SYRINGES / Practice syringe feeding

[TinysMom]

Ok - I just "went off" on this topic on the Post Spray thread...but I'm gonna do it here too...

:soapbox <---WARNING

Ok...

As a breeder - I have far more rabbits here than the majority of thepeople on this board have. Since I have lionheads (longhaired) I face the possibility of issues like stasis, etc. - and I'mworking hard to "be prepared" (even if I never was in scouts).

If your rabbit is healthy right now....I highly encourage EVERYONE - toget a syringe and some baby food or pumpkin or something - and syringefeed your rabbit something today - preferably something it willenjoy. I use either pedialyte (flavored) or some banana/ricecereal jarred baby food.

Why?

Because if your rabbit gets sick - you don't want the additional stresson you and your rabbit of introducing the syringe and having to feedit. Let it become used to the syringe and see it as a"friend" or at least not a foe.

Then - once you've done it today - mark it on your calendar and do it EVERY MONTH...once a month.

I'm serious here - one day a month I go around and everyone here getssyringed some baby food or something. I have a few of themthat see the syringe coming now - and start to open their mouth...theyknow they're gonna take it - they figure they might as well get it overwith.

Also.....if you can - get Oxbow Critical Care NOW - don't wait till youneed it. I bought mine off of Ebay (my vet prefers it overother things for stasis, etc). I paid something like $18 plusshipping for the big container - there is a smaller container that ischeaper.

Then - mix some up with something your rabbit might like - once again -I use either flavored pedialyte or some banana or rice cereal baby food(I've also used spinach baby food or stuff like that). Then -give it to your rabbit. I use a baby spoon and they eat itoff of the spoon.

I also do this once a month.

Why? Because I want them USED to the taste of CriticalCare. Most of my rabbits now LOVE Critical Care and heavenforbid I put some down that I was giving a weanling that maybe needed alittle something extra - as my adults will crawl all over me forit.....and heaven forbid Tiny smells it...I'm in BIG trouble -especially if it is mixed w/ banana baby food.

Just to clarify...I am NOT a vet. I do NOT work with a vet. I am only a breeder and a pet owner like y'all.

I'm not saying you should daily feed your rabbits flavored pedialyte or baby food.

But I would use it NOW to get them used to the syringe and the criticalcare...so that if they do get sick (GOD FORBID)....you remove onestress from your life and their life too...

:soapbox <---still staying on soapbox - but at least shutting up....for now!

Peg


P.S. I bought a box of 100 syringes on Ebay too - but I'vealso seen them in Tractor Supply stores - you don't need the needle -just the syringe part!

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Peg,

I found Critical Care at this site:

http://www.diazrock.com/products.php?cat=145

They have it in apple banana flavor, too.

How long does it keep?

 

[bbgrl20]

Thanks for the advice Tinysmom. Its good to knowthings like that. Especially with Mocha, she is such a picky rabbit.She didn't even care for a banana, so now I can take the time andfigure out what she loves and when she does get spayed can use this toget her to eat!!:thanks:

 

[valleybelow]

Thanks for the idea. I think I wouldlike to start doing this with my rabbit. However, I have aquestion.My rabbitdoes not like to behandled at all. Should I practice syringe feeding by pickingher up and wrapping her in a towel once a month, or do you think thiswould be too stressful for her? Sorry for the stupid question!

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Handling your rabbit on a regular basis isimportant. She will get used to it and won't be stressed byit when you reallyNEED to do it.

Vet visits will be less stressful and if she's ever sick and needs to be handled, it's easier on you and her.

 

[TinysMom]

I would work with her for a week or so to have her get used to being handled...and then I'd do the syringe thingy..

To me - being handled is more important - that they get used to that first..

Just remember - I'm not a vet or anything - its just my own opinion.

Peg

 

[BACI]

I just had my rabbit spayed and wish someonewould have told me to practice with the syringe ahead of time. Itsounds so much easier than it actually is. You are obviously a caringbreeder. THank you...

 

[TinysMom]

BACI wrote:

Ijust had my rabbit spayed and wish someone would have told me topractice with the syringe ahead of time. It sounds so much easier thanit actually is. You are obviously a caring breeder. THank you...

thanks. When I gave Just Jack rabbits, I made sure they hadsyringes (I think it was 10 or 12 maybe) and a bit of critical carealong with some other things for health. I think in thefuture it may be my policy that people will be given 2-3 syringes plusa couple of tablespoons of critical care with their rabbits.

Peg

 

[juicyjuicee]

Ya know, I never even thought to "practice".

My mom is probably going to think I'm nuts but oh well, i'll give it a try.

Thank you for posting this.

 

[peapoo_bunny]

i guess it is a good idea to do that!! thanks for posting it!!:bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance:

 

[BACI]

I know it seems common sense to you as abreeder, but since I was so nervous my first time syringing Delilah canyou please advise us as to whether there is any way to hurt them doingthis. My vet syringed D at the vet and even 7days later I cannot getnear her rt side of her mouth. I only syringed the left side for thisreason.
When I did it my husband held her on his lap and stroked the top of herhead and I gently squeezed the syringe just inside her cheek. The vetmentioned getting the food to the "back of her mouth" As I think I toldyou that day, her mouth is just a small hole.
PS we used pineapple juice, incase all else fails for someone else.
Valleybelow- my biggest fear before the spay was that my rabbit wouldnot let us touch her, as her hormones changed she scratched etc. So, ifyou are unable to get her to let you hold her safely, before the spay.I was able to hold her after. I wrapped her in a towel and she let mesyringe her with a lot of soft encouragement and love. I think she wasso miserable she would let me do anything. well almost. As soon as shegot the sugar, she livened up and was outa here. lol

 

[HoneyPot]

I posted this on another thread. This is the method I use and it worked great for me.

Also, because Misty knows the taste of the Critical Care, she LOVES it,even when she won't eat anything else, she'll munchonCritical Care.

_______________________


Ok I'll tell you how my vet showed me to do this - and it worked!

get a towel, lay it on a table and put the bunn on the towel with hisbutt facing you, so you are standing behind him. Fold halfthe towel up so that it is covering the bun up to his neck.

And this is the part that I had to learn - you HAVE to be the boss and win the first fight to keep the bun still.

Lean over the bun so that if he tries to back up, he hits your stomachand has no where to go. Press the towel down so he is secureand hold his head with one hand. Keep a hold of his head so he has tostay still.

Take the syringe and gently put it on his front teeth and move it tothe side (right or left beside their big front teeth) and find thelittle space between the top and bottom teeth - the syringe tip willslide right in.

Syringe a little bit at a time - remember their mouths are super small.

The most important part is that you HAVE to win and be theboss.Remember that it's not about being bigger/heavier oroverpowering them with strength, you don't want to hurt them, you justhave to be persistent and firm. Don't let him go when hetries to get away.

Misty would quiet down and take a lot of the syringing, then try tofight - but once she saw that I was unrelenting, she just sat and tookthe syringe.

I was never able to do until recently, so good luck - and keep trying.

 

[RO STAFF 2]

Great advice in this thread! It willbe incorporated into the Resource Center (if it hasnt'already). Thanks to Honeypot (Nadia), TinysMom (Peg) andLaura!

:bouquet:

 

[BACI]

Honeypot!!! Thank you thankyou thankyou. Iwas just trying to figure out now how I was going to do this monthlynow that she is not lethargic. THANKS.

 

[Eve]

Thank you for posting this TinysMom! I had never considered this and it sounds like a very useful thing to do.

And thank you for the tips you posted HoneyPot! My rabbit hates being handled so that sounds like a great way of doing it.