i need some help about my dwarf rabbit

Question
I recently brought a dwarf rabbit. right now i am really worried because i feed it about half a bowl a day i dont know if that is too much because im thinking hes sick. He has diarrhea nd i dont know what to do. He tends to be really extremely shy too doesnt like to be held and when i lean over to look at it in its cage he goes to a corner and sits really still as if i am going to hurt him...i need help i dont know how many times to feed him or how to get him to like me...

Answer
Dear Rebecca,

The biggest concern right now is the diarrhea.  If this is a baby rabbit, the runny stool can kill very quickly, and you must get him to a good rabbit vet *immediately* for treatment and supportive care.  Please read this right now:

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

and

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

Find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

and get him there ASAP.  The runny stool is potentially very serious, and should not be ignored.

His shyness could well be due to the fact that he feels sick and vulnerable.  Feeling that way in a new environment with big, scary humans hovering over him is bound to make him feel terrified. Rabbits are not necessarily immediately friendly.  They are prey animals, and you must carefully win their trust.  Here's how:

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

For information on diet, please go here:

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

He should have fresh timothy hay available at all times, with pelleted food being a minimal part of his diet--and no pellets with any bright bits or seeds, nuts, or dried fruit.  That will make his diarrhea worse and is very unhealthy.

It sounds as if you made in impulse purchase of a cute bunny without really knowing how to take care of him.  That's doing things backwards, since you should always learn about how to care for an animal before bringing one home, and rabbits are NOT low maintenance.  But now that you have him, you can learn all about his proper care here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

First things first.  Get him to a vet for treatment, or you may not have to worry about the rest.

I hope this helps.

Dana