Tuckle, Our Bunny

[Fierce Critter]

Our pet rabbit, Tuckle, has developed some tooth problems and my vet has me hand-feeding him a type of feed called "Critical Care." Basically it's a very finely ground-up combination of hay, dry vegetables, vitamins & supplements. You're supposed to mix it with water into a paste and sort of force-feed it to the rabbit with a gigantic oral syringe so they'll get nutrition.

I was kinda discouraged last night. I tried the food, he wouldn't eat it at all. So I sat him back on the floor. I was really sad, thinking that he was just going to end up not eating and getting sicker.

But when I was cleaning up the table, he ran back in and stood up by me. So I took the big syringe with the Critical Care food in it and held it down to him - and damn if he didn't start ravenously attacking it.

I got down to his level and started gushing the food out of the tip of the syringe, and he just kept taking it in by himself. If I didn't push it fast enough, he'd start biting the tip of the syringe. I got nearly a full 25 cc's of food into him, and I think he would have eaten more if I'd had more prepared.

Today, I let him stand by himself on the table and this time had an overfilled syringe filled with about 40 cc's of the Critical Care food.

He ate EVERY BIT of it and wanted more.

I'm going to call the vet's office about the following, but I wonder if the rest of you can brainstorm for me, too. Tuckle is so enthusiastic about eating that medicine that he's chewing of bits of the plastic syringe tip. I already filed it down once and he bit it jagged again. I wonder if there isn't some kind of metal instrument I can use to squeeze out the food to him in the same way, but that he can't break with his teeth? Again, I'm going to contact the vet about this, and I also just thought of trying one of my metal cake decorating tips in some way. But if you can think of anything else that might work in this capacity, send your suggestion my way. Thanks!

[Destroit]

Maybe try spoon feeding him? Or get a little bit on the tip of a butter knife and hold it near his mouth? That might work.

[Fierce Critter]

Heh. Problem solved.

I just put the little bowl I mix it in in front of him. He's chowing down on it directly from the bowl.

Anyway, keep Tuckle in your thoughts anyway, please. Turns out he's probably in the final stages of life and while he's developed a couple problems, he's pretty energetic and has a good attitude. But I'm having to medicate him right now and bunnies are fragile, so hopefully my Tuckle will troop through this and stay with us longer, and happily.

[Marmee_Noir]

Awwww glad to hear he's eating and doing better.. I just had to have my bunny Kioko put down! :( Amazing how you can get attached to the cute lil fur balls...

I'll be sending lots of well wishes Tuckles way.. XOXO