Rabbit question? *Pictures posted*

[86121]

I rescued an angora cross a few months back, who was really badly matted. However now, she just keeps sucking down her water like she can never have enough and her urine smells almost sweet? She is also eating as much fresh hay as I can give her, should I be worried enough to rush to the vet, or is this just her being her?

I was asked to post pictures of Miss. Rin so here she is!
Also here is a bad image of her teeth, she has a slight overbite:

And this is her, as I attempt to get her to stay still long enough to take a picture!

Thats her saying hello to Kiwi.

Shes just chillaxing here.

Oh noes my face looks awful, go away! *Shes was grooming and I took advantage of a photo shot.

As you can see, or I dont know maybe not, she is still growing her hair in from where I had to shave her because of her mattes when i got her, I am just glad i did not have to completely make her bald.
This is her and her epic Turtle bunny look after I did shave her a few months back:

 

[debilorrah]

She is just being her. Is she active? Rests during the day and gets active at night?

She also need rabbit pellets with the hay.

 

[86121]

Quote:
She is pretty relaxed actually, she hops around a lot when she is loose but thats just normal her.
And she does have her pellets, she just sucks down the water and the hay like she can never have enough of it.

 

[debilorrah]

I am sure she is making up for lost time.

 

[86121]

Quote:
Haha, this is very possible

Thank you for putting my nerves at ease.

 

[BCBunnies]

The water consumption is fine unless she is having an issue drinking the water like spilling most of it out of her mouth and not actually drinking that much. Just a couple questions to see what exactly is going on though:

1 What is her housing like? In the house in a cage, in an outdoor run, in the garage?

2 If she is outside or in a building of some sort how hot/cool is it in there for her? And does she have something to make the temperature more comfortable, like having a fan on her if she is in a garage?

3 Does she have shade from the sun if she is outside?

4 Is she alllowed any access outside of her hutch/cage during the day? And if so is it in the house or outside on the ground?

5 Was she allowed hay at her previous owners home?

6 Is she otherwise in good health? Good weight where you can easily feel her ribs but she doesn't feel boney or look sickly from being so thin? Are her teeth properly aligned?

7 Does she have any signs of hutch burn on her feet or genital area? (red irritated area on genitals or stained and thining or missing hair on her feet)

8 What was her previous housing like?

9 Is it possible she is bred?



The reason I ask about the conditions is I had a Jersey doe I had gotten from a friend and she had had several strokes at only 3 years of age. I would have been extremely worried if I saw any other rabbit drinking as much water as she did. I didn't breed her and just let her relax in the barn although she loved to play with the weaned kits I guess she missed being a mommy. She had issues drinking from a water bottle and she would choke with a water bowl since the left half of her face was partially paralyzed and droopy so we stuck with a bottle in her cage. It always looked like she had this cute little expression and she loved being held I'd give her special treats and pet her everytime I had to pass her cage to tend to another rabbit. Sadly she has passed on several years ago I was clipping her toenails and she started having another stroke. When she came too she was disoriented and freaked out kicking so hard she broke her back. That had to have been the hardest loss of any rabbit in my life she was the sweetest little thing I didn't care that I couldn't breed her Blue was special.

Keep us posted on how she is doing. And get some pics of the cute little girl in here.

 

[cafarmgirl]

What kind of hay is she eating? Eating lots of alfalfa can cause urinary problems in both does and bucks.

 

[86121]

Quote:
1. She has a rabbit hutch when she is inside, and she is out running around as an indoor rabbit a few times a day. Or she is on my lap getting brushed.

2. Since she is an Angora we have her in the basement where it stays at a regular temperature of 72.

3. Inside, so yes.

4. Yes she is, she is monitored at all times when out so she does not eat anything.

5. I dont know, I really doubt it.

6. She was very underweight when I got her, and I can still sorta feel her ribs, and I checked her teeth the moment she got home and again just now, she has a slight overbite, but nothing to "OMG" Ill take a picture of it.

7. Nope, She has extremely fluffy feet, and a very well cleaned Gentile area.

8. Her previous housing was in a big rabbit cage with those water swelling wood pellets that you put in cat box's. She was in with about 6 other rabbits, and like I said she was highly matted and underweight.

9. We have had her for two to three months now so she cant possibly be pregnant.

And I will get pictures of her up tonight as soon as my camera is charged

 

[86121]

Quote:
I dont know if its all alfalfa but she eats the fresh hay that I get from the farm up the street.

 

[dbunni]

From the looks of the pictures ... she is a french angora or french cross. Unless there is satinized. Then she is a satin influenced. Definately not English or Giant. As for coat growth. She looks fine. Three things affect the coat growth: breed, genetics, and diet. First breed. French and Satin do not grow coat in the masses that English or Giant/Germans do. So slow is fine. Second ... genetics. You do not know her history. She may be from a BYB and not bred for a proper texture/density. Lastly diet ... this is a strong factor in coat growth. Depending on what you are feeding she may not be intaking enough proteins and fats to produce a "production coat". In the english, on my diet, we can pull between 1/2 to an inch a month, or more. Keep her on a nice strong protein diet with tons of fiber ... nothing less than 17%. Lots of orchard/grass hay. Include sunflower, oats, barley for roughages and fats. Bananas are great. Papaya pellets to help with the feed holding to the wool in her system. And, most importantly, hugs and kisses.

Also ... I would even the top coat down to the length of the sides. In this weather she doesn't need much. Many of my does have had a 40 blade taken to them and they are loving the summer!