# I need urgent advice, please can you help



## HayleyD (Aug 18, 2009)

Can anyone help me?

I just heard alot of noise outside and one of the rabbits squealing. I ran outside and a fox ran off. Richard (my buck) was laying on his side in his ride gasping for breath. At first I thought the fox had injured him, but it didn't manage to get in.

The problem now is that Richard is laying lifelessly in my arms. I have wrapped him in a towel but I just don't know what to do.

My boyfriend has just gone to get him an inside hutch for tonight, but I am not even sure he'll last the night.

What should I do????


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

keep him warm and quiet; inside a darkened room if possible away from other animals and noises. provide fresh, easy to access water and food if he wants it, and lots of bedding so he can nestle in and feel safe. if you can provide a covered area of the hutch, place him in there. dont constantly check on him as this may alarm him more, much as i know you want to.

poor bun, i hope he pulls through. are you sure the fox didn't get to him?


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## Colsy (Oct 3, 2008)

Have you checked him all over for any injuries ?
If you are very worried i would phone the vets asap.
Rabbits can go into shock,so if you are really worried please phone your vets.
Good luck x


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

phone ur vets asap!!!!


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## HayleyD (Aug 18, 2009)

Thanks to you both. I will keep him warm and cuddled for a while yet and later I will set up his inside hutch. I've got a bad feeling about this. Is there anything I can do for shock? Can I give him anything?


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## Jo P (Dec 10, 2007)

Ring the vet for advice - dont wait for answers off a forum - your bunny could die.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

I took Miffy in out of hours a few days back it was only £65, he wil be in shock and rabbits can die from this so easily, they might sedate him or something, and antibiotics for any bites. 
is he bleeding at all?

also that fox will be back u need to put all ur rabbits inside or somewhere a lot safer they can eat through the thin wire

poor guy hope hes ok!!!


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

I don't think there is, except warmth, the dark and quiet. And, like Colsy said, please call your vets if you are really worried; rabbits can go into shock quite easily and this is one of those situations where this may happen.


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

Vets will usually give out of hours advice over the phone for no charge.....at least try that


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

also if hes not a very people rabbit ur best bet would be to put him in a dark box this way he wont associate u with the discomfort and u wont scare him more


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## Colsy (Oct 3, 2008)

Go go go good luck hun x


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## bassetsandbeyond (Jun 21, 2009)

Do you have any brandy or whisky in the house or know anyone near you that drinks it??

Its brilliant for treating shock.

It worked on our guinnea pig in the past.


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## HayleyD (Aug 18, 2009)

Thanks everyone, I've spoken to the vet. She said to keep him warm and in a dark quiet place and see how he is. He has just had a drink but is still laying in my lap. Please keep your fingers crossed. x


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

If he's drinking it's always a hopeful sign. please make sure your other buns are safe as the fox will probably come back.

I'd honestly put him in a darkened place and leave him to rest now. fingers are crossed for you


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## HayleyD (Aug 18, 2009)

Just to update you all...... Richard is now settled in the inddor hutch but is still being quiet, although he has wriggled around a little bit. Someone has recommended putting in a soft toy for comfort which I have done.


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

HayleyD said:


> Just to update you all...... Richard is now settled in the inddor hutch but is still being quiet, although he has wriggled around a little bit. Someone has recommended putting in a soft toy for comfort which I have done.


It definitely sounds hopeful; let us know how he is in the morning please 

hugs to you all

night xx


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## HayleyD (Aug 18, 2009)

Zippstar said:


> It definitely sounds hopeful; let us know how he is in the morning please
> 
> hugs to you all
> 
> night xx


Thank you. I'll let you know in the morning how he is. x


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## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

oh hun im so sorry he has had a shock!
i had a fox try to get my litter once and 1 turned nasty through the stress of it.
i hope richard pulls through and he does sound positive by drinking but shock in a rabbit can prove fatal.
try to stay away from him for the whole night so he can feel secure.
oh and that fox that came into mine came back for a few nights after id put mine in the shed!!

come on richard your safe now babe!!


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

Morning,

Hope Richard has recovered - please update us hun


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

Hope hes ok this morning


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## umber (Feb 15, 2009)

awwww just read this thread now hope Richard pulled through and is less shocked and better this morning!


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## HayleyD (Aug 18, 2009)

Hi Everyone,

Just to let you all now that Richard is ok. Still seems very shocked and won't budge from the corner of the hutch, but at least he survived the night.

It looks like he has had a bit of water and this morning he munched his way through a whole load of dandelion leaves and was just tucking into a handful of grass when I left for work!

I am going to keep him inside for the next few nights and give him lots of TLC and hope that he becomes his old self again soon.

Do you think the shock will begin to subside now?

Hayley


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

its hard to say, if he feels safe enough to eat etc then I would say, hes 90% ok. do u know if the fox actually picked him up? if he has puncture wounds even a scratch the nasty bacteria in the foxes mouth will give him an infection. I would say its best to take him to the vets for a shot of antibiotics


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

HayleyD said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> Just to let you all now that Richard is ok. Still seems very shocked and won't budge from the corner of the hutch, but at least he survived the night.
> 
> ...


Be careful of getting him too acclimatised to the heat of the house and then putting him back outside, because it's getting quite chilly now especially at nights, and going from warm to cold can kill rabbits quite quickly, especially if they are still in shock from something else.

Glad he survived hun, I think he'll be fine now especially if he's eating grass and dandelions. Make sure you toughen up their hutches from the fox because it may revisit now it knows bunnies are kept there.


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## Sarah+Hammies (Jul 20, 2009)

ive just seen this - poor little guy. glad he survived the night. Hope he settles soon xxxxxx


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## HayleyD (Aug 18, 2009)

Well Richard is still not himself. He is still sitting in the corner of the hutch and is not himself at all. He has munched on a few veggies but it doesn't look like he has touched his water for 24 hours. Is it possible that the shock has caused some sort of long term illness/ problem? Or is it 'normal' for rabbits to behave this way after such a nasty shock? I just want my old Richard back, he was such a lively lad. 

(I have checked him all over and it doesn't look like the fox picked him up, no puncture wounds).


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

I would take him to the vets asap, rabbit are pray animals so they try their bests to hide being unwell, they dont show they are unwell until its really bad. normally this is noted as not acting themselves, sitting in the corners shaking, grinding their teeth, off their food. Its so important that rabbits constantly eat, other wise their tums stop and will never start again. 
a vet check up is about £20, a shot of antibiotics just to be on the safe side will be under £10 and a shot of pain relief or a mild sedative would be under £10, the time u get with Richard is priceless. I'm pretty sure that with some pain meds in him he would start eating and acting himself, even if hes not in much pain. obviously theres no knowing what mental damage the fox has caused him and this may take a while to repair


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## umber (Feb 15, 2009)

I would get him to the vets asap especially if he is not drinking as rabbits can die quickly from dehydration!!! 

Keep us updated poor little thing!


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## Guest (Sep 19, 2009)

I echo what Emzybabe and Umber say, get him to the vets asap, they will be able to get fluids into him and it might encourage him to drink for himself..
I hope he feels better soon


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

You need to get him straight to the vets, poor little guy he must have been terrified, my sisters rabbits where killed by foxes a month ago, be aware it will be back now it knows you have buns.


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

Hows Richard now hun?


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## HayleyD (Aug 18, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Sorry I haven't been back to update you all, had a very hectic weekend.

Well on Saturday morning I took Richard out into the garden and I couldn't believe the turn around!! He has so pleased to be hopping around and went straight over to both of the does hutches for a sniff through the mesh!! As it was a warm day I decided to leave him outsude in his hutch/run and see how he got on. It was amazing and he went straight back to being his own self! Eating, drinking, coming over to say 'hello' when I went over to his hutch. The relief!

Since this I have starting locking the rabbits in their hutches at around 7.30pm (when it goes dark) for the night (instead of 10ish). I also cover all the hutches with tarpaulin so they can't see out and get a fright.

Fingers crosses, so far so good!

Thanks again for all of your responses, you have all been brilliant. xxx


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