I got my new bunny yesterday and this morning she was acting very lethergic. I thought it was because of her big day yesterday but now she is having diarrhea! Is it because she is stressed? or is it from switching foods and cages and such... I'm really stuck. Should I take her to a vet? Or let her rest....
2007-07-13 08:51:05 · 9 answers · asked by Madeline 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
She is NOT an outdoor rabbit in a hutch she is a small mini-lop indoors. The only movement i've seen her do is move from one corner to the other then lay back down. She isn't shaking, but she's just laying there.
2007-07-13 09:08:04 · update #1
My mom just called the pet store we bought her from and they said she has wet tail.. i don't know whatthat is but she's running out tog et medicine. does anyone know what can cause this?
2007-07-13 09:09:04 · update #2
Take her to a vet.
You can't afford to wait with rabbits. They're much more delicate than dogs or cats, they can't survive for long with intestinal problems. Slightly stressed rabbit tend to hide away and be quiet, not hve diarrhoea. Furthermore, if your rabbit lives outside, the diarrhoea will attract flies which can be quickly fatal.
Is the rabbit eating at all? Rabbits don't live much longer than 48 hours without eating, they have fast metabolisms. Go to a vet, he can help you rehydrate the rabbit, give you stuff for syringe feeding and of course something for the diarrhoea.
Chalice
2007-07-13 08:59:14 · answer #1 · answered by Chalice 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Rabbits do not get "wet tail." That is a hamster disease. She has diarrhea and this is a very serious problem, especially for a baby bunny. She needs to be taken to a vet ASAP.
After the vet treats her, go to the pet store and buy exactly the same food she was eating at the store. Feed this to her instead of any new foods (although timothy hay will help and not hurt- they should always have access to grass hay) until at least a week after she recovers, to give her time to adjust to her new home. Then start mixing in the new food slowly so she gets used to it over time.
Also, make sure the pellet you choose is a plain pellet with no treats mixed in. Those treats are very likely to cause problems with diarrhea, excess/runny cecals, obesity, and malnutrition.
2007-07-13 11:28:23 · answer #2 · answered by Angela L 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi and congrad on the new bunny, I would initally take to the vet that specializes in exotic ( any non dog or cat is reffered to as exotic: hamster ,gerbil, bird, snake , etc you get the point) . I have work with animals for > 14 years , I even went to school to be a technican ( I mostly work animal er now adays) .I tell people all the time animals do get stressed but when they become lethargic ( lay around no energy) not eating or drinking , vomiting and have diarrhea have them looked at .Exotic are sensitive little things and it never hurts to have an exam done. Call and make an appointment and bring in the diarrhea and take it from there.
Good luck
2007-07-13 09:01:15 · answer #3 · answered by michelle m 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with everything Angela L says. But I would add that if you got your rabbit from the pet store, odds are your rabbit is VERY young. Pet stores usually like their rabbits to be less than 6 weeks old. Your rabbit needs to be eating the same food it was at the pet store, and nothing else except plain Oatmeal. Like the kind you'd use for Oatmeal cookies. This will help clear up her diarrhea. Do not give your rabbit a bath if she gets dirty, just clean up her butt to keep the diarrhea from making a huge mess all over her backend. Your rabbit is pretty stressed out, she was too young to be weaned, and her little system isn't taking to the foods you're feeding her. I have a 4 page booklet I created that I give to everyone to purchases one of my rabbits (netherland dwarfs). Email me and I'd be happy to send you the file and you can print it out (it's in a Word document).
2007-07-13 14:51:44 · answer #4 · answered by hrcarr 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have never heard of wet tail lol. The diarrea probably come from stress. Your rabbit also might be sick because you changed the food on him. You are supposed to wean the bunny off of one food and on to another. For diarrhea you will want to remove it's pellets and give it rolled oats and timothy hay. It helps clear up the diarrhea, but do it right away because bunnies can die from diarrhea.
If you have any more questions e-mail at j2010me@yahoo.com
2007-07-14 06:52:25 · answer #5 · answered by love_the_bunnies5 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it beacause of the switching of the foods the switch should be done gradually and i bet she is kind of stressed it happens a lot to animals in "the big day" give it a day to get used to the place and enviorment dont handle the bunny that much on the first day you got her, it will get her all stressed out let her rest give her , the old food she use to recieve and gradually start adding little by little her new food mixed with the old till all thats left is the new, of course shes going to have diarrea is like if they always gave you candy to eat and now they give you boiled brussel sprouts EWW you got to get her used to the new food by doing this well best of luck to you and youre bunny peace
2007-07-13 09:05:29 · answer #6 · answered by Alex 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wet tail is often from malnutrition- did you get her from a petstore? Also, the diarrhea is probably from an allergy to the new food- get her to a vet!
2007-07-13 09:39:33 · answer #7 · answered by Shiny_Stone 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you keep switching foods she could possibly be allergic so definitely go to the vet. As soon as possible.
2007-07-13 08:57:08 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take it to the vets and ask what's up.
2007-07-13 08:56:55 · answer #9 · answered by pimple 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋