We hada 3-4 yr old New Zealand Rabbit that lived in a hutch outside. I had old hay in the hutch for bedding. It isn't moldy, just too dry to be fed to horses. I noticed that she hasn't eaten anything since Sunday night and seems very sad. Definitely not feisty like normal. Nor did she have any interest in running around when I let her loose for a while. She has been fed her rabbit feed and the weeds I normally pick from the grass for her. She had eaten the weeds for a couple of years and no we don't chemically treat. While it has been about 40-50 at night, I'd think she was staying pretty warm inside of the hutch. I know nothing of where she was born or came from. She was left by the renters at our old house. We got her when she was a few months old.The poop in the outside cage looked fine. Some were smaller than normal but solid. Monday night I brought her in and sat on the couch with her. She peed and drank a bit of water but didn't want anything to do w/food or parsley.She was dead when I woke up Tuesday morning. I have had a couple of rabbits in the past that were anywhere from a year to 4, that have died too. One day they are fine, the next, they are gone. I read that they can have digetstion issues so I made sure Raspberry had the same food and something to chew on like alfafa. I am really torn as to what happened to her. My DH suggested maybe the target shooting we did Sunday afternoon stressed her out too much.Then we had a rabbit once that lived 10 years!She was never fixed and never bred.No nasal discharge. Any ideas?
Bunny with a blockage?
- Thread starter lfoose
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pla725
Well-Known Member
It sounds like GI issues to me. However, a vet would have been the best source to determine your rabbits medical issue. Sorry for your loss.
tonyshuman
Well-Known Member
A grass hay is better to give than alfalfa, especially for an adult bunny. Grass hays have fewer nutrients and are coarser, so they are better at keeping the GI system moving than alfalfa or fresh grass. Grass hays include timothy, oat, brome, orchard, and bermuda.
I am really sorry that you lost your bunny
It is often difficult to detect when a rabbit is "off" and oftentimes by the time the rabbit looks bad it may be too late.
My rabbits are indoors and I have dealt with gas and stasis so many times thatI do have items on hand to useas soon asI notice anything unusual with a rabbit.
If one of my rabbits doesn't want pellets or greens even one time I will begin to treat for gas with simethicone ( liquid baby gas drops) ; if a few doses of simethicone doesn't seem to helpI will treat with a probiotics (benebac) and usually begin to syringe a combination of pineapple juice (fresh) and pedialyte to get the rabbit hydrated. I also will give gentle tummy rubs and encourage the bun to move about.
IfI catch either an upper GI disturbance (or dry, smaller or no poop) early I usually can nip the problem in the bud with gas meds, probiotics, tummy rubs and fluids.
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