rabbit q

Question
Hi Dana,

I wrote to you in the last few weeks, about my rabbit who has a head tilt and is rolling.

I think you would remember me saying that the vet that we take our rabbit to, has given up and said that he isn't going to survive and to just put him down.

Since then.. we have put him on Panacur, Metacam and intially Baytril, then Pasteurella.

And, now he has stopped rolling! He's much happier and is jumping and running about in the garden.. :)

he has still got a head tilt, but he has *improved* so much.

this is the second time the vets (any vet here - we have got second advice from etc) has said to put our bunnies to sleep.. i really can't trust their advice anymore.

anyway i wanted to say thanks for your help too, the information you have provided us with has helped too. (by the way - we are still carrying on with the treatment at the moment.)

just wanted to ask you a question on my other rabbit, she gave birth to 5 beautiful bunnies (sadly 1 passed away), they are about 3 weeks old now, and are running about!

but the question is, our rabbits poo is sometimes not normal, she does hard round poo in the toilet area, but she also does what looks like caecotrophs but this is always done where she normally sleeps and sits. and it looks like shes stepped on it. its never stuck to her, its just always left in her sleeping area. considering shes just given birth, do you think their is anything wrong? intially, we thought it was the veg that we was giving her, because she drinks ALOT of water too. so have slowly stopped giving her veg - just in case it was this? but she still does it regardless and also she eats plenty of the dired rabbit food and hay.

- Kiran

Answer
Dear Kiran,

She may be leaving cecotropes because she's getting a rich diet, and doesn't feel the need to eat them.  As long as they are well-formed and not mushballs, I would not worry.  Just keep feeding her a healthy, balanced diet as per this article:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html

and make sure she always has LOTS of water, since nursing will take a lot out of her.  Please also read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/breeding.html

I am so glad to hear your other bunny is getting better!  Here's to a full recovery soon!

Take care,

Dana