stressy new rabbit

[ladysown]

Okay, new doe. been here a week. about 5 months old.

start of week...ate greens (verified she was used to them), a touch of hay, nibble of pellets, offered water via bottle and crock, nibbled on apple branches. Sets in cage with head held low.

mid-week...eating only greens and nibbling on apple branches...assuming she is drinking because crock levels are slightly lower not touching the bottle. Not too worried as greens are fresh picked in a.m. and quite wet.

added a touch of oatmeal to her food sources as something about her is niggling at me that she's not okay being moved, that she's a stressy rabbit.

end of week (yesterday) not eating greens...water level in crock no longer dropping. Put her out in yard for exercise and greens. Very curious and alert. wandering around, hiding when new things happen, but looks okay, but not doing normal bunny behaviour of hop, look around then nibble on grass and repeat over and over again.

This morning she has me officially worried. not eating at all. Not drinking. no defecation this a.m. Am syringe watering her and gave her a soak in warm water to encourage water consumption through licking her fur off. Out in yard again for a bit for exercise and relaxation.

what else can I do? note...NOT bringing her to vet as local vet doesn't seem them until tuesday and is $60-80 just to walk in the door. I don't have the stuff to do sub-q saline under skin.

[o&itw]

If you have'nt tried feeding hay, I would, though it may be moot at this point.
I always feed new rabbit hay... keeps thier guts working right when one has a problem like this. I guess you could try holding her more..in case she is used to a lot of human interaction. I also keep a radio going in my building... was she used to lots of noise arround?

Seems like you have done most of the things others would...hopefully someone else can give you better advice.

[MaggieJ]

The hay is a good idea. I'd also give her a piece of carrot and see if she'll take that.

I'd try putting her cage in a quiet secluded area. Sometimes a partial covering helps... What they can't see they don't worry about. I've found covering the cage very helpful with a stressy new momma. Soft, sweet music may also help... but keep the volume low.

Can you contact the previous owner? Sometimes that can be helpful. I'm thinking about SquashNut's recent post... title something like "This is going to make it harder to process rabbits".

[Danaus29]

Have you given her any tea? I almost always give new rabbits tea. Black brewed tea watered down to half strength. Rabbits will eat the used tea leaves too. It may be this new rabbit doesn't like your water. The tea covers up the taste and gets them to drink when they would otherwise refuse. Also have you checked for bloat? Even though she is used to greens she could have gotten something she's not used to.

[ladysown]

no bloat.
used to noise and bustle.
used to greens.
used to being spoiled food wise.
the previous owner says I'm doing everything right by her.

[Jesse L]

I had a doe like this.

She ate so little, i was worried, although she wasnt loosing wieght. Same kind of idea as you, she was drinking a tad.

This was and AFL doe. A few days later she slowly started to eat more and more. She still isnt a pig, like most of my other rabbits.

I bred her to see what would happen, as it helped with one of my other does, like you told me it was hormonal, so i bred her. She started picking up after I bred her. Although..breeding a harlequin at 5 months is a little enh.

Hope she gets better!