Dirty rabbit who is stressed and might be lonely

Hello and thanks for researching this important question!

Rabbits are solitary creatures, so a "companion" is likely to give this girl a lot of stress to deal with!

Here are my thoughts about things you can do to help:

1) It is right to restrict her greens salad mix..."wet" lettuces (iceberg in particular) can cause diarrhea. You might try a 1-inch piece of carrot for a daily treat instead. Use the best quality Timothy Hay that you can find...mold can make her sick.

2) Make sure that she is not eating any of the fabric towels...this can cause blockages of the intestines and lead to inconsistent stool.

3) Have her stool evaluated periodically for intestinal parasites...bunnies can get roundworms and other digestive 'bugs' that can give these symptoms.

4) Try a daily dose of a supplement called Bene-Bac...this is a probiotic replacement paste that can increase the "good" digestive bacteria.

5) If your vet seems unfamiliar with bunny health issues, try looking for additional help:

http://www.radil.missouri.edu/info/dora/RABBPAGE/GI.html

http://www.exoticpetvet.net/smanimal/rabbit.html

http://www.petmedicinechest.com/rabbit/casestudies.asp#diarrhea%20snuffles

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/vet.html

6) In the meantime, do use a warm (not hot) plain water compress on her backside daily to keep the hair clean---always pat dry completely to prevent moisture from collecting soft stool pellets.

If you need additional support at this time, please click "Reply".

Edited by GenB on July 13 2006 at 2:21pm

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Hi Gwen,
I will be accepting your reply. I would just like some more info. Unfortunately my bunny does not like carrots, but her stool is perfect! Not wet and the pellets are a good size and very round. It seems to be a matter of not cleaning herself. Also, you are the first person to tell me that rabbits are solitary! Every other site talks about how they like company. My bunny spends all but 5-6 hours in the cage so I thought she might be bored and that a companion would alleviate that and also the stress that goes with being in the cage for such a long time.
Can you address these points?
Thanks very much

Thanks for the follow-up details!

Hates Carrots--Ok! Just try a tiny bit of something she does like...just avoid 'watery' stuff like white lettuces and celery. Broccoli, for instance.

Rabbits Communities--Lots of fights can happen when adult rabbits get together...they are very territorial in the wild, and tend to be this way in captivity...exceptions are mothers who tolerate a daughter from a previous litter. I think the info you are seeing on rabbit communities is in regards to "warrens"...these are groups of rabbits that tolerate each other across a large territory--each rabbit does have its own burrow, so if you consider getting another dwarf bunny (stick to the same variety), then do house them in separate cages, and let them socialize on the "common" territory of the house. Bear in mind, that since your girl has had this area to herself, she may still feel "invaded".

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/multiple.html

Stool types--Rabbits pass two types of stool pellets: large round hard pellets that carry out all waste products, and small soft pellets that are used again (similar to cud-chewing in cows!) to recycle nutrients that were not completely absorbed the first time. These small pellets often pass in clumps that stick to the more plush hair of some bunny varieties. It is likely that this second pellet is what is causing the problem...do follow the recommendations above to be sure that these pellets are as nutritive as possible. A bunny that is even a little overweight can have trouble reaching these pellets when they pass, and this may be what is causing her to lick at the fur on her side---abdominal distress from excess gas can also cause flank licking. This is a link written by a bunny vet who gives good detail about nutrition and digestion:

http://www.heidihoefer.com/pages/rabbits/rabbit_dietary.htm

Edited by GenB on July 13 2006 at 2:46pm

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Your concern has touched me--if you have follow-up questions, or need to clarify your case, please let me know right away! Your "Accept" helps me reach out to others!