Nibbler being off

Nibbler has been off for a couple of hours, I can't get him to eat anything and he keeps laying down with a funny expression. He's loving fuss but just won't eat anything. He's going through a heavy moult so I think he might have ingested too much fluff. I want to try and get him drinking some pineapple juice to try and help but I don't know what to do. Do you dilute it? Do they love the taste or should I try and mask it?

It could be that. I wonder if he's bothered by the heat, also. Is it hot where you are? Have you tried giving him his very favourite things to eat?  

I've heard that buns love the pineapple juice. I'm not sure about diluting, how much to give etc but I'm sure someone else can help with that.

I'd maybe try the juice but if he doesn't pick up I'd think about the vet trip if he is still refusing food.

I'm sending loads of vibes to Nibbler, and hugs to you, too

Thank you. It's quite warm but our flat never gets too hot. His ears are quite warm though. He seems a little uncomfortable, he keeps moving places but is sat in the same position.

Do you have an ice pod? A frozen water bottle?

He might appreciate it

I don't dilute it. I also don't measure how much I give them, but as a guide I kind of just cover the bottom of a soup bowl.

Hopefully he'll just take it, Molly and Junior love it.

I would try cooling him down, like Jess suggests. Also, if you have an uncontaminated water spray bottle, gently spray the tips of his ears, avoiding letting the water run into his ear.

I hope he's ok and no vet trip is required

Gave him an ice water bottle and he didn't mind it. Just picked him up to give him a once over (i immediately panic and think he has something horrible like flystrike) but he seems ok. He's now not too happy I've picked him up and is just sitting in his litter tray. Tried to give him some warm water and diluted pineapple but he wasn't interested. I think I need to put him on a table and make him instead of offering? as I feel like I've just made a pathetic attempt but I don't know if that's the right thing to do. It doesn't look like he's really touched his water today.

Should I spray him while in his litter tray? He's already very annoyed at me, I'm concerned if I wind him up he won't let me near him to try anything else

I can see your dilemma

Have you seen poo?

Btw, if you are going to do it, mist his ears rather than spray. Bad choice of word on my part!

There have been new poops today, but I've not seen him poop since I noticed he was off. Feeling very guilty as he's been like this since I came home from work but i thought he was being grumpy about being kept in his hutch during the day as he was yesterday after work as I let him free range at the weekend. I only realised something was off when he refused his food

Thanks for clarifying, that could have been a shock. His ears have felt hotter before so I really don't know which it could be.

Thumper2001 wrote:I don't dilute it. I also don't measure how much I give them, but as a guide I kind of just cover the bottom of a soup bowl.

(

I thought you just offered your glass!

A good cooling idea is to put a damp towel over the hutch/cage which will help to cool the air.

Yes I would force some fluid into him. I would also be taking him to the vets tomorrow and asking for some pain relief and something like ranitidine for any stomach discomfort.

I would pop a cool flannel over his ears and make him have the water and pineapple - I can't see you'll do any harm syrining it in - at least you know he won't be dehydrated.

Also try to get him moving around this will help get his tum moving x

Thank you. I'll try that out.

Nothing really to add to this, but didnt want to read and run. I hope Nibbler is feeling better soon and that he starts living up to his name! Lots of vibes for him. xxxxxxxx

I think if he is no better by tomorrow I would certainly get him to the vet's.

Rabbit's can get depressed when they are moulting, but I think I would just get Nibbler checked out to rule out a blockage.

How is the little darling today love, I hope he has improved?

Loads of vibes for Nibbler, I hope he has perked up     

sending vibes for poor nibbler      

I'm sorry for my late update. I've been watching him like a hawk and he ate a bit over night, not tucking in to his hay as much as I liked but he was eating so i carried on watching him. He's a lot perkier now and is at this moment tucking in to his hay nicely so he seems to be over whatever it was. I do think it was a heat/moult issue & that maybe he just wasn't too happy. Speaking of moult, he's been particularly bad and has had a massive patch of fluff on his back end which doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Every time I give him a stroke I give it a ruffle to get the loose bits but he normally sheds all over without a distinct moult line so I'm wondering if this is normal if he's not normally like this? Normally when I give him a ruffle a few loose bits stick out and you can gently remove them but I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing? I obviously don't want him ingesting large clumps of hair!

I want to say a big thank you to everyone for their advice and vibes, i am one massive worrier & they certainly do the trick for both him and me! I must admit i felt a little cheeky as I've been stupidly busy recently so haven't been able to get on the forum properly for a while :(but now that things have calmed down I'm certainly coming back!

Never feel cheeky for asking for advice hunni :-)

I'm glad he is feeling better.

I'd give him a good brush if I were you - odd shapes in a moult are not unusual. I think the buns haven't really known what to do moult wise this year with the spring coming so late and the weather all over the place .

I'm so glad he is better! Bless his heart!  This is the place to ask questions and we all like to help if we can and even when we can't we can lend support to each other.

I'm so glad he is better!  Bless his heart!  This is the place to ask questions and we all like to help if we can and even when we can't we can lend support to each other.

Glad Nibbler is feeling better now  

Glad he is feeling better.

Stasis - when they stop eating - can be really serious and can appear very quickly. As you have seen, they stop producing poops or they change size and get smaller. This is a warning sign, as is a rabbit that appears to be hunched over or pressing its belly onto the floor. Getting fluid into the rabbit straight away and getting it to the vet pretty quickly is very important.

Hopefully it was just the heat and his moulting but it can be sparked by stress, so now you can see why we are always so obsessed by rabbit poo!

I am so pleased for you both hun, that he is better. I am sending a noserub to him with love and lots of love for you too.

Hugs

Jo xx

I'm so glad Nibbler is feeling better!

I'm sending him loads of nose rubs, and hugs for you, too