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| Petadmin Site Admin
Gender: Unknown |
 Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:21 am
Post subject: Feb 20- 26th Rabbit Adoption and Care w/Mary Lempert!! |
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February is Adopt-A-Shelter-Rabbit month!! Come help us celebrate and join in on our Rabbit Adoption and Care forum, with Expert, Mary Lempert of The Rabbit Advocate. Mary will be here the week of Feb 20th- 26th and will be happy to answer all of your rabbit related questions.
Mary Lempert is a long time rabbit owner, foster parent, Licensed Educator for the House Rabbit Society, and formerly an adoption counselor & hotline volunteer for the House Rabbit Network and rabbit behavior consultant to the Boston MSPCA. More recently, she volunteers with the Almost Home Humane Society in Lafayette, Indiana as a rabbit care and behavior consultant and surgical assistant at the shelter's clinic. She currently resides in West Lafayette, IN with her rabbits Graysie and Willoughby and any number of foster bunnies. After obtaining a Master's degree in Writing, Literature and Publishing, and working in the publishing field for several years, she is now back in school fulfilling prerequisite courses for veterinary school. She plans to specialize in--you guessed it--exotic animal medicine.
See you there!
Posted Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:57 pm:
- Re-posting question on behalf of user -
| hlns critters wrote: | Hi,
I've kept rabbits (usually Holland Lops) for decades, but after my last one passed away I hesitated to get any more because we wound up with an infestation of fleas shortly after that have been difficult to get rid of (came with an emergency foster dog). I don't know of any safe way to treat rabbits for fleas and don't want to bring any into the house until I know it's flea free. We bombed, vacuumed, treated the dogs and cats, etc. but still seem to find them around. Any other suggestions for how to get rid of fleas and/or if there are any safe ways to treat rabbits for them? Thanks! 
Blessings,
Helen |
Posted Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:38 am:
Mary's Answer:
Hi Helen,
Thanks for posting a question.
What a frustrating problem! It was wise of you to wait to adopt until your flea problem resolves. In terms of getting the fleas under control, it’s important to understand the parasite’s complex lifecycle. There are four stages in flea development: egg, larvae, pupa, and adult; the complete lifecycle can last from several weeks to several months. In order to ensure all fleas are destroyed, it is important to treat pets with a flea control product for three consecutive months at the very least. Treating with one or two applications will only get rid of the adults—not the eggs, larva, or pupa, which may be hiding in the environment. Furthermore, only products purchased from a veterinarian are guaranteed, as retail pet stores and online companies may not handle or store products properly, markedly reducing their efficacy.
When cleaning the house, it’s important to be meticulous and consistent. Vacuum as often as possible (even daily) for several weeks in order to get rid of flea eggs in between carpet fibers, and empty the canister or toss out bags after every vacuuming session. Wash dog beds and blankets frequently. For very stubborn cases, professional cleaning services may be helpful.
As for treating a rabbit with fleas, Revolution (selamectin) is safe and effective. Note that Frontline (fipronil) is toxic to rabbits and should never be used.
Best of luck with the extermination; I hope you are able to adopt soon!
Mary
Last edited by Petadmin on Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:37 am; edited 1 time in total |
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BB Joined: 21 Feb 2012 Total posts: 1 Gender: Unknown |
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:27 pm
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It's been over 3 months since i got my young mini lop. I was concerned that something may be wrong because he hasn't came out of his shell at all. The vet ran some tests and said that he was perfectly healthy however she thinks that he may be either deaf or very hard of hearing. I want to make sure he is comfortable and happy, do you have any experience or any helpful information on dealing with a deaf bunny?
Mary's Answer:
Hi BB,
Thanks for writing in! It’s great that you first thought to rule out a medical problem before attempting to resolve a behavioral one. Kudos on being so prudent! Believe it or not, one of my own rabbits, Graysie, is mostly deaf, thus I can tell you from personal experience that you need not worry about your bun’s prospects. In fact, your hardest task may be avoiding startling your rabbit when he is sleeping or turned away from you.
While rabbits clearly use hearing to make sense of their surroundings, they also rely heavily on sight, smell, taste, and touch. Tactition is especially important to rabbits because they use vibrations in the ground as vital environmental cues; for instance, thumping is a major form of inter-rabbit communication.
In terms of training, hand motions are a great alternative to voice commands. Graysie quickly learned a hand signal for “treat” and to come when I waved. Keep in mind that a rabbit’s eyesight is not the sharpest, so make your gestures clear and obvious. Still, the most profound form of communication with a bunny, I think, is through touch. Gentle shoulder massages, nose rubs, and ear pats really deepen the bond between human and rabbit.
Shyness in rabbits is not uncommon, and your rabbit’s timidity may or may not be related to his hearing ability. Regardless, you can help your rabbit open up through various socialization techniques. Start by offering treats several times a day (a raisin or small piece of fruit is great), so that he learns to associate you with food. Spend lots of time on the floor allowing him to come to you, and pet his head and ears for several short sessions throughout the day. If he likes to hide, try nudging him out of his comfort zone by removing access to his hiding places (boxes, underneath the couch or bed, etc), as this helps promote his realization that the world is not so scary.
Lastly, and most importantly, remember to practice patience—it can take time, but it is unbelievably rewarding to see a shy bunny flourish into a confident and trusting rabbit!
Mary |
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| FurMom Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Total posts: 8 Gender: Unknown |
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:19 pm
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Lately I've noticed my adult rabbit Mango likes to lick a few things. His blankets, the wooden poles of his platform etc
What does this mean? I've read that he either really loves the objects or that he could be deficient in a nutrient. Any thoughts?
Mary's Answer:
Hi FurMom,
Thanks for writing in!
As long as Mango is receiving a daily serving of a commercial pelleted rabbit food, he should not have any dietary deficiencies. If he’s only getting hay and vegetables, you need to make certain he is receiving all necessary vitamins and minerals from the correct combination of fresh foods. In order to definitively rule out a nutrient deficiency or other metabolic dysfunction, your veterinarian can run blood tests or perform other diagnostics.
Most likely, however, the licking is behavioral. While rabbits often lick as an expression of affection, licking is also a grooming behavior. Mango’s new habit may be a sign that he is craving attention from you or even from another bunny bond mate.
If the licking is excessive, it could be a more significant behavioral issue. Once all medical problems have been ruled out, it would be important to address why Mango might be partaking in such compulsive behaviors. Boredom, anxiety, and loneliness are often the cause of such problems. Is Mango getting enough time out of his cage? Does he have any toys or other sources of mental stimulation? How much human, or other animal, interaction does he have on a daily basis? A lack in mental or emotional stimulation can be the culprit in many strange—and even destructive—rabbit behaviors.
Overall, as long as all medical and psychological problems have been overruled, occasional licking of safe objects is harmless (as long as he is not ingesting anything bad) and need not cause worry on your part.
I hope this helps!
Mary |
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| Petadmin Site Admin
Gender: Unknown |
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:25 am
Post subject: Transport by plane and noise |
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- Re-posting question on behalf of user -
| DebbieD wrote: | | I am planning to transport a rescued rabbit via a private plane piloted by my husband to a new home. The flight is 2 hours and I am concerned about noise/vibration effects on the rabbit. I am not sure of the noise levels, but people always wear ear muffs. Are rabbits sensitive to noise/vibration and what precautions should I take? |
Mary's Answer:
Thanks for writing in and a big thank you for helping with rabbit rescue!
As you are aware, stress is a major concern with a sensitive animal like the rabbit. Rabbits can suffer from GI upset due to relatively minor stressors and even experience cardiac arrest from intense fear. Therefore minimizing environmental stress should always a priority for rabbit parents. Because I’ve never had any personal experience with rabbits and flying, I called upon a friend and member of the House Rabbit Network Board of Directors, Melissa Lyons, for some advice. Melissa and her pilot husband frequently fly their own rabbits and rescue rabbits on their private jet. Melissa assured me that flying is typically less stressful than car rides, not even taking into consideration the greatly reduced travel time.
“The noise in a private plane does not bother the rabbits and the vibrations/bumps are insignificant compared to a car,” she says. “We've flown our own buns to NC and we've flown over 50 bunnies in rescue missions and never had an issue. Most buns are totally comfortable in-flight and will lie out in their carriers and relax.”
Melissa did caution about high temperatures in the summer months in planes without AC. Because of the cool air at higher altitudes, this really only is an issue while taxiing. She advises taking frozen bottles or keeping the door open while waiting on the ground.
Another concern Melissa brought up is the lower oxygenation levels at high altitudes in small planes without oxygen in the cabin. Melissa says, “we were told that [dogs] take in oxygen differently than humans and may experience stress at altitudes of 9000 [feet] or more. When we fly with our dogs or rabbits we don't exceed 8000 feet.”
With Melissa’s assurance, it sounds like flying seems to be an ideal option for transporting rabbits, especially long-distances. I hope the rescue goes well and best of luck with everything!
Mary |
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| cookie219 Joined: 25 Feb 2012 Total posts: 1 Gender: Unknown |
Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 2:45 pm
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Have you ever had a rabbit that snores? My rabbit Nibbler has a really loud snore, I can hear it in the other room at night. I have had other rabbits and none of them have ever snored. I wondered if it was something to be concerned with – he doesn’t sneeze, no discharge and he eats just fine.
Mary's Answer:
Thanks for your question!
While I have no experience with flying with bunnies (see post above), I do have extensive experience with snoring bunnies! My rabbit, Graysie, has been an avid snorer since I adopted her seven years ago. Since then, I often wear ear plugs at night just to get some sleep!
Snoring by itself does not indicate any health problems, but it can sometimes be associated with an elevated body weight. If Nibbler is on the heavier side, it is important, for various health reasons, to get him on a diet and exercise plan. Otherwise, snoring is a normal behavior and not anything to be concerned about.
Mary |
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| monkeybun Joined: 26 Feb 2012 Total posts: 1 Gender: Unknown |
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 3:27 pm
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My bun is pretty good at going in her litter box, but she LOVES jumping onto my bed when she gets the chance, and just pooping on it. As soon as she’s up there, she just poops right away, so I was wondering if you think that maybe she does this because she knows that I sleep there?
Mary's Answer:
Thanks for writing in! First things first—is your rabbit spayed? If not, that would be the first thing to address in terms of conquering litter box habits (and avoiding various other issues such as uterine cancer, aggression, and territorial behaviors). If your bunny is already spayed, then we need to consider other factors. While I do not think she is deliberately soiling your bed because you sleep there, there could be an element of territorialism underlying this behavior. It could also be as simple as the fact that rabbits, for whatever reason, like pooping on soft materials like blankets or towels. Believe it or not, this is actually a rather common problem.
In either case, the best way to stop this annoying behavior is to restrict her access to the bed. When she jumps up, say “no!” and put her back down. Rabbits are smart and figure this out very quickly.
Most rabbits grow out of this behavior eventually and you can try letting her back on the bed after several months to see if she’s improved. The training process can take several months to several years, but it’s also not impossible that has to lose bed privileges permanently.
As long as her overall litter box habits are good and she is spayed, simply restricting your rabbit’s access to the bed should solve the problem. Best of luck!
Mary |
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