Doc & Dora to Doc & Aurora

[lyndym]

Chris, I love that photo as well! I was sitting near her cage when she flopped in there like that, and I was so surprised that she let me open the door and stick the camera right in her face. That was actually just a few days after she got home, so I was even more surprised that she didn't startle at me and hop under her little wooden house. And yeah, I felt a little bad last night, too, having to raise my voice at them so often. The good news is Aurora didn't seem to mind being scolded, whereas before I wouldn't want to scold her and frighten her. And Doc didn't care at all, so I kept bringing him on the couch for forced cuddles, which he hates during play time.

Morgan, I can never leave Doc unattended for that reason. He will always find his way into something even when it seems impossible. He's the reason that cages are the overnight situation instead of an ex-pen.. He definitely needs a roof, or else he'll hop straight over! No matter how high the side of the pen is, and I'd like to think mine is pretty high. When I first got him and Dora, I was home for Thanksgiving and just brought the pen because it was easier. They were still not to be trusted unsupervised together, so I fashioned it into two separate spaces. My dad said one morning he came down and said hello to them, they were each in their respective space. He went back awhile later, and one of them had hopped over the side to join the other! He thought I did it, so he didn't say anything, but when he checked again, each bun was back in their own space.

 

[lyndym]

Thanks Lisa! Your mentioning that your buns were behaving similarly is encouraging.

I might try putting Doc and Rory together again tomorrow evening. Is it recommended to allow each play time beforehand, to sort of get energy out? Or should I just come home in the afternoon and get them from their cages and into the bathroom?

Tonight Aurora seems a little subdued. I'm trying not to worry about it, but anything not normal in the slightest from either rabbit makes me think of Dora. I just got home a short while ago and saw that several poops and lots of shavings have made their way out of her cage, almost like she was throwing them out. It looks like she was maybe startled by something and jumped suddenly to or from the litter box. I don't know what would have startled her, I know that no one has been home since I left. Usually she sits with both ears up, not in a nervous way, but her regular alert way. Only one ear was up, which started happening to Dora over her last couple of days until she didn't make the effort with either ear on her last day.. I'm trying not to be worried. I set up the living room for her play time, but she didn't move from where I left her while changing into pajamas. I offered her pellets by hand when I got back, and she sniffed at them and then went into one of the cardboard houses without taking any. We've been doing pellets by hand for several days now, and I've never been refused before. Hay and water consumption and amount of poop look normal for this time of day. Again, trying not to be worried.

 

[JBun]

I've had to deal with rabbits having stasis, so it always worries me too, when they seem to be feeling just a little off. Keep an eye on her poops, but hopefully something has just spooked her a little, and she'll be back to her usual self soon.

 

[lyndym]

All poops look normal, so that is encouraging. But now she's also refused a bit of lettuce in addition to a small handful of pellets. Her head it every so slightly tilting to her left, which is the side that I noticed wasn't popping its ear up like normal. She is still balanced, not falling over at all, and has bounded almost at normal speed across the living room a couple of times. But she's mostly sitting in a corner in a not very relaxed way and not responding to me like normal. I might make another thread in the care forum, it's only been about 45 minutes, but I'm more than a little worried now..

 

[JBun]

That head tilt is a little worrying. You'll want to keep an eye on it and if it persists tomorrow, you'll want to get her to the vet, as it could be an ear infection or e. cuniculi.

 

[whitelop]

I would maybe take her to the vet. I would be worried too. I always hate to jump the gun on taking them to the vet, but sometimes I get crazy worried too.
Have you looked inside her ear, to see if its red or anything? That might not be able to tell you anything, but I would still look. I look in Ellie's ears all the time. haha.
I hope she's okay! I would be so worried. Just go ahead and take her to the vet!

 

[lyndym]

Woke up early this morning, and everything seems back to normal! I was so scared when I opened my bedroom door and was having flashbacks of finding Dora, but Rory was munching away in her box with her normal amount of enthusiasm. Last night she was kind of picking away at stray bits of hay on the floor of the cage. The leaf of lettuce I had left her with around 1 or 2AM was gone, so I gave her a new one, which she started munching on. I went back to bed for a little nap since I really didn't sleep well (several rabbit-related nightmares!) but now she's out, so I'll keep an eye on her while I eat breakfast. The lettuce I gave her about an hour ago is gone, and she just nibbled some pellets from my hand. Not much of her water is gone, but she isn't a huge drinker normally, and the lettuce probably held her over.

 

[Chrisdoc]

What a relief, so glad she´s back to normal, I was thinking about her this morning. She´s such a beautiful girl and I am so looking forward to the end of the engagment lol.

 

[whitelop]

Thats good!
After I posted earlier, I thought about Foo and Ellie. They both had/have off days. Like Ellie will hide in the corner where I can't see her for the whole day and barely come out. Only enough to use the litter box and get some food, then she goes back. Foo was the same way, she would sit in one spot whether in view or out of view and she would not move. I would try to feed her and she wouldn't have any part of it, she would just sit there all day. I would worry, but then after a day of that she would be okay. Its weird.
I think they all have off days like people, but their off days are MUCH more frightening.

Is her ear still down and is her head still tilted a little?

 

[lyndym]

Thanks guys, I am touched by your concern!

Morgan - I was considering humans' off days as well when she was back to normal this morning! Doc never really has off days, and neither did Dora. Doc is sometimes lazier than normal, but he always has a kind of laid back attitude and it's more abnormal for him to go crazy for long periods of time. (In fact, right now he's eating lying down with the food bowl next to his face, he's so lazy.) And he's always a bottomless pit thanks to the absolute fervor Dora ate with (he had to learn to eat fast or else miss out!). Rory's head tilty-ness and left ear flop are gone, though when I hand-fed some pellets and gave her some cilantro, she cocked her head to the side as she chewed for a brief minute. Not sure what that means.

Chris, I am so looking forward to the end of this engagement as well, hahaha. It is easy to get spoiled cleaning only one set of rabbit things a day, two is becoming a chore! Plus, Doc is too big for the extra cage I've been using. The one they will eventually share is a huge dog kennel type of thing, and the small one only fits a smaller litter box, which gives Doc trouble when he pees. I can't get mad at him, but man, mopping up pee in the morning is no fun! Do you have a blog as well that I can catch up on?

Anyway, I made a vet appointment for tomorrow morning in case I feel the need to go in. I'm considering it anyway just because she's new and was a rescue. She'd been a foster and wasn't in the shelter much longer than a day before we took her home, but the foster still had eight rabbits of her own in her house along with Aurora and her two babies. So there definitely could've been some rabbit bug floating around. On the one hand, if I take her in for a check up now, she'll be off Doc's yearly schedule of visiting the vet in August. On the other hand, it might be nice to split their payments over two separate visits.. Well, they said I could cancel any time by phoning and leaving a message if I change my mind later tonight, so we'll see!

 

[whitelop]

I would take her just to make sure everything is okay with her. Like her teeth and all that. Like you said, she is a rescue. But that is totally up to you! haha.
I am really glad she's doing so much better today!
Foo used to lay in her hay box and eat the hay, it was ridiculous to see. She was as big as the box and she would wedge her big butt in there just to lazy eat hay.

I'll answer for Chris, her blog is The Three Musketeers. haha. She has lots of great pictures of her boys on there!

 

[lyndym]

Okay yeah, of course not long after thinking everything is hunky dory, I notice little teeny poops in her box, and not much of them. And the morning salad is so far going untouched. Still thinking positively and remembering that she did eat a large leaf of lettuce earlier, some pellets and a small freeze dried unsweetened banana bit from my hand. I'll just keep her on greens for the rest of the day and hope her small poops are just from not eating much last night.. We'll keep our vet appointment.

I'll catch up on The Three Musketeers tonight! I could probably use the distraction from worrying about Rory.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Thanks Morgan :yes:

I think you might be as well just to take her along to definitely set your mind at rest. But yes, I do think they have quieter days than others and aren´t that active and that always worries me as well but they perk up the next day and are racing around again. I suppose that having lots of space isn´t about racing all over it although it sometimes is but it´s choosing the place they like best just to chill out and have a nap. I suppose like everyone they just like the choice if that makes sense.

Mine are unusually quiet at the moment but it´s pouring with rain and nice and warm inside so they´re just relaxing. I´m always suspicious though when they´re quiet....hey, what are you up to lol.

 

[JBun]

Those small poops don't sound good. It could have to do with her not eating much last night, but in case of the potential for GI stasis, you may want to hold off on sugary treats for now. Leafy greens and lots of grass hay are the best things in helping to prevent stasis from setting in. You may even want to decrease her pellet amount a little too, so that she will eat more hay.

GI stasis can have several causes. The most common is too many sugars and carbs in a rabbits diet. Some other causes can be a rabbit going through a molt and the injested fur causing a gut slowdown, other health problems(like an ear infection, etc.) causing stress and pain, abrupt food changes causing a disruption in the rabbits digestion, certain veggies causing gas and pain, and changes in a rabbits environment causing stress to the rabbit.

If you do end up taking her into the vet tomorrow, you may want to ask about getting some critical care food mix and metacam, just to have on hand for these kind of emergencies. Simethicone(infant gas relief) is also useful to have on hand if you don't already have some, but you can just get this otc. This article was very helpful for me when I had a rabbit going through stasis.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

 

[lyndym]

Thanks again everyone for the kind thoughts, support, and advice. We just returned from the vet with a clean bill of health! Vet liked everything she saw - Weight (about 4 pounds, half the size of Doc!), teeth, fur, eyes, tummy, temperature. Clean ears, though we found the culprit of Monday evening's left ear flop and cocked head - waaay down inside her left ear, about 2/3rds of the way down, but not close to the ear drum, is a tiny bit of inflammation. The vet was like, "Well, that's great that we found the source of the discomfort she was displaying, but I have no idea how something would have gotten that far in there!" I said she and Doc have had no close up interaction in at least two weeks, and she was like, "There's no way Doc could've gotten in there, and there's no way she did it herself either! Unless someone came into your apartment while you were out and poked your rabbit down the ear!" But she said there's nothing to worry about, it's not enough inflammation to require any medication, but I should keep my eye on her. A bit of expensive peace of mind, but I guess it'll be nice to have Rory and Doc on separate yearly check ups so they can go easier on my wallet.

Haven't given you guys any pictures in awhile!

Aurora waiting to meet Dr. Limburg! She was so good, only struggled a few times with getting her temperature taken! (Dora would not stand for that at all, once the vet tech couldn't even get it!) She also got many compliments on her fur and eye colour. The vet was like, "So many women pay lots of money to get all sorts of colours put into their hair, and she's got it naturally!"

Doc enjoying life as a bachelor and lounging by the fire several weeks ago. I forgot how nice those cardboard boxes used to look, now they're all torn up! Also that toy is completely destroyed. It was called Atomic Nut Ball, which is a pretty amazing name.

Look of guilt.

Had to add this picture of Dora, I just love her face. Definition of disapproval. Please pay no mind to Luke's terrible posture in the background!

D&D snuggling, can't wait to get Doc and Aurora to this point! :hearts:

 

[whitelop]

I'm so glad Rory doesn't have anything wrong with her! Thats fantastic!

Doc is such a handsome boy! The picture of him and Dora are so good, I cant wait for that to be him and Aurora. :hearts

BTW my husband has those same socks Luke was wearing! haha, I am actually wearing one right now, only in black. lmao. Small world.

 

[JBun]

I love bunny snuggling pictures

I'm glad that she has a clean bill of health. I'm sure that was a relief. Plus you know that there actually was a reason why she was acting funny. Hopefully the inflammation subsides. But if she starts acting odd like that again, then you know what it is and can get it taken care of fairly easily. But, yeah, do keep an eye on whether or not it continues to bother her, as she may end up needing antibiotics if it does.

That's a great cardboard house! Now I'm tempted to try and make one for my rabbits

 

[lyndym]

Thanks guys! I am very glad she's healthy, too. Letting her have a quiet day in her cage from all the excitement of the car ride, then I'll let her out tonight when I come back from my rehearsal.

Morgan - Doc is so handsome, I swear he knows it sometimes. He'll just lay himself out like, "Please everybody, look at how wonderful I am." Other times he can have a completely opposite look going on and kind of looks like a big dummy. (Said with love, bahaha.) Luke loooves those socks, do you guys get yours from Costco?? He loves them so much, he wears them til there are holes worn through the heels. I'll tell him, "Look at these things, there are holes in them, time to throw them out!" He's like, "No, there are still threads holding it together, it's not a hole yet!" And he's being serious, hahaha.

Jenny - I'll keep an eye on her of course, but by early Tuesday morning she was no longer favoring that ear at all. And it hasn't happened since then, so it's probably clearing up. I actually bought the big two story cardboard house, it's called a mini haven. You can get them online, but I bought it from the vet that took care of all of Dora's arrangements for me. They were so great about letting me use an exam room to say goodbye, held onto her until she was picked up for cremation, all for no charge! So when I went to pick Dora's ashes up, I bought the mini haven for Doc. It was around Christmas and he needed a present anyway! I believe it comes in a smaller size so you can have just one "floor," but both rabbits love having two floors! It assembles and disassembles easily. I kept one of the punch-out doorways to use as a template for rabbit-sized holes in other boxes, which is what you can see on the second smaller box next to the big one.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Love the photos. That one of Doc is so cute looking out of his cardboard castle, yes, he does remind me of Snowy but he is so much bigger, Snowy is only around 1kilo.

Doc and Dora look so comfy together, they made a lovely couple but I´m sure that we will get to that stage with Rory and we´ll get some lovely cuddly photos of them.

 

[holtzchick]

Just got caught up on your blog! That's sweet that you've given Aurora (and yes, boys are silly, who doesn't know that's sleeping beauty's real name?! ) a great home!! There will be days like destructo-day that you've described, where the bonding, coupled with normal life, coupled with destructiveness will drive you INSANE.

I remember one day, I had worked a super long week and was trying to sleep in since I started work later that day... The buns had been in a complete bonding rut, both aggressive and fighting with each other and then here I am in my bed when BOTH are rattling their pens like no tommorrow. Seriously if I were my neighbor I would've thought someone was caging human beings! THEN not only did I come down to give them pellets to make them stop, Phoenix decided she was going to flip her whole litterbox over after I'd done a full cage cleaning the night before and then showed Hippogryff some bunnitude. I swear, I was in tears that morning from frustration, and Luke thought I was going bat crazy!

Right now they're not too bad though, they're going through the behavior where they're both chewing on the bars when one is out. In their case, it is an aggression thing but what I do is I make sure to mediate it so I will go and make one lie down on the bars and pet them and make sure the other one doesn't do any nipping so they can build trust. It works pretty well, after a few times of doing this, they might decide to flop down next to each other like best friends.