Bunny not eating, or pooping UPDATE, New rabbit saved from "dog food"

[brandibaby23]

I just got a bunny from auction 8 days ago, everything was going fine til 3 days ago I noticed "softer pellets" then they got softer, now today day 3 he is hardly going but it is really soft when he does and I have been washing his tush a good bit cuz it sticks on his fur. This seemed to happen after I bought them rabbit pellets from Tractor supply (sorry got 2 bunnies but other one is fine). The brand of pellets is "Blue Seal Bunny 16" but now last night and today he won't eat it, or carrots or timothy hay cubes but tht other rabbit won't touch the carrots or hay cubes either. He/she (not really sure what it is) is running around and doesn't "look" sick acts a bit more sleepy while in the cage but if I let him out he goes around, now one weird part every time I let him out he goes straight for the wall the eat the paper off the drywall????? Also he ate a dried up leaf. But he will not eat the rabbit pellets. I haven't let him eat it but he goes right to it every time I let him out. Oh his stomach is looking bigger too, I wonder if he is sick, or if maybe he got some drywall stuff while I wasn't looking, or could it be a girl and be pregnant?? I am stumped!

 

[brandibaby23]

Anyone? Help?

 

[sfw2]

I don't know much about rabbits, but, hopefully, somebody will be along soon who does. A lot of folks don't make it onto the forum until later in the day because of work and school.

Do you know what kind of rabbit it is? Does it have a fever? I'm trying to think of questions that the knowledgeable folks are likely to ask you.

 

[therealsilkiechick]

i would think they have bloat/ gi stasis due to feed changes from what u have described. how old r they, r the bellies swollen, r they grinding teeth, what breed and what does the poop look like? any other info u can give us will help greatly.

 

[brandibaby23]

I don't know what kind he/she is? It is a gray rabbit, I would guess juvenile, about 3lbs if I had to guess. Good question about the fever I was asking myself those same questions, I was in the middle of looking that up. What is a Normal temp for a rabbit? And how do you take rabbit temps? Like cats and dogs? His belly sounds grumbly/bubbly. I gave a little bit or pepto bismal, well actually he licked it right up his self.

 

[therealsilkiechick]

can u hear liquid sloshing in it's belly?

 

[brandibaby23]

Yes that is what it sounds like. He drinks but not eating. I think he may be grinding his teeth a little, not constant but every 30 seconds or so he looks like hes moving his mouth or teeth, and you can hear his teeth. Poo's were just real soft "piles" now just like toothpaste and sticks to his bum and I have to keep it clean or it piles up.

 

[brandibaby23]

Just took his temp and the themometer says 100 I read theat that means his belly hurts if their temp is low he is hear on my lap with a warm towel but he wants to see what I am typing won't sit still.

 

[therealsilkiechick]

i'd say it is about 5-9 weeks old depending on the breed. kinda looks like a sandy or steal gray flemish maybe? i think it is a meat rabbit breed though. i would say it definately has bloat/ gi stasis due to being weened to young, feed change, or it is to young and not used to the carrots ect. it needs its enzymes or bacteria in it's gut to work it's digestion is out of wack. diareah and no poop is definately not good either that in its self can kill a rabbit quick.

i hate to say this but if it has water belly and grinding teeth it most likely will not make it past next 24 hours to 3 days. if u want to try to save it ur best bet is to get it to a vet asap and quick. i understand that is not always possible if u can't i'll tell ya what we did for ours and see if that will help. sometimes they do pull through it but usually don't and urs is already at an advanced stage of it. from my experience with my own buns i got from someone that had it i'd say they already had it before u even got them so please don't blaim urself just try the best u can and we'll try to help ya best we can to try to help u and them through it.

 

[thebritt]

Grinding teeth is a sign of pain. It's good there are gut sounds, but I'm still concerned. Do you know what food he was eating before you got him? It's always best, of course, to change food gradually. At this point I would try to get him to take some yogurt (live cultures) and some fresh (not canned) pineapple juice. The juice contains very beneficial enzymes, and the yougurt helps w/digestion too. Offer some timothy hay (at all times). Alfalfa is too rich when they're having tummy troubles.
Hopefully someone else has more suggestions.