sick 4 week old bunny

Question
Our rabbit had 2 babies about 4 weeks ago.  Up until yesterday afternoon both seemed fine, but when we got home from work we noticed one of the bunny's appeared to be coughing up clear mucous.  His nose and mouth were all wet so it is hard to tell if he is spitting up or sneezing it out.  He hops and crawls around but thens rests and he obviously doesn't feel well.  We keep them penned up but the babies are small enough to fit through the bars of the play yard so they are able to get out if they want.  We have bunny proofed the room they are in and checked again to see if he might have eaten something he shouldn't, but there was nothing around.  His mother has tried to get him to nurse a few times but he has refused, we tried to give him some water but he refused that to.  We noticed that he is moving his mouth like he is chewing and making a kind of grinding/squeeking noise.  I started coming down with a cold yesterday and was wondering if perhaps he caught it too and maybe his throat is sore and that is why he doesn't want to drink and the noises are his way of coughing.  He seemed a little better this morning, he zipped across the room a couple of times.  But we wanted to know if there is anything we should do or signs we should look for.  Right now we are taking a wait and see approach.  

Answer
Dear Maureen,

I can't tell without seeing the bunny, but your description sounds like an upper respiratory infection.  This needs to be treated with antibiotics, or the bunny will very likely get worse, and could die from this.  Please read:

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

and

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

If the mucus is blocking his breathing, that's why he won't eat or drink.  You can try to suction the mucus out of his nostrils (rabbits are obligate nasal breathers, so they need a clear nose path!) with a pediatric ear bulb, gently suctioning at the aperture of his nostril and seeing if you can clear it.

But I'd get him to a good rabbit vet ASAP for treatment:

www.rabbit.org/vets

This won't go away on its own except in the worst way.

I hope this helps.

Dana