Stuart leapt over my shoulder...

[NorthernAutumn]

I feel so stupid... I know he doesn't like to be picked up like that. I opened the door to his house, turned and picked him up so his butt was in my left hand, and my right hand was holding him against my left shoulder.
He scrambled up my shoulder and threw himself off it... He landed on the NIC cage, and onto the floor:nerves1.
Didn't make a sound.

He can jump up between the levels in his cage, can do stairs, and can hop pretty quick. How would I know if something was broken? Could he have cracked a rib? No blood, but I bet he's bruised...
He's not running away from me, just snuggling down for a head rub. Seems kind of tired... but it's been dimmer light in the house all day.

How do I make sure he's OK?

 

[Rusty]

I think they usually start to breathe a lot heavier and refuse to move when something hurt. Have you tried touching certain spots on his body and see if he grunts or anything? Don't feel stupid it happens. Rusty did it a couple of times and Akira always tries to leap out of my hands. Hope he is ok!

 

[Amy27]

:hug: for you and Stuart. That had to be scary. I would try to watch to see if he is in pain. Does he seem to be moving around ok? limping? If you feel over him does he flinch in pain at all? I would watch to make sure he is eating. I hope he is ok. That is scary.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

He is hopping as quick as usual. I'm assuming nothing's broken, or he wouldn't have hopped up the 3 floors in his house to get to the top level. No grunting, no snorting. I don't think I've ever even heard him grunt, he's so mellow.

I was rubbing his ears, and I felt the "crunch, crunch" of teeth. I think it was a happy crunch (not the pain grinding), as it only happened for a second... Didn't see him flinching. He flopped out for a few minutes, then went back into his house.

He's refusing lettuce, but he ate a number of raisins and 2 blueberries.

I'm just worried that internal organs might be bruised

 

[Maureen Las]

If he's behaving as you're describing I wouldn't think that he is injured.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

My other buns vocalize when they are angry or upset with anything... I've never heard Stuart say a word, so I tend to worry that he wouldn't "tell" me if something was wrong.

Is it possible to hear a rabbit grind their teeth in pain (rather than just feel it)? I haven't heard anything, but I wanted to be sure about what I'm listening/looking for.

 

[JimD]

Oh my!

I would do a very thorough nose-to-tail inspection.

Is he moving around okay?

 

[Maureen Las]

NorthernAutumn wrote:

My other buns vocalize when they are angry or upset with anything... I've never heard Stuart say a word, so I tend to worry that he wouldn't "tell" me if something was wrong.

Is it possible to hear a rabbit grind their teeth in pain (rather than just feel it)? I haven't heard anything, but I wanted to be sure about what I'm listening/looking for.

You can hear a rabbit grinding his teeth in pain if he's in a lot of pain but I think that you would be able to tell if it's pain or pleasure.

if in pain\probably would be sitting still hunched up grinding\.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

I'm sorry guys, but I don't know what to look for, specifically. I ran my hands over him, nothing was jutting out.
No blood
Nothing wrong with eyes or face
What else do I look for? I keep wondering about the legs, but he was very capable of jumping up the 5 feet to his top floor.
Jim, he was hopping about easily... did a flight of stairs with no problems.

 

[mouse_chalk]

Oh my! I feel for you! We've had buns jump out of our arms at heights before..... There is nothing worse than that second of horrible awful shock and you wonder what on earth has happened to them....

I'm no expert, but I would think that if he was in any pain, he'd be showing signs, but I'd definitely keep a close eye on him. And when mine have been grinding their teeth in the past, I've been able to hear it across the room. It's certainly noticably different from the happy comfortable 'tooth purring' that they do from my own experience...

*hugs* I hope he's ok!

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Just went down and felt him all over again (that is a fat bunneh!) He thought this was grooming, and decided to lick me a bit. I watched him grooming Evie, and offered him a banana chip high up in the air. He was able to stand and get it.
He hopped out of his house, but went back in when I crouched down (probably assuming I was going to lift him again).

I can't hear anythign at all Jen, so he's not grinding his teeth.

It's probably been about an hour since it happened, and no reaction from him (apart from displeasure). When should I stop worrying?

 

[tonyshuman]

I would do a nose-to-tail rub down--massage all parts of his body, front and back, and see if he reacts to you poking him anywhere. Don't poke hard, of course. How did he land? On his feet or belly or back?

 

[NorthernAutumn]

No reaction to poking... just the licking as always when I poke at his hindquarters.
I can't be sure how he landed... except that he was moving again as soon as I was able to look down. I heard him hit the floor, but he wasn't down there long enough for me to actually see how he had fallen. I know he would have hit the top part of the NIC with his side, cause otherwise, his legs would have gotten stuck. I would assume he did not hit on his back.

 

[JimD]

NorthernAutumn wrote:

I'm sorry guys, but I don't know what to look for, specifically. I ran my hands over him...

It sounds like he's okay, but I know how we worry about them.

I usually do a lateral comparison...in other words, I feel both sides and compare what I find.

Kinda like...
Right hand says: "OOOH there a bump over here!!!"
Left hand says:"It's okay, there one on this side , too."

 

[NorthernAutumn]

OK, then I did the body check correctly. No "ow" reaction from him, nothing jutting that I can feel. Felt the ribs, legs, all of it. Nothing. Just fat and skin.

Thank you for talking me through this, guys. I was feeling really panicked. This could have turned out so much worse!
I really hope I haven't overlooked anything, but I will update if his condition changes.

Thank you again for responding so quickly, all of you. That was wonderful

 

[JimD]

"That's what you do in a herd, you look out for each other."

 

[Rusty]

Glad to hear he is ok

 

[JadeIcing]

You are a good bunny mom so take a deep breath and just watch him.

 

[mouse_chalk]

How is he doing, Autumn? Still ok?

 

[NorthernAutumn]

I think he's OK... They've been playing all night long, and he came right over when he saw I had a treat...
I made him stand for it, and he stood easily. Hopping away a bit when I go to touch him, but I'm assuming he's still a bit mad at me.
I think we're all clear...(fingers crossed)