Baby Bunny and Young Adult

Question
Hi,I have two questions concerning two rabbits. One is probably a year old(Baby), I kind of saved her from being butchered into bunny meat. She's big, about 5 or 6 lbs. grey and white with floppy ears. The problem is that she has been healthy since we got her until yesterday. Her waste has become increasingly small and not shaped right, and I don't think it normal for me to be able to feel her ribs without trying. She doesn't look skinny, but she is, and it's just the fur concealing it. She also has lost a fraction of her apetite.We feed her the same amount of food as we used to. The other baby, Furball, was found yesterday in Baby's fence outside. Soon it left but came back the next morning at dawn, and she was calm and let us catch her and pet her. She/he is now in a cage. I need some general tips on how to handle her and what I should do to keep her healthy both physically and mentally.
Thanks For your time,
                     Vivi

Answer
Hi Vivi

Bless your heart for saving these rabbits.  I have a couple real concerns about both of them.

First about Baby -- When rabbits droppings reduce in size or become oddly shaped and they seem to be less interested in eating these are usually the first signs of GI stasis.  This is when their GI systems are shutting down for some unknown reason.  In any case it is really imperative that you get Baby to a vet immediately so they can figure out what is causing it.  If it progresses she can literally starve to death and that would just be so traumatic after you saved the poor girl.  I will give you an article written by Ms. Dana Krempels Ph.D.  It helps explain the process of GI stasis

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

Furball-- You don't know how long the poor little thing was out in the wild.  She is lucky she found you or she may not have made it another day.  All I can say is how dare someone let such a precious little creature go.  Since she was out in the wild and probably around other wild rabbits and who knows what else she could be carrying all sorts of illnesses.  Including coccidiosis, E. Cuniculi, fur mites, ear mites.. you get the picture.  Whatever you do don't let her anywhere near Baby for now.  You really should take her in for a check-up at a vet also.  The vet can verify her health status and check for diseases and illnesses and if she is healthy.  There is nothing wrong with playing with her to gain her trust.  Pet her, love her and let her know that you aren't going to desert her.  Make sure both her and baby are getting as much fresh timothy hay as they want and for now I would stick with pellets for furball until you know what her little body can handle.  After she gets a vet check-up then you can start introducing some rabbit safe veggies.

Whatever you do make sure that you wash your hands and anything that touches furball thoroughly before you touch baby.  You can use betadine or preferably vanodine if you have a farm supply store near you.  Vanodine is safer for animals.

If you don't already have a vet you can try looking through this site:

http://www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html

Veterinarians that treat rabbits are listed on exotic pet doctors.  If you don't see one listed here then check your phone book.  Start calling around to all the local vets.  If they don't treat rabbits they should be able to tell you the closest vet that does.  Remember that exotic animal doctors aren't as common as small animal vets so it might be a bit of a drive but it will certainly be worth it to save your babies life.

Good luck and please keep me informed on how she is doing.

Thank you

Pam