Rabbit Rescue: What You're Doing Wrong
Nobody wants to think they are doing something wrong, but the fact is, most of the time when a rabbit is rescued, a key step is missed. Now, this certainly doesn't apply to everyone, but unfortunately, it seems as though the majority do skip this step.
So what is this big, mysterious, step we skip, and why is it so important that we change?
Food. The big step that so many seem to miss is properly transitioning the rabbits over to whatever food the rescuers are feeding them. If you're not really experienced with rabbits, this might not sound like such a big deal. However, those of us that are experienced understand just how serious this is. Rapid changes in diet can cause gastrointestinal problems, including bloat and stasis. Bloat is the accumulation of gas in stomach. The rabbit cannot pass gas as a human can. Instead, the gas builds up, blocking everything off, and can quickly kill the rabbit from rupturing. The best way to prevent bloat is by preventing disruptions in the rabbit's diet. Even if you don't like the food they are currently on, you should still use it while you slowly introduce the new food you have planned for it.
Okay, but we're talking about rescue here. Do you think they come with little bags packed and a detailed description of their lives? Of course not. When you can, you should do everything in your power to find out, and keep them on, the food they're used to. If this is not possible for some reason, then you go to plan b: the 3 day hay rule.
*Note: If the rabbits are producing abnormal feces, do not proceed to add pellets or any other new foods to their diets until this clears up. Keep them on the hay only diet, unless otherwise directed by a veterinarian.*
They are already undergoing a great deal of stress: New people, new housing, new sounds, new smells. While, to you, everything may be better than what they're use to, for the rabbit, it's stressful. It's new, totally unfamiliar, and scary. When you add a sudden change in diet to the stress they are already under, it becomes a recipe for disaster. So, 3 days of hay, followed by the slow introduction of pellets is the protocol. It should take about a week to get them fully on their new food. If at any time you see abnormal feces, back off a little on the pellets for a couple of days, until things look normal again. Once the rabbit is up to it's full amount of pellets, you may begin slowly introducing veggies and treats if you wish. I have personally used this method with dozens of rabbits and have never had any gastrointestinal issues. Not one single case.
*Tip: In the case of a large scale rescue, you may want to develop and utilize a feces tracking chart, as the feces abnormalities are often the first and only symptoms of many deadly illnesses.*
All too many times, we hear about large-scale rescues where a high percentage of the rabbits die. Many times, the rescuers believe that they got them "right before" the health issues surfaced - just in time to change their lives. The truth, however, is that most of those health issues that surface in the first 72 hours or so were most likely caused by sudden diet changes and the stress of being rescued.
In addition to following these precautions, when the time comes for the rabbit to go to it's new home, you need to make sure that you are sending an ample supply of food to transition the rabbit on. Even if you expect the rabbit to be fed the same thing you feed, you still need to send some with them, along with instructions on food transitioning. Not all people are honest, and you could save the rabbit's life by simply sending a little bit of food with it.
For more Angora-specific tips for rescuers, see our article here.
So what is this big, mysterious, step we skip, and why is it so important that we change?
Food. The big step that so many seem to miss is properly transitioning the rabbits over to whatever food the rescuers are feeding them. If you're not really experienced with rabbits, this might not sound like such a big deal. However, those of us that are experienced understand just how serious this is. Rapid changes in diet can cause gastrointestinal problems, including bloat and stasis. Bloat is the accumulation of gas in stomach. The rabbit cannot pass gas as a human can. Instead, the gas builds up, blocking everything off, and can quickly kill the rabbit from rupturing. The best way to prevent bloat is by preventing disruptions in the rabbit's diet. Even if you don't like the food they are currently on, you should still use it while you slowly introduce the new food you have planned for it.
Okay, but we're talking about rescue here. Do you think they come with little bags packed and a detailed description of their lives? Of course not. When you can, you should do everything in your power to find out, and keep them on, the food they're used to. If this is not possible for some reason, then you go to plan b: the 3 day hay rule.
*Note: If the rabbits are producing abnormal feces, do not proceed to add pellets or any other new foods to their diets until this clears up. Keep them on the hay only diet, unless otherwise directed by a veterinarian.*
They are already undergoing a great deal of stress: New people, new housing, new sounds, new smells. While, to you, everything may be better than what they're use to, for the rabbit, it's stressful. It's new, totally unfamiliar, and scary. When you add a sudden change in diet to the stress they are already under, it becomes a recipe for disaster. So, 3 days of hay, followed by the slow introduction of pellets is the protocol. It should take about a week to get them fully on their new food. If at any time you see abnormal feces, back off a little on the pellets for a couple of days, until things look normal again. Once the rabbit is up to it's full amount of pellets, you may begin slowly introducing veggies and treats if you wish. I have personally used this method with dozens of rabbits and have never had any gastrointestinal issues. Not one single case.
*Tip: In the case of a large scale rescue, you may want to develop and utilize a feces tracking chart, as the feces abnormalities are often the first and only symptoms of many deadly illnesses.*
All too many times, we hear about large-scale rescues where a high percentage of the rabbits die. Many times, the rescuers believe that they got them "right before" the health issues surfaced - just in time to change their lives. The truth, however, is that most of those health issues that surface in the first 72 hours or so were most likely caused by sudden diet changes and the stress of being rescued.
In addition to following these precautions, when the time comes for the rabbit to go to it's new home, you need to make sure that you are sending an ample supply of food to transition the rabbit on. Even if you expect the rabbit to be fed the same thing you feed, you still need to send some with them, along with instructions on food transitioning. Not all people are honest, and you could save the rabbit's life by simply sending a little bit of food with it.
For more Angora-specific tips for rescuers, see our article here.