Education Is Our Primary Goal.
If you are a bunny parent needing help deciphering bunny's language or if you are thinking of taking a bun into your life, call us at 314-995-1457 or email us at mo_hrs@hotmail.com . Be sure to visit our very informative National House Rabbit Society Website http://rabbit.org/ as well as read the renowned 'House Rabbit Handbook" by HRS founder Marinell Harriman. Come to our HRS meetings, bring your bunny and ask questions you may have. We are here to help you and your bunny learn the keys to the joys of living with a house rabbit . If you would like to schedule a HRS Educator as a guest speaker for your rescue group, school, supplier, or other organization, please call 636-349-0606. We want to help.
Did you know?
~ Many cat toys are made of rabbit fur. (Some are also made of dog and cat fur.) Many people who love their cats don't even think about what it is, they just know their kitty likes it. We need to educate cat guardians about fur toys.
~ Cute little statues and trims on clothing are often real fur from rabbits, cats, dogs and other animals.
~ Some major Hobby stores carry whole rabbit skins/pelts, you can even hold the little tail nub! It was sickening, like holding the skinned fur of my beloved black bunny, Buster. I was angry and in tears. After speaking to the cashier, she suggested I contact the company management, which I did.
~ The representative of the company was contacted and responded with a pseudo religious ramble about animals being ours to use however we want. I will NEVER set foot in any of their stores again. Being closed on Sundays for their employees to spend with family seems to be the limit of their compassion.
~ Be aware when you shop. Talk to the manager and email/call the home office, and if need be, take your
business elsewhere and LET THEM KNOW WHY. Rabbits are one of the many creatures who are treated as throwaways.
Also did you know?...
~ In addition to the cruelty involved, many rabbit fur items (especially cat toys) come from China where a deadly rabbit disease can continue to live on the fur and cause a truly horrible, hemoragic death to any domestic rabbit which comes in contact with not just the fur, but any place that the fur has been: like walking across a place on the floor where the toy has been or the human hand who has held the toy, etc. It can be tracked on the soles of shoes and carried to other homes where the rabbit crosses the same path as the shoes. Although it cannot be passed to humans and is not harmful to humans, it is easily carried into contact with domestic rabbits and there is no cure.
~ Don't be shy, the rabbits (and other animals) depend on you!
Did you know?
One of the best ways to help rabbits is to learn as much as possible about them? Then share what you have learned.
Do you know the many reasons it is so important to have your rabbit spayed/neutered? (same goes for cats and dogs too)
Is adopting a rabbit a good idea for you or your family?
BEFORE adopting anyone...be aware of the potential costs/expenses/responsibilities involved.
Start here http://rabbit.org/
Have the Wild Bunnies in Your Yard Really Been Abandoned?
Mother cottontails stay away from the nest so they don't attract predators to their babies. Mom will normally nurse the babies twice a day around dusk and dawn when the least amount of predators are around. Do not disturb the nest.
You can check to see if mom is returning by putting several strings across the nest in a tic-tac-toe sort of pattern and then checking it the next day. If the strings have been moved, then mom is coming back. She scratches away the covering of the nest while hovering over it and looking like she's just eating grass to fool anyone watching. The babies nurse from underneath. She then scratches the covering back over the nest and nonchalantly continues grazing as she moves further away from the nest; again to fool any predator watching. She doesn't know how to put the strings back into place properly so they'll be all messed up.
You can also tell if mom has been there (if it's necessary to handle the babies,) by looking at their tummies. If they are wrinkled and empty looking, mom has been lost to a predator or a car, etc. She won't desert her babies. If the tummies are rounded, then she's still around somewhere. If the tummies are rounded and you have handled the babies, you can put one tiny drop of vanilla (or cologne) on their foreheads to confuse the human scent. If you put too much then the predators and ants will smell them. Baby bunnies have no scent to attract either.
Baby bunnies are normally in the nest for about 4 weeks before going off on their own.
If mother rabbit does not return, take the babies to Wildlife Rehab Clinic.
They have moved to High Ridge at 1864 Little Brennan Road, phone: 636-677-3670. They have a good cottontail survival rate.
Website: http://www.wildliferehabclinic.com/
Education
Bunny Health Alert !
There has been an increase in gut stasis incidents in the last three weeks. A cause has not been identified, but a local distributor recently recalled salmonella-contaminated lettuce.
“Rabbits are extremely more susceptible to salmonella than humans. Lettuce with a level of toxins that wouldn’t hurt a human - and therefore would not be recalled - could be fatal to a bunny,” Joy said.
She reminds us to always wash our greens by thoroughly rinsing them under running water. Wash them even if they are bagged and “pre-washed.” Gut stasis is a serious matter. In fact, it’s a life-or-death matter to a bunny,” Joy said. Afterward, a person might say, “My bunny stopped eating, and then she just died.”
Gut stasis is a slowdown or stoppage in the muscle contractions that push food and liquids through the intestines. Bacteria then proliferate and emit gas that causes severe pain. The liver, whose job it is to detoxify poisons, is overloaded. Liver damage is often the ultimate cause of death.
Buy and keep on hand: Infant gas drops (Walmart’s Equate-brand is fine at about $3.60 a bottle); Metacam for pain or Bayer orange-flavored children’s aspirin (Metacam is great for pain relief. You can only get it from a veterinarian. It is good to buy a small bottle of Metacam to keep at home; price may be about $25); 1cc syringe and 10cc syringes (you can buy them from your vet or possibly a pharmacist); child’s thermometer with a flexible tip (no glass) that will read a temperature in 8 to 10 seconds; lubricant to apply to the tip of the thermometer; food to give only if your vet instructs you to syringe-feed your bunny (a jar of baby food squash, baby food applesauce, a can of 100% pure pumpkin (not pie filling), Critical Care from Oxbow. Your bunny may prefer one of these over another, or a combination. If you use pumpkin or Critical Care, use a 10cc syringe and dilute to a runny, drinkable state. Bunnies won’t accept a chewy glob.
Always watch your bunny for the signs of gut stasis: Bunny isn’t eating as much or stops eating altogether; bunny rejects a favorite treat; bunny is producing very small fecal pellets or none at all; bunny may crouch in pain and grind his teeth or bunny may be quiet and not moving. Call your vet, but take immediate action yourself.
Emergency Steps. Do immediately and continue until your vet advises you:
Break up the painful gas: Infant Gas Drops (simethicone): The book, “Rabbit Health 101”, recommends giving a 1 to 2cc dose every hour for three doses, then 1cc every three to eight hours. Simethicone changes gas in the gut into bubbles that a bunny can pass. It is essential for gas relief and safe to give, even as a precaution, according to the authors.
Pain Relief: We give 1cc of Metacam and a second dose 12 hours later. (Note: This is not a normal veterinarian-recommended dose but, as bunny owners, we have noticed that gut stasis seems to respond better to a short-time high-level dose.) If you don’t have Metacam, use Bayer orange-flavored children’s aspirin (orange-flavored dissolves the best). For bunnies 5 pounds and more, dissolve one tablet in 1cc of water, draw up in a syringe, insert the tip of the syringe in the side of the bunny’s mouth and gradually empty the syringe. For bunnies less than five pounds, use one-half tablet.
Water: Give water through syringe to hydrate bunny. Give as much as bunny will accept. Go slowly so bunny doesn't choke.
Warmth: If your bunny feels cold, seems cold or his temperature is below 101°, warm a towel in the microwave or clothes dryer and wrap around bunny to raise his temperature. Keep repeating until body temperature is normal – 101° to 103°. Hypothermia or shock can kill quicker than a fever.
Massage: With bunny wrapped in warm towel, place him on your lap with tail facing you. Very gently, massage bunny’s underside, starting at his chest and ending at his tail. This may help him pass gas.
Do the above and your bunny may show improvement within a few hours or by the next day. Your bunny may be alert, eating, drinking and producing fecal pellets. Continue with gas drops and Metacam throughout the next day to relieve residual pain. If bunny has not improved within 12 hours, definitely keep your vet appointment because bunny might need IV or subcutaneous fluids or might have a blockage.
There are many reasons why a bunny’s intestine slows or stops moving (gut stasis): stress, dehydration, pain from molar spurs, bladder problems or infection. Gut stasis happens to bunnies that don’t eat enough fiber. That is why we want bunnies to munch on timothy grass hay all day long. If your bunny ignores hay, you may be giving him too much pelleted food. Gut stasis happens when bunnies eat something that produces gas. Vegetable advice below was taken from carrotcafe.com/f/veggies.html (an interesting read).
Because gut stasis is common and must be tackled immediately, prepare your bunny emergency kit with the items we’ve suggested and include a copy of this article in your kit.
What vegetables should I feed my bunny? (Beware of gas or soft fecal poops when introducing any new food.) Many vegetables you can find in your local grocery store are fine for rabbits. The following are a few exceptions (1):
Can cause gas or are very sugary: do not feed
o Green beans
o White and red potatoes
o Beets
o Fresh corn
o Fresh peas
Dangerous, contain compounds that destroy nutrients: do not feed
o Sweet potato
o Cassava
o Bamboo shoots
o Maize
o Lima beans
o Millet
o Bracken fern
o Tea leaves
o Coffee plants
Dangerous, contain toxins: do not feed
o Rhubarb leaves
o Raw lima, kidney or soy beans
o Onions (2)
o Citrus peels
Can cause impaction
o Whole seeds
o Nuts
o Grains
o Dried corn
o Dried peas
Things to watch out for
o Carrots and root vegetables are high in sugar and may cause cecal problems or gas in some rabbits.
o Celery and rhubarb stalks contain strings that should be removed before feeding. Alternatively, cut the stalks into small pieces.
o Iceberg lettuce has a reputation for causing diarrhea in many animal species. I do not recommend iceberg be fed to bunnies.
(1) Much of this was taken from a post by HRS Educator Sue Smith, Ph.D to a private mailing list.
(2) Toxic to horses, assumed to be toxic to rabbits (Also toxic both raw or cooked to dogs and cats.)
Did You Know?
Stale food pellets put a bunny at risk! Fresh pellets contain moisture and dissolve quickly in a bunny’s tummy. But, when you open a bag, air starts sucking the moisture from the pellets. Dried-out pellets absorb liquid from the bunny’s tummy and intestinal track and can cause very serious health problems. Two bunnies were brought to Hope Animal Hospital with pellet blockages. One bunny was saved; the other couldn’t be saved. To be safe, when you open a bag of pellets, leave in only what your bunny will eat in a month. Freeze the rest in one-month portions.
Clean Produce!
Throughly wash all fruits and vegetables before preparing them for your bunnies. Produce may be contaminated with herbicides, pesticides, bacteria, organisims that live in the soil, various residues in shipping boxes when transported to stores, contamination from human field workers and packers etc. Remember, just because we can't see microscopic matter, with the naked eye, doesn't mean it isn't there. So clean all produce to protect your bunnies and yourself.
BUNNY TIPS:
- Fireworks (and other loud noises) are not fun for bunnies! Protect your bunnies from loud noises by muffling the sound of firecrackers or other loud noises with the noise of a radio or television. Bunnies are easily stressed by any change in routine. A startled bunny may stop eating and slide into Gut Stasis, then death. If your bunny stops eating, it is a medical emergency that requires a vet visit ASAP. A "wait and see" approach can result in death in as few as 12 hours.
- Make sure your bunny's abode isn't in direct sunlight. With their fur coats, bunnies feel the heat much more than we do and sunlight streaming through a window can cause heat stroke, even when a house is air-conditioned.
- Some bunnies, especially the Rex breed, are prone to developing sore hocks. Periodically, examine the soles of your bunny's rear paws to see if the fur has worn off and red sores are evident. Ulcerations and cracks in the skin pose a health risk because they are entry points for bacteria. A good healing remedy is Zymox Topical Cream - Hydrocortisone Free. You can find it on-line. It is wise to keep a tube on hand to apply to any cuts or scratches. Be sure to get the Hydrocortisone FREE Zymox. It is also great for healing any scratches or surface wounds on rabbits. Pet Nutrition Products sells a one ounce tube of "Zymox Cream without Hydrocortisone for Dogs and Cats" for $9.49, plus shipping/no tax. For our bunnies that are prone to sore hocks, we place a layer of fleece padding in their cages, rather than the rougher rugs we typically use.
- Lop-eared rabbits are prone to ear infections because their floppy ears cover the ear canal, keeping it moist and habitable for germs. You can keep the ear canal dry with Zymox OTIC Solution without hydrocortisone. The product can be found online from Pet Nutrition Products: http://www.petnutritionproducts.com 866-473-8432. A small, 1.25 ounce bottle, "Zymox OTIC Solution without Hydrocortisone for Pets" was $12.89 plus shipping/no sales tax.
- The National HRS website www.rabbit.org offers this amusing advice for applying ear drops: "Rabbits like to have their ears stroked. They generally are not big fans of having liquid squirted down there though. It feels weird and it sometimes makes a mess of their ears and face, which, of course, hurts their egos. That means that sometimes rabbits are most uncooperative about this procedure. You can try administering ear drops while on the floor, but a smart rabbit will vote with her feet by hopping away after the first squirt. It's often easier to do it on a tabletop where you can secure her with one hand."
"The first trick with ear drops is to get the nozzle pretty close to the ear's actual opening (never push anything down beyond the opening.) That way, when the rabbit shakes her head, the medicine will go down into the ear instead of all over your kitchen. The second trick is to try not to hit the inside surface of the ear with the nozzle itself. This tickles and it will make the rabbit shake her head, which makes it very hard to aim. Once the drops are in, you can massage the base of the ear to help it go down and get spread around. You can wipe off any liquid that dripped onto her cheeks, as well. That will help her dignity."
The site goes on to explain: "A portion of the outer ear is composed of a bent canal that goes vertically and then almost horizontally to lead to the eardrum. This portion of the ear is prone to buildup of earwax and debris, which may then become a breeding ground for infection. Many rabbits can deftly clean out any accumulation with a back toenail, but lops and infirm rabbits may need a bit of help. Since the ear canal has a bend, this can be done fairly safely. Your veterinarian can show you how." Some up-eared rabbits are also prone to earwax buildup, a good reason for twice yearly vet check ups.
- A busy bunny is a happy bunny. some buns love to shred phone books. To contain the mess, put a phone book, minus the covers, in a tub and let your bun rip and shred to his heart's content. You can get a 2 pack of grey bus tubs and Sam's Club, in the restaurant supply aisle.
- Cleaning Tip: Does your bunny's litter box need a spring cleaning? Pour vinegar into the box and let it set overnight. The crusty crud will dissolve. You can then wash it away, dry and fill with nice clean litter.
Did you know...?
Both male and female bunnies should be spayed/neutered. Unfixed males are prone to testicular cancer and unfixed females can develop uterine cancer. Spays and neuters can be performed at any age as long as a bunny is healthy, but older bunnies should have blood tests to confirm their health status before the procedure.
