Scabbed over bites.

I got to hold Guinness and really check him over today. Its obvious he's itching. Poor little thing has been scratching. He has a velvet coat that is very dense and you cannot see through it. He has what I assume are bite marks all over him except for his stomach.  Some scabs feel like ticks but some are over an inch long.  The wounds are well healed with hairs pushing up through some of the scabs already. When I try feeling the scabs he purrs happily.  Should I try gently removing the scabs?

This wee angel has nails that are a half inch longer than they should be!  He's just been horribly neglected poor mite.  Tomorrow we may try to clip the nails since we know they must be painful.  We just want him to settle in a bit more.  I'm debating as whether to turn the bunny burrito over and risk trancing him to do his nails.  They are black and SO long I'm a bit nervous that I may nip the quick.  I need to find our guillotine clippers.  Risk trancing?  I feel like a nervous new bunny mommy!      He's just so tiny!

When bunnies turn on each other and bite scratch so deeply....hmmm.... I guess what I'm trying to ask is can a bunny get covered with bites/scratches in one incident or is this more than likely gross neglect on the previous owner's part.  I'm worried about the other bunnies.  If they have nails as long as Guinness they might just get through the barrier of the dense coat.

Wuv him!              

I have got a solar table lamp in with the buns. Bertie's nails are very dark and my eye sight not bright even with the spec on my nose.
So I sit down on the floor with his bottom on my lap.and cradle him as you would hold a baby. Use the lamp to shine through help me to identify the quick. Only cut Bubbles once, oh dear she wasn't happy. There are swabs that you can get to stop the bleeding if it occurs.
I had to briefly trance Coffee last night to inspect a deep wound under his chin. Apologiesed for about 45 minutes afterwards.

c.bolduan wrote:I have got a solar table lamp in with the buns. Bertie's nails are very dark and my eye sight not bright even with the spec on my nose.
So I sit down on the floor with his bottom on my lap.and cradle him as you would hold a baby. Use the lamp to shine through help me to identify the quick. Only cut Bubbles once, oh dear she wasn't happy. There are swabs that you can get to stop the bleeding if it occurs.
I had to briefly trance Coffee last night to inspect a deep wound under his chin. Apologiesed for about 45 minutes afterwards.

Thanks for the tip on the solar lamp. I hope the apology included multiple fenugreek crunchies!

Yes and beetroot once too, and fresh mango pieces just a few.
By the way forgot, I wouldn't take the scraps off, they will fall or he will nibble them off when ready, otherwise you may just cause it to bleed again by removing the first levels of new tissue which is attached to the scabs. Clear as mus I guess    

Oh poor Guiness   I would leave the scabs alone too, they will work there way loose along with some of his fur. My BJ has black claws too, they are very thick and I hate trimming them. I end up taking off a ridiculously small amount.

I would leave the scabs Holly. Rabbits can itch with mites or Ringworm, it sounds to me he has had a bad case of mites especially if he has been neglected in the past. For Ringworm the vet would have to take a skin scrapping. Ringworm is contagious and people can get it. I've had ringworm I caught it off my horse many years ago and she caught it off cows that had got in to the field with the horses. I use to itch like mad and it was always worse when I was stressed.

What we do with bunnies with black nails is I hold them and Mike shines a torch underneath the nail so he can see the quick and trims them. If you take to much off and it bleeds you need a Styptic Pencil or Styptic powder and if you haven't got either you can use flour or some baking soda. Styptic pencils or powder are always handy to have in if you trim bunnies nails a lot.

Thanks for the advice all. I'll leave them. I'm angry at the previous owner for letting him get attacked as badly. After looking at him further I've determined the groups of smallish scabs I thought were small ticks are actually pieces of a larger scab that is trying to break up. They are actually no longer attached to the skin. I may gently try brushing some of these out as he is already molting.

Nail clipping will commence shortly or at least an attempt.      I don't want to freak him totally out!! Got to get my confidence game face on!

I am so glad he is with you now love, safe and cared for. I hate anything itchy, I would rather have pain than an iitch. I just wondered if there was anthing you could put on the scabs to stop the itching. Please keep us updated about this poor little bun.

Hugs
Jo xx

Hey Holly, if he itching I'd be concious the little lad may have something too poor boy. As for the nails, we do the same thing... We put a torch through so we can see where the quick is. Good luck x.

Nail clipping maneuver complete. He was an angel! One paw had already been clipped except for the dew claw. The nails were white under all the fur and he held remarkably still.

I found a toe nail in him! I guess his body pushed it out slowly and it was slightly sticking out of a scab. The attacks on him must have been vicious to the extreme.

I'll read up on mites. His ears are clear. He let me look way down them with a little otoscope we have. I can't believe how still he holds for all of this handling.

He is just happy to have attention paid to without competition or the thought of winning except of hoomins hearts. Bless him. Give a nose rub from me.      

What a lucky bunny he is to be now safe with you xx

Maysie-I've looked at pics and read about fur mites and it doesn't appear that is what is wrong. There is no fur loss at all. New fur has grown up through the wounds. Of course he may have had mites and is now recovered with the new fur growing through. You cannot tell from looking at him that there is anything wrong with his beautiful fur.

Ob bless him, a gentle brush may be just what he wants. Yes, it is infuriating that he has been so neglected, I could cheerfully string these people up!!!

Hugs
Jo xx

I just poured my self a pint of Guinness and wondered how the boy is getting on?

Guinness the Menace is just wonderful.   And he thanks you for asking. He is just so tiny we are constantly finding him places we shouldn't. He's quite the climber. Managed to jump on top of the toilet seat which none of our other buns ever managed to do. He tried to hop over to the vanity and slid off into his nesting box so he had a nice soft hay landing. We hope that discourages that action but I'm not so sure.

He's already learned what "bunny bedtime" means and may choose to run and hide in the closet until Hubby shines the flashlight on him then he hops happily to his enclosure and sits waiting for some fresh hay and water. I think it is becoming a game.

He likes to snooze under the covers between my knees. Sometimes he'll maneuver so he can peek out and watch TV. He also likes to sit on my right shoulder...and sometimes tries to sit on my head. Guinness has tried to groom my heels a few times. Guess I need a pedicure.

The scabs he had have almost all loosened and came off with gentle brushing. Guinness is skin and bones under that fur. I've never felt such a bony bunny before. He has a great appetite so with his proper diet he should put on a proper amount of weight. We are considering putting him on a rotation of alfalfa hay to put some weight on him. He has just turned 1 so there may be something better for him.

He sounds adorable love, my bunny sleeps on my bed and sometimes under the covers with me, she also loves her food. When it comes to being naughty, she takes far more notice of Paul than she does of me, I have definately spoilt her LOL!!

Hugs
Jo xx

Guinness sounds as though he has settled really well

He is such a lucky boy to have found his way to you