Bunnies

[Wordgeek]

So, one of my friends found an abandoned bunny.  This bunny is now with me, until another friend comes back from holiday.  She'll be adopting the little guy, when she gets back in two weeks.  Meanwhile, I have a bunny who seems very unhappy.

Bunny is living in my extra bathroom.  Because I don't have a carrier or cage, I gave him a paper bag to hide in.  Which he is.  And will.not.come.out.  He hasn't eaten and drunk anything for at least 24 hours, nor has he (ahem) passed anything.  If I go near him, he freaks out and burrows deeper into his bag.

Poor little guy.  Anyone know how to comfort a bunny?

[Alida]

How long has friend had Bunny?  Any idea what breed Bunny might be?  That seems like an awful long time for the poor critter to have not eaten or, uh, done anything.

[ladiedeathe]

You have to get fluids in bunny or bunny will die soon. If this is a baby bunny, you will need to use a milk product in a bottle, if older then water will do. If you must, wrap bunny in a fluffy towel (use to gently restrain bunny so you are not clawed), then use a doll bottle or eyedropper slid in the side of the mouth to give fluids.

Bunny can live a few days without food, but not water.

Good luck!

[Wordgeek]

Bunny came to me yesterday, after spending a few days in a vet's office.

We're not sure how old he is.  Not a baby, but youngish.  I can hear him rustling but he goes into stealth mode as soon as I'm within sight.

I might try forcefeeding him some water later this morning if he doesn't drink on his own.  It's been about a day so far that he hasn't drunk.

[Alida]

Bunny came to me yesterday, after spending a few days in a vet's office.

Hrm... okay, we had a Flemish Giant, so my experience is probably going to be way different, but... if you can get hold of Bunny and stroke him enough to get him calm, he may at least take in some food and drink.  I know we had a water bottle that we hung on Bun-Bun Jinn's (yeah, we're weird) cage for him to drink from, he would never have touched a bowl of water.  A water dropper or something like that might help to keep Bunny hydrated.

[Wordgeek]

I know the Ehellions wouldn't fail me!

I'll try a little lap time, maybe with a soft towel he can burrow in.  Then a bottle.

[Ehelldame]

He's living in your bathroom freeroaming?  I'd put him in the bathtub to give more security, add strips of newspaper to his "bag" so he can really burrow in and offer some root vegetables like a carrots, turnip, and maybe an apple wedge.   No iceberg lettuce...it can give bunnies diarrhea.  If I recall, fresh grass clippings were a no-no, too.   If you can find dried alfalfa cubes in a pet store, bunnies go bunnycrackers over those.   Station the water and feed near the bag entrance. 

[Ehelldame]

Bunny came to me yesterday, after spending a few days in a vet's office.

Hrm... okay, we had a Flemish Giant, so my experience is probably going to be way different, but... if you can get hold of Bunny and stroke him enough to get him calm, he may at least take in some food and drink.  I know we had a water bottle that we hung on Bun-Bun Jinn's (yeah, we're weird) cage for him to drink from, he would never have touched a bowl of water.  A water dropper or something like that might help to keep Bunny hydrated.

hehehe  *I* had a Flemish Giant a few years ago.   Our first rabbit, a male dwarf of some sort, was called Bun Buns.   We called our custom built rabbit cages the "bundominium".

[Wordgeek]

Bunny peed in his bag so some liquid must have gone in during the night.  I rinsed him off and am cuddling him in a towel.  He's looking around a bit - does that mean he's feeling more secure?

I'll put him in the bathtub,, as Ehelldame suggests.  I had a gate set up to prevent escapes but he doesn't seem to be much of a flight risk.

[Wordgeek]

Miss Jeanne, you're a genius!

He's in the bathtub and I can't believe how much happier he is.  He peed in his litterbox, ate some celery, and is now giving himself a wash.  The bag wouldn't fit in the tub, but he has newspaper strips to nest in, plus a bowl of water, a carrot and some celery to keep him company. His ears are all tweaked up and he's hopping around a bit.

Crisis averted.  I just checked on him and he's chowing down something fierce.  I guess the bathroom was too big for him and he was too scared to come out of his bag. 

[fklwmn]

awww, I just wantt o say how happy I am that bunny seems to have come around. This is the cutest mental image ever, and it makes me want a bunny. alas, they're cages are too big for me to deal with indoors and... i'm probably allergic. yay for bunny!

[Ehelldame]

No genius, just years of acquired experience.  I'm glad Bunny is happier and I admire your committment to good stewardship of such a helpless animal.   With a secure "nest", you may find that he will become bolder about exploring and you can let him roam the bathroom for a short time. 

[Clara Bow]

One small idea. Is it safe to give a bunny a soft blanket? I know my cousins had blankets in with their bunnies...
Oh, and be sure the bunny has something to gnaw on, they have to gnaw. I'm not sure what's best, everything that comes to mind might be dangerous but the folks at Petsmart should be able to help!

[behindbj]

Since the The Little Fluffy One appears to be ok, I feel ok posting this:

Some posters who have been around a while know that the word "bunnies" makes me happy for some reason. 

For the record, the word "bunnycrackers" makes me laugh out loud.

Thanks, EHelldame!

behindbj

[IndianInlaw]

Now I want a little bunny too!