The Bunny Camp Newsletter is brought to you by Leeds & Bradford Hopper Group in support of The Bunny Camp Sanctuary, who kindy let it feature on Rabbit Rehome. If you have any queries regarding the newsletter, appeals or rabbits in it please contact them directly not Rabbit Rehome.

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Bunny Camp News

Volume 1 Number 10 October 2003

Contents:-

• Bunny Camp Sanctuary in the news
• Bunny Health.
• The Barbara Peters Pages
• Everything you wanted to know about hay (but were afraid to ask)
• Who needs a guard dog?
• Bun of the month!
• Comment from our editor
• Join the Leeds & Bradford Hopper Group
• A reminder of who we are
• Some useful contact details

Ø Bunny Camp News is produced by the Leeds & Bradford Hopper Group

Ø In support of The Bunny Camp Sanctuary.

Bunny Camp in the News!

From the Bradford Telegraph & Argus earlier this year.

Bunny Health
By Paul Hutchinson

One of the most dangerous things that can happen to you rabbit is G.I. Stasis. This month we focus on how to recognise it, and what to do about it.

Many people just do not realize how important it is that their bun does not change their routine of eating & pooing. The tell tale signs of G.I. Stasis can include loss of appetite to a point where the bun stops eating completely, and at the other end, the bun produces very small, or even no droppings. Sometimes though, there can be runny poops.

Buns produce 2 kinds of droppings. There are the familiar pellets, which ideally should be uniform and slightly fibrous, but they also produce much darker droppings which are almost like small bunches of grapes. These are the cecotropes which are the result of their foods “1st pass” through the digestive system. These droppings are usually eaten by the bun and re-digested. When the poops are runny, this can be caused by an imbalance of the normal bacterial and fungal flora of the bun’s digestive system. When this happens, the result can be a slowing down of the gut, that may result in the whole process stopping altogether, this is G.I. Stasis.

How does it Happen, and how do I tell?

A number of things can cause G.I. Stasis. For example, stress, insufficient fibre (i.e. hay), dehydration, or pain caused by some other condition. The warning signs are things like very small (or no droppings), small droppings clinging to the bun’s bum, or in some of the worst cases, very small poos will be covered in mucus. Additionally, the bun may be lethargic, sit hunched up, and grind thye teeth. If you suspect that your rabbit is suffering from G.I. Stasis, you MUST get him or her to a rabbit savvy vet without delay.

Treatments

One of the single most effective ways to stimulate a lazy gut into action is with gentle massage. Place the bun on a secure surface on a towel (or in your lap, if the bunny feels secure there), making sure he or she can't jump down and hurt themselves. With your hands and fingertips, gently massage the abdomen. Knead as deeply as the bun will allow, but back off immediately if they express pain. Sometimes, gently lifting the rabbit's hindquarters a few inches (with the bun's head safely tucked into the massager's elbow) helps gas to pass more easily, and seems to be comforting to the bun. Once they get over the initial surprise of being held this way, a rabbit will often allow their legs to droop in comfort and relief as the massage helps gas pockets move towards the exit. A rabbit's internal organs are very delicate; care must be taken to avoid bruising them and making the situation worse. Your vet will also if appropriate be able to provide medication that will help your bun’s digestive processes get back to normal.

What else can I do?

Fluids are very important. Your bun should have 100cc of water / unsweetened pineapple juice per kilogram of body weight per day. You should however avoid anything with sugar in it, as it can upset the balance of bacteria in the gut that are essential for digestion. Eating is also essential. As long as your vet has established that there is no actual blockage, then you should try to tempt your bun with some of their favourite food. If this fails, then you may have to resort in syringe feeding with either pelleted food soaked in water to make it mushy, or even better “Auntie Barbara’s soup” which is made up as follows:-

Here is my basic recipe made in a saucepan as microwaves take out the nourishment

1/4 onion, cabbage and blackberry leaves (fibre), carrots and apple (sweet tooth), tomatoes (potassium for weak floppy buns), celery and other veg., your rabbit likes. You can add grass, clover and dandelions too, and a mixture of dried or fresh herbs.

Chop up fairly small, (as we are panicking by now), so it cooks quicker, add water and cook until veg has softened. Tip the whole lot into a blender (don’t forget by this stage the vitamins are in the water) and blend as fine as you can.

Stick a fork prong down the syringe to open it out a little and feed. If your rabbit is drinking water from a bowl, as she improves, she might lap the soup too so leave a little in a saucer.

Insert the tip of the syringe into the space behind the incisors and squeeze gently sideways to avoid squirting food down the windpipe. Give only 1-2 cc at a time, allowing the bunny a chance to chew and swallow. Choking on food can be life threatening, so do this with great care!

Also ensure that your bun has an unlimited supply of good quality fresh hay. The sooner they have fibre, the better they will be. In addition, Fresh, wet, leafy herbs. The fibre and moisture in fresh vegetables will also help stimulate the intestine. Kale is a good choice. If the rabbit refuses to eat, try fragrant, fresh herbs such as mint, basil, dill, tarragon, sage, fennel, parsley and others. Sometimes it helps to nip off the ends of the stems with your fingernails and wave the fresh, juicy stems under the bunny's nose or even gently insert the stem into the corner of the bunny's mouth. You can even lightly pat the herbs against the bun's face until they get annoyed with you and grab the offending sprig. Sometimes all it takes is a little taste to get the bun nibbling. Try a variety until one of them gets the bun to eat. You never know which herb will stimulate the appetite, so it's best to have a variety on hand.

What Next?

Have patience. Keep your bun stress free and don’t handle them more than necessary. Keep in regular contact with your vet for help and advice, but don’t take your bun to the vet too often, as the journey can cause stress which can put back recovery.

Prevention is better than cure

The best thing to do is to try to prevent G.I. Stasis from happening in the first place, or if you have a bun that has had it and is recovering, try to find out what the causes were. Is your bun eating enough hay? Are you giving too many pet shop bought starchy treats? Does your bun have dental problems such as molar spurs? Are there other health problems that are affecting your bun’s eating habits?

Remember. G.I. Stasis is a potential killer. If in doubt, don’t delay, see your vet immediately.

Douglas by Mary E Cotter

Remnants of his bunny life surround me
I turn, and think I see his little form
But then the ache inside makes me remember
That what I see are shadows, that he's gone.
I hear him in the crackling of the birdseed
When sparrows feed outside his window bed,

I see him in the shaft of morning sunlight
Where he'd stretch out, while I would kiss his head.
His fur was softer than the softest velvet,
The sweetest spot was just behind his ears;
I'd nuzzle in, and breathe his bunny fragrance,
And whisper how I'd love him through the years.

He came to me from one who didn't want him
He bit and scratched, aggressive out of fear;
But here he found no need for his defences,
And gave his trust -- a gift that I held dear.

He had a little bunny wife named Dinky,
He'd kiss her face, and snuggle by her side,
they lived, six years, devoted to each other,
then suddenly one day his Dinky died.
He'd hover near her corner, as if waiting,
He'd look around when I would say her name;

Eventually he learned to live without her,
But life for him was never quite the same.
His very favourite way to spend the morning
Was chomping off the bristles from my broom;
He left it half the size it was last summer,
I use it now to sweep his empty room.

I clean up all his little bunny traces,
And find things that I didn't know were there,
A few stray poops, a tiny piece of celery,
A hidden corner dusted with his hair.
How *did* that little poop get on the table?
And how'd that hay get underneath the rug?
He taught me well that neatness was just silly;
I traded keeping house for keeping Doug.

He always knew exactly what he wanted,
And if I crossed him, he would hold a grudge,
But then, when he was ready, he'd forgive me,
His nose would tap my ankle: nudge-nudge-nudge.
As he grew old his little body failed him,
He bore his pain with dignity and grace;
I often wondered whether I could manage
Half as well, if I were in his place.

And now I've lost him, yet each day I find him
In baseboards gnawed, upholstery ripped and torn;
When he was here, I though of it as damage
But now its Doug, not damage, that I mourn.
We buried Douggie in a summer garden,
Right next to where his little Dinky lies,
And on his grave we planted baby lettuce,
And read a poem through our teary eyes.

I really hope that there's a bunny heaven
Cause if there is, I know that's where he'll be;
He was the sweetest, bravest little rabbit
I hope he'll save a place up there for me.

The Barbara Peter's Page

PARSLEY

Either the flat or curly leaf can be grown and served up for your rabbit. This little herb is good for stimulating their appetite; it is a diuretic and helps with anaemia. Along with vitamins A, B and C is also contains iron and other minerals, not too much though “two foots” as it is rich in calcium and we all know what that can lead to.

The Chinese name for parsley is “kill-flea” so if your bun has one or two “travellers” after his high jinx in the garden this summer, a few leaves in his bedding wont do any harm either.

Parsley is easy to grow, just soak the seeds overnight in warm water, and sow in a pot on a sunny windowsill and in 4 weeks time it should germinate. Another tip to get it started quickly is to pore boiling water on the compost, sow seeds and then cover lightly with dry compost. Of course you can always cheat and buy a plant from your supermarket.

GARLIC and CHIVES

Both of these plants are from the onion family. Though I doubt very much whether your bun is going to nibble on fresh garlic, you can buy garlic powder, formulated for rabbits from www.bunnymail.co.uk. This you pop into his water bowl and help his immune system cope with any winter bugs or off days. You can of course use fresh garlic in your soup recipe if you need to syringe feed. Parsley will cure his garlic breath by the way just in case you were wondering why I’ve combined this snippet this month.

Chives! Well my rabbits love these snipped and placed on supper tray. Chives being part of the onion family contain Vitamin C and should be good for kidneys and colds. Not too much though as onions can give you wind.

And just for a laugh….

I’m always on the look out for new toys for my two little scamps and recently I’ve changed my brand of cheese spread to Kerrygold or KwikSave’s own brand. Why? Because the triangles sit on a nice round plastic container and makes a wonderful Frisbee!

Hay
By Mike and the house boys

Just thought you all would like some thoughts on hay as the subject is cropping up again. Having fed hay to animals for 40 years and grown the grass to make hay I do have a little experience on the subject.

First of all is the type of seed the grass is grown from, the type of soil, the time of year it is made, early may is the very best, but you will not find that in the shops, then June still very good, but as the months go on the worst it gets till you get to late Sept/Oct. not good. Then comes the weather, after cutting if it can be made in say three days good if no rain falls on it, but if it gets wet and lays around for days or even weeks bad, very bad. We then come to the person/farmer who does all the work, how do treat the grass steady, slow or flat out with the tractor all has a bearing. Then what part of the field was the hay made, in the middle of the field around the edges, north south east or west all makes a difference, also, how much air/wind has it had. Then almost the most important how was it stored, was it allowed to `cook` properly. The larger the stack under cover the has will sweat and then dry out and then after a few weeks you will have hay.

From there it will be put into little bags ready for your bunnies. How it was made, when etc etc is just luck. No two bags are going to be the same. The only advice I can give is try to buy a complete bale which looks greenish/light brownish from horse stable and it should smell sweet. What I forgot to mention you do not want too many weeds in the hay and certainly not ragwort but I doubt that many of you would know what it would look like once it was dried, that is why it is better to go to a horsy place as owners of horse generally speaking are fussy/knowledgeable regarding feeding.

A bale of hay will weigh about 45/56 lbs and can be stored in a bin liner and will only take up about 12x18" floor space and should last a bun all winter, it would last Frosty 5 years. Hope this helps!!!

Mike and the House Boys

Rabbit 'chases off burglar'
Reported on “Ananova:”

A burglar is believed to have been chased off by a pet rabbit in Holland. A householder in Emmen was woken up at 5am by the sound of his rabbit kicking his feet against his cage. The 47-year-old man went downstairs to investigate and discovered that a burglar had broken into his house. He believes the burglar was scared off by the sound of the rabbit which he kept in a cage in his dining room. All that was missing was a wallet which had been left lying on a table.

Story filed: 10:15 Wednesday 15th October 2003

Bun of the month

Our Editor in chief – dandy
(with Flopsy girl in the background)

End column By Dandy

Time to raise some cash

Anyone who has followed the link at the bottom of this page will know that I keep a journal on the internet. I’ve decided that to help bunny camp, I will publish my diary on CD at the end of November. I’ve chosen the end of November for two reasons,

1. I will have been living with Flopsy Girl and my 2-foots for exactly a year, and
2. I will be able to sell copies of it at the Bunny Camp Christmas Party Day, which will be held this year at The Bunny Camp Sanctuary, 4 Stoney Ridge Avenue, Heaton,. Bradford on 7th December.

Of course everyone is invited to our Christmas party (there will be stalls selling bunny products, bric-a-brac, games, and all kinds of other fun things, but if you can’t make it in person, then you can still order a copy of the Dandy Diaries by post. There are over 300 pages with my thoughts, comments from other buns, and lots of pictures of me and Flopsy Girl, plus some of our other bunny friends, and even some of our 2 foots!

The Dandy Diary is only available on CD, and costs… well let’s put it this way. ANY donation you wish to make to the bunny camp (no matter how small).

For a copy of the Dandy Diaries, please send a cheque made payable to The Bunny Camp Sanctuary to:-

Dandy 42 Nidd Approach
Deighton Bar
Wetherby
LS22 7UJ

Read my live journal at http://www.livejournal.com/users/dandybun/

Why not join us?

The Leeds & Bradford Hopper Group meet about once a month, usually in a child friendly pub (yes Sonya brings her kids!). We talk about Bunny Camp and plans for the future, but we do not just confine ourselves to that. We are a general talking shop for all things rabbit, and would love to welcome any Bunny Camp News readers to join us.

If you would like details of where and when we meet, then call Allison Girt on 0113 239 7408 (evenings), or e-mail her on : alison.girt@btinternet.com

Who we Are

Here at the Bunny Camp Sanctuary, we strive to provide a safe haven for rabbits who, through no fault of their own, end up here because they have been mistreated or neglected, or simply because their owners can no longer look after them.If you are interested in re-homing or sponsoring any of the gorgeous creatures that we have, or simply wish to make a donation to this worthwhile cause, please contact:

Sonya and Jim McDonough
4 Stoney Ridge Avenue,
Heaton,
BradfordWest Yorkshire
BD9 6PA
England
Tel: (0044) 01274 821665
Email: bunnycampsan@talk21.com

Useful Contacts

R.S.P.C.A. regional headquarters
P.O. Box BR29
LS13 2XL
Phone (24 hours) 08705 555 999

The Rabbit Welfare Association PO Box 603,
Horsham,
West Sussex
RH13 5WL

Some Other Good Rabbit Sancturies

BUNNY BURROWS. RABBIT RESCUE
Gwen & John Butler
68 Whitefields Drive,
Richmond
North Yorkshire
DL10 7DL

Telephone: 01748 824788
Website:- http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/bunnyburrows/index.phtml
E-Mail:- bunnyburrows@ne.communigate.co.uk

Society for Abandoned Animals
The Peggy Henderson Animal Sanctuary
Barfoot Bridge
Stretford
Manchester M32 9UP