This post contains images which may be disturbing.

The bunny pictured above, Blackberry, was one of the rabbits we wrote about in our post about e. cuniculi.  Following her recuperation, Blackberry was placed with a very loving young woman as her emotional support bunny.  They enjoyed nearly four wonderful years together when things started to go badly, health-wise, for both of them.  Blackberry's Bun-Mom developed severe hay allergies and some other things she needed to deal with, while Blackberry was diagnosed with an entropion eye by her vet in their home state of California.  An entropion eye means that the eyelid is curling in and the eyelashes irritate the eye and can cause all sorts of nasty discharge and eye infections.  She had been on special eyedrops to clear up the infections but, while they served their purpose, the problem was never able to be cured.  

(Entropion can affect humans as well as most animal species.  We had a cat with this diagnosis, and the problem was easily cured by a simple surgical procedure.  This is not an option, for rabbits, however.)

Blackberry came back to live at Hot Cross Buns in November 2022 following unsuccessful attempts to find a good home for her in California when it was deemed necessary for her human mom's health that re-homing would be necessary.  We welcomed her back with open arms and set out to learn what could be done to help fix her eye problem.  Her Bun-Mom was devastated about being parted from her, but knew that we would do right by Blackberry and keep her in apprised of decisions and treatments regarding her care.  Blackberry was and is a very beloved little girl.   

She came back to us with an infection and drops to treat it, but, after seeing her discomfort and the inevitability of more recurring infection on the horizon, we knew something more drastic needed to be done.  She could only look at the world through one eye and her neck was perpetually crooked so her infected eye was down and her good eye was looking upwards.  This was very reminiscent of the way she held her head as a young rabbit, while she was being treated for e. cuniculi. 

We have a wonderful client who volunteers at the Cleveland Metro Parks Zoo and she urged us to consult her bunny savvy vet about Blackberry's care.  Dr. Mike Selig is one of the many wonderful vets at the zoo and he works one day each month at a practice in Euclid, OH.  We were able to get an appointment the following week and nervously awaited the appointment that would determine the best course of action for treating Blackberry's eye, once and for all.

Upon examining her, Dr. Selig discovered that all of her problems most likely arose from a blocked tear duct that could have potentially been cured by having it flushed thoroughly the first time she developed an infection.  Had she been diagnosed properly, she had a very good chance of living a normal life with two healthy eyes.  Because she had repeated infections, scar tissue developed in the tear duct and flushing was no longer an option.  It was chronically inflamed and the recommended course of treatment was to have her eye removed.  Very thankfully, Dr. Selig was able to perform the surgery that day.  The eye was removed and the eyelids were sewn shut.  She went home with five days worth of pain medication/antibiotics and we were told that she would most likely always have an exaggerated head-tilt, to help her adapt to the lack of vision on one side of her body, which has dramatically affected her depth-perception. 

Two weeks following her surgery, we're still cleaning up a bit of drainage from the affected area.  We're very hopeful that her fur will grow back and cover most of the eye area, so she looks more approachable and whole.  Blackberry is doing well and is as lovable and sweetly spunky as ever.  We are careful to be noisy before entering her room, so she knows we're coming, and we make certain she can see us before approaching her.  We never want to alarm her with concerns that there could be a predator nearby.  Ideally, her exercise pen will be placed in an alcove, where there are three walls around her, so she will never be startled by someone approaching from behind.  

Once Blackberry has adjusted to life with one healthy eye, we hope to place her in a wonderful home where she will be adored.  She may not look like other bunnies, but she is as special and loving as can be.  

UPDATE 3/22/23  Blackberry is doing beautifully!  She has been placed as a bonding buddy with a family who adopted Guacamole, a Bun whose mama nibbled off his ear at birth.  Prior to her placement, there was some concern that she might need to have a second surgery because she developed an infection and didn't respond to her first course of antibiotics.  Thankfully, a different antibiotic cleared everything up and her eye has now healed over perfectly.  The fur has grown back and she is as happy as can be.  Bonding has been very successful and they are adoring their new life together with their incredible family.  A huge bonus (for us) is that we get to see them from time to time because their new family attend our church and we volunteered to trim their nails any time our services are needed.   <3

A peanut is a rabbit kit that carries two copies of the dwarf gene, inheriting one copy from each parent. A healthy dwarf rabbit will inherit one copy of the dwarf gene from one parent, and the “normal” gene for size from the other, while a “false dwarf” will inherit a copy of the normal sizing gene from each parent.  A peanut is a rabbit that is genetically unable to grow and thrive. Within a matter of hours or days, its brief life will end.

A peanut has some telltale characteristics that are present at birth or shortly thereafter.

• Peanuts are usually visibly smaller than their healthy litter mates
• They often have eyes that protrude prominently from the eye sockets, giving the impression of bulging eyes
• The hind legs are often underdeveloped. Most of their ability to move around comes from strength in their front legs while their back legs tend to offer very little support or strength
• They are unable to nurse well and do not gain weight, leaving them malnourished and tiny when compared to their litter mates
• Peanuts are often lethargic and sleepy due to their physical weakness and lack of nutrition

 
Even if a peanut is able to take supplemental milk from syringe feeding, its body is unable to process the milk and it will still grow weaker until it dies.
 
Many breeders remove the peanuts from the mother as soon as it is apparent that they are, in fact, peanuts and are incapable of surviving. At Hot Cross Buns, we prefer to leave the peanut kits with their mother and litter mates, allowing them to derive as much warmth and comfort from them as possible for the duration of their short lives. The mama rabbits know that something is wrong with these special babies, and will often spend extra time with them, trying to get them to nurse. We have witnessed our does gently licking a lost little one, nudging the lifeless body of her baby, to wake it up. These mamas mourn the loss of their babies, and we think it’s important for them to have time to say good-bye to them.
 
Below are some photos of a healthy Holland Lop kit and its three peanut litter mates.  Note the size differences. They are three days old. The largest kit has a full tummy, and well-developed legs. It was obvious the smaller kits were peanuts when we checked the litter at birth. The larger solid blue baby (left side) was believed to be healthy at birth and was of similar size to the other solid baby, although more prominent eyes were noted. After one day, the kit was not gaining weight and weaker hind legs were noted.  Also note the more pointed area just above the tail.  Their bottoms should be nicely rounded, rather than pointy.  The smaller peanut will most likely pass in the next 24 hours, while the larger ones may live for several more days.  We will give them all the love and comfort they can have during their brief lives. 

It's easy to get lost in the internet world of cute baby bunny pictures and dreaming of bringing one of those sweet balls of fluff home with you. As a breeder and a fellow bunny lover, I am here to beg you to do something for the life of your bunny before it ever sets a paw inside of your home.  Find a knowledgeable rabbit veterinarian NOW.  

Far too many people think a vet is a vet.  If it's furry and has a heartbeat, any veterinarian will be able to care for it.  This is not true.  If you have a heart condition, you would research well-respected cardiologists who have specialized in treating your particular condition, right?  Do the same thing for your bunny, NOW, before you encounter a life-threatening emergency and can't find someone to help.

We have a link to some recommended bunny vets in our area, and are always looking for others to add to our list.  If you have an awesome bunny vet, please share the information with us so we can, in turn, share it with others.  You can help save a bunny's life by doing this. 

Most rabbit vets are listed as doctors specializing in "exotic" pets.  So if you see a practice offering services for exotic animals, call and ask if they treat rabbits, specifically.  If you want to cut to the chase and go right to a list of vets recommended by the House Rabbit Society, click here.  

Here is a list of questions compiled by the House Rabbit Society to help you screen any vet before deciding if he/she is the doctor to whom you will entrust your bunny's care. 
What screening questions should I ask?

• Ask how many rabbits are seen at the clinic each week.  Ask how many rabbits are spayed or neutered each week.
• Ask whether most of the rabbits are show animals, “stock” animals, or companion animals.
• Ask what kind of a diet the veterinarian advises their clients to feed to their rabbits.
• Ask if they know which antibiotics are dangerous for rabbits (amoxicillin and most of the “…cillin” drugs like oral penicillin.).
• Ask what they recommend to their clients to prevent GI stasis.
• Ask what is the recommended treatment for GI stasis.
• Ask what are the most commonly prescribed antibiotics for rabbits.
• Ask what is their recommended treatment for head tilt.
• Ask what is their recommended treatment for flea infestation (ask for product name).
• Ask whether they routinely give analgesics after surgical procedures. If yes, what do they routinely use?
• Ask if food has to be removed the night before surgery.
• Ask if they are a member of House Rabbit Society.
• Ask what continuing education seminars they have attended that have included information on rabbits.

What shouldn’t I do?

• Do not make your choice based on how close the veterinarian is to your home (unless that veterinarian is the clear “winner”). Paying money to a veterinarian who does not know anything (or very little) about rabbits is just throwing your money away and can cost the life of your companion.
• Don’t assume that just because a veterinarian works with breeders or local 4-H clubs, that they are experienced with house rabbits or the medical needs of older rabbits. Unfortunately, such veterinarians often tend to approach rabbits as stock animals rather than as beloved companions. They may never have done a spay or neuter and “treatment” of any difficulty may amount to euthanasia (when dealing with stock or show animals, the financial bottom line may be the primary consideration).
• Antibiotics that should never be given to rabbits. Even one dose of the following can be deadly: Amoxicillin, lincomycin, clindamycin.

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In order to know if the vet is answering these questions correctly, you need to know your stuff.  Do your research now.  Print off a list of antibiotics that are safe for use in treating rabbits now, so you know if you are comfortable with the vet's recommendations or not.  Keep it with you to show the vet if you are concerned that a particular antibiotic could harm your rabbit.  Oral antibiotics can kill the necessary bacteria in a bunny's digestive tract, which can cause the rabbit to go into GI Stasis and die. 

Print a list of medications that can be safely used on rabbits.  Here is a good one. 

You need to prepare yourself to be your bunny's healthcare advocate and educate yourself as well as possible.  If you have any doubts or concerns about what the vet says or does, trust your judgement and leave with your bunny. 

What follows is a very heartbreaking story of one of our beloved Buns who died all too soon because too much time was lost in trusting the wrong vet.

Many of you may remember Paisley.  She was called Blossom while at Hot Cross Buns and was adored from the moment her new family met her.  She had two delightful doggie brothers and a neutered buck brother named Pepper. 

Paisley had been seen by a vet shortly after going home, after developing a bit of a cold.  She was prescribed a bunny-safe antibiotic and was fine thereafter.  When it was time for her to be spayed, however, things took a turn that may have led to her demise.  The vet wanted Paisley to "fast" prior to surgery.  In many animals, this is standard procedure because of a concern that the animal could vomit and aspirate while under anesthesia.   However, rabbits are physiologically incapable of vomiting and any interruption to their normal eating pattern can be detrimental to their digestive system.  This was a huge red flag for me and, had I known that the vet suggested doing this, I would have told Paisley's owners to either find a different vet or ignore that order and go ahead with her normal feeding.  The second thing that concerned me was that the vet prescribed a course of antibiotics to ward off any chance of an infection developing. post surgery.  It is my theory that the fasting. combined with the oral antibiotic, created a perfect storm that led to Paisley's digestive system shutting down later on, leading to her untimely death several days later. 

A few days post surgery, Paisley didn't eat much of her dinner.  The following morning, her family awoke to find her sitting still, rocking herself with her eyes closed while grinding her teeth.  She had not been eating, and had gone to the bathroom where she was sitting.  Very alarmed, her family tried to contact the vet who had performed the spaying, only to be told that their vet wasn't going to be in.  Desperate for help, they decided to try a vet they had used in the past.  At this point, things turned ugly for Paisley.

They contacted Wellington Animal Hospital and were told to bring her in.  Their vet was to check her over and would get back to them later on, after they both went to work.  (Paisley's family had texted me, asking for advice, but I was away from my phone and didn't receive the news until 2.5 hours after they had discovered her doing poorly.  At this point I texted them, suggesting Avon Lake Animal Hospital because I have used Wellington in the past for our farm animals and didn't believe they had a rabbit vet on staff.  I am beating myself up for not keeping my phone with me and keep wondering "what if I had gotten their message sooner?")  After having her in her office for a couple of hours, the Wellington staff determined they could not help Paisley (because they don't treat rabbits) and suggested her family pick her up and take her elsewhere.  After calling around to other recommended vets, finding no one available to help in an emergency, they tried Avon Lake and were able to talk with someone who agreed to see her.  Paisley was picked up from Wellington, where her family was charged $250 to see a vet who could do nothing to help her.  If they had been told over the phone when they had called that the practice didn't treat rabbits, valuable time could have been saved and Paisley would have been under a knowledgeable vet's care much sooner. 

After arriving at Avon Lake Animal Clinic, Paisley was examined by one of their three vets qualified to care for rabbits.  They admitted her, started her on fluids, and pain meds to make her more comfortable.  They took an x-ray, determining that her heart and lungs looked good.  They were hoping to get her digestive system working again, to alleviate the gas pain, and to avoid surgery.  They felt if they were able to keep her going overnight, she wouldn't need surgical intervention.  This was early in the afternoon.

(Think about all of this from the bunny's perspective for a minute...she had major surgery days before, her tummy hurts, she's afraid and in pain.  She knows her beloved family is worried and scared for her, which only adds to her stress.  She is taken on a long car ride to a strange place, surrounded by strange people who do nothing to help her.  She is then taken on another long car ride, to another strange place, but here she is given some relief.)

At about 7:00 that evening, Paisley went into cardiac arrest.  They used epinephrine to restart her wee heart, got her back, put her on the IV, and she arrested again.  The staff did CPR on her for 40 minutes before having to pronounce her dead. 

What went wrong?  We will never know.  Paisley's family decided to forego a necropsy (animal autopsy) because they couldn't bear the thought of her being cut open.  I don't blame them.  I see so many things that should have gone differently for this sweet little Bun who brought so much joy to those who knew her.  Her family had a vet they trusted, but needed help when their doctor wasn't available.  This is why I BEG of you to find a dependable, knowledgeable rabbit vet BEFORE you need one.  Don't let your bunny suffer while you spend time, combing the phone book for a vet who will be able to treat him at 10 pm on a Sunday night.  Be prepared now and have a backup plan in place for those times when you know your trusted vet won't be available.  Your bunny's life depends upon what you do now to prepare. 

We adore Paisely's family and are going to make certain they have the opportunity to love another Bun when they are ready. 

Go with God, sweet Paisley.

Hot Cross Buns follows the belief that treats (other than old-fashioned rolled oats) have no place in a rabbit’s diet until after he/she turns six months old. We prefer for their new families to have the joy (and responsibility) of determining which foods are the right treats for their Buns.
 
We recommend starting with the treats on the Green Light List. Work your way through it slowly to learn what your bunny likes, and what sits well in your bunny’s tummy. Give a small amount. Holland lops are small and shouldn’t weigh more than 3.5-5 lbs, so a little goes a long way. If you see any signs of abnormal or mushy poo balls in your bunny’s cage, stop feeding whatever treat was introduced most recently and cross it off the list, so you don’t give it to him/her again. Just give your bunny hay and water for a day or two until his/her tummy settles down and the poo balls are back to normal again.
 
There are some important things to remember about a bunny’s diet. Conventional wisdom says that 80% of the diet should be made up of hay and pellets, leaving 20% for foods that fall into the “treat” category. I tend to lean towards 90% hay and pellets, and only 10% treats. Another thing to remember: Too much sugar, calcium, and phosphorus are very bad for rabbits. The vast majority of foods on the Yellow Light List are high in at least one of these. Pick your Yellow Light List treats very carefully. Choose one fruit per week and one veggie/seed/herb per week to keep your bunny happy and healthy. Again, introduce only one treat at a time so you can see any negative reactions and adjust the list accordingly.
 
Occasionally you may find a treat that leaves your bunny with painful gas. Bunnies can’t burp or vomit, so whatever is hurting its tummy has to work its way through the entire digestive system. We strongly recommend that all bunny families keep a bottle or two of infant gas relief drops (a brand like Mylicon drops) to help settle bunny’s tummy. Give the bunny the dose recommended for smaller babies and gently massage your bunny’s tummy. Try to keep your bunny moving to help the gas work its way out. A bit of fresh parsley may help settle the tummy, too. If you ever have questions or concerns about your bunny’s health, please feel free to email us and we will do our best to help.
hcbhollands@gmail.com
 
If your bunny reacts badly to a food on the Yellow Light List, cross it off and add it to your Red Light List so you remember to not feed it to your Bun again.
 
Green Light Treats

The treats listed in this section are safe for bunny’s daily consumption. As always, when introducing a new treat, give a very small amount and observe the bunny for any gins of digestive distress (diarrhea, teeth grinding, acting “off”) for 24 hours before giving that treat to the bunny again.
 

• Basil - any variety
• Blueberries (fresh) - give only one or two berries per day
• Bok Choy - for bunnies over six months only
• Carrot tops
• Celery and celery leaves
• Cilantro
• Dandelion leaves and flowers (if not chemically treated)
• Lavender plant
• Lemon balm
• Oatmeal - rolled old-fashioned variety (raw, never cooked) - this is the only treat approved for baby rabbits
• Oats (whole, unprocessed) - Rabbits over six months only
• Oregano (fresh)
• Parsley
• Rocket
• Rosemary (fresh)
• Zucchini

 
 Yellow Light Treats
 
The treats in this section are for very occasional giving only. Many fruits are bunny-safe, but they are high in sugars, so need to be limited carefully. Choose only one of these treats to give on one special day each week. Watch for signs of tummy upset.
 

• Apples (do not give bunny any seeds, which can be toxic)
• Arugula
• Asparagus
• Bananas
• Bean sprouts
• Beets - greens, tops, and root
• Bell peppers (green, yellow, red, orange, and purple are safe)
• Blackberries
• Broccoli Leaves are safe (never give bunny broccoli, which causes painful gas)
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots and carrot tops
• Cherries (remove pit and give only one or two cherries)
• Cherry tomato
• Collard greens (tiny amounts only)
• Crab apples (no seeds)
• Cranberries
• Cucumber (tiny amount as it has little nutritional value)
• Eggplant
• Grapes (no more than two at a time, washed and cut into small pieces)
• Green beans (may cause painful gas, so observe carefully if you choose to feed)
• Hostas (hosta plant)
• Kale (tiny amounts to rabbits over six months only...high in calcium)
• Kiwi (peeled)
• Lettuce (dark green or purple varieties)
• Mandarin
• Mango (fresh)
• Mint
• Orange peels (better than oranges)
• Orange (tiny amount)
• Peach (remove pit)
• Peppers (remove seeds carefully)
• Pineapple (fresh only)
• Plums (remove stone)
• Pumpkin seeds (very rare treat)
• Radish and radish leaves
• Raisins (very rare)
• Raspberry (fresh) and raspberry leaves
• Romaine lettuce
• Spinach (small amounts)
• Squash
• Strawberries
• Sunflower seeds (high in fat, so go easy)
• Tomato (do NOT give tomato plant leaves or vines to bunny...they are toxic)
• Turnip and turnip greens
• Watermelon and watermelon rind
• Wheatgrass                                                                                                                                 Red Light Treats                                                                                                                    The following treats should NEVER be given to your bunny, as they are toxic to rabbits or your bunny will be unable to digest them, causing him great pain and distress. 
  
• Almonds
• Avocado - poisonous to rabbits
• Banana peels
• Bindweed - poisonous to rabbits
• Bread
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Candy
• Cauliflower
• Cheese
• Chocolate
• Clover
• Corn
• Crackers
• Dill weed and dill flowers
• Garlic
• Iceburg lettuce
• Jicama
• Meat
• Mushrooms
• Nuts - all varieties
• Onions
• Peanuts
• Peanut Butter
• Peas
• Popcorn
• Potatoes and Potato Skins
• Sweet Potatoes
• Tomato leaves/vines
• Walnuts
• White bread
  

As winter approaches in northern Ohio, I often think about animals that face life dealing with the elements on a daily basis.  Wild animals know how to seek shelter and find warmth where they can, whether by digging burrows, holing up in hollowed out logs, or snoring away in caves during the long winter nights. 

But what about domestic rabbits?  Are they better housed indoors or out?  As the word "domestic" implies, these are not wild rabbits or hares who are in tune with their more basic instincts of seeking proper shelter at the right time.  Some argue that a pet rabbit has the ability to grow a heavy winter coat and will spend the winter quite happily when housed outdoors in a cage or hutch.  There is truth in the notion that rabbits do prefer colder weather over hot, but does that mean a rabbit can be safely housed outdoors any time of year because it will just adapt?  It takes months for that heavy winter coat to grow in, so timing is a serious consideration.  Those in favor of indoor housing will point to protection from the elements and predators as chief reasons to keep pet rabbits in the home. 

If you look at a list of the pros and cons of both sides of the indoor/outdoor debate, it might look something like this:
Indoor Housing Pros:

• Safety from predators
  
• Protection from extreme heat/cold
• Convenience in feeding, watering, cleaning cage
• Bunny receives lots of attention due to convenient location
• Healthier rabbit
• Longer lifespan
• Less opportunity for parasite infestation
• Don't have to bundle up to care for rabbit in the winter
• Don't have to deal with rain to care for outdoor rabbit
• Less opportunity for neglect
• Bunny has greater possibility of becoming beloved member of the family

Indoor Housing
Cons:

• Cage takes up space
• Possible urine odors if cage isn't cleaned frequently enough
• Bunny can be messy with stray poo balls, food pellets, hay, urine accidents
• House must be rabbit proofed to avoid bunny chewing on furniture, wires, dangerous houseplants, etc.
• May trigger allergies
• Disposing of used bunny litter in garden, compost pile, or garbage

Outdoor Housing
Pros:

• House stays cleaner
• More convenient for disposing of bunny waste
• Allergy sufferer can enjoy the bunny
  

Outdoor Housing
Cons:

• Have to care for bunny during extreme weather conditions (rain, snow, sleet, hail, heat)
• Increased incidence of parasites (mites, fleas, ticks)
• Hazards of rabbit escaping from cage
• Possible death from predation
  
• Increased possibility for neglect due to rabbit being out of sight, out of mind
• Water bottles/crocks freeze and need to be thawed frequently
• Rabbits can die from heat exposure
• Increased rodent activity as they search for food

I witnessed the worst possible treatment of two rabbits as a child in southwestern PA.  Our next door neighbors had two rabbits.  Each was in a wire cage, propped up on two cinder blocks for legs.  They had a water bottle and a food bowl. Period.  No shelter, no burrow, no box or bedding for warmth.  Those poor rabbits were fed when someone remembered to do it, were seldom given fresh water, and never had hay.  They were plagued by flies in the summer because no one ever cleared the manure away from under their cages.  They were living in filth, had bald patches from parasite infestation, had sore hocks.  They received no love or attention.  They finally died from neglect. 

Would you want to see a rabbit treated like this?  Neither would we.  We do understand that some families need to house their rabbits in a barn or shed and they take wonderful care of their barn-housed bunnies.  While housing in a shed or barn is definitely preferable to an unsheltered cage, we are always going to prefer having bunnies housed indoors where they can interact with their families.  Indoor bunnies almost always live longer, healthier, happier lives, and that is what we want for our precious bunnies and their families.

From time to time I am asked for advice about bunny behavior, especially what to do when a bunny suddenly nips or bites.  Usually this question comes several days after the bunny comes home, or when the bunny goes into puberty and his or her behavior suddenly changes. 

If this change in behavior comes shortly after bringing Bunny home, you can bet your bottom dollar that Bunny is testing his new boundaries.  The uncertainty of his new environment has worn off.  He realizes he is still getting fed regularly, people are talking to him nicely, he gets attention and new toys.  He is living the high life and he knows it!  Bunny might be given more freedom than he can handle in a short amount of time, like hopping around in the house, getting a feel for cozy carpeting under his feet, maybe even hanging out on the couch, watching TV with the family.  When it is time for Bunny to go back into his cage, he may have a hissy fit and run away.  When he is finally caught, he may bite or scratch in an effort to get away.  He is acting like a toddler who doesn't understand that it's time to go back into his cage and he is going to tell you about it, by golly!  Since rabbits can't talk, they have three options for voicing their displeasure:

• Nipping or biting (a nip doesn't draw blood, but a bite does)
• Scratching and kicking with the hind legs
• Running away and hiding

Bunnies, like toddlers, thrive on routine.  That's why they sit by the door of their cages at feeding time or when you come home from work.  They like to know what happens next.  When a bunny pushes the boundaries you are setting, you need to tell him that you are the Big Bunny in the house and that he has to listen to you and respect your authority.  It's actually quite easy to get a bunny to do this, but it can take a few battles before the message completely sinks in.

First of all, DO NOT

• hit the bunny
• spank the bunny
• drop the bunny
• yell at the bunny
• or withhold food or water from the bunny

as punishment for nipping, biting, scratching, or trying to run away.  You will make things worse if you do any of those things.  You need to think like a rabbit in order to get through to a rabbit.  What do rabbits do to communicate displeasure to other rabbits?

• They thump their foot loudly
• They growl
• They will attack another bunny and go for the neck area

When Bunny does something mildly displeasing, like hop towards an area that is off-limits, give a very loud thump with your foot.  If that doesn't do the trick, give another loud thump with a deep, growling "NO!".  If that doesn't work, it's time to put bunny back in his cage.  No treats, no pets.  Just pop him in his cage, close the door, and walk away.  Bunny needs to learn to listen to the Big Bunny.  No matter how cute he looks, with his sorrowful, pleading eyes, ignore him for a good 15 minutes.  After he has time to feel really sorry (and not pretend sorry), you can go back to see if he will apologize by behaving nicely and giving you kisses. 

If Bunny bites you while in her cage (if you have a doe, she may become cage defensive when she reaches breeding age), quickly but firmly grasp the bunny around the neck/upper back (making a "C" shape with your hand) and push her head down to the floor for a solid 10 seconds. Combine it with a thump and a loud, firm "No!"  You are putting the bunny in a submissive position while taking the dominant role.  Bunny will try to kick and fight her way out if this method of discipline is brand new.  Do not back down.  You are not trying to hurt the Bun, you just want to tell her that you mean business and you are not going to tolerate being bitten.  If bunny lunges toward you or acts aggressive in any way, the head to the floor is the quickest way of getting through to them.  My toughest bunny required four "doses" of this discipline and now she is as sweet as can be. 

Please note:  if you have an expectant doe, she may become cage defensive due to hormones.  This is not her fault and it is always best to handle pregnant does with extreme caution.  I let my hormonally nippy does out to play (one at a time, of course) while I clean their cages, to avoid any situation where she could feel threatened.  I do not use the head to the floor method on my pregnant does. 

If your Bunny runs away and hides when you want to tuck him in for the night, you have a few issues to deal with.  First you need to help him establish a routine.  Feeding time is at 6pm, playtime in the exercise pen is from 6:30-8:00, snuggle time is from 8-10, and bedtime is at 10 (or whatever you want your bunny's schedule to look like.)  Secondly, keep his world pretty small in the beginning.  He lives in his cage and exercises in his pen until he knows you, trusts you, listens to you as the Big Bunny, and is using his litter box well.  After he has these behaviors down pat, then start giving him small amounts of freedom, but stay with him at all times.  He needs to associate you with the carpet, the couch, playing on the stairs, or whatever special things you like to do with him.  If you simply open the door to his cage and say, "Go play," he is going to want to be in charge and make his own plans.  Combine this with an independent-natured bunny and you could have quite the challenge to reign him back in again.

A boundary-testing bunny wants to know that you have his best interest at heart.  He wants to know that it's ok to run, play, and binky, but that you are there for him to run home to, and that you share his joys and adventures with him. 

*****  IMPORTANT  ***** 
If you have had your Bun for quite a while and he or she suddenly becomes aggressive, a trip to your bunny knowledgeable veterinarian may be in order.  Sudden changes in temperament could suggest that your pet is in pain or not feeling well

*This article was originally posted to our website in September 2018 and moved to the blog 1/30/19.


RHD-2...at first glance it appears to be a typo of the beloved Star Wars character's name, but it most definitely is not.  RHD-2 stands for Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease, Strain 2.  This disease, along with the first strain called RHD-1, are common killers of beloved bunnies who live "across the pond" in the United Kingdom, but has only been found in the United States as of September 19, 2018.  The first reported incidence was in Medina County, Ohio, which is very close to Hot Cross Buns' home.  You can read the article from the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association here. 

As stated in the article, the disease is transmittable only to rabbits; people, other animals, and food sources are not affected by it, although people and animals can carry the virus and unwittingly infect rabbits.  According to the article, 
     "Transmission of the RHD virus over short distances can occur by the contaminated
          clothing of people, biting insects, birds, rodents, wild animals, fur or vehicles." 

Rabbits are very common house pets in the UK and the rest of Europe, where vaccines have been developed for protection against both strains of the disease.  However, pet rabbits are not routinely vaccinated in the United States and these vaccines are not available for use here.  The only ways to protect our beloved pet bunnies are through precautions and knowledge of the disease and its transmission.

 
       What does this mean to our clients and the bunnies at Hot Cross Buns?
We have operated as a closed rabbitry for over a year now, meaning we don't allow people into our rabbitry to meet the Buns, nor do we allow anyone to walk in their living areas and play spaces.  We will begin taking the extra precautions of asking clients to clean the soles of their shoes by stepping into a disinfectant solution prior to entering the premises, and to use hand sanitizer prior to meeting the Bun with whom they have been matched.

Going forward, we will have a waiting list and clients will reserve bunnies online, based upon their submitted information and conversations we have via email.  Rather than meeting multiple bunnies, clients will come to Hot Cross Buns to pick up the bunny with whom they have been matched.  This is to protect our Buns from any potential contamination. 

We have never allowed the Buns to play outside, as we know how easy it is for them to ingest or attract parasites.  This will continue to be our standard practice.  Because RHD-2 can be transmitted to healthy rabbits through contact with wild rabbits' urine and feces, we urge our bunny families to be cautious and consider the risks of allowing out of doors playtime for their bunnies. 

Hot Cross Buns will no longer be able to accept the return of any bunnies.  In the past, bunnies waiting to be re-homed (when allergies developed or when other situations arose in their first families) were cared for in a special area of our home, but in order to protect the health of our breeding stock, we will no longer be able to do so.  We will gladly post information about any Buns who need to be re-homed on our site and Facebook page, but we will not care for them at our facility. 

We will be monitoring the RHD-2 situation very closely and will make further changes for the safety and well-being of all of our Buns as the needs arise.  

***Since this article was originally written, cases of RHD-1 have been found in western Pennsylvania.  No further cases of RHD-2 have been discovered at this time.
                                                      

Into every rabbit breeder's life a little rain must fall.  Does fail to conceive, litters are lost, a beloved Bun may develop GI Stasis.  With life comes death and illness.  E. Cuniculi is an parasite that can cause health issues and even death in rabbits of any breed.  As I researched the causes, treatments, and ways this problem is spread, I realized how much more we need to learn in order to care for our beloved Buns.

What is E. Cuniculi?
E. Cuniculi is short for Encephalitozoon cuniculi.  Put simply, it is a parasite that infects approximately 40-80% of all domestic rabbits, but lies dormant (and the rabbit is not contagious) most of the time.  A rabbit can be exposed to it and carry it within its body all its life, but unless it becomes an active infection and moves into the nervous tissue, the rabbit will not exhibit any symptoms.  A blood test can be used to determine if the rabbit was ever exposed to e. cuniculi at some point in its life, but it will not tell us if the rabbit is fighting off an active infection or not, and the blood test itself is not always accurate. 

What happens to a rabbit with an active E. Cuniculi infection? 
From the reading I have done, the parasite infection can move to the eyes, causing blindness or, more commonly, attack the nervous tissue and cause paralysis, seizures, and/or head tilt (wry neck).  If left untreated, the rabbit may die. 

How is e. cuniculi spread?
In most cases, e. cuniculi is spread from mother to babies through the placenta.  A breeder may have an apparently healthy mother lose a litter of kits that failed to thrive, or have kits die, one by one over a course of time (usually between 4-7 weeks of age).  A kit may suddenly develop wry neck close to weaning age.  These are all heart-breaking things I have experienced in my own rabbitry.  Although the kits that we had necropsied did not show signs of e. cuniculi, their mother later tested positive for the parasite.

E. cuniculi spores are shed through the urine of the rabbit, so any contact with an infected rabbit can lead to the infection of another rabbit.  This is why we clean and disinfect our exercise pens thoroughly between each use and have stopped allowing bunnies from different litters to play with each other.  If one litter is infected, we want to keep it from spreading to a different litter. 

The parasite itself seems to be active for approximately three months after infection, during which time symptoms may develop.  A rabbit may suddenly begin drinking more water than normal.  This is a good thing because the rabbit is trying to shed the parasite out of its body.  Usually after three months, the parasite appears to become dormant.  There are some rabbits, however, who do shed e. cuniculi spores throughout their lifetime.


How do you know when your rabbit has e. cuniculi? 
A strong, healthy rabbit with access to fresh water and a good diet usually does not exhibit any symptom of carrying the parasite at all.  According to a study done in the United Kingdom (where much more research on rabbits and their care has been conducted) only 6% of pet rabbits ever develop symptoms, while 52% are infected with the parasite.)  (This article is linked below.)

As a breeder, I have lost one entire litter of four kits, (and lost four out of seven kits from the same doe).  They were developmentally on target, playful, and well-fed.  One day the smallest kit became lethargic.  We tried syringe feeding, but it died the following day.  A few days later, a second kit suddenly stopped eating and failed.  We took the last two kits to the vet, who could find nothing wrong with them.  They were reportedly in excellent health and were gaining weight at an appropriate rate.  Within two weeks, they were both dead.  We had them necropsied and nothing definitive was found, but e. cuniculi  was suggested as a possibility.  Their mother had been tested but the test was negative, although she tested positive about 4 months later.  She never had symptoms of the parasite, and is still very healthy.  She was spayed and is living the high life as a pampered pet. 

I have had three kits develop wry neck (or head tilt) during my past two years as a Holland Lop breeder.   Oddly enough, all three were does, although that is most likely coincidental.  We have successfully treated two of them, and the third is coming along nicely, albeit more slowly than the first two, but we hope to find her a pet home very soon.   

The first Bun came from a litter of seven, from a believed to be healthy mother and father.  Both parents were true dwarf Hollands, and two of the seven kits born were peanuts, dying shortly after birth.  Two kits gradually wasted away, believed to be not strong enough to compete for milk from their stronger litter mates.  The remaining three kits, two bucks and a doe, grew to be strong and healthy.  Shortly before weaning at seven weeks, the doe developed head tilt.  She could not eat, was obviously very dizzy and disoriented, and would "roll" to her back each time she was lifted off the ground.  She was taken to a very reputable rabbit veterinarian immediately, who prescribed a 10 day course of Baytril and a 30 day course of Safe Guard goat wormer.   We also gave her Bonine chewable motion sickness tablets (1/4 tablet) and Bene-Bac.  She was syringe fed baby food pumpkin twice per day (which she loved!)  Within a week, she had stopped rolling and was able to find her way to the food bowl, but we did continue with the pumpkin for the extra nutrients.   Although she was of weaning age, we decided to leave her with her mother, as the two has always had a very close bond.  I credit her mother's tender loving care with the speedy recovery of our first rabbit with wry neck caused by e. cuniculi.  She continues to live with us and is a beloved member of the family.  She has never shown further symptoms of parasite infection to date.

The second Bun, unrelated to the first, was born approximately one year later to a false dwarf mother and true dwarf father, in a litter of four kits.  One kit died within 24 hours of birth.  The kit that contracted wry neck was approximately 5 weeks old, so considerably younger than the first kit.  Her litter mates were both strong and healthy, but the affected kit had always been tiny.  We had intervened with syringe feeding and trips to the vet prior to the development of wry neck.  Her weight gain increased and, when she developed wry neck, it was a mild case, treated only with Baytril and Safe Guard goat wormer.  She showed significant improvement within days and remained with her mother for another two months.  We eventually separated them and continued to keep the affected kit until she was nearly five months of age, at which time she was placed in a pet home and spayed.  She continues to thrive. 

The third kit, also unrelated to the previous two, was born approximately 5 months ago, to Mango (a second time mother who had, most likely been exposed to e. cuniculi through spores shed in urine when fostering kits from the aforementioned doe who lost a total of eight kits in two litters.  We believed the litter of seven was too large for her, so fostered three kits to Mango.  Although she took excellent care of her fostered babies, Mango was only able to keep her own kit and one other alive.)  Mango's second litter produced two doe kits.  Both were large and healthy looking.  The first was placed in a pet home and the second, Blackberry, suddenly developed wry neck.  We began with the usual treatment of Baytril and Safe Guard.  A month went by with worsening symptoms, rather than the improvement we had been expecting.  She began rolling during the second month of treatment.  We tried again with another new bottle of Safe Guard, but each day she became weaker and weaker.  I began praying for a merciful end to her suffering while I researched different treatments.  I finally stumbled upon some information that helped.  This article proved to be a game changer in Blackberry's life.  https://barbibrownsbunnies.com/wryneck/

After reading this information, I felt better prepared to treat Blackberry in a different way.  I gave her the recommended doses of Ivomec and then started feeding her heavily twice a day.  Within a week we saw the first glimmer of improvement.  We had given her a food bowl that sat on the floor of her cage, rather than using the hanging stainless bowl that she had grown up with, to make it easier for her to eat.  And eat she did.  She was ravenous and started stretching her head towards the hanging food bowl in her cage, looking for more.  I started filling both bowls twice a day, and she was able to clean them out every time.  In time, she stopped rolling when we picked her up.  She filled out, became stronger, and has developed a beautiful, glossy coat.  She still has a slight tilt to her head, but is often able to hold her head perfectly normally when she has some neck massage and playtime to distract her.  I think the tilt she currently displays is more the result of habit than any actual issues with her head and neck.   Blackberry is pictured above and below.

My observations...
*I believe the first line of defense in helping a rabbit with e. cuniculi recovery is food and lots of it, Our first rabbit recovered fairly quickly because she was receiving pumpkin via syringe, as well as her mother's milk during her treatment.  The second rabbit recovered very quickly as she had already been receiving supplemental feedings due to her size.  Blackberry began to recover only when we gave her additional food.

*Adding Apple Cider Vinegar to drinking water is an easy way to encourage rabbits to drink more fluids and flush the e.cuniculi spores out of their bodies more quickly.  I add about 1 Tablespoon per 32 oz. bottle of water.

*Ivomec, Baytril (needs a prescription), Safe Guard, Bonine, Bene-Bac, pumpkin, and syringes should be in every rabbit breeder's medical supplies so treatment can begin as quickly as possible.

*Given that conventional wisdom stated 40-80% of all domesticated rabbits carry e. cuniculi, I think it's safer to assume that all rabbits have been exposed to the parasite and to treat them as though they are carriers.  I believe the actual number is on the higher end of the spectrum.   

*There is still so much to learn about e. cuniculi and other rabbit diseases and ailments.  My limited experience has been solely with young rabbits and never adults who developed symptoms in later life.  I have never had a rabbit that became blind, developed paralysis, or had seizures as a result of e. cuniculi infection, so I am unable to add any insight to these aspects of care and treatment.

*As always, your rabbit knowledgeable veterinarian should be the first person to consult when you believe something is wrong with your beloved bunny. 

Additional resources:
https://www.vets-now.com/pet-care-advice/e-cuniculi-in-rabbits/
https://rabbit.org/encephalitozoon-cuniculi/
https://www.petcarevb.com/rabbit-veterinarian/rabbit-e-cuniculi.php