Need Some Rabbit Help!

[Abandoning my account]

Okay. My friend breeds Flemish Giants.

She had one buck, her favorite, as her last one, and she had to sell him because where they moved to does not have enough room for him. So she gave him to me as a birthday gift. ((They moved a few hours away so I can't really have her come out here to help me with this.))

He is a year old, and has been in the same home his entire life. So moving was a stressful thing to him. I brought him to a vet, because he was refusing pellet food. Hay, no problem. Pellets? Nope he wont go near them. I even have the same kind she buys and gave him!

So the vet told me to mix it with water, and chop it up, and make a "gruel" out of it and syringe feed him.
So here is where the serious problem is. He wont take it. Not oh he lets it dribble out. I mean every time I get the syringe into the gap, he flicks his head, and scrambles and screeches at me, and my boyfriend who is holding him, so we can't even get the gruel into his mouth at all. He has gotten out of towels, out of good handholds, twisted, rolled. He gets away every time.

And when we are holding him, he is fine and calm. Bring the syringe near him, fine. Get it into his mouth and all hell breaks loose. I've watched tutorial videos, read articles, spoken with my vet, but he will not take the food at all. She told me if this goes on much longer we will need to get him special medicine because he is losing weight from this. But the medicine requires a syringe as well.

Any advice on how to get him to take the gruel? I'm fairly desperate now!

[Tute Sweet]

Is he still eating his other vegetables/leaves, or is he only eating hay?
It might be worth mixing some of his chopped fresh favourite treats in with his gruel to encourage him to eat it, especially strong-smelling foods such as fresh herbs.
I had a similar but opposite problem with my boy (he's a reluctant hay-eater) and mixing his daily veggies and herbs/leaves in with his hay made the world of difference.




If that doesn't work, this might be of some use to you:
Pellet free diet

It would be tricky, especially with such a big breed of rabbit, so probably only as a last resort but if you really can't get your bun to eat them, it might be worth discussing the possibility of going pellet-free with your vet, or at least ask them for advice for exactly how to replace the nutrients in the meantime until he does start eating them again.

[Abandoning my account]

Tute Sweet

Is he still eating his other vegetables/leaves, or is he only eating hay?
It might be worth mixing some of his chopped fresh favourite treats in with his gruel to encourage him to eat it, especially strong-smelling foods such as fresh herbs.
I had a similar but opposite problem with my boy (he's a reluctant hay-eater) and mixing his daily veggies and herbs/leaves in with his hay made the world of difference.




If that doesn't work, this might be of some use to you:
Pellet free diet

It would be tricky, especially with such a big breed of rabbit, so probably only as a last resort but if you really can't get your bun to eat them, it might be worth discussing the possibility of going pellet-free with your vet, or at least ask them for advice for exactly how to replace the nutrients in the meantime until he does start eating them again.

Actually he eats the hay voraciously.

But we figured out the problem. He is a very picky eater, and I bought the wrong pellet food. There are two different color bags, which are different flavors, and I bought the wrong one.

Went out, got the right food, he dug in immediately. Also I started to give him some banana mixed with oatmeal, which my vet recommended for a short time to help him gain some weight faster.

He ate the greens happily, but not mixed with the other pellet food. I normally stick with kale, bok choy, and broccoli, and he loves all three of those. But he went nuts over the banana oatmeal mix.

I'm so relieved I finally got him to eat, since the syringe was not working at all. And I'm sure he is a happier bunny now that he got the stuff that he likes eating!

Vet said it was probably due to stress from the move. It's a big life change for him, as well as us. But thank you for the advice! I will keep it in mind for the future. Now to just make him gain about seven pounds!

[Ewui]

{ ❝ Oh boy, Flemish Giant eh? I have one myself, little Dorry in my siggy (when I first got her... feels so long ago now). She is not a picky eater but she eats (A LOT), due to her size. cat_rofl ❞

[Abandoning my account]

E l N l N

{ ❝ Oh boy, Flemish Giant eh? I have one myself, little Dorry in my siggy (when I first got her... feels so long ago now). She is not a picky eater but she eats (A LOT), due to her size. cat_rofl ❞

Here are a few pics of him settling into our home. He is quite the handsome man.





He is just over a year old, and quite the little gentleman, except when he wants attention. Then he nips you.

[Ewui]

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Oh boy, Flemish Giant eh? I have one myself, little Dorry in my siggy (when I first got her... feels so long ago now). She is not a picky eater but she eats (A LOT), due to her size. cat_rofl ❞

Here are a few pics of him settling into our home. He is quite the handsome man.

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0452.jpg
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0460.jpg
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0453.jpg

He is just over a year old, and quite the little gentleman, except when he wants attention. Then he nips you.

{ ❝ Oh what a sweet tart. <3 Sounds kinda like my Dorry. She is so cute when she begs for attention and you can't help but to want to hold her. The only time I ever been nipped by her is when she wants to groom me. c8; Though she doesn't like to be picked up and sometimes you gotta pick her up... I get my arms clawed a lot. cat_sweatdrop ❞

[Abandoning my account]

E l N l N

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Oh boy, Flemish Giant eh? I have one myself, little Dorry in my siggy (when I first got her... feels so long ago now). She is not a picky eater but she eats (A LOT), due to her size. cat_rofl ❞

Here are a few pics of him settling into our home. He is quite the handsome man.

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0452.jpg
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0460.jpg
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0453.jpg

He is just over a year old, and quite the little gentleman, except when he wants attention. Then he nips you.

{ ❝ Oh what a sweet tart. <3 Sounds kinda like my Dorry. She is so cute when she begs for attention and you can't help but to want to hold her. The only time I ever been nipped by her is when she wants to groom me. c8; Though she doesn't like to be picked up and sometimes you gotta pick her up... I get my arms clawed a lot. cat_sweatdrop ❞

He is an sweetheart, and a little demon too!
He bites when he wants to be petted. And he doesn't hate being carried, unless it is for more than a minute. Than he squirms. He creepily enough loves baths, and being blow dried. Revels in grooming. Hates his cage. He is out most of the day, and at night we have started to keep him out, since he loves to sleep in the bed with my boyfriend and I.

We are still working on litter box training him. He is a year old, and never trained in it before, so it's a bit tougher to get him to take to it.

How old is your Dorry? She is a cutie pie in her pictures. mrgreen

[Ewui]

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Oh boy, Flemish Giant eh? I have one myself, little Dorry in my siggy (when I first got her... feels so long ago now). She is not a picky eater but she eats (A LOT), due to her size. cat_rofl ❞

Here are a few pics of him settling into our home. He is quite the handsome man.

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0452.jpg
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0460.jpg
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0453.jpg

He is just over a year old, and quite the little gentleman, except when he wants attention. Then he nips you.

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Oh what a sweet tart. <3 Sounds kinda like my Dorry. She is so cute when she begs for attention and you can't help but to want to hold her. The only time I ever been nipped by her is when she wants to groom me. c8; Though she doesn't like to be picked up and sometimes you gotta pick her up... I get my arms clawed a lot. cat_sweatdrop ❞

He is an sweetheart, and a little demon too!
He bites when he wants to be petted. And he doesn't hate being carried, unless it is for more than a minute. Than he squirms. He creepily enough loves baths, and being blow dried. Revels in grooming. Hates his cage. He is out most of the day, and at night we have started to keep him out, since he loves to sleep in the bed with my boyfriend and I.

We are still working on litter box training him. He is a year old, and never trained in it before, so it's a bit tougher to get him to take to it.

How old is your Dorry? She is a cutie pie in her pictures. mrgreen

{ ❝ Dorry was pretty easy to potty train.~ She is going to be 1 year old on July 10th. Dorry was a rescue from a slaughter house for rabbit meat, she came from a place that kept her outside to living inside a house. It was pretty hard for her to adjust but shockingly, litterbox training was a breeze.~ ❞

[Abandoning my account]

E l N l N

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Oh boy, Flemish Giant eh? I have one myself, little Dorry in my siggy (when I first got her... feels so long ago now). She is not a picky eater but she eats (A LOT), due to her size. cat_rofl ❞

Here are a few pics of him settling into our home. He is quite the handsome man.

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0452.jpg
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0460.jpg
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0453.jpg

He is just over a year old, and quite the little gentleman, except when he wants attention. Then he nips you.

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Oh what a sweet tart. <3 Sounds kinda like my Dorry. She is so cute when she begs for attention and you can't help but to want to hold her. The only time I ever been nipped by her is when she wants to groom me. c8; Though she doesn't like to be picked up and sometimes you gotta pick her up... I get my arms clawed a lot. cat_sweatdrop ❞

He is an sweetheart, and a little demon too!
He bites when he wants to be petted. And he doesn't hate being carried, unless it is for more than a minute. Than he squirms. He creepily enough loves baths, and being blow dried. Revels in grooming. Hates his cage. He is out most of the day, and at night we have started to keep him out, since he loves to sleep in the bed with my boyfriend and I.

We are still working on litter box training him. He is a year old, and never trained in it before, so it's a bit tougher to get him to take to it.

How old is your Dorry? She is a cutie pie in her pictures. mrgreen

{ ❝ Dorry was pretty easy to potty train.~ She is going to be 1 year old on July 10th. Dorry was a rescue from a slaughter house for rabbit meat, she came from a place that kept her outside to living inside a house. It was pretty hard for her to adjust but shockingly, litterbox training was a breeze.~ ❞

That's so sad, but so happy at the same time.

And that is shocking. Cash barely pays attention to the litter box, even with his hay and treats in it. He will eat, climb out of the litterbox, and s**t on the floor right in front of it. >.>

I've tried moving it but then he moves where he poops at. He's just a devil.

Does she like snuggling?

[Ewui]

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Oh boy, Flemish Giant eh? I have one myself, little Dorry in my siggy (when I first got her... feels so long ago now). She is not a picky eater but she eats (A LOT), due to her size. cat_rofl ❞

Here are a few pics of him settling into our home. He is quite the handsome man.

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0452.jpg
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0460.jpg
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/silverthevampireprincess/IMG_0453.jpg

He is just over a year old, and quite the little gentleman, except when he wants attention. Then he nips you.

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Oh what a sweet tart. <3 Sounds kinda like my Dorry. She is so cute when she begs for attention and you can't help but to want to hold her. The only time I ever been nipped by her is when she wants to groom me. c8; Though she doesn't like to be picked up and sometimes you gotta pick her up... I get my arms clawed a lot. cat_sweatdrop ❞

He is an sweetheart, and a little demon too!
He bites when he wants to be petted. And he doesn't hate being carried, unless it is for more than a minute. Than he squirms. He creepily enough loves baths, and being blow dried. Revels in grooming. Hates his cage. He is out most of the day, and at night we have started to keep him out, since he loves to sleep in the bed with my boyfriend and I.

We are still working on litter box training him. He is a year old, and never trained in it before, so it's a bit tougher to get him to take to it.

How old is your Dorry? She is a cutie pie in her pictures. mrgreen

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Dorry was pretty easy to potty train.~ She is going to be 1 year old on July 10th. Dorry was a rescue from a slaughter house for rabbit meat, she came from a place that kept her outside to living inside a house. It was pretty hard for her to adjust but shockingly, litterbox training was a breeze.~ ❞

That's so sad, but so happy at the same time.

And that is shocking. Cash barely pays attention to the litter box, even with his hay and treats in it. He will eat, climb out of the litterbox, and s**t on the floor right in front of it. >.>

I've tried moving it but then he moves where he poops at. He's just a devil.

Does she like snuggling?

{ ❝ Well that's no good! Maybe he wants a huge litterbox? I recently had to 'upgrade' Dorry's box.... She had another growth spurt and now her butt sticks outside of the box and she is urinating on the wood. I had to clean up three piles of it today, till I cut up a big plastic container and gave it to her. So far her butt has been in the box.

As far as snuggling goes, she is the biggest snuggle bug ever. Every time someone gets up or comes into the room, she is bouncing around and begging to be pet; pushing her face against her cage wire and scratching. She is more relaxed now since I bought her a new indoor hutch a few weeks ago and can actually lay down (she outgrew the cage I had her in and needed an upgrade ASAP). So far the only problems I've had with her is water bowl vs. water bottle... When I give her a water bowl, she doesn't want to drink the water and would rather toss the bowl around. If I give her a water bottle, she will scratch at it and chew on the metal bit. I constantly make sure that water is moving through the metal bit, but she chews the wire I use to keep it up-right. I'm running out of those wires. cat_sweatdrop ❞

[Abandoning my account]

E l N l N

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Oh what a sweet tart. <3 Sounds kinda like my Dorry. She is so cute when she begs for attention and you can't help but to want to hold her. The only time I ever been nipped by her is when she wants to groom me. c8; Though she doesn't like to be picked up and sometimes you gotta pick her up... I get my arms clawed a lot. cat_sweatdrop ❞

He is an sweetheart, and a little demon too!
He bites when he wants to be petted. And he doesn't hate being carried, unless it is for more than a minute. Than he squirms. He creepily enough loves baths, and being blow dried. Revels in grooming. Hates his cage. He is out most of the day, and at night we have started to keep him out, since he loves to sleep in the bed with my boyfriend and I.

We are still working on litter box training him. He is a year old, and never trained in it before, so it's a bit tougher to get him to take to it.

How old is your Dorry? She is a cutie pie in her pictures. mrgreen

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Dorry was pretty easy to potty train.~ She is going to be 1 year old on July 10th. Dorry was a rescue from a slaughter house for rabbit meat, she came from a place that kept her outside to living inside a house. It was pretty hard for her to adjust but shockingly, litterbox training was a breeze.~ ❞

That's so sad, but so happy at the same time.

And that is shocking. Cash barely pays attention to the litter box, even with his hay and treats in it. He will eat, climb out of the litterbox, and s**t on the floor right in front of it. >.>

I've tried moving it but then he moves where he poops at. He's just a devil.

Does she like snuggling?

{ ❝ Well that's no good! Maybe he wants a huge litterbox? I recently had to 'upgrade' Dorry's box.... She had another growth spurt and now her butt sticks outside of the box and she is urinating on the wood. I had to clean up three piles of it today, till I cut up a big plastic container and gave it to her. So far her butt has been in the box.

As far as snuggling goes, she is the biggest snuggle bug ever. Every time someone gets up or comes into the room, she is bouncing around and begging to be pet; pushing her face against her cage wire and scratching. She is more relaxed now since I bought her a new indoor hutch a few weeks ago and can actually lay down (she outgrew the cage I had her in and needed an upgrade ASAP). So far the only problems I've had with her is water bowl vs. water bottle... When I give her a water bowl, she doesn't want to drink the water and would rather toss the bowl around. If I give her a water bottle, she will scratch at it and chew on the metal bit. I constantly make sure that water is moving through the metal bit, but she chews the wire I use to keep it up-right. I'm running out of those wires. cat_sweatdrop ❞

See I can't get him a hutch cause I have yet to find one that is large enough to fit him. And I haven't been able to find any larger litter boxes. He is huge. When laying he is quite literally the size of a pillow.

And you have the water issue too? He drinks from the bowl with no problem, but will either sit in it, or throw it around at night. He never drank from a water bottle before, and the metal bit scares the s**t outta him.

[Ewui]

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

-Love Roleplaying-

E l N l N

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Oh what a sweet tart. <3 Sounds kinda like my Dorry. She is so cute when she begs for attention and you can't help but to want to hold her. The only time I ever been nipped by her is when she wants to groom me. c8; Though she doesn't like to be picked up and sometimes you gotta pick her up... I get my arms clawed a lot. cat_sweatdrop ❞

He is an sweetheart, and a little demon too!
He bites when he wants to be petted. And he doesn't hate being carried, unless it is for more than a minute. Than he squirms. He creepily enough loves baths, and being blow dried. Revels in grooming. Hates his cage. He is out most of the day, and at night we have started to keep him out, since he loves to sleep in the bed with my boyfriend and I.

We are still working on litter box training him. He is a year old, and never trained in it before, so it's a bit tougher to get him to take to it.

How old is your Dorry? She is a cutie pie in her pictures. mrgreen

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Dorry was pretty easy to potty train.~ She is going to be 1 year old on July 10th. Dorry was a rescue from a slaughter house for rabbit meat, she came from a place that kept her outside to living inside a house. It was pretty hard for her to adjust but shockingly, litterbox training was a breeze.~ ❞

That's so sad, but so happy at the same time.

And that is shocking. Cash barely pays attention to the litter box, even with his hay and treats in it. He will eat, climb out of the litterbox, and s**t on the floor right in front of it. >.>

I've tried moving it but then he moves where he poops at. He's just a devil.

Does she like snuggling?

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb392/sorafia/fawn_pixel_by_fawnboy-d4m0lod.gif~original { ❝ Well that's no good! Maybe he wants a huge litterbox? I recently had to 'upgrade' Dorry's box.... She had another growth spurt and now her butt sticks outside of the box and she is urinating on the wood. I had to clean up three piles of it today, till I cut up a big plastic container and gave it to her. So far her butt has been in the box.

As far as snuggling goes, she is the biggest snuggle bug ever. Every time someone gets up or comes into the room, she is bouncing around and begging to be pet; pushing her face against her cage wire and scratching. She is more relaxed now since I bought her a new indoor hutch a few weeks ago and can actually lay down (she outgrew the cage I had her in and needed an upgrade ASAP). So far the only problems I've had with her is water bowl vs. water bottle... When I give her a water bowl, she doesn't want to drink the water and would rather toss the bowl around. If I give her a water bottle, she will scratch at it and chew on the metal bit. I constantly make sure that water is moving through the metal bit, but she chews the wire I use to keep it up-right. I'm running out of those wires. cat_sweatdrop ❞

See I can't get him a hutch cause I have yet to find one that is large enough to fit him. And I haven't been able to find any larger litter boxes. He is huge. When laying he is quite literally the size of a pillow.

And you have the water issue too? He drinks from the bowl with no problem, but will either sit in it, or throw it around at night. He never drank from a water bottle before, and the metal bit scares the s**t outta him.

{ ❝ I'm thankful for Dorry not being as big as that (but who knows, she may get bigger in another few months), and I was able to find a pretty nice sized hutch for a good deal at a feed store. emotion_kirakira Yeah, I'm having some major water blues... I just use the water bowl as a toy now when she is out of the hutch. ❞

[Sherifff]

Woah I never owned a Flemish but I do have mini lops. He's Huuuge. Try using puppy pads for litter box training you might have to ducktape them down but it helps.

[Bunnycakie]

Your third post was useful to me. I tried to give Yuki different pellets and she didn't like them. She only likes the one I first introduced her to. Dayum,that bun bun of yours is adorable.

[Abandoning my account]

Dark Metamorphosis

Your third post was useful to me. I tried to give Yuki different pellets and she didn't like them. She only likes the one I first introduced her to. Dayum,that bun bun of yours is adorable.

He is precious. Sadly he has a case of mites. He apparently had them for a while, and came to my home with them. sad

But the vet gave him a shot, and he is mad at me now, and on his way to his adorable butt fur growing back. smile

Thankfully he is eating though. By accident he got a hold of a strawberry, and loves them. Although now he has lipstick fur. smile