How to ask for forgiveness and how to fix a broken bond.

[Zeldasbunmom2021]

Zelda met with the veterinarian Friday morning. He prescribed her medicine for her runny nose. Giving her the medication has been a daunting task.

I've watched several youtube videos on the subject. And after trying bribery and holding. I feel wrapping her petite body in a towel works best.

But I feel like whatever bond we've created these past two weeks has faded to mistrust. I don't receive the kisses I used to receive. Although she enjoys jumping into my lap still, she won't stay for very long.

I wanted to see if anyone knows how I can mend our relationship and ways I can ask for forgiveness. I'd be looking for an apology, too, if the medicine is given to me twice a week.

 

[John Wick]

As long as you're being a respectful, caring rabbit parent all other times outside medication administration, your relationship will probably be fine. A routine can be helpful, so your rabbit knows exactly when administration will come. This can also help with association, so rather than administration being associated with you and being unsure when it might happen, it can be associated with a particular towel or something. Ending with a small treat is always nice too, whether it's part of a treat or a pellet or two.

 

[Zeldasbunmom2021]

As long as you're being a respectful, caring rabbit parent all other times outside medication administration, your relationship will probably be fine. A routine can be helpful, so your rabbit knows exactly when administration will come. This can also help with association, so rather than administration being associated with you and being unsure when it might happen, it can be associated with a particular towel or something. Ending with a small treat is always nice too, whether it's part of a treat or a pellet or two.

Thank you for the helpful advice with the towel.

I just don't want to break her trust, and the idea of chasing her around and picking her up bothers me. I'm sure it bothers Zelda more.
She's a little angry. Of course, I don't blame her. I just hear such topics, "Rabbits trust is impossible to gain back." And it would destroy me to lose that trust.

 

[JBun]

If it's baytril you're giving(most common antibiotic prescribed to rabbits), it's not a wonder it's upsetting your bun. Apparently it must taste awful. At least according to the majority of rabbits forced to take it. They act like you're trying to poison them or something

You could try mixing the med with something sweet. Mushed banana might work, or juice. I've used pure maple syrup in the past. And I had no problems with my rabbits taking baytril mixed with that. You don't have to use a lot, just draw up a little into the syringe after the meds have already been drawn up first. So the first bit out when administering the med, will be the bit of syrup. It can sometimes help to have a little drop of syrup at the end of the syringe too, so the rabbit can smell and get that first taste.

Now, I know giving rabbits too much sugar isn't ideal or the best thing, but sometimes to get them to take their meds I feel it's a necessary evil. Provided, it doesn't cause a disruption to their get flora. So any sign of mushy poop, or if a rabbit already has a sensitive digestive system, then I wouldn't try that. So, just an idea and something that has worked for me.

 

[Catlyn]

Sweet bit mixed with the meds is a good strategy. Lümi also needed oral antibiotics that tasted awful, i added some dilluted pineapple juice and he was glad to take it then. He had extremely sensitive guts so we cut out any and all other sweet-y treats during the course of the antibiotic. Balanced out well. If your bun will take a dose of plain water from the same syri, it's an additional bonus.

 

[Semac]

I give my rabbits medication on a piece of dried apple or banana.

 

[John Wick]

Thank you for the helpful advice with the towel.

I just don't want to break her trust, and the idea of chasing her around and picking her up bothers me. I'm sure it bothers Zelda more.
She's a little angry. Of course, I don't blame her. I just hear such topics, "Rabbits trust is impossible to gain back." And it would destroy me to lose that trust.

Unsure where you've heard that a rabbit's trust is impossible to gain back, but I imagine the grievances that are causing irreparable relationship tension are much worse than forced medication administration! Personally, one of my rabbits is highly anxious due to some bad things during those formative, young months with her original owner. When I first got her, being picked up was so terrifying for her, and also for me to see how absolutely terrified she was the entire time. She would chatter her teeth (sign of distress in this case, rather than content or physical pain), audibly be wheezing from such forced breaths and would try and scrunch herself as tight as she could against herself-- in my time as a volunteer, I've never seen a rabbit as stressed as she was with being picked.

That being said, there was a period of time I had to give her medication twice a day, as well as do routine things like clip her nails. Fast forward to present day, where I've had her for two years now, and she still doesn't like being picked up, but our relationship has never been better. She got over it. She comes up for pets and rarely runs from my approach, even though she knows I am the being that picks her up occasionally to force feed nasty stuff.

 

[HalaBuns]

I had a similar experience with my bun after a course of Baytril. Well I say course, after 2 days I ended up mashing it up with banana and giving it to her that way, as @JBun suggested.

It took a few weeks, but eventually my bun forgave me. She would run off and hide under the bed at every given opportunity, but after a couple of weeks of stroppy teenager behaviour, I stopped her going in the bedroom and forced her to spend time with me . She was fine after that and now she hops onto the bed for a cuddle every morning.

Your bun will come around, just need to take it slow. Hand-feeding worked well for us to become friends again.