Bunnies neutered but not eating

[Kathleen McLeod]

Hi I have 2 x 5 month old bunnies who got neutered yesterday. Since they’ve come home they’ve not wanted any contact and hidden away from us (which is understandable!). However they don’t seem keen on eating - they are even refusing their favourite treats!
I went back to the vets and they gave me fibreplex and metacam to help stimulate their gut and for pain relief. However, it is a complete battle to catch them and then a struggle to get everything in their mouths. One of the boys is so strong and fights me every step of the way! I’m worried that he will undo his stitches or glue with the fighting. I have tried putting a cover over their eyes which worked with the more docile bunny,Coco, but OMG Toffee was kicking and struggling the whole time and spat out his fibreplex!!

just looking for any suggestions to try and make it less stressful for them? I am letting them sleep just in the room and not putting them in their cage to save them jumping or any stress (I cage them at night normally but free to small day).

 

[Fuz]

Your bunnies just went through a traumatic experience and they need time and space to heal.
Please dont chase them to feed them, their incisions are still fresh. If it's for medication, u need to get down on the floor with them on their level, pet them, and slowly feed meds to the side of their mouth. Offer a small treat after. Limit their activities just for a few days. Offer lots of water. Make hay easily accessible, at eye and mouth level. Don't cover their eyes, don't force anything. Don't make them run for now. That will stress them even if your intentions are good.
If, after 12-16 hours they did not urinate/poo, or eat and drink water, this is the time u have to be concerned. For now they need constant supervision that they are not picking at their incision, but leave them to recover. A few pets here and there will show them you care, but are not causing stress.
Since you said they got neutered yesterday, has anything improved?

 

[Kathleen McLeod]

Thank you I didn’t think I was doing it right but first time with bunnies. I’m used to guinea pigs! They’ve nibbled on a couple of bits of apple and come in to see us but just wanting to rest most of the time. I’m so glad I posted here as I was so worried I was hurting them. Hopefully the next few hours should see a big difference in them.
Thanks so much for replying. X

 

[Fuz]

If they haven't used their litter box or eaten much else then you need to call your vet. Best to just monitor them, they are yours so you know their eating, drinking and litter habits best.
Good luck!

 

[Kathleen McLeod]

Thank you, I went to the vet this morning as they hadn’t given me any painkillers or fibreplex for them so I got it today. The vet just told me that he had given them an antibiotic injection which would stay in their system TIL Monday but that the gut stimulation drug would be out now and to give them fibreplex. They are now hand feeding some kale so that’s a step in the right direction.

bunnies are just a bit harder to catch than guinea pigs and a lot stronger! I’m used to giving fibreplex and critical care to small animals it’s just a case of getting these guys to trust me again x

 

[Fuz]

Dont chase them. Go to them when they are calm, and introduce the medication. No need to catch any of the rabbits. You need to be a source of comfort for them.

 

[Hermelin]

Bunnies are nearly impossible to catch. I know when I neutered my buck, I spoiled him with everything he love eating.

But my bunnies no longer run away from me and let me pick them up calmly.

As long they have started eating they are heading towards the right direction.

 

[JBun]

If they will eat greens, I would keep offering a variety of those, best to stick with ones they are already used to eating if possible. I had one bun that wouldn't really eat for 48 hours post neuter, but he would eat a little bit of greens each time I tried. So every half hour I would offer washed and still wet, green leaf lettuce, parsley, cilantro, carrot greens, as much as he would eat(which wasn't much). And I just kept offering them every half hour, so that cumulatively he was eating enough that I didn't feel like I needed to resort to syringe feeding, which would have been more stressful for him(and me).

For your bun that is struggling when you give the meds, I would throw a towel over him to pick him up and burrito wrap to give meds. This still needs to be done with caution as anytime a rabbit struggles excessively and is restrained, there is a risk of injury occurring. Other option is to kneel with bun between your legs, your feet crossed at the back so bun can't back out, then hold the front to administer meds.

 

[Kathleen McLeod]

Thank you so much for your valuable advice!! The boys finally ate some greens last night and are MUCH much happier today chomping away and coming up to see us again. I felt so bad for them yesterday x

 

[Butterscotch]

My female had a hard time after her spay and all she would eat for about 2 days was cilantro. (With an occasional nibble of several different varieties of hay.) I did as JBun suggested, I fed wet cilantro throughout the day and after a couple of days she started nibbling on her normal foods. I didn't want to stress her further by trying to handle her so I just put the cilantro in her cage and left her alone.

 

[Kathleen McLeod]

So both bunnies are binkying around and seem to be back to their happy wee selves. They are eating and drinking as normal. I have managed to check their incision site tonight and one of them has a blackened crusty top of what I think is his *****! Is this normal? I’m thinking I will take him to my vet in the morning to check but thought there might be someone in here who knows what to look for as nothing on internet that I can find.

I will post picture separately x

 

[Kathleen McLeod]

Is this normal after neutering?

 

[Kathleen McLeod]

The tip is noticeably black here

 

[Kathleen McLeod]

I hope it is ok to post these pictures here. If not, please delete. I’m just concerned that this is not the norm for my bunny healing properly x

 

[Hermelin]

that dosen’t look normal, none of my bucks looked like that when I neutered them and they healed really nice. But I only have experience with them.

You should contact the vet and fix a time to have a look .

 

[Kathleen McLeod]

Thank you for replying. I defo don’t think it looks normal. I will go in first thing with the poor wee boy x

 

[Kathleen McLeod]

that dosen’t look normal, none of my bucks looked like that when I neutered them and they healed really nice. But I only have experience with them.

You should contact the vet and fix a time to have a look .

Turns out it’s an infection and Coco needs antibiotics for a week together with anti inflammatories. I’m so glad I got him checked out now x

 

[Hermelin]

Turns out it’s an infection and Coco needs antibiotics for a week together with anti inflammatories. I’m so glad I got him checked out now x

Hope everything goes well and he will get better [emoji5]