New bunnies! HELP!

[funny_bunny]

Dear fellow Bunny lovers!!

I've gotten 2 new bunnies that are brothers and 6 weeks old. I got them 2 days ago and i'm sure that one of them is absolutely fine, but the other seems quiet and reserved and not nearly as adventurous as the other. As far as i can tell they are both eating normally and continuously on the same food they had at the breeders, and they both have normal poo's.

However, I've just noticed that the quiet one's tummy feels a lot rounder and maybe even bloated compared to the other one. Is there a reason for me to worry?

Just checking that my babies are healthy!

 

[jeanluc_pippen_merry]

From what i understand the most common cause of bloat is from introducing new foods (greens and fruits in particular) too soon and/or at a young age. I don't think rabbits are supposed to leave their mothers till 8 weeks, maybe it hasn't gotten all the good bacteria it needs in its stomach so the bad bacteria has taken over causing bloat. I remember reading that if you listen to their stomachs and hear either loud gurgling or no sound at all (you could use his brother to see the difference) that there is something wrong.

Bloat can apparently be a silent killer and they can succumb to it quite quickly, so if you feel that's what it is, i don't know if you can do anything at home to fix it, im sure if there is someone will let you know. Otherwise i would take him to a vet asap.

 

[funny_bunny]

They sound exactly the same, so perhaps this is a good thing? I think I should take him to a vet just incase..

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

jeanluc_pippen_merry wrote:

From what i understand the most common cause of bloat is from introducing new foods (greens and fruits in particular) too soon and/or at a young age. I don't think rabbits are supposed to leave their mothers till 8 weeks, maybe it hasn't gotten all the good bacteria it needs in its stomach so the bad bacteria has taken over causing bloat. I remember reading that if you listen to their stomachs and hear either loud gurgling or no sound at all (you could use his brother to see the difference) that there is something wrong.

Bloat can apparently be a silent killer and they can succumb to it quite quickly, so if you feel that's what it is, i don't know if you can do anything at home to fix it, im sure if there is someone will let you know. Otherwise i would take him to a vet asap.

:yeahthat:Yep, bunnies really shouldn't leave their mother until 8 wks. I've heard of breeders taking them as young as 4 weeks ( ), but the bunnies do not have NEAR the ammount of good bacteria to fight things off in their stomach. It leaves them at much higher risk of something. Ifhe continues like this and you seenoimprovement*soon*I'd get him to a vet.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We always take any new bunnies to the vet just as a precaution so we don't pass around anything to the herd as well as to insure they are good and healthy.