Runny Babbits

[richatnort]

bazza white said:

Ours booked in next friday for the chop. Any advice for when we pick them up. How are they when you get then and how is recovery.

They are generally pretty sleepy when you pick them up and the best thing is to get them eating so if they have any favourite veg or anything they Wolf down then get it ready for when they get back.

Other then that the only problem we has was when the little man was done they injected him in a bad spot and the needle mark didn't heal well and caused us to go to another vets so it might be an idea to ask where they infected the anesthesia so you can keep an eye on the area but I think that was a very rare circumstance.

[littlegreenfairy]

bazza white said:

Ours booked in next friday for the chop. Any advice for when we pick them up. How are they when you get then and how is recovery.

Food and water bowl in easy reach, not too much hopping up for the litter tray and lots of tasty herbs. Mr bunny was fine a few days afterwards but rather indignant.

[TheLordJohn]

Ours love Curly Kale

[Clio200pat]

axgizmo said:

Hi Patrick,
I'm so glad my posts have helped, has yours injured himself or do they suspect Arthritis too? I'm glad he's making a good recovery and the meds are working. Gareth loves the taste of it, he thinks its a treat and gets huffy when the syringe is empty haha.

Edited by axgizmo on Thursday 15th October 12:24

No it's just old age unfortunately. He doesn't like taking the Metacam at all though, it is a 2 man job getting him to take it. Also on Panacur too as a precaution for a bacterial infection.

He's been taking these since Wednesday and on Thursday there was a marked improvement, but since then he's been having real issues with his back legs, which he doesn't seem to have much control of. I think we might be off again to the vets tomorrow at this rate...

[axgizmo]

Aww bless him.
With Gareth the hind leg issue seemed to appear all of a sudden but as we know, rabbits hide illness very well. Your vet may be able to advise you on a better way to administer the meds, maybe it is the syringe he doesn't like?

Gareth has been notably more unsteady the last day or two, he tends to stay in his run area now unless I get up and wander about and he thinks he is going to get some Kale/ Spring Greens/ carrot biscuits! Cinders (the shy one) is turning into the explorer (she would never leave the rug without Gareth) but now she is off on her own wandering around, sitting under the table by my feet.

Hope you find a way of making your boy more comfortable/ sturdy on his feet

[axgizmo]

bazza white said:

Ours booked in next friday for the chop. Any advice for when we pick them up. How are they when you get then and how is recovery.

Gareth just wanted to be left alone, I put him on a blanket in is box and he stayed there for the remainder of the evening, the following morning he was bright and cheery but clearly tender, a week or so after he was back to his old self.

Try to keep an eye out for licking/ pulling at stitches

[dazwalsh]

We just liberated this rabbit from my other half's friend, poor thing was in a hutch far too small for him and in a back yard with no grass. Apparentely he was too aggressive for her daughter so never got let our to play either.

Spent the weekend making a hutch and run big enough for 2 rabbits. He was jumpung about all afternoon and even let us stroke him, no signs of aggression at all. The kids absolutely love him.

His name is Peter, and i tried to change it to Rufus but wasnt allowed

Will introduce a second one soon after i have researched a few things about rabbits, i dont even know what breed he is.

Edited by dazwalsh on Wednesday 21st October 19:20

[TheLordJohn]

dazwalsh said:

We just liberated this rabbit from my other half's friend, poor thing was in a hutch far too small for him and in a back yard with no grass. Apparentely he was too aggressive for her daughter so never got let our to play either.

Spent the weekend making a hutch and run big enough for 2 rabbits. He was jumpung about all afternoon and even let us stroke him, no signs of aggression at all. The kids absolutely love him.

His name is Peter, and i tried to change it to Rufus but wasnt allowed

Will introduce a second one soon after i have researched a few things about rabbits, i dont even know what breed he is.

Edited by dazwalsh on Wednesday 21st October 19:20

Yayyyyy, rabbit rescue!
Well done...!

[moorx]

Yes well done

Looks like he might be a Harlequin Lop to me. Very handsome.

PS - if you do get him a mate (and I recommend that you do) please consider one from a rabbit rescue centre. They can help you find one that's compatible and some even do the bonding for you.

Have a look here

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/forumdisplay.php...

There are some single does, although you'd need to get your boy neutered first.

Edited by moorx on Wednesday 21st October 21:05

[nickwilcock]

Harlequin lop or harlequin dwarf lop at a guess.

Peter is obviously overjoyed to have freedom to run and jump - and it sounds like he's a naturally friendly little chap.

But he really needs a companion with whom to bond.......

Keep us updated please!!

[dazwalsh]

Will do and will arrange neutering shortly.

Thanks for the link i will check it regularly for updates in my area. A few questions if anyone could affer advice

Whats the likelyhood of the rabbit digging his way out of the run?

Can you match up 2 male rabbits or do you ideally have mixed sex?

He doesnt appear to drink much, am i corrrect in just giving good ol tap water through a bottle feeder thingy or shall i put a bowl in too?

Finally i would like to keep him outside as much as possible, how cold is too cold for a rabbit and is thrre anything i need to consider to protect him from the cold mid winter?

Edited by dazwalsh on Thursday 22 October 00:15

[TheLordJohn]

dazwalsh said:

Will do and will arrange neutering shortly.

Thanks for the link i will check it regularly for updates in my area. A few questions if anyone could affer advice

Whats the likelyhood of the rabbit digging his way out of the run?

Can you match up 2 male rabbits or do you ideally have mixed sex?

He doesnt appear to drink much, am i corrrect in just giving good ol tap water through a bottle feeder thingy or shall i put a bowl in too?

Finally i would like to keep him outside as much as possible, how cold is too cold for a rabbit and is thrre anything i need to consider to protect him from the cold mid winter?

Edited by dazwalsh on Thursday 22 October 00:15

Can't help with the outside thing, as ours are house rabbits. They go outside when we let them out for a run around and fresh grass but they live inside.
With regards to water, we put a bowl of water out as drinking water from those bottle with the metal ball valves doesn't taste very nice.

[Animal]

dazwalsh said:

Will do and will arrange neutering shortly.

Thanks for the link i will check it regularly for updates in my area. A few questions if anyone could affer advice

Whats the likelyhood of the rabbit digging his way out of the run?

Can you match up 2 male rabbits or do you ideally have mixed sex?

He doesnt appear to drink much, am i corrrect in just giving good ol tap water through a bottle feeder thingy or shall i put a bowl in too?

Finally i would like to keep him outside as much as possible, how cold is too cold for a rabbit and is thrre anything i need to consider to protect him from the cold mid winter?

Edited by dazwalsh on Thursday 22 October 00:15

Ours lived outside all year round, but we did take extra precautions (actually, our garden was pretty much taken over by the rabbits!):

- Water in bowls as well as a bottle, in a couple of different places. Gu puddings come in boxes of two and the pudding bowls themselves are glass and the perfect size for rabbits to drink from
- Cardboard fruit boxes inside their hutch (sometimes they like small spaces, and helps hem keep warm in winter)
- Extra straw bedding
- Extra newspaper on the floor of their hutch
- when it gets really cold, don't completely fill their drinks bottle, so that if it does freeze the bottle doesn't split. Use warm water too.

It was only when they got old that we brought them inside at night.

[moorx]

dazwalsh said:

Whats the likelyhood of the rabbit digging his way out of the run?

If it's just on grass - potentially high! My rabbits' permanently attached runs are on paving, they go on 'stand-alone' runs on the grass when we get good weather. You could attach mesh/chicken wire to the bottom of the run, so that he is still on grass, but cannot dig out.

dazwalsh said:

Can you match up 2 male rabbits or do you ideally have mixed sex?

Generally, the 'easiest' match is male/female (both neutered). I have two pairs of male/female and one pair of boys (but the latter are brothers who have been together all their lives; also neutered). Any bonding has risks - not all rabbits like each other - which is why finding a rescue centre who will do it for you is great I have done three bondings myself, which (fortunately) have all been successful, but it is quite stressful and you need to have time to supervise them properly. It is not an overnight thing.

dazwalsh said:

He doesnt appear to drink much, am i corrrect in just giving good ol tap water through a bottle feeder thingy or shall i put a bowl in too?

Some rabbits don't drink much (it can depend on how much veg, etc they're getting) but some do prefer a bowl to a bottle. It's very cute to see them lapping it up

dazwalsh said:

Finally i would like to keep him outside as much as possible, how cold is too cold for a rabbit and is thrre anything i need to consider to protect him from the cold mid winter?

My rabbits have always lived outside through all weather. It's not a good idea to get a baby rabbit and put it outside in the depths of winter, but if they are older and are accustomed to living outside it should be okay. So long as the hutch has a cosy compartment where he can shelter from wind and rain (they really don't like the wind). Our runs have permanent covers on them (courtesy of my OH ) and we have clear tarps over the hutches which we can pull down if it's really pouring with rain. I have in the past also had old rugs over them as well, as extra insulation. A lot depends on where the hutch is sited, in terms of how sheltered it is.

Hope that helps; happy to answer anything else if I can

ETA - you should allow 4-6 weeks after neutering before attempting bonding, to allow hormones to die down, etc

Edited by moorx on Thursday 22 October 07:40

[dazwalsh]

Fantastic info, thanks will drop by if i have any more questions.

[richatnort]

dazwalsh said:

Fantastic info, thanks will drop by if i have any more questions.

Great news that you have rescued a rabbit you've done the eight thing!

I noticed in your profile you're in West Yorkshire like me and i wanted to make you aware of a rescue center we've used before and have helped out in the past.

They are only a small charity but really do a lot to help you with bonding, any advice and bond them for you.They have a couple of rabs for adoption at the minute so when you get a second check them out

https://www.facebook.com/yorkshiresrabbitretreat?f...

[axgizmo]

Awww, cute!
Another well done from me

Maybe he was "aggressive" with them as he was stuck in a tiny cage being poked by kids and never let out! Poor thing.

I would also say he is a dwarf lop with Harlequin colouring

[nickwilcock]

My lady friend has a very similar harlequin dwarf lop:



The photo was taken only a few days ago. Sadly, this morning the other bunny, his bonded partner, was found lifeless in her home, despite having been fit and well only 4 hours earlier. Sudden bunny death isn't unknown, but we've no idea what caused her to pass away.

But he'll be getting to know a new pal today - a little French bulldog puppy is coming home. Those in the know think that they'll get on well together - I really hope so.

[axgizmo]

Awww no, poor little thing.

I hope he is doing ok, its tough on them losing a bonded partner

[bazza white]

Well the boys are in for the chop. Living room is strange without them. They have been doing my nut in this week though, fetch chewing everything. I've even had to clean fetch's back after dusty ummmm well did what rabbits do.

Pick up 3:30 all being well.