hairballs/behaviour.

Question
i just got a baby bunny and I was told that I have to get hairball medication. I have been everywhere and can't seem to find any such thing.. can just regular cat hairball stuff work? and if not can you suggest somewhere where I can find the rabbit stuff. second: I gave the bunny some greens last night (green lettuce, carrot tops, and some snow peas) and after words she went all hyper and 'twitchy'. I just want to make sure that it's ok.

Answer
Dear Tammy,

You don't need hairball medicine.  That's very old information, and it's actually not recommended to ever give it to rabbits.  Rabbits actually don't get "hairballs" (except Angoras, sometimes), but they do suffer from GI tract slowdown and ileus, which many inexperienced vets misdiagnose as a "hairball."  You can read all about this here:

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

For this reason, it's of utmost importance to find a good rabbit vet ASAP (before you need one!), because most dog/cat vets just don't know all that much about proper rabbit care or medicine.  You can find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

and find all the correct information on feeding and care of your new pal here:

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

and

www.rabbit.org

Greens are good, but add any new item gradually and watch for any sign of runny stool, which can rapidly be fatal in a bunny.  Good diet tips here:

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

Your "twitchy" bunny was probably doing little happy dances we call "binkies."  :)  To keep him happy and healthy, keep a very close eye on his fecal output.  If you got him from a pet store, there's a good chance he's too young to leave his mother (pet stores are notorious for this), and rabbits weaned too young can die very easily from intestinal disorders.  You have to know what to look for, and here's how:

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

I don't want to sound alarmist, but I'd rather you be overly cautious than devastated, as too many people who buy baby pet store bunnies end up being.  :(

I hope this helps get you started.  Please write back if you have any other questions.  Also consider joining EtherBun, a free listserve with more than 4000 subscribers:  it's all about health, care, and behavior of rabbits, and if you ever have any trouble it's a fast and good place to turn to for help.

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

Good luck!

Dana