# Rescued baby bunny from outside (lion head)



## Mariah (Jan 16, 2014)

Hi guys,
I need some help. I work at a vet clinic, & a client brought in a bunny which looks to be a domestic bunny- a lion head. It's super tiny & I believe it should be with its mama still. Eyes are open, but it's no more then 4-5 weeks old. I offered critical care- it ate some, but not a lot. It won't touch hay (alfalpha or Timothy). It is drinking. I will offer some pellets soon & force feed critical care as well. It has peed, & had one super tiny poo. Very hard & dry.
HELP! I don't know what else I should do. It's very sweet, & let's me hold him/her. But, it must be sick.


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## aj82 (Jan 16, 2014)

I would ask the vet


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## JBun (Jan 16, 2014)

It's probably dehydrated. Did your vet give it some fluids? Depending on how old it is, it may still be nursing. You could try some KMR or goat's milk, to see if it will take that. If not, just keep syringing critical care and fluids. You could try a different kind of hay, but it may be that this baby isn't used to hay and only pellets. You could try a pinch of pellets and if the bun will eat them, slowly increase the amount over the next few days, while still feeding the critical care until the bun is eating enough of the pellets that you can stop. You could also try giving it a dish of the critical care to see if it will just eat it on it's own.

If you want to post a pic, we might be able to give you a better idea of how old it is. Plus I want to see the cute thing


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## Mariah (Jan 16, 2014)

Jbun! THANK YOU! I knew you would be one of the first people to comment. He- i believe its a he, but I could be mistaken, licks the critical care from my finger but wont eat it from the plate i have it on. He still wont touch the hay or pellets. I dont have any pics yet cause i dont want to stress him out. He must be so scared being away from his mum/ family. Who dumps tiny baby bunnies outside in this cold weather? Last week it was negative 41 here!
My vet didnt do anything for the bun today. Shes not an exotic vet. The exotic vet is in tomorrow & i will be bringing him in for her to look at.
Question- the client that found him was feeding him mushed up carrots... I didnt think baby buns were supposed to have veggies?


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## aj82 (Jan 16, 2014)

Good advice there! I hope he survives x


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## aj82 (Jan 16, 2014)

I don't think they are but if he ate them it might be better than nothing as at least his system is still moving. Poor little thing! Lucky u have him x


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## JBun (Jan 16, 2014)

It might be possible the mom is a stray. We would hope no one would be so cruel.

Just keep him hydrated and feeding the critical care. Once you are getting more food and water into him, his poops should start looking more normal. He may also start eating some on his own once he settles and is feeling a bit more secure.

People don't always realize what is and isn't good to feed rabbits. At least it wasn't fruit.


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## lovelops (Jan 16, 2014)

From me raising my Chico and Chica from 4 days old I would second JBun and go with Kitten Replacement Milk or the Goats Milk. I always bought the Kitten Replacement milk premaide from the local petstore and would give it to them sideways at the corner of their mouth so there would be no problems with them possibly aspirating/choking on it. Today they are a year and nine months old. I would feed them several times a day not once a day or twice a day and that is what my local vet told me to do due to the fact the mother died when they were 4 days old. Based off how little this guy is, you might want to try feeding him every 4-5 hours to help build his strength up based off of how cold it was up there and we have no idea if he's been out without food and for how long. It would give him a fighting chance. 

Please let us know how it goes..

Vanessa


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## Watermelons (Jan 16, 2014)

lovelops said:


> From me raising my Chico and Chica from 4 days old I would second JBun and go with Kitten Replacement Milk or the Goats Milk. I always bought the Kitten Replacement milk premaide from the local petstore and would give it to them sideways at the corner of their mouth so there would be no problems with them possibly aspirating/choking on it. Today they are a year and nine months old. I would feed them several times a day not once a day or twice a day and that is what my local vet told me to do due to the fact the mother died when they were 4 days old. Based off how little this guy is, you might want to try feeding him every 4-5 hours to help build his strength up based off of how cold it was up there and we have no idea if he's been out without food and for how long. It would give him a fighting chance.
> 
> Please let us know how it goes..
> 
> Vanessa


 

Please do not offer a weaned rabbit milk of any kind.

Keep offering the critical care. If he will lick it off your finger that's great. Try not to syringe feed a rabbit that is willingly eating, that can cause more stress and damage then good.


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## Mariah (Jan 16, 2014)

How often, & how much critical care should he be getting? He eats a tiny bit (meaning less then a 1/4 spoonful) when I feed him & then turns his nose up to it. Ill put him down from feeding, & he hops into his crate & snuggles under his blanket. He feels warm, not too warm though, but im sure that's better then being cold. He has a little personality. If you make that kissing noise with your mouth, he kisses your face... :bunnyhug: I dont know if thats because hes so weak, or if he really is that sweet... I hope he can pull through this...


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## Mariah (Jan 16, 2014)

Lovelops & Watermelon- why the conflicting advise about milk? KMR or goats milk? Ive never had a bun this young before (both my current buns were older then that when I got them), so I have no experience with milk & bunnies. Lovelops- that is a touching story about your two bunnies. I can only hope to be so lucky with this little one.


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## Watermelons (Jan 16, 2014)

a 5 week old rabbit should be fully weaned. If the rabbit is weaned (or older), don't go backwards by offering the rabbit milk. Rabbits cannot handle dairy. Like just about every other animal out there, once its no longer nursing, it should not get milk, it can seriously upset the digestive system.

Taking a photo of the rabbit is less stressful then touching it. If you're concerned it may still be young enough to need to be nursing, post a photo, one of our breeders (or other wee rabbit expert) should be able to offer a more precise age.


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## Mariah (Jan 17, 2014)

Here is a pic of my little dude/dudette! He survived his first night with me! Anyone know hold old he may be? I was thinking 4-5 weeks?


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## lovelops (Jan 17, 2014)

Mariah said:


> Lovelops & Watermelon- why the conflicting advise about milk? KMR or goats milk? Ive never had a bun this young before (both my current buns were older then that when I got them), so I have no experience with milk & bunnies. Lovelops- that is a touching story about your two bunnies. I can only hope to be so lucky with this little one.



I'm sorry to be offering conflicting advise and am not trying to cause a fight or anything but am offering what I did personally. I can only go off of what I gave my little guys and believe it or not I kept giving them KMR milk past 5 weeks as they liked their milk more than solid food and they are healthy and have had no health problems at all and have been checked out by the vet and the vet was aware of me doing this and said it was ok. 

Even now if they are not drinking alot of water I will give them KRM during the hot times in the summer and they will drink it up and I've never had any problems. They have never had any stomach problems at all from having it past a few weeks old in my personal experience because if they had I would have stopped it along time ago. I would not do anything to deliberately harm my rabbits. Everyone's experience is going to be different. Different strokes for different people. I'm only offering what I saw personally worked for me with no experience with any baby rabbits before with the help of my husband's grandma who raised rabbits before but only to eat.

I've asked the vet before when they were little about them drinking it past being weaned when they would not drink milk and he told me it would not cause them any adverse reaction. So far to date it has not and they are close to two years old. in fact they still LOVE Kitten Replacement Milk and would rather drink that over water any day of the week. He never told me about Critcal care at that point and I've only heard of it now from the forum.

This is solely my personal experience from what I did with them from being 4 days old up until now.. if to some people it's wrong I'm sorry but it worked for me, I checked with my vet every step of the way, but most importantly for the bunnies it kept these two alive after their mother died and healthy.

I'm not trying to start any fights or confusing on the board.

Vanessa


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## lovelops (Jan 17, 2014)

Also I had no access to critical care, did not know about it and the two buns were too young for that.. once again
I'm not trying to start any fights, upset anyone or give Mariah bad advice because I want to see her bunny thrive.


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## Imbrium (Jan 17, 2014)

I suspect your rabbits may be ok with it *because* they've consistently gotten it on a fairly regular basis since weaning age - if they never went all that long without it, their bodies may not have ever stopped producing the enzymes needed to break down lactose. A long stretch without it, though, could cause it to be quite problematic (just ask any long-term vegetarian if they suffer consequences for eating meat!).

All in all, I think it's one of those things that worked in your specific situation but the odds of someone else having the same experience aren't high enough for it to be a very good idea to suggest it .


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## lovelops (Jan 17, 2014)

Imbrium said:


> I suspect your rabbits may be ok with it *because* they've consistently gotten it on a fairly regular basis since weaning age - if they never went all that long without it, their bodies may not have ever stopped producing the enzymes needed to break down lactose. A long stretch without it, though, could cause it to be quite problematic (just ask any long-term vegetarian if they suffer consequences for eating meat!).
> 
> All in all, I think it's one of those things that worked in your specific situation but the odds of someone else having the same experience aren't high enough for it to be a very good idea to suggest it .



I agree with you... and I hope she can get something into that bunny to keep it hydrated and going! It's a cutie! I hope it works out and will thrive and will live a long life!

Van


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## JBun (Jan 17, 2014)

Awww, cute little bun  I agree, looks around 4-5 weeks, though it's a little hard to tell from the pic. Maybe get one with it just sitting on the floor. Though it's not really critical, just if you're interested in getting a better guess on age. 

I mentioned using milk in case it was younger than you thought, like around 2-3 weeks, and was still only used to milk. Sorry for the confusion. It sounds like the critical care is working out well enough. Hopefully the little guy starts eating on it's own soon.


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## Mariah (Jan 17, 2014)

Hi everyone, no worries about the milk for the bun. I appreciate all the help I can get as I've never dealt with a bun this young before. I just got home from working at the farm, & there was POO!!! YAY!!! He has also started munching on some alfalpha hay on his own!!! I'm trilled!!!
Here is another pic Jbun. He's eating in it too! Age?


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## lovelops (Jan 17, 2014)

Do you have an idea how much he weighs?


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## Mariah (Jan 17, 2014)

lovelops said:


> Do you have an idea how much he weighs?



Yes, I weighed him yesterday at the clinic, & he was 174 grams, so 0.38 lbs or 0.17kgs... Super tiny. Why do you ask? 

Also, I think he looks like a lionhead, but could I be mistaken?


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## JBun (Jan 17, 2014)

He's just an adorable little fluffball!!! How can you stand not to just smoosh that cute little face all day  That's so great he's eating now, and little poops, yay! That's always a relief.

I think your guess on age is still right. Usually when they are around 3 weeks, they are still a little bit wobbly in their walking, but by 4-5 weeks they are really busy and zipping around quite well. Any idea what's going to happen with the little guy?

If there are tufts of fur around his head, he's probably at least part lionhead.


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## pani (Jan 17, 2014)

0.17kg... he's so tiny! Best of luck with him.  Glad to read he's eating and pooping now.


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## lovelops (Jan 17, 2014)

Mariah said:


> Yes, I weighed him yesterday at the clinic, & he was 174 grams, so 0.38 lbs or 0.17kgs... Super tiny. Why do you ask?
> 
> Also, I think he looks like a lionhead, but could I be mistaken?



Trying to see if I could find something online that could indicate age/weight of lionhead/lionhead mix... that's all... I'm still looking but cannot find anything yet..

Vanessa


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## Chrisdoc (Jan 17, 2014)

Adorable and so tiny. Looks like eating now so that's great news.


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## aj82 (Jan 17, 2014)

Your doing super for him! He is beautiful! I hope he makes it x


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## Mariah (Jan 17, 2014)

JBun said:


> He's just an adorable little fluffball!!! How can you stand not to just smoosh that cute little face all day  That's so great he's eating now, and little poops, yay! That's always a relief.
> 
> I think your guess on age is still right. Usually when they are around 3 weeks, they are still a little bit wobbly in their walking, but by 4-5 weeks they are really busy and zipping around quite well. Any idea what's going to happen with the little guy?
> 
> If there are tufts of fur around his head, he's probably at least part lionhead.



He really is adorable! Ive never had a bunny whos ears stand up straight! Ive only ever had lops! Im so in love with this little bun! And he kisses you back when you kiss him on the face! 

Of course I want to keep him... But my SO says no... Im going to work on that cause Im so attached to him already, and ive had him less then 24 hours...

He comes out of his crate (door is open for him at all times) to greet me when I walk in the room.. Hes in a bathroom with the door closed. I cant trust the cats & dogs with him just yet. Hes too tiny. He is so inquisitive about everything & nothing seems to scare him. I guess thats what living outside does for you...

How long would you say I should keep him away from my other buns? I dont plan on trying to bond them any time soon... That should be fun.. LOL It took me 6 months for Kiwi & Papaya to bond... I change my clothes after handling him before I touch my other buns. Im going to do have a fecal done next week to check for any parasites.


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## Mariah (Jan 17, 2014)

lovelops said:


> Trying to see if I could find something online that could indicate age/weight of lionhead/lionhead mix... that's all... I'm still looking but cannot find anything yet..
> 
> Vanessa



Keep me posted lovelops!


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## JBun (Jan 17, 2014)

Yeah, it's hard to give up those cute babies when you raise them and get so attached. I only rehomed one of mine and kept the rest cause I worried so much about them going to good homes.

Some people will quarantine for a month, just to be safe. I've gone both ways. I quarantined the stray my neighbor found, for a month, but didn't on a new baby I got because I was worried about the stress of keeping her separate and alone. There's always a risk if you don't quarantine, but there's also nothing certain that a month is even going to be long enough for some things. I've found it's mostly breeders that will quarantine new rabbits. Usually pet owners don't in part because they don't think about it, they are keeping the new bun no matter what and these buns are going to be sharing space any ways, and sometimes it's just not feasible to quarantine.

I would say if there is no chance you're keeping him, then it's probably best to continue to quarantine. No sense in risking the health of your own buns. But if you are going to keep him for sure, then no reason not to introduce him to your buns. And if you do introduce them, first see how they react through cage bars. If there are signs of aggression, you probably don't want to let them be together until they've had a while to calm down and feel more comfortable with him, or until he is neutered. If they just seem interested in each other, you could probably very cautiously introduce them, maybe with Papaya first, as he seems like he would be the most easygoing about it. And just watch for signs of aggression or irritation(tail up, circling, lunging), and end the intro if there is any, before any nipping or biting occurs.

Some people say to wait until a bun is neutered before introducing them to each other, and in some cases you do need to do that, but I've had times where I have needed to put a baby bun in with an older one, and it's worked out well. I carefully pick which older bun, as some aren't friendly(Dakota ), but there are benefits to letting them be with an older rabbit. They can teach them bunny manners and also give them a friend, and help them not feel so nervous in a new home. But this all does need to be done carefully, as you don't want the older bun attacking the younger. But I've sometimes found older rabbits will often behave differently to babies than they would to another adult rabbit. They are usually more accepting of them. So you just have to kind of gauge their reactions and go from there. Curiosity and interest are good, tail up and pawing at the cage bars aren't. But you dealt with the difficulty of Kiwi and Papaya, so you know what those negative reactions can look like.

For the weight, not that it matters all that much as long as he doesn't seem boney, but when Baby was 4 weeks, she was really small at 4 oz. By 5 weeks she had doubled her weight. And Baby is part lionhead and is about 4.5 lb now.


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## Mariah (Jan 17, 2014)

Its still debatable if i will be keeping him or not... I wont introduce him right now anyways. I want to make sure hes free of parasites and seems healthy enough. I dont need three sick bunnies! One is terrible enough to deal with, time and money wise. Hes currently separate, and will stay that way for a while. 

He does feel a bit boney though...

More poos this afternoon! Is there such a thing as giving too much alphafa hay to the baby? He seems like hes enjoying the hay now, so could i possibly cut back on the critical care feedings now?arty0002:


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## JBun (Jan 17, 2014)

You do want to be careful about introducing alfalfa hay too quickly. It's best to start with small amounts and gradually increase. Maybe if you just put out a little bit and then mix it with the grass hay, that will help encourage him to eat the grass. With the grass hay, you want it to have the leafier bits as the thick hard stems can sometimes be hard for little babies to eat. Maybe just keep offering some critical care until you see him eating more grass hay, and until you are gradually able to increase the alfalfa hay amounts. Is he not touching pellets at all and are they timothy or alfalfa based?


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## Mariah (Jan 17, 2014)

JBun said:


> You do want to be careful about introducing alfalfa hay too quickly. It's best to start with small amounts and gradually increase. Maybe if you just put out a little bit and then mix it with the grass hay, that will help encourage him to eat the grass. With the grass hay, you want it to have the leafier bits as the thick hard stems can sometimes be hard for little babies to eat. Maybe just keep offering some critical care until you see him eating more grass hay, and until you are gradually able to increase the alfalfa hay amounts. Is he not touching pellets at all and are they timothy or alfalfa based?



I hope I havent been feeding too much alfalfa hay. Ive been making small piles for him, and within two to three hours he has eaten it all up. I have also been mixing it in with the timothy hay, in hopes that he starts eating that too. I havent seen any diarrhea, just lots of small baby poos- and lots of them! How will I know if hes eating too much alfalfa? What signs should I watch for?

I will keep feeding the critical care, but maybe not so often. Would I be right in saying that he should have about 15-20mls a day? But im assuming that amount is only if hes not eating anything else?

Ive seen him eat one pellet. Its timothy based as thats all I have right now for Kiwi & Papaya. I will pick up the alfalfa based ones tomororw, along with some grass hay. Ive also been told that oatmeal flakes would be good for him. Is this a yay or a nay for the oatmeal flakes?


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## JBun (Jan 17, 2014)

It could be something like an upset stomach where he stops eating. You know all those signs from Kiwi. Or changes in poop, getting mushy poop. As long as he keeps eating and his poops stay good, then he should be just fine with what you've been giving him. Not all rabbits are going to be sensitive to alfalfa, but it does happen sometimes, so I always suggest to start it out slowly.

You'll probably have better luck with the alfalfa pellets, as that is probably what he would have been eating wherever he came from. I would skip the oatmeal flakes. Too many carbs. 

For the critical care, maybe just start reducing the amount a little and see if it gets him eating more hay. Also if he seems to like the alfalfa pellets, then you can gradually decrease the critical care as you increase the pellet amount.

All in all, he sounds like he is doing pretty good.


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## Imbrium (Jan 17, 2014)

Mariah said:


> How will I know if hes eating too much alfalfa? What signs should I watch for?



I made the mistake of giving my girls unlimited alfalfa as soon as I brought them home (breeder had been feeding grass hay only); Nala had no problems at all but Gaz developed soft/mushy poops. If poop looks 100% normal and there's lots of it, then you're not feeding too much.

As for quarantine, I most often hear 14 days (minimum) recommended for rabbits, though with sugar gliders, it's 30 days and some people will also suggest that for other animals. In my experience, you'll usually know within 14 days (and a thorough vet check) anything that you'd know within 30 (specifically, issues most often arise in the first week); however, it never hurts to err on the side of caution.



Mariah said:


> Of course I want to keep him... But my SO says no... Im going to work on that cause Im so attached to him already, and ive had him less then 24 hours...



A 4-5 week old ball of fluff can be terribly persuasive if given a little time - I wouldn't be surprised if the new bunn does the convincing for you!

I just impulse-adopted a third rabbit myself at the end of December; luckily, my boyfriend is worse about "Omg, bunny! Gimme, gimme, gimme... *SQUEE*" than I am, lol. He'd never had or been around rabbits until Nala, Gaz and I moved in and he turned out to be a total sucker for my girls .


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## Mariah (Jan 18, 2014)

Well I just went up to give him his last feeding of the night. Lots more poo, but of course I saw a couple that were softer then the rest. Could it be the critical care as that is mixed with water to make a paste? Or could it be the alfalpha hay? I did give more alfalpha before I left him for the night, mixed in with the timothy hay. 

I wont be back upstairs to see him for at least six hours (a girls gotta sleep too!), so I just wanted to make sure he had enough food to eat throughout the night. 

He seems happy & bright, and even did a "baby blinky" for me! inkbouce:

I will be bringing him downstairs with me tomorrow. I live in a open concept basement apartment. My parents live upstairs, which is why I had the option to keep him up there last night & tonight. Tomorrow, he must be down here with me & my SO as my parents want their bathroom back.. lol...:humour:
Since Im in an open concept basement, the bunnies will be able to smell each other & see each other (depending on where I decide to set him up), but not touch at all. I would like to do at least a 14 day quarantine, which makes a lot of sense to me. 

Should I perhaps apply some advantage just in case of fleas? I cant recall if hes to young for that right now.


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## Mariah (Jan 18, 2014)

(QUOTE) A 4-5 week old ball of fluff can be terribly persuasive if given a little time - I wouldn't be surprised if the new bunn does the convincing for you!

I just impulse-adopted a third rabbit myself at the end of December; luckily, my boyfriend is worse about "Omg, bunny! Gimme, gimme, gimme... *SQUEE*" than I am, lol. He'd never had or been around rabbits until Nala, Gaz and I moved in and he turned out to be a total sucker for my girls .[/QUOTE]

Im really hoping this is the case!!


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## JBun (Jan 18, 2014)

Is there anything cuter than baby binkies  

I think a little bit of soft poop is to be expected, considering all of these new foods introduced into his diet. It could be from the critical care or the alfalfa hay. Just keep an eye on it. If it doesn't clear up or gets worse, then you might need to try and change things, but hopefully he'll start eating some grass hay, and that should help.

I wouldn't be doing flea treatment on such a young bun, and I doubt it's necessary, especially this time of year. Maybe just give a close check in his fur around his neck and belly to see if you can spot anything, but I'm sure he's fine.

I can imagine your parents will be glad to reclaim their bathroom back from the bun  I'm interested to hear how your own buns react when you bring this little guy downstairs, and how he reacts too.


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## Mariah (Jan 18, 2014)

Well, baby survives night two! I just gave him his critical care breakfast & more hay. He ate all the critical care, munched on some hay, & is now fast asleep on my leg, in my lap. How cute is that?!
I won't be putting any advantage on him then. I've looked through his coat, & I don't see any fleas, however; I've been wondering about one of his eyes. I don't think he can see very well of of one of them cause of his fluffy face. I was parting some hair to look at his eye, & I believe he has an eye infection  I think it's shut more then the other & I think I see some green discharge in his eye. I know I'm a vet tech, but how urgent is this for such a young bun? Can it wait till Monday? I don't even know if one of my vets is in today to see him.


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## aj82 (Jan 18, 2014)

I think it should be ok to wait but I do recall conjunctivitis medicine is the same in humans and animals so if you really worry you could use a tiny bit of human stuff x


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## Mariah (Jan 18, 2014)

Well I am a worrier, so ive been in contact with two bunny vets. Im getting conflicting info though. One is telling me to use fucthalmic or tobrex (no steroid in case of ulcer), and the other is saying not to use fucthalmic, that it will kill him, and she dosent recommend the tobrex either. She wants him on baytrl eye drops, which need to be ordered. I dont know what to do!


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## JBun (Jan 18, 2014)

Nothing better than baby bunny snuggles 

You can try using some sterile saline to keep the eye rinsed out until you can have the vet look at him Monday. I know both of those eye drops can be used for rabbits, but I don't know what all goes into deciding which is good for what, or if this being a baby bunny makes any difference. The fucthalmic drops seem like they are more commonly used than the other, but this is just from a brief internet search. Do you know which is considered a better rabbit vet? I think something to keep in mind is that some vets that aren't terribly experienced with rabbits, seem to use beyril as the goto antibiotic for rabbits, since that is the one that is considered the safest and is the most commonly used, but it doesn't mean other antibiotics can't be used safely and effectively. Is it possible that this other vet isn't very rabbit savvy?

Here are a few link I've found about their use in rabbits.
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00Chem/ChComplex/Fucidic_Acid.htm
http://www.rabbit.org/health/antibiotics.html


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## Mariah (Jan 18, 2014)

JBun said:


> Nothing better than baby bunny snuggles
> 
> You can try using some sterile saline to keep the eye rinsed out until you can have the vet look at him Monday. I know both of those eye drops can be used for rabbits, but I don't know what all goes into deciding which is good for what, or if this being a baby bunny makes any difference. The fucthalmic drops seem like they are more commonly used than the other, but this is just from a brief internet search. Do you know which is considered a better rabbit vet? I think something to keep in mind is that some vets that aren't terribly experienced with rabbits, seem to use beyril as the goto antibiotic for rabbits, since that is the one that is considered the safest and is the most commonly used, but it doesn't mean other antibiotics can't be used safely and effectively. Is it possible that this other vet isn't very rabbit savvy?
> 
> ...



Thats what I was thinking too Jenny, about one not being as rabbit savy. I went to my old clinic. My vet said I didnt have to bring bunny with me. She gave me the tobrex. Its 1 drop every 12 hours. I will start it this evening. I trust her. She helped with me Kiwi and if you remember me talking about Citrus? If his eye gets worse, or not better, I will take him in to see her. She said it could be many things, maybe even a blocked tear duct. Who knows. Im just glad I got some meds, and spoke with her about it. I did check on him before i left, and his eye seemed almost ok, with just a tiny bit of goop in the corner of his right eye. Maybe Im seeing things? Im such a WORRIER!!


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## ladysown (Jan 18, 2014)

looks 6-7 weeks in that picture. probably lionhead mix, or poorly bred lionhead. He's got fairly big ears for his size so he may get 5-7 lbs at maturity. Fits good in your hand too... so probably closer to 7 weeks. He'll grow good. Once you get them started they tend to keep going. Feed pellets and hay now that he's started. Shouldn't need much else.


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## ladysown (Jan 18, 2014)

use a warm wet tea bag on that eye. Get it all the way open and clean it out. The astrigents help with healing, the bag is soft and won't cause further damage. Check the eye to make sure there is no dust or bits of anything in it.

With having that as a health issue I would keep him well away from your other rabbits for a good month. This includes washing your hands/changing clothes before handling/feeding/touching the other rabbits. Minimize air borne pathogens as much as you can.


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## Mariah (Jan 18, 2014)

ladysown said:


> use a warm wet tea bag on that eye. Get it all the way open and clean it out. The astrigents help with healing, the bag is soft and won't cause further damage. Check the eye to make sure there is no dust or bits of anything in it.
> 
> With having that as a health issue I would keep him well away from your other rabbits for a good month. This includes washing your hands/changing clothes before handling/feeding/touching the other rabbits. Minimize air borne pathogens as much as you can.



I live in an open concept basement apt. I dont have the option to have them in completely separate rooms.. I do wash my hands & change my clothes between bunnies though. 

I just moved him downstairs. He is completely freaked out like he was on Thurs night... Ugh. He came completely come out of his shell, and now hes hiding again in his crate. I got him to eat some critical care when I first brought him down, so at least he has a somewhat full belly right now. Poor guy.


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## JBun (Jan 18, 2014)

Poor little guy  He might be a little nervous about the new bunny smells. Is he doing any better now that he's had some time to get used to it?


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## Mariah (Jan 18, 2014)

JBun said:


> Poor little guy  He might be a little nervous about the new bunny smells. Is he doing any better now that he's had some time to get used to it?



Well first, let me explain his new set up. He has a bunny cage (big one) that opens up into his run, which is made up of NIC cubes. When I first put him in there, he was scared but got used it to, I would say within the hour. Hes so brave! Because hes so tiny, he wasent able to actually hop into his cage. I have a litter box outside the cage, and one inside as well, hay/ water, inside & out as well. I have my kitty downstairs... He used to be an outdoor kitty, & im afraid because bunny is so tiny, kitty may think hes a toy... So, when I went to have dinner, I put him in the cage & shut the cage door, as he is safer in there when Im not there to watch my kitty. Of course, he was scared again. Now, two hours or so later, (ive been checking on him), hes great! When Im there to watch him later on, I will let him out again to run around before bedtime. Everytime I check on him, he jumps up & pleads for me to let him out. Its so cute. Once hes bigger, I wont have to lock him in there, but for now, thats where hes the safest. Kiwi & Papaya were twice the size of him, so ill be a bit yet till hes able to be unsupervised with my kitty.


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## lovelops (Jan 18, 2014)

Please be careful about using any flea stuff on him. If you use the wrong stuff it could harm him. I was told by my vet to use the one for cats on rabbits but in the condition he is in, I would check with the vet and since the temp has been COLD I doubt any fleas or ticks could be living in that cold a temp. I don't have any on my dogs now and I'm in the US and in the DC area. You are up in Ontario and I know it's heaps colder there.. Please call the vet and check and in the meantime, get a flea comb and use on him just to be safe... 

Vanessa


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## Imbrium (Jan 18, 2014)

Mariah said:


> Well I am a worrier, so ive been in contact with two bunny vets. Im getting conflicting info though. One is telling me to use fucthalmic or tobrex (no steroid in case of ulcer), and the other is saying not to use fucthalmic, that it will kill him, and she dosent recommend the tobrex either. She wants him on baytrl eye drops, which need to be ordered. I dont know what to do!



Tobramycin eye drops seem to be a very common treatment for eye infections in rabbits. Baytril eye drops sounds odd to me; I don't have an educated reason to think that, really, I guess it's just that (based on all I know about biology/medicine/rabbit medicine) I just get the feeling that there's gotta be something better/more viable than baytril eye drops. I'm glad you got the tobramycin drops (and that they're not a kind that also have dexamethasone, since steroids are awfully risky for rabbits).



lovelops said:


> Please be careful about using any flea stuff on him. If you use the wrong stuff it could harm him.



The stuff she was considering, Advantage (imidacloprid), is totally safe for bunns (over weaning age, at any rate)  [As is Revolution (selamectin); those two and ivermectin are the only safe pest meds for rabbits.]



Mariah said:


> He has a bunny cage (big one) that opens up into his run, which is made up of NIC cubes. When I first put him in there, he was scared but got used it to, I would say within the hour. Hes so brave! Because hes so tiny, he wasent able to actually hop into his cage. I have a litter box outside the cage, and one inside as well, hay/ water, inside & out as well.



I really don't recommend leaving him in the NIC cube run without close supervision at his age unless you attach cardboard or coroplast or something to the sides or mesh them with chicken wire or hardware cloth to ensure that he can't stick his head through the holes. I remember when my lionhead was around 9 weeks old, measuring the width of her face with my fingers and then holding them up to a grid and concluding that I didn't think she could fit her head through one of those tiny squares.

Naturally, Nala proved me wrong. I was taking a nap and woke up to the sound of rabbit feet scuffling frantically against the tarp flooring... I lept out of bed instantly and ran to the living room, as my first thought was that the noise indicated a rabbit in distress. It turns out that Nala had managed to jump out of the little (1 grid high) NIC pen I had put up for them (I had watched them for a couple hours before my nap and no one showed any inclination to jump out) and then tried to go BACK into the pen by shoving her face through a grid 

Her head went through the grid easily, but then her ears popped up and prevented her from backing out. It took numerous fail attempts at solving the problem and a trip to my neighbor's house at 7:15 in the morning before we eventually realized that all I needed to do was tuck her ears back through the grid and then her head slid right out. She was no worse for wear aside from having vegetable oil on the fur around her neck (not my brightest idea, heh; I was barely awake/trying not to panic and have apparently seen too many old TV sitcoms where a kid got their head stuck in a banister and another kid buttered their head to get them out), but I imagine she could really have hurt herself by struggling if I hadn't been there to calm her down and keep her still.


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## JBun (Jan 19, 2014)

LOL, I love that story about Nala! And the oil. Too funny

I had something similar happen too, with Baby, but she was much younger(5 wks) and much smaller. She didn't get stuck though, and actually slipped right through and out. They always love it when they figure out how to break free  I never imagined that fluffy bun was small enough to do that.


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## Mariah (Jan 19, 2014)

Imbrium said:


> Tobramycin eye drops seem to be a very common treatment for eye infections in rabbits. Baytril eye drops sounds odd to me; I don't have an educated reason to think that, really, I guess it's just that (based on all I know about biology/medicine/rabbit medicine) I just get the feeling that there's gotta be something better/more viable than baytril eye drops. I'm glad you got the tobramycin drops (and that they're not a kind that also have dexamethasone, since steroids are awfully risky for rabbits).
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Omg, that is a super funny story about Nala! It's only funny because she didn't get hurt. Of course I was thinking about the NIC cubes as well, and the size of his head. I don't think his head can fit though them, but after hearing your story & Jenny's story, I won't leave him unsupervised in them at all. I couldn't imagine him getting his head stuck. I would freak!

I don't know if I was imagining an eye problem, but I haven't gone ahead & started the drops yet. His eye seemed perfectly fine last night. I haven't gotten a good look at it this morning yet though.

I'm not going to put on any advantage just yet. I've looked through his coat, and I don't see any flea dirt. I just know what a pain in the butt it is to get rid of fleas. And of course, if he has them, everyone in the house would have to be treated...5 cats, 2 other buns, & 2 dogs. That can get
expensive really fast!

Here's a pic of the little one sleeping on my lap!


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## aj82 (Jan 19, 2014)

Do you think it's a netherland?


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## Mariah (Jan 19, 2014)

aj82 said:


> Do you think it's a netherland?



I was actually thinking maybe he's a cross. I've only ever had lops, so me he looks like a lion head, crossed with a dwarf?

Here is his current set up. I know I have to build the NIC cubes higher, but right now I think it's ok.


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## aj82 (Jan 19, 2014)

That's perfect x


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## JBun (Jan 19, 2014)

He is just so tiny and cute :inlove:

That looks great! I used 1 level high nic grids for a while with my babies. It'll probably work fine for at least another week.


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## Chrisdoc (Jan 19, 2014)

He's just so tiny hard to take a good guess but he's a lovely colour, cage seems just right for him now, look forward to seeing this little fella grow


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## Mariah (Jan 19, 2014)

Thanks guys! He defintely came to the right home. Its funny, cause I almost didnt go to work on Thurs. I wasent feeling that great, but decided to go anyways. Good thing I did cause I got this little guy!

If he is indeed a boy, Ive decided his name will be Cloud :hearts If he is actually a she, it will be Apricot. Currently, hes Cloudy Apricot. I wanted to stick with my fruit theme since I have Kiwi Lemon Child & Papaya... lol My previous bunny was Citrus, and before that was Star, so all their names kinda go together :laughsmiley:


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## Sindri27 (Jan 19, 2014)

I really like cloud. It could be a type of name for either a boy or girl. It certainly fits. =)


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## Mariah (Jan 20, 2014)

Hey guys, so I'm wondering how much this little one is supposted to sleep? I feed the critical care four time a day. About 1/2 to 3/4 of a regular human spoon. Is that enough? I feed him & then he goes to sleep. He's still eating his hay, but maybe not a ton of it? 
I'm at work for the morning, and I'm worried about him. He's still pooing & peeing, but he did have some soft poos this morning after he ate the critical care.
Any insite welcome. Am I just being an over paranoid mama? Or is something wrong?


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## Mariah (Jan 20, 2014)

Anyone re my above question please?

I also wanted to give a quick update. He seems fine tonight (just put him to bunny bedtime) bright & alert, eating, drinking, pooping & peeing.

I brought the "baby scale" from work home with me today. Last Thurs he was 174 grams. Today he is 242 grams!!! Little Cloudy Apricot is growing up!


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## JBun (Jan 21, 2014)

Babies sleep a bunch, so it's pretty normal. They'll have their bursts of zipping around, then out like a light for a while. I think they have to rest up for all the growing they do.

If he's eating hay, that's probably fine for the critical care. Did you start him on alfalfa pellets yet? A little bit of soft poop might be expected with his new diet. If it gets worse or is still going on after a week, you may need to cut back some on the critical care and see if you can get him eating more hay.

Yep, they grow really fast until about 12 weeks, then it slows down a bit.


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## Chrisdoc (Jan 21, 2014)

They do sleep an awful lot when they are very young, I remember my three and they used to love sleeping on me. I was at the new pet store yesterday and the had loads of bunnies, very small bunnies which remind me that I must not go there again


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## Chrisdoc (Jan 21, 2014)

By the way, there was a little one who reminded me of yours, now I have to go back to check that little bun is ok lol

Here's the cutie


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## madisonl702 (Jan 21, 2014)

Well, I had a bunny for two days until he died. We later found out he had the sniffles 
He was the best bun ever, dwarf Dutch


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## Mariah (Jan 21, 2014)

Jbun, check your PM again :happybunny:

I have started offering him the alfalfa pellets, but he will not touch them- silly bunny! 

Im glad to hear babies sleep a lot. I was worrying that something was wrong, cause he was sleeping so much. He does have "baby" bursts of energy, and then hes asleep on lap:innocent

Chrisdoc:

OMG! That bunny looks identical to mine! Adorable! Maybe they are cousins from overseas? :bunnyhug: Did you go back to see him today?


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## JBun (Jan 21, 2014)

Baby wouldn't eat pellets either, when I first got her. She was 4 weeks old and underweight and a little boney. She was only 4 oz. I suspected she wasn't weaned properly. After about the first week she would start to nibble on the little pellet crumbs I had broken up for her and left around her cage. Then at about 5 1/2 weeks old she started to eat a few pellets and gradually ate more each day. It was a pain, and a lot of work getting her eating like a normal bun. A ton of stress too, but after a few weeks she was eating normal bunny food. 

I had a thought that might work to get him transitioned onto pellets. You could try mixing in a few broken up pellet pieces with the critical care mush. If he eats them, just gradually start mixing in a few more each feeding, while you decrease the critical care amount by the same portion. if he doesn't eat them, you could try soaking them first, then mixing them in with the CC, then as you are adding in more mushed pellets and less CC, you could start adding in small pieces of the dry pellets. I know a few other tricks too, if this doesn't work. Though I don't know why it wouldn't.

I'm glad he's eating the timothy hay now. If he doesn't like the other grass hay, that's fine, as long as he's getting one type of grass hay(timothy).


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## Mariah (Jan 21, 2014)

JBun said:


> Baby wouldn't eat pellets either, when I first got her. She was 4 weeks old and underweight and a little boney. She was only 4 oz. I suspected she wasn't weaned properly. After about the first week she would start to nibble on the little pellet crumbs I had broken up for her and left around her cage. Then at about 5 1/2 weeks old she started to eat a few pellets and gradually ate more each day. It was a pain, and a lot of work getting her eating like a normal bun. A ton of stress too, but after a few weeks she was eating normal bunny food.
> 
> I had a thought that might work to get him transitioned onto pellets. You could try mixing in a few broken up pellet pieces with the critical care mush. If he eats them, just gradually start mixing in a few more each feeding, while you decrease the critical care amount by the same portion. if he doesn't eat them, you could try soaking them first, then mixing them in with the CC, then as you are adding in more mushed pellets and less CC, you could start adding in small pieces of the dry pellets. I know a few other tricks too, if this doesn't work. Though I don't know why it wouldn't.
> 
> I'm glad he's eating the timothy hay now. If he doesn't like the other grass hay, that's fine, as long as he's getting one type of grass hay(timothy).



That is fantastic idea Jenny! Crumbling up the pellets & placing them in his cage, & mixing it in with the critical care. I will try that tomorrow. I just put him to bed.

How did you acquire Baby? Was she a rescue too?

It is so stressful with babies, especially since I don't know his full history etc. I worry all the time, and I hate leaving him to go to work. It's especially hard right now because of the "polar vortex" were having here up in Canada. Today was -31, & I work outside with the horses in the morning... It's a lot more work, so it takes me twice as long to do my job, which means I'm away from bunny even longer.


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## GK44 (Jan 22, 2014)

I've read through this whole post and Cloud is such a cutie! You are wonderful with him. So has your SO given you the okay to keep him?


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## Chrisdoc (Jan 22, 2014)

Didn't have time today but will pop in tomorrow. I just love that cute face...well, I loved all those cutie faces. I have to resist lol.


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## Mariah (Jan 22, 2014)

GK44 said:


> I've read through this whole post and Cloud is such a cutie! You are wonderful with him. So has your SO given you the okay to keep him?



 Well, I haven't brought up the subject yet... I'm letting him warm up to cloud, & see how freaking adorable he is. Yesterday, I caught my SO bending down to pet him... I'm letting cloud do all the work lol I think my SO actually likes him because cloud is not like my other two. Kiwi & papaya run away from him. They only love me haha

Cloud is doing well today. Just got home & he pretty much ate all the hay I left out for him! I was pleasantly surprised!

Chrisdoc, you will have to keep us posted if you cave & get another bun!


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## GK44 (Jan 22, 2014)

That's a great start, Cloud letting your SO pet him! Sounds like Cloud is working his magic


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## Mariah (Jan 22, 2014)

GK44 said:


> That's a great start, Cloud letting your SO pet him! Sounds like Cloud is working his magic



I hope so! inkelepht:


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## Mariah (Jan 24, 2014)

Ok so, Ive started calling him Apricot. It just seems more fitting, then Cloud. It fits in better with my other two- Kiwi Lemon & Papaya lol

Apricot is eating his alfalfa pellets now! This is a new development. Ive ben putting them in his cage overnight, & this morning, they were gone! I was like, oh, maybe they are hidden somewhere. So I cleaned his cage before work, & put more in there. I turned my back for a second, & they were gone again! So yay! I didnt even have to start mushing them up in the critical care. Hes also eating his hay (alfalfa & timothy) very well. Hes very picky though, just like Kiwi & Papaya. The batch of timothy hay that I have right now, Kiwi & Papaya arent that fond of. Guess what? Neither is he! Hes following in his big sister & big brothers footsteps... haha

Since hes eating the alfalfa pellets now, would it be a safe time to only do three critical care feedings a day instead of four? Im not giving him unlimited pellets. I dont want to upset his tiny little belly.


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## JBun (Jan 24, 2014)

Yay!!! Progress 

You're probably fine to reduce to 3 CC feedings if he seems to be eating enough pellets now to replace it. Then as you are gradually increasing the pellet amount, gradually decrease the CC.

I don't like feeding unlimited pellets to babies either. I had a few that it would cause poopy bum problems with, so I did limited pellets. I did feed them more than they would get as adults though. What I did was feed twice a day, and enough pellets to last most of the day, but limited so they would run out of pellets about 3 hours before the next feeding. This ensured they also ate plenty of hay. That's just what worked well for my bunnies.


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## Mariah (Jan 25, 2014)

JBun said:


> Yay!!! Progress
> 
> You're probably fine to reduce to 3 CC feedings if he seems to be eating enough pellets now to replace it. Then as you are gradually increasing the pellet amount, gradually decrease the CC.
> 
> I don't like feeding unlimited pellets to babies either. I had a few that it would cause poopy bum problems with, so I did limited pellets. I did feed them more than they would get as adults though. What I did was feed twice a day, and enough pellets to last most of the day, but limited so they would run out of pellets about 3 hours before the next feeding. This ensured they also ate plenty of hay. That's just what worked well for my bunnies.



Today I will start the three CC feedings then :dancingorig: Apricot is going to be quite disappointed though. He absolutely loves the CC, & does a little bunny dance when he hears me getting it ready. All pellets were gone again this morning. so I think hes ready for more pellets.

Im so nervous about feeding him pellets, just because of all the issues Ive had with Kiwi & pellets. Ill slowly increase the amount of pellets and see what happens.

Apricot is a lucky little bunny. If he wasent found when he was, he wouldn't have made it. The temperatures here in Canada have been absolutely horrible. I dont remember the last time we had weather this bad. Its been -20 & below for over a week. I haven't even been riding my horses, that's how cold its been.


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## Mariah (Jan 25, 2014)

Is this normal? Apricot is sleeping like a cat, with his eyes covered up??? I'm trying not to panic, cause its super cute... But... ???


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## JBun (Jan 25, 2014)

Haha, so cute! I used to have a baby that slept on its back with its feet sticking straight up in the air. They're just silly sometimes. He looks very content 

Just remember, not all rabbits are so sensitive to pellets. Keep an eye on his poop, which I'm sure you already do. If you see mushy or smaller than usual poop, you'll need to make some adjustmments. Otherwise he should be fine.

I love his name 

That's so cold! Hopefully it warms up for you soon.


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## Watermelons (Jan 25, 2014)

if his poops are fine and hes eating hay and pellets. There's no need to feed critical care at all.


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## Mariah (Jan 25, 2014)

Ok good to know that's normal. Ive just never seen any of my bunnies sleep like that, & so soundly before. I guess hes happy in his new PERMANENT home! Yes, hes staying :jumpforjoy: The SO keeps petting him, & asking where his toys are. Poor Apricot only has one right now, which he dosent know what to do with quite yet. Hes the one who added the "Salad" part on the end of his name. Haha

And regarding the CC, Im going to wean him off it slowly, just so its not a shock to his tiny system. I dont see it hurting him. His poos are fine so far. And of course Im monitoring his poos very carefully.

We just got about 10cm of snow today... I dont think the cold is going away anytime soon... Ugh


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## JBun (Jan 25, 2014)

Wooooohooooo!!!!!

It's just so impossible to resist these cute fluffy babies, isn't it? I'm glad your SO found it just as irresistible 

So, have Kiwi and Papaya caught a whiff of him yet? What do they think about all this


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## Mariah (Jan 25, 2014)

JBun said:


> Wooooohooooo!!!!!
> 
> It's just so impossible to resist these cute fluffy babies, isn't it? I'm glad your SO found it just as irresistible
> 
> So, have Kiwi and Papaya caught a whiff of him yet? What do they think about all this



Im pretty sure Kiwi & Papaya know hes there, but at this point I dont think they care lol Im waiting at least 14 days for them to meet, but most likely a full 30 days, just to make sure Apricot is free of disease. I know somtimes 30 days isnt long enough, but so far he seems ok. His eye seems to be fine. He does have some "crud" but I think he just needs to clean himself a bit better, or let me. I dont want to be too invasive with him just yet.

And yes im stoked that im going to keep him. The SO never said yes I could, but at this point hes not going anywhere. I think he knows thats a fight hes going to loose :thankyou:


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## Imbrium (Jan 26, 2014)

Mariah said:


> I think my SO actually likes him because cloud is not like my other two. Kiwi & papaya run away from him. They only love me haha



I wouldn't put it past the little bunn to somehow suspect that wooing "that other human" was necessary if he wanted your home to be his forever home, lol - somehow, animals seem to understand who it is that they need to schmooze to get what they want!



Mariah said:


> The batch of timothy hay that I have right now, Kiwi & Papaya arent that fond of. Guess what? Neither is he! Hes following in his big sister & big brothers footsteps.



I've noticed that Norman tends towards the same hay preferences as my picky, picky, little girls (never mind that when I first brought him home, he'd devour anything and everything I put in front of him)... almost makes me wonder if picky bunnies send out vibes that tell other bunnies in the home to shun certain hays!



Mariah said:


> Is this normal? Apricot is sleeping like a cat, with his eyes covered up??? I'm trying not to panic, cause its super cute... But... ???



Omg, SQUEE!!! That is one super-relaxed baby bunny, not a care in the world! Reminds me of Gazzle's baby-DBF's, and I've seen Norman in a similar position a time or two.



Mariah said:


> The SO keeps petting him, & asking where his toys are. Poor Apricot only has one right now, which he dosent know what to do with quite yet.



Can't say I didn't see that coming! Baby animals are so cute and sweet and friendly - how can you not fall in love? It's their built-in "secret" weapon to endear them to humans so that we'll love them enough to put up with their "teenage phase" when it arrives .


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## Mariah (Jan 26, 2014)

Imbrium- I know right? Apricot is completely different from Kiwi & Papaya. So friendly & attention starved. He will take any "pats" from anyone at anytime. Could he be like this because he dosent have a buddy? Kiwi & Papaya always had someone to start with- Kiwi had Citrus, and Papaya had Kiwi. 
Now, another question. Apricot loves the alfalfa hay. When I got him last week, I gave him more of that then the Timothy cause I just wanted him to eat, since I didn't know if he would make it. Now I've been mixing it in with the Timothy, but smart bun picks through it to find the alfalfa & leaves most of the Timothy. Any tips to make him eat the Timothy?


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## Imbrium (Jan 26, 2014)

Limit the alfalfa more? Or find a grass hay he likes better than Timothy? I dunno, I always had the same problem with Nala and Gaz... the only way they'd eat both hays is when I bought the Sierra Valley 80/20% Orchard/Alfalfa blend (which is more mixed than is possible by hand because they're grown together in the field), and even then they left a fair amount of Orchard strewn about on the floor.

The alternative is to just let him have unlimited alfalfa... which is perfectly healthy, but it just delays the battle and possibly makes it worse when you eventually have to take away the alfalfa completely ><


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## Mariah (Jan 26, 2014)

Imbrium said:


> Limit the alfalfa more? Or find a grass hay he likes better than Timothy? I dunno, I always had the same problem with Nala and Gaz... the only way they'd eat both hays is when I bought the Sierra Valley 80/20% Orchard/Alfalfa blend (which is more mixed than is possible by hand because they're grown together in the field), and even then they left a fair amount of Orchard strewn about on the floor.
> 
> The alternative is to just let him have unlimited alfalfa... which is perfectly healthy, but it just delays the battle and possibly makes it worse when you eventually have to take away the alfalfa completely ><



That's exactly what I've been today. I guess its hit & miss with him. This morning, I woke up early to feed the buns (which I already always do). I mixed both hays together & went back to bed. When I woke up he had eaten it all! So yay! I guess he's figuring out if he's hungry, he needs to eat what's there lol

I was nervous last night, since I increased his pellets slightly, & it was the first day going down to 3 CC feedings... He's great this morning & is like a little toddler who needs constant attention. He's soo cuteinkbouce:


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## Chrisdoc (Jan 26, 2014)

He is soooo cute. Snowy sleeps like that, you are always tempted to poke them to check they're ok. I do love this littlefellow, I must go and see his twin, am away in UK till Tuesday so wil pop in Wednesday


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## Mariah (Jan 27, 2014)

Little Apricot is doing well again today. Loves his pellets. Hes now put two & two together- when he hears the opening of the pellet bag, he runs to me, then runs to his dish. Hes adorable.

Today will be the last day for three CC feedings. Tomorrow I will go down to two CC feedings & increase his pellets again.


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## Mariah (Jan 29, 2014)

Here is an updated photo of my little dude  He is growing like a little weed! But a cute weed 

I'll have to start a blog of him with Kiwi & Papaya


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## GK44 (Jan 29, 2014)

He is so cute!


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## aj82 (Jan 30, 2014)

He is lovely


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## JBun (Jan 30, 2014)

He's such a cute boy! I know, it's amazing how quickly they grow at first. They seem to double in size each week.

He certainly seems like a happy friendly little guy. And is quickly wheedling his way into your hearts, with his excessive cuteness and charm. I'm with Jennifer. It's like he knows what he needs to do, and who he needs to put the charm on with, to ensure he stays in his new home. Such a smart little bun


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## Chrisdoc (Jan 30, 2014)

He is the cutest bun, how could you not want to cuddle him. Sounds like he's already trained you lol. Great that he seems to have really settled in.


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## Mariah (Jan 30, 2014)

He is such a happy little boy! I think he's glad he dosent have to live in the "wild" anymore. The only way I can describe him, is that he's like a 1 or 2 year old human child. He runs like crazy when I let him out, & always has something in his mouth! He's exactly like a toddler who needs constant supervision lol

I feel bad cause when I'm not home, he needs to be in his cage, without access to his run. I don't trust my kitty with him yet. He's still too tiny. So when he gets to come out he's super happy 

And, I know this will probably change once his hormones kick in, but he's been really good about peeing & pooing in his litter box! *proud mama here*!!!


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## lovelops (Jan 30, 2014)

What a cutie. You know he isn't going any where right!!!

Vanessa


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## Mariah (Jan 30, 2014)

Ya, he will be staying lol He's got one heck of a personality!


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## Mariah (Feb 7, 2014)

So my little monkey has coccidia  I knew he would, but I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to have his fecal done. I'm taking him to the vet this afternoon, for my vet to just do a exam on him, & order in his meds. *sigh*


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## JBun (Feb 7, 2014)

Which little monkey, Apricot or Papaya?


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## lovelops (Feb 7, 2014)

Mariah said:


> So my little monkey has coccidia  I knew he would, but I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to have his fecal done. I'm taking him to the vet this afternoon, for my vet to just do a exam on him, & order in his meds. *sigh*



OH NO... This is your little lion head!!! Oh no!!!! :shock2:

Get him his meds and keep an eye on him!!! 

Vanessa


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## Mariah (Feb 7, 2014)

Apricot has coccidia Jenny  And Apricot is actually a SHE!! Poor girl, I've been calling her a boy for 3 weeks! Other then the coccidia, she got a clean bill of health. We put a blanket down in the clinic, & she was running around everywhere, checking everything & everyone out!

They are going to order the meds for me. It will be the same thing Papaya had when he HAD coccidia. It will be strawberry flavour, so hopefully she takes it nicely, & I don't have to force her to take them.

She's home now, & hiding, but I put some hay in her hidey house & she is eating that. So hopefully she comes out to play soon.

I also took poo in from kiwi & papaya, just to make sure they are ok too!

*stressed out mama*


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## lovelops (Feb 7, 2014)

Mariah said:


> Apricot has coccidia Jenny  And Apricot is actually a SHE!! Poor girl, I've been calling her a boy for 3 weeks! Other then the coccidia, she got a clean bill of health. We put a blanket down in the clinic, & she was running around everywhere, checking everything & everyone out!
> 
> They are going to order the meds for me. It will be the same thing Papaya had when he HAD coccidia. It will be strawberry flavour, so hopefully she takes it nicely, & I don't have to force her to take them.
> 
> ...



don't get too stressed out .. it sounds like she is doing ok so far .. wow She.. I'm so used to writing HE .. wow... what a change! 

How long does she have to take the meds?

Vanessa


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## Mariah (Feb 7, 2014)

lovelops said:


> don't get too stressed out .. it sounds like she is doing ok so far .. wow She.. I'm so used to writing HE .. wow... what a change!
> 
> How long does she have to take the meds?
> 
> Vanessa



My awesome vet says its a 14 day treatment I believe. Papaya had the same thing when I got him. She said most baby bunnies do have coccidia. I just lucked out with kiwi I guess. 

She (I can't believe he is a she!!!) is back to her normal self now. Running around, using me as a jungle gym lol And most importantly eating, drinking, pooing & peeing 

Meds should be in on Monday, as I had it specially compounded at a vet pharmacy. They will be strawberry flavour (I hope), and I also hope she takes them nice! She wouldn't come near me when I got her back home. Poor girl was so trusting, & went right into the carrier... Only to discover she was going on a car ride to the vet.

Kiwi & papayas poo was negative, so super happy about that!


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## Chrisdoc (Feb 8, 2014)

Poor girl but she seems OK so far, hope she makes a complete recovery, geez a girl had got used to he but she sure is a cute little missy


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## Mariah (Feb 13, 2014)

Well Apricot started her meds today. It's once daily & 0.1cc, so not terribly a lot. I'll post the name of the med soon, I just can't get up right now, because Apricot is using me as a jungle gym currently lol

She took them pretty well. She started licking it right from the syringe, then maybe realized it didn't taste that good, even with it being strawberry flavour. She kept coming back & licking the syringe then stopped. So instead of tryin to force her to take them, I put a drop on a pellet,
& she ate the pellet with the med on it. I could tell she wasent enjoying it that much, but she still ate it, & got her first dose done.

13 more days to go...


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## Tammy B (Feb 13, 2014)

Great to hear Mariah...Apricot is on the road to recovery


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## lovelops (Feb 13, 2014)

Tammy B said:


> Great to hear Mariah...Apricot is on the road to recovery



Yes it is and talking about the road to recovery is that you and Stewie?
if so he is looking more friendly! 


Vanessa


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## Crystalkate (Feb 14, 2014)

I just read through Apricots whole story. She is so beautiful. I find amazing how we can be in the right place, at the most perfect time. She wouldn't have had this chance of life without you. Crazy how life matches us up with where we need to be.


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## Mariah (Feb 15, 2014)

Crystalkate said:


> I just read through Apricots whole story. She is so beautiful. I find amazing how we can be in the right place, at the most perfect time. She wouldn't have had this chance of life without you. Crazy how life matches us up with where we need to be.



Thank you  She is a real sweetheart. I've never had a bunny so affectionate as she is. 

She's taking her meds with pellets. I would rather her take them like that, then have to force them into her. I guess we'll see if she wises up to the fact that there's medication on them.

12 days left...


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## JBun (Feb 17, 2014)

I'm sure you'll be glad for the meds to be done with. I'm still trying to get used to 'him' being called 'her' now


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## Mariah (Feb 21, 2014)

JBun said:


> I'm sure you'll be glad for the meds to be done with. I'm still trying to get used to 'him' being called 'her' now



Im glad the meds are only once a day though. I give it at night, when I have more time to sit with her. Shes still getting a drop on her pellets so I dont have to force them into her. She is still gobbling them up!

I am also still trying to get used to the fact that shes a girl! I also thought I should say that I have changed her name.... I couldnt get used to calling her Apricot... So now its "Cookie", because she responds to "Coo-Coo" haha

Five days left!!!


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## Imbrium (Feb 22, 2014)

Mariah said:


> Well Apricot started her meds today. It's once daily & 0.1cc, so not terribly a lot. I'll post the name of the med soon, I just can't get up right now, because Apricot is using me as a jungle gym currently lol
> 
> She took them pretty well. She started licking it right from the syringe, then maybe realized it didn't taste that good, even with it being strawberry flavour. She kept coming back & licking the syringe then stopped. So instead of tryin to force her to take them, I put a drop on a pellet,
> & she ate the pellet with the med on it. I could tell she wasent enjoying it that much, but she still ate it, & got her first dose done.
> ...



Hah! Pellets, the ultimate bunny bribe! Too bad even if I'd thought of that with Gazzles, the one time pellets aren't tempting enough is during GI stasis - she goes freaking NUTS when anyone touches her mouth, so getting meds and critical care into her is an ordeal. I had to pin the little brat down so that the vet could actually keep her mouth open long enough to get a good look around with a lighted magnifying thing (can't remember the word for it for some reason... sleep deprivation, probably ).

I'm so glad Cookie is doing well!


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## Mariah (Feb 22, 2014)

That's the tough thing about medicating bunnies. They are so small so it makes administering medication hard. I hope the pellet trick does the job. I know sometimes when I put the med of the pellets, some of it comes off in my hand. I guess of I have to treat her longer then the 14 days I'll do it. I'm excited to get her fecal checked at the end of the treatment. Then I don't have to worry so much if cookie is nose to nose with kiwi & papaya.


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## Imbrium (Feb 22, 2014)

I haven't bothered with the pellet trick - too much work . As soon as she got a bit of an appetite back and wasn't shunning everything, I was able to whip out my usual trick. I flip her on her back, hold her like a baby and slowly squirt the meds into the front of her mouth - she eagerly laps it up on her own as it comes out of the syringe, but ONLY if she's on her back. What a little weirdo!


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## Mariah (Feb 22, 2014)

Imbrium said:


> I haven't bothered with the pellet trick - too much work . As soon as she got a bit of an appetite back and wasn't shunning everything, I was able to whip out my usual trick. I flip her on her back, hold her like a baby and slowly squirt the meds into the front of her mouth - she eagerly laps it up on her own as it comes out of the syringe, but ONLY if she's on her back. What a little weirdo!



Arent all of our bunnies little weirdos? 

Yes, the pellet trick is A LOT of work, but I dont mind doing it. I have time at night once im home from work, so time isnt an issue since its only once a day. I dont want to loose her trust by restraining her & forcing the meds down her throat. I know one day (hopefully not..) if she does become ill, Ill have too, but fingers crossed that dosent happen.


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