But then I caught a grip and realized that one needs to learn from experience (usually HARD experience) when to react quickly to rabbit illness.
Rabbits hide their illnesses well. As prey animals it is important for them to act healthy so as not to alert anyone that they may be an easy dinner.
So signs to be alert for particularly in a young rabbit, but applicable for any rabbit, a young rabbit being under 12 weeks of age.
- sitting quietly for long periods of time UNLESS the weather is quite hot...then they tend to sprawl on their sides just coping with the heat. Their feed intake is often lower then as well BUT not non-existent. Lower not gone.
- not eating. A rabbit who is not willing to eat is a rabbit with a problem that needs sorting out. Is their water supply having problems (first thing you check). Has their food gone bad? Spillage of waste into it? And such like. Check the obvious and then offer a safe treat...hay, greens etc. if not eating then start to consider medical care.
- Not drinking. Very odd for a rabbit suddenly switch drinking habits. Has the weather changed? Something wrong with water delivery system?
- Not pooping. For good intake to happen, good output must happen. I learned today that rabbits can have up to 500 poop pellets per day and they eat a good half of them. So if you don't see poop, there is a problem going on somewhere.
- Grinding teeth. Not purring or rumbling which some buns do, this is actual a grating noise as they grind their teeth. This is a sign of pain...usually a great deal of pain.
- rapid loss of weight. A rabbit should always feel like it has some "heft" to it. If it doesn