Welcome aboard, buttercup, :wave:
Each rabbit, in giving their medication, is different. Some will takeNutriCal if I just ice it on the outside of a baby carrot. Tucker,because NutriCal is thick and comes in a tube like toothpaste, I haveto mush it into his forepaws so that when he flicks his paw, it won'tgo flying. He has no other choice than to clean it off by licking it.
As to the Syringe feedings, that's the same way for me each time. Iflip the rabbit on their back and cradle the little one like a baby. Ipress the rabbit into me so that it's secure and it can't fight its wayout. You have to have the mindset that you're in charge and the rabbitneeds the syringe feeding for its own health and longevity. If they canfight you, especially when you put the syringe in their mouths, theywill and they'll kick to get away.
Once I'm sitting down and I have them cradled, the syringe and everything is ready for them on the table in front of me.
Holding the securely, put the syringe just behind the top front teeth.There's an opening you can get into, make sure the syringe is in theirmouth and slowly release the liquid. When you take the syringe out,make sure they're swallowing. If they're not swallowing, they'll bespitting it out. Have a cloth handy to wipe it up if they do spit itback up. Don't be afraid to put the syringe in the little one's mouthdown a bit so that she/he can't spit it up.
As to pills, many I cut in half . . . like the papaya pills. I can putit in Tucker's mouth, again entering behind the top front two teeth,and I can hear him start chewing. Fauna needs a cat pill popper becauseshe'll bite me if I try to push it down into her mouth the way I dowith Tucker.
-Carolyn
You can also wrap your rabbit in a towel like a burrito. Icopied this over from the nail clipping post in the Cheat Sheet forRabbit Care in the Top Picks post. (A lot of good informationand links are in that thread, would suggest you take a look when youhave a moment.) Cradle your bun as a baby, wrap in a towel'burrito' style if you wish more control. I tend to elevate the backfeet slightly as I'm holding my rabbit closely and firmly as a baby.Some people also choose to do it on a table for more support.
