Grooming each other

[Gilbert and Sullivan]

Just wondering if anyone has experienced anything like this. I have two boys, brothers, mini rexes. Both neutered, both 8 months old. They often groom each other, but lately we have noticed that Sullivan has taken an extreme interest in grooming/licking Gilbert around his eyes. Gilbert doesn't seem to really mind. In fact, he's even done a dead bunny flop while being eye-licked. Only a few times has he gotten antsy while his big brother was cleaning him (kinda like, "alright brother! I'm clean already!") Is this just a case of a helpful brother? Or do Gilbert's eyes taste delicious? Or is this a problem? Just wondering, thanks!

~Britni

 

[Hazel]

I would suggest taking your bun to the vet. I recently had a similar thing with my buns Hazel and Flopsy. Flopsy would groom Hazel's right eye all the time. I mentioned it as a strange behavior on this forum and someone told me it could be an eye infection. Took her to the vet next day and it turned out to be a bad eye infection. Got her on drops and she actually just finished them Saturday.

Flopsy was trying to keep Hazel clean, and was also letting me know Hazel was sick; it just took a human to explain Flopsy's bunnyspeak.


Take Gilbert to the vet. You want to make sure it's not an even worse eye condition.

 

[Gilbert and Sullivan]

Took Gilbert to the vet today and he is totally healthy. Doc said his eyes (plus everything else) are in great shape. Thanks for the advice. I'm glad we took him- better safe than sorry!

 

[Hazel]

I'm really glad... Hazel HATED her eye drops and I wouldn't want you to have to put Gilbert through that! She still won't let me pet her for more then a second or two,


It's definitely ALWAYS better to be safe then sorry, I'm glad he's healthy!!

 

[ra7751]

Hi Britni,

Just a thought on this subject. I would keep a very close "eye" on Gilbert's eye. Something to remember is that animals have a sense about things that we don't. They know things before we do....or a vet. I was the one that mentioned eye infection to Hazel. I have seen this behavior often in our rescue. I can't remember an instance where something like this happened that wasn't an eye infection (and we have seen similar behavior with other infections). It wasn't apparent to us at the time either but became so. We started calling the buns that found these infections "Nurse Bunnies". I like Hazel's terminology...."bunnyspeak"....gonna remember that one. We have been doing rescues of mostly "special needs" rabbits for years and have learned to listen and react to the "bunnyspeak". In some cases I actually go ahead and treat but it at least gets close monitoring.My point is in all of this.....for some reason Sullivan feels there is something wrong and his response is to lick trying to fix it. Could be something as simple as a small piece of hay that was causing some irritation, could be an infection...but that behavior most likely is not only trying to take care of something...it could be a warning to you. Take the warning signs they give you seriously.....and I think you do since you went to a vet already. Keep a close watch.

Randy

 

[Gilbert and Sullivan]

Thanks very much for the feedback. I will most definitely keep a close eye on him, and let you know what happens. Thanks!!

 

[Hazel]

Yay! I gave Randy a term!! Hahaha,