Very worried about Nibbler, don't know what's wrong

It's now nearly 5, and I fed Nibbler this morning his pellets at about half 8. He scoffed them down or at least I think he did as they're not in his hutch. I had to leave home to go to my parents at about half 12 so I tried to tempt him back in to his hutch with some veg, but he wasn't having any of it and then when I touched his side to stroke him he growled at me but then when I tickled his head and asked him why he was being silly because it was me he let me stroke him without any problems then hopped in to his hutch (this is very unusual behaviour, he's never growled at me before and has only ever done it to my boyfriend when he thought he was going to pick him up). I was hoping he was just being funny with me so I left him some veg while I was out, got back about half an hour ago and he's eaten none of it and I've been trying to tempt him with his favourite treats but he just looks at them then goes back to sitting where he was before. His ears are quite cold too. I really annoyingly can't get to the vets because I don't have a car and my boyfriend doesn't gt back from work til gone 6 but I've rung them and said I'll be there asap. I'm really starting to panic a bit about him. Has anyone come across this before? I don't think he's been eating his hay as much as he should be recently so could it just be digestive problems?

does his tummy look bloated at all hun?

It doesn't look any bigger than normal. He's got a bit of a belly anyway but it doesn't look any bigger than normal.

He just shocked me then, when I got out his carrier for going to the vet I saw him nibble at this little seed ball thing he normally loves a little bit, but he hasn't ate much of it at all. Maybe two little bites out of it. Tried to show him all his veg again but didn't want to know. He's hopped out of his hutch though and has cleaned himself a little bit, first time I've seen him do it today as he's just been sat looking sad. I've found a poo on the floor which he must have left this morning and it does seem smaller than normal.

If he's only done one poo and is not eating he definitely needs to see the vet so well done for calling them.

If he's being going off his food over a few days it is possible it might be down to his teeth giving him pain and making it harder and harder for him to eat.

Make sure he gets some pain killers at the very, very least and as good a oral examination as he'll allow.

I hope everything turns out well, sending tonnes of (((vibes))) your way.

has he drunk much water?

Might be an idea to syringe him some tepid water, to prevent dehydration. This can sometimes help.

You are doing the right thing getting him to the vets tonight.

Please let us know how he gets on.

I've just tried showing him all his food again, he doesn't want to know with the veg but has just eaten one of those little biscuits you can find in pets at home (carrot patch crunchies). Am I better trying to get him to eat something even if it's a treat or am I better waiting to get him to the vets? I don't know if that's the only poo he's done, I know he had to have done it today but I've not seen him do any others, though I did see him have a week at about half 12 earlier, think that was the only reason why he went to his hutch.

I've not seen him drink any water today, will see if I can get him to drink some through the syringe.

I don't think this has been over the past few days he's eaten everything I've given him and wouldn't stop asking me for food yesterday.

Thank you both for the advice vibes, I really hope he's ok =(

I noticed you said his hay intake had dropped which is why I thought he was off his food, if his teeth were playing up grinding the hay down would be difficult and uncomfortable for him.

I'd let him, within reason, eat anything he wants just to keep his gut ticking over as best you can. I agree with Katie on the fluids as well, really important to keep whatever is in his gut moist and malleable so it can move freely through his digestive tract.

Now he's confusing me. I just washed his veg again and tried with that again and he like seemed to snap out of a trance or something while he sat there and ate some of his parsley and a green bean!

I'm really confused and don't know what to think.

Get some water down him, if he's a touch of tummy ache at all he will not want to eat or move far and so he may not have had any water I would syringe feed some fluids into him, they are apt to do small hard droppings when they are dehydrated.

Sending Vibes for him xxxxxxxx

I've just given him some water, he seemed quite happy to drink it. The poo I found was small and very hard, so I'm going to keep trying to give him some water regularly. I've called the vets to give them an update and they've told me that if he's eating again I should just keep an eye on him for now but if he stops altogether I should take him in then. Does this sound right or should I insist on taking him in anyway?

I'm a massive over worrier, I was crying my eyes out when I got home because he hadn't eaten his veg, and I don't want to put him through unnecessary stress taking him to the vets if it's just because I'm worrying too much.

Going by our own buns if they don't eat we usually syringe feed them some pineapple juice and plenty of water as we usually put it down to tummy ache, this usually does the trick and they are back to normal 30-mins to an hour later, if they are not then we will get them down to the vet's as we know then it's something more serious.

I've syringe fed him some water and he seems to be more energetic, eaten a bit of broccoli too! I'm going to continue to keep a close eye on him and watch those poo's.

Thank you everyone for the advice and vibes, I definitely think they are working, he seems like a different bun now to a few hours ago

Oh that's good it could just be he hadn't drank enough water

Hi hun, let him eat whatever he wants to eat for now, get plenty of fluids in him and try getting him to move around. It's a good idea to clean any old poo away so that you can monitor exactly how much poo he is doing. If you don't get him to the vets tonight I would get him there first thing in the morning.

Try him On some peeled apple as this doesnt need do much chewing. The other thing to do is syringe some food into him. If you don't have any critical care they some fruit baby food or some soalked nuggets.

I've only just seen this. I hope Nibbler is still improving!

Hugs for you and a nose rub for your little guy! Sending some nom nom vibes as well! Hope he is eating SOON!

~holly~

I hope Nibbler is doing ok!

Is there any update on how he is?

Gloria used to stop eating and like you said, it was sometimes like a trance and she would just start eating again. I hope he is starting to eat normally again.

Thank you everyone again for the vibes and advice. He looks like he's getting back to normal, he's taking a while to eat and not being his normal scoff-it-all-down self but he's eating.

If it is a lack of drinking water I'm now thinking is it because he couldn't get any water because I don't know why he would chose not to drink! I have a drinking bottle attached to his hutch and change it twice a day, but is there any reason why or how it could break and stop letting water out? Whenever I test it my finger gets really wet but I do see him sometimes like tugging on the end of the bottle but I always thought that was a quirk? Could that mean it's not coming out enough for him?

I would give him a nice heavy bowl for water Hun.

Also it's worth getting him to the vets to get his teeth looked at as if his teeth have grown he will have trouble licking the water bottle because they could be cutting his tongue, also a full blown bout of stasis may not be far away and with the slow eating it really sounds to me like he has a problem in his mouth. Thus can be very very serious.

I agree with Katie, I'd get his teeth checked just in case

Just a thought though, is his hutch outside? Is there any chance something might have spooked him? A cat, a dog, or a loud noise or something?

Rachel&Nibbler wrote:Thank you everyone again for the vibes and advice. He looks like he's getting back to normal, he's taking a while to eat and not being his normal scoff-it-all-down self but he's eating.

If it is a lack of drinking water I'm now thinking is it because he couldn't get any water because I don't know why he would chose not to drink! I have a drinking bottle attached to his hutch and change it twice a day, but is there any reason why or how it could break and stop letting water out? Whenever I test it my finger gets really wet but I do see him sometimes like tugging on the end of the bottle but I always thought that was a quirk? Could that mean it's not coming out enough for him?

Get his teeth checked at the vet's because some rabbits can not use their water bottles if they have a dental spur not a lot of people realise this . That's why it's always wise to have a dish and bottle as a dish they can manage better but the drinking tube on the water bottle can hurt them if they have dental spurs.

Will definitely be taking him to the vets for a full check. He had one a couple of months ago and they said he had lovely teeth then!

No he's completely indoors, we don't even have access to a garden and we're too far up for cats and dogs to scare. I don't remember noticing any sort of loud noise before this all started, but that's not to say there wasn't a noise and he heard it but I didn't.

Rachel&Nibbler wrote:Will definitely be taking him to the vets for a full check. He had one a couple of months ago and they said he had lovely teeth then!

No he's completely indoors, we don't even have access to a garden and we're too far up for cats and dogs to scare. I don't remember noticing any sort of loud noise before this all started, but that's not to say there wasn't a noise and he heard it but I didn't.

Our Gypsy is 8 and has had perfect teeth all his life, he started with a wet mouth last month and we took him to the vet's and he had a tiny molar spur and he's been twice now to have a dental Op, that's the trouble those molar spurs can just grow at anytime.

Poor little chum, I hope his little teethies are OK. Have you made a vet appointment love?

Hugs

JO xx