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Rabbits/Questions
| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| rabbit weeing on me | 2/4/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: i have two female bunnies which i got two weeks ago, one 10 and the other 12 weeks old. They have ... A: Your bunny is marking you as her property. It's a compliment, of course, but not very nice. She's ... | ||
| Advice on introducing a new rabbit | 2/4/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I have 2 rabbits, approx 3 years old. I inherited them from a neighbour whose son no longer wanted ... A: While it would be nice for the male to have a cuddle pal, I think bringing a third rabbit into a ... | ||
| Male Rabbit jerks head and penis is swollen | 2/4/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I have a male dwarf rabbit who is about 4-5 years old. He is a rescue so I don't know his exact age. ... A: You need to get your bunny to a rabbits-savvy vet ASAP to see if your bunny has a severe urinary ... | ||
| House bunny -rear leg lameness | 2/3/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: He began limping a few months ago, then didn't use that leg. Vet examined, felt no skeletal prob. ... A: There can be many possible reasons for hind limb paresis and atrophy. Please see: ... | ||
| jumping on couch | 2/3/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I am trying to prevent my rabbit from jumping on the couch because she chews on the cushions. I ... A: Is your bunny spayed? This will calm her need to chew. And you don't mention how old she is. If ... | ||
| Rabbit and dripping juices from fruit/greens | 2/3/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I belong to a group and there was a debate about this subject, so I am wondering what your opinion ... A: Rabbits don't close their lips when they chew, so if a bunny is eating something really juicy (like ... | ||
| what could cause a rabbit's jaw to lock upon death? | 2/3/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: my rabbit Bailey, just going on 6 years old this spring, passed away this previous Saturday morning. ... A: If it means anything, I have noticed that it is pretty much impossible to open a rabbit's mouth ... | ||
| Rabbit proofing | 2/2/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I am trying to find or create a spray on liquid or granulated "ring fence" to keep wild rabbits out ... A: I've had this question before, and still don't have a good solution. Some say that spraying fox ... | ||
| Old age symptoms and end of life care | 2/2/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I have an 11 year old Dutch (from pet store, so not sure if purebred) neutered rabbit. He has been ... A: Blindness is generally not painful, unless accompanied by glaucoma or an inflammatory process. But ... | ||
| what could cause a rabbit's jaw to lock upon death? | 2/2/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: my rabbit Bailey, just going on 6 years old this spring, passed away this previous Saturday morning. ... A: I am so sorry about the tragic loss of your friend. The locked jaw might simply be due to rigor ... | ||
| Our rabbit: boy or girl? | 2/2/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: We bought a rabbit out of a petstore aprox 9 months ago. We also bought a very large outdoor hutch ... A: Sounds as if the "pet store experts" strike again! Yes, it's likely your bunny is female. This ... | ||
| rabbit vet help? | 2/2/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I'm having trouble finding a rabbit vet in my area so could you recommend any way to tell if a vet ... A: Fortunately, there are many rabbit-savvy vets in New York. Please use the lists linked here: ... | ||
| ear mites | 2/1/2012 | Lee Meyer (Mr.) |
| Q: I live in Australia and the closest vet is hours away so i was wondering if you could help. I have a ... A: one safer option you can use is mineral oil (NOT MINERAL SPIRITS). Mineral oil topically applied ... | ||
| Behaviour | 1/30/2012 | Dave Lawrence |
| Q: Sorry to both you but I am in desperate need of some advice. I have got 2 rabbits bought from the ... A: Tilly is telling biscuit that the room is hers and she does not like intruders . the only way know ... | ||
| rabbit | 1/30/2012 | Dave Lawrence |
| Q: i sent you a message about my gaint rabbit having her babys in the top of her shelter, when she is ... A: I suggest you take the mum out and if possible move the whole nest including babies to the Bottom ... | ||
| What Type of Lop is my Rabbit? | 1/30/2012 | Dave Lawrence |
| Q: I got my rabbit, Jake from the two girls I babysit last year. When they bought him from a Petsmart ... A: You don't tell me what you are feeding him but I would like to know. If you bought him from the pets ... | ||
| Rabbits | 1/29/2012 | Dave Lawrence |
| Q: I am getting a mini Rex rabbit in March or April and I want to know: how to litter train a rabbit ... A: http://www.ehow.com/how_16525_litterbox-train-rabbit.html if a rabbit is ill they look very ... | ||
| change in behavior | 1/28/2012 | Dave Lawrence |
| Q: hoping to get some help. I have a bunny who is a year old. We got him from the mspca the beginning ... A: it will be hard to keep an eye on him but if you see him doing it ,pick him up and put him in the ... | ||
| urgent rabbit healthquery | 1/25/2012 | Dave Lawrence |
| Q: My rabbit is about 9 years old, (the last survivor - by six months - of a pair). Our vet is,(i ... A: your rabbit is a very old lady and in my opinio it is just old age that is creeping up on her -i ... | ||
| 2nd litter born within 30 days of 1st litter | 1/24/2012 | Dave Lawrence |
| Q: Before I go on, I would really like you to know that we are normally very responsible people. ... A: seperate the older ones into another cage they should be ok . if you have the buck and doe together ... | ||
| Rabbit drinking less | 1/24/2012 | Dave Lawrence |
| Q: I am concerned about my 4 year old dwarf bunny. Up until a few days ago, he had a diet of pellets ... A: don't worry about the water as he will get moisture out of the kale , but watch how much kale you ... | ||
| doe pulling her hair | 1/21/2012 | Dave Lawrence |
| Q: I have only a single doe. She is with me for the past 1 and half year. During this time,she has ... A: they build a nest and do all the right things but in the end nothing happens . she will be like this ... | ||
| Rabbit has diarrhea | 1/21/2012 | Dave Lawrence |
| Q: I have a 9 month old Holland lop rabbit. She has been having a lot of diarrhea this past week and I ... A: the pellets you have are ok but changing them may also upset her system. don't feed any treats and ... | ||
| Rabbit has diarrhea | 1/20/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I have a 9 month old Holland lop rabbit. She has been having a lot of diarrhea this past week and I ... A: Yes, Oxbow is a very good brand. But note that her diet may not be the problem. Check here to ... | ||
| i need help please ! | 1/20/2012 | Dave Lawrence |
| Q: when i went and checked her today she had blood in her tray and on her nose mouth area. but i can't ... A: the thing i do is to remove the doe and give her something to eat ,then carefully check the nest to ... | ||
| rabbit lack of appetite | 1/20/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I have a 3 y/o rabbit who had just recovered from coccidiosis. However, her appetite doesn't seem to ... A: The most common cause for picky eating in bunnies like this is dental pain. Please see: ... | ||
| Culture and Sensitivity test results | 1/20/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I had the Culture and Sensitivity done, and was given a new medication that has not seemed to help ... A: The problem with chronic upper respiratory infection (URI) in rabbits is that the bacteria are not ... | ||
| Internal abscess? | 1/19/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: It can only be felt when I press into her flesh and it is hard about the size of a small marble but ... A: I can't feel your bunny to know for sure. But if the lump feels firm but gives a little, and is ... | ||
| Netherland Dwarf | 1/19/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I bought a netherland dwarf bunny a few days ago from a petstore, the lady said she seemed the most ... A: If your bunny is now six months old, you might be at the cusp of the "terrible teens". There is ... | ||
| Rabbit not eating, recovering from bad fight . PLEASE HELP!! URGENT | 1/18/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: 2 of my rabbits got into a nasty 36 hours ago. One of them (weight approx 5 pounds) came away with ... A: A trauma like this can trigger GI tract slowdown or even ileus. Please read: ... | ||
| Rabbit myxomatosis | 1/18/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: Hey my name is syafiq and i have 2 pet rabbits with severe myxomatosis....do you have any advice ... A: I wish I could tell you that there was some cure, but there is not. It is quite tragic, and I am so ... | ||
| Sick Rabbits | 1/18/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: Really need your opinion!!! My rabbit got sick about 2 weeks ago and died!! where I live there is no ... A: I am sorry for the loss of your friend. Unfortunately, the antibiotic your vet gave you tends not ... | ||
| new bunny not fitting in | 1/18/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: My husband and I have an almost 4 year old neutered male dwarf bunny.His best friend,another 4 year ... A: Despite what your husband suggests, letting them "go at it" is the *worst* thing you could do. ... | ||
| Wild Rabbit follow-up question | 1/17/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I am open to keeping this little guy, but I would like to make sure it is safe for both of us. My ... A: Gina Given the bunny's behavior, it might be best if he were taken to a licensed wildlife ... | ||
| rabbit | 1/17/2012 | Dave Lawrence |
| Q: hi there please could you help me my gaint female rabbit is two weeks pregnant and she is starting ... A: she is making a nesty for the babies with the hay ad straw. when she gets them don't be in a hurry ... | ||
| Help - a tooth problem | 1/17/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: In October 2011 we bought a 3 year old male rabbit at an animal shelter. He was neutered 10 days ... A: I find the idea that a vet would suggest euthanasia for a problem as manageable as molar spurs to be ... | ||
| Pseudomonas, does he still need medicine | 1/17/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: My rabbit had a culture done a week ago and I just got a call from the vet’s office that he has ... A: I would not worry about the bonding. Go ahead and go for it. Pseudomonas is an opportunistic ... | ||
| What vegies to feed rabbit | 1/17/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I have a 9 month old Holland Lop rabbit that has been having diarrhea. Her diet was 1 cup of vegies, ... A: Before you assume diet is the culprit for her cecal dysbiosis (runny poop is the sign of trouble), ... | ||
| Tumor maybe help | 1/16/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: My rabbit has lost weight the spine seems spikey he eats a lot... I took him to the vet he has a ... A: Make sure your bunny is seen by a veterinarian who is familiar with rabbits. Too often, a dog/cat ... | ||
| Keeping splay leg bunny comfortable | 1/16/2012 | Dana Krempels, Ph.D. |
| Q: I have a lionhead bunny born April 6, 2011. She weighed 8.5 oz when I got her in late May (she ... A: I wish I'd been able to tell you sooner about how we brace the legs of splayleg bunnies to help them ... | ||
Rabbits
Answers by Expert:
Dana Krempels, Ph.D.
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I've lived with companion rabbits for more than 35 years, and consider them members of my family. I can answer any questions about the biology and health of rabbits, from the commonplace to the unusual. But please note:
RULE #1:
THE INTERNET IS NOT THE PLACE TO SEEK HELP IN AN EMERGENCY.
- If your rabbits is LETHARGIC
- If your rabbit is NOT EATING
- If your rabbit is PHYSICALLY INJURED (including broken bones)
- If your baby rabbit has DIARRHEA
Find a rabbit vet at www.rabbit.org/vets for immediate help, and don't risk your bunny's life by spending time asking questions online! If you can't get in touch with your vet, read these Emergency Sick Bunny Instructions.
If you have found a wild baby rabbit, please read these EMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS FOR WILD BABY RABBITS and then use this link to FIND A LOCAL WILDLIFE REHABILITATOR who can give you the right advice.
RULE #2:
Help me help you! Please make your subject line informative if you have an urgent question.
- If you already have been to the vet and still need help
- if you can't find an available vet with the resources above
For all the best, most accurate rabbit health, care and behavior information, visit The House Rabbit Society.
Experience
I have been rescuing domestic and wild rabbits for more than 25 years.
I have written articles for many rabbit rescue publications, as well as for the veterinary journal, Exotic DVM.
I own EtherBun, the internet's largest listserve dedicated to health, care, and behavior of domestic rabbits.
Organizations
Houserabbit Adoption, Rescue, and Education, Inc. (H.A.R.E., Inc.) president
National House Rabbit Society (Board member)
Publications
Exotic DVM
Warren Peace (Journal of the House Rabbit Society of Miami)
Various newsletters of the House Rabbit Society, nationwide
Education/Credentials
Ph.D - Biology
B.S. - Biology
B.A. - English
Awards and Honors
Lightspan Academic Excellence Award for web site on rabbit health and biology
(http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare)
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