New bunny drinking lots of water

[dmbsgrl]

Hi all,

I recently got a second bunny. The bunny drinks lots of water, a full water bottle would be gone in a day, tons of pee in litter box and outside as well, bunny would be wet and it would be a gross mess ( i clean the litter box every day). SoI started filling the water bottle in smaller amounts throughout the day to control the drinking/peeing. My other bunny drinks much less water. Should I be worried about the new bunny's drinking habits?

 

[maherwoman]

How large is the water bottle?

My buns go through (the regular-sized ones, so not my Flemish Giant) about 32 oz every two days.

 

[dmbsgrl]

the bunny is a holland lop (prob about 3 or 4 months old). the water bottle was 32 oz, and The bunny would drink the entire bottle in a matter of 8 hrs. The problem was the excessive urinating that came from this. he would soak up the litter box, it would be HEAVY because it had so much pee, and because the litter box was so dirty he would pee outside it in the cage and get it all over himself. This would happen while i was at work or asleep for the night. Since I've limited the water and given it in smaller increments this is not happening anymore. I know with cats, excessive thirst can be a sign of kidney problems and was wondering if I should be worried about the bun.

 

[juliew19673]

My cat also did that when she had a hyper-thyroid (easily corrected, but not cheap).. not sure if its the same in buns, but a blood test may be in order (have you had one recently?)..

 

[maherwoman]

Yeah...you may want to get the bun checked out...

I don't know a whole lot about health issues, but I do know that our buns going through 32oz in a couple days is rather high on the intake amount for buns, as far as water is concerned. So a bun intaking that amount in 8hrs sounds like reason for concern.

I don't know WHAT health issue this could indicate...maybe something either with the kidneys, bladder issues, or maybe urinary issues...or like Julie said, a thyroid issue.

I would get him checked out, just to be on the safe side.

 

[killertheturtle]

Unless your rabbit was very dehydrated before you got him (don't know how long you have had him) that is not normal.
I recommend taking him to the vet; it could indicate kidney or urinary problems.

 

[juliew19673]

Do not hold back the water because its messy that he/her pees.. As I've read, dehyrdation in bun's is one of the most prevalent beginings to other health problems.

If you need to - keep him/her to an area that you can clean up until you figure out what is causing the problem..

So just "lump" it for now and know you might have to clean up/after your bun (you seem to be a good "Slave")- but GIVE him/her as much water as they wish to drink. I do not think Bun's are "Alcoholics for water" they only drink what their little bodies need..

Its great, your asking for advice - and know your not alone, it can be figured out. Keep posting how it goes - feel free to PM me with your grief (I give my grief to so many others - so feel free to have a shoulder to "complain" too)..

Best of luck..

 

[juliew19673]

Last note for the night - here is a link to a NY rabbit rescue - check out the site and call them tomorrow and they may be able to help you (as their within your state):

http://www.therabbitresource.org/regionalrep.html

 

[hailiejade]

is your bunnies poo normal , my bunny had this problem when i first got him (drinking lots of water , peeing lots and making a mess of himself) , he wasnt getting on with the food i was giving him and had soft poo so think he may have been slightly de-hydrated since ive changed his food hes stopped doing it

 

[dmbsgrl]

ok, my bad, the water bottle was 16 oz, not 32. He may have been dehydrated when I got him, he was rescued from a pet store, (yeah i know). Also, when I first got him his poo was fine but I introduced some veggies and those got loose as well. i took away the veggies for a few days and all was back to normal. Right now he has an 8 oz water bottle and I filled it completely, he has drank twice, but normal amounts.