell the ear, if it smells like yoursneeze(boogers/Mucous), they're sick.Also to tell if their since, Ifeel the inside for waxiness.

2:Second, I check the eyes.I first pick off the sleepers at the cornerof their eyes, they really appreciate it.Also, I make sure their clearand shiny.I use cottonballs or my fingers(clean) for getting stuff outof their eyes.

3:Fingernails I check next.I just make sure they're not bleeding, andthat they don't succeed the limit of over 1 centimeter.I use cat nailclippers.Cats can be used too.When cleaning blood, I wet a cotton ball(not completely) and dab it on a few times, and dry it.

4:I brush the fur everyday to make sure it's glossy for my adultPatches, and fluffy for my baby Speckles.You should get a double sidedbrush.I also push it towards the neck to look for bumps, wounds,swellings, or mites.I brush everywhere including the belly, back, head,cheeks, tail, foot pads, above pads, thighs, shoulders, andso on.And also, Ipick off dust, or crumbs of some sort after a walk.

5: I check the teeth, together, for a small rabbit, they should only bealmost a centimeter each.Medium, about a centimeter each.Large, alittle over 1 1/2 of a centimeter or so, maybe even two.To keep themhealthy, I help them chew on their bark bites.After every successfulbite, I pet them.

6:I then check the nose.I onlycheck ifnose is runny or wet, itis sick.

I would then praise, give them a treat, or both when it is all done.

If anyone has anything to add, or comment, please do( but not rudely).

Great Post, Pygmy Fan! :dude:

-Carolyn

I must be a paranoid mommy because I dothat almost every day. I want to catch any problems ASAP. Apollo justthinks this is part of his daily routine. What a great post.

Tina

Carolyn-

Thank you very much miss!

Dajeti 2-

That often, I do it about every other day, but I think it only has tobe done weekly...I didn't mean to write that 'I did weekly', but that'sthe max time ofwhen you have to do it.And thank you.^^

There,I edited it so it says so.

Dajeti2,

I do a daily once over, too. Problems in rabbits can arise over nightand left for a number of days it could turn into something much moreserious.

Since my boys are outside I also check their bottoms carefully for anysign of Fly Strike from Spring to Fall (when the bugs are outobviously, lol).

I should be more of a responsible mother like you two, but I'm so occupied with school , especially studying, all I ever do.

Last May I lost my baby Athena sosuddenly that I never really got over it. So I am ever vigilant aboutApollo now. That's why I do it. The sooner I can catch something thesooner I can address it and get it treated.

Tina

MyBunnyBoys-

That's exactly what's with me, I don't always get to see them.I'meither doing homework, writing my soon to be publish rabbit handbook,studying, chores, cleaning, important research, or just relaxing mymuscles on the sofa.On a good day, I go out and run with them, or siton the patioand watch them run around the yard, but thatdoesn't happen alot.

P.S.I have a question to you and about male rabbits.How do you getrabbits to stop spraying all over the house?I'm thinking of getting amale rabbit becuase my two girls are to old to mate, but I thought itwas either nuetering or spaying that stops their spraying, but I'm notquite sure.

Dajeti2-

That's sad, i'm sorry.I'm gonna try checking them daily, even though itwon't matter.My parents aren't animal likers at all, so if anythingwere to happen, they would worry about money before them.And were quitepoor, so it would do no good.

I am just truly blessed. Apollo has neverbeen a real sprayer. Maybe it's the breed because I've spoken to alotof Flemish owners and alot of them said their bucks weren't bigsprayers either. Just every once in a blue moon.

Tina

Some people check their rabbits every day, someevery other day, others, once a week, and others once a month whenthey're clipping their nails.

The most important thing is that people know what to look for when they do check their little ones.



Vanilla in water can help prevent fly strike, as a follow up to MBB saying that she checks for that.

For outside bunnies, or people who have flies in their house, it's agood idea to put a bit of vanilla extract in their rabbit's water nowrather than later as we're getting onto fly season.

-Carolyn

dajeti2 wrote:

Last May I lost my baby Athena so suddenly that I neverreally got over it. So I am ever vigilant about Apollo now. That's whyI do it. The sooner I can catch something the sooner I can address itand get it treated.

Tina

Click to expand...

Absolutely, My Friend.

Once I lost one, I never got over it. It happened so fast, and practically overnight.

I swear, I'm glad to see them all every morning I wake up. Our time isso short, and they hide their ailments so well. They're Masters ofDeception because it's their nature - or a predator will pick it up.

Unfortunately, by the time a problem is obvious, it's too late.

"Don't go changin..." Tina.



-Carolyn

Carolyn wrote:

dajeti2 wrote:

Last May I lost my baby Athena so suddenly that I neverreally got over it. So I am ever vigilant about Apollo now. That's whyI do it. The sooner I can catch something the sooner I can address itand get it treated.

Tina

Click to expand...

Absolutely, My Friend.

Once I lost one, I never got over it. It happened so fast, and practically overnight.

I swear, I'm glad to see them all every morning I wake up. Our time isso short, and they hide their ailments so well. They're Masters ofDeception because it's their nature - or a predator will pick it up.

Unfortunately, by the time a problem is obvious, it's too late.

"Don't go changin..." Tina.



-Carolyn

Click to expand...

I've been at it for so long that it's a part of me. Couldn'tchange it if I wanted to. My Babies will get the same treatment.Probably more so until at least 6 months old. You know me lol.

Tina

I ocassionally check the private parts as well,press them up like when sexing the bunny and make sure they are ok.Ialsocheck the folds where the wax glands are downthere and if there is any wax I simply swab it with mineral oil or warmwater and a q-tip. My girls are spayed so they dont produce the stinkywax anymore but before ginny was spayed she was a lil stinky skunkbunny

How can you tell if your bunnie's nose is wet.. itried to check today to see but i couldn't really tell if it was wet ornot and if their eyes are red in the front is there something wrong..cause she seems to be healthy otherwise



Madhura

Maddie_20,

I am not an expert, so it might be better if you posted this as a new topic so people will see it and reply.

But, if you can't tell if your bunnies nose is wet (runny) it probablyisn't. The red spot you see at the front of the eye is probably thesame as we humans have on our eyse tward our nose. Is it the same onboth eyes?

ya it is the same... i am going to get it checkedthough.. i am super cautious with my little one.. do you know if thereis anything i can do..? like any solution i can put on the eye incasethere is irritation?

Madhura

Maddie_20 wrote:

ya it is the same... i am going to get it checked though.. iam super cautious with my little one.. do you know if there is anythingi can do..? like any solution i can put on the eye incase there isirritation?

Madhura

Click to expand...

Grretings Madhura!!

Sterile saline solution (like for contact lens) can be used to rinse a bunnie's eyes.

Dispense it ABOVE the eye and let it rinse down. Gentlydry /clean with a sterile gause pad. I prefer gauze instead of cottonbecause of the fibers that can be left by the cotton balls.

~Jim