We would like to announce the arrival of our newest members of the Milo & Me Crew! 9 beautiful baby bunnies were born on 12/13/12, 8 surviving. Mom and babies are doing wonderful and thriving, with help for one baby)!

 Tessy got to meet Santa first hand and let him know what she is wanting for Christmas this year. And made a few new friends along the way!

Bloat and ways I found helped in treating it

After my over a week long battle trough Bloat with my 12 week old French Lop Doe, Tessy, she is finally on the right track and better. After compiling information from other Blogs and websites in a previous Blog, I asked many questions to those breeders I can trust on how THEY deal with this horrible
ailment if one of their rabbits falls ill with it. In response I heard many good outcomes unlike the horrific ones stated online!


First, you should know the signs and symptoms of Bloat in rabbits:

A rabbit suffering from Bloat will be listless and uncomfortable;they will stop eating and may be thirstier than usual. They will also not lay down or stretch out due to them being in pain and or uncomfy. They may also grind their teeth if pain is severe enough. They will also quit pooping due to their tummy not functioning properly. Their tummy may make a gargling sound or also sound as though fluids are moving around in there.


Second, you should always seek veterinary/professional help BEFORE trying to treat it on your own. I am not telling you how to treat your rabbit only ways that myself, and other breeders have had success with treating them.



Things you can do to relieve and get rid of Bloat in your bunny:


1. Remove food from cage and replace with Timothy Hay to help get their tummy moving again


2. Give them infant gas relief drops found at any drug store


3. Pedialyte can be given to help keep up their electrolytes, strength and help calm their tummy


4. Yogurt with no less than 3 active bacteria in it is a great way to get them back up and going if anti-biotics are needed to get good bacteria back into their tummy


5. A good probiotic paste is also good to help get them on track again, you can find these at any local tractor or farm supply store


6. It is also important to keep them active and moving. After gas drops and yogurt, let them run or make them hop around


7. Feed Gripe water


8. Pineapple juice and cat hairball relief will help if it is caused by a hairball


9. Feed regular oatmeal, old fashioned not instant


10. Feed plenty of fiber as found in Hay, grains, seeds and berries


11. Apple cider vinegar in the water


12. Neomycin



13. Whole rolled oats or regular oats


14. Entracare aqua


15. Pro C


16. Infactol


17. Canned pumpkin, regular not pie filling


18. If back bones are very pronounced and noticeable, try worming them


19. A warm bath will help alleviate their pain from the Bloat and following it by a nice gentle massage by laying them on their back and massaging their tummy

REMEMBER: Always seek out the help of your local small animal vet for treatment!

A poem

Will you think of me inside my hutch,
That tiny starter pack.
That does not let me hop around,
And starts to hurt my back?


Will you think of me tomorrow,
When you go to work or school.
With a lovely lunch packed in your bag,
Cause I get hungry too....


Will you think of me, just sometimes please?
My hutch, it smells so bad,
I'd love some water in my bowl,
And some hay, I'd be so glad!


Will you think of me when the sun shines bright,
And it's wonderfully hot,
But I can't get cool, this heart is so cruel.
Don't tell me you forgot!


Will you think of me when the north winds blow
And my hutch floors turn to ice,
And I'm shivering cold while you're all warm,
underneath your quilt so nice?


Will you think of me? Please think of me!
I'm helpless and at your mercy!
Why did you buy me on a whim?
Why did you desert me?


I can binkie over rainbows now,
I am happy and free.
But I wonder now that I am gone,
Will you ever think of me?

The start of "Milo & Me

Milo was a rescued rabbit. So I bought him from a Rabbit Breeder. That breeder did horrible things to him and it caused Milo to fear all people. When he got to my care he was aggressive and scared; you could not get close to him without him panicking. He should have been 12 pounds, but I could feel every bone on his body and he was only 9.5 pounds. The breeder carried him by his ears instead of the proper way which is by placing his body against yours while placing his head gently under your arm to make him feel secure. Eventually he realized I was not a bad person and started warming up to me. I would take him with me to Chuck & Don's, where I worked at the time. Because I took him with me to work he was able to spend the entire day with me while I worked on the floor meeting new people. From that day on he has been the most social, friendly, laid back rabbit I have ever seen; however he is still very sensitive about his ears. The bond he has with me is unlike any I or many others have seen. I began writing this story due to the strong urging of my Grandma Grace, because she is constantly amazed at the connection between Milo and Me.

Max

Animals take a special place in our hearts. Each animal who comes into your life will affect you differently, at least in my case they do. On March third of 2012, Max was born. After nearly 2 years of trying to get baby bunnies out of my pair of French Lop Rabbits, they had one single baby alive and well. From the beginning I knew he was special and he showed me over and over again with each outing, each milestone and each accomplishment he achieved. Every person he came in contact with fell in love with him. People didn’t even have to meet him to know how special he was. His pictures and the posts I made about him were enough to show them. He had a special light to him and a personality that was unlike any animals I have ever seen before. He was my Maximilian and was most definitely one in a million. He went everywhere with me and was more like a child than a rabbit… he loved his car rides in his doggie car seat where he could look out the window, going to the store and riding in the cart while I shopped and visiting friends and family for all the attention in the world.

On Sunday, September 23rd of 2012, I went to take Max out of his kennel to take pictures with the ribbons won from the previous weekend’s shows. He wasn’t himself at all. Normally he is bouncing and jumping like a crazy man to see me and so excited that he can’t contain himself. Not this time. This time he was lying down and almost moping. This wasn’t out of the norm for sweet Max; he could pout with the best of them and make you feel horrible. Usually a romp in the grass outside was enough to perk him up and make up for whatever it was you had done so wrong to him. But this time was different…. He barely moved around, he wouldn’t eat carrots, wouldn’t take cheerios, grass, nothing….He was sick. So thinking a shot of antibiotics and some TLC would do the trick I put him in the running area for the buns. I came back not even an hour later to find him laying splayed out all four legs out to either side of him and his nose flat down on the floor with a shallow breathing… Something was very wrong. I scooped him up and ran upstairs with him trying not to panic and told my mom. He was cold, shallow breathing and jerking struggling to stay alert. I made up some antibiotic water and gave him that and pedialite via syringe. I jumped on my laptop to type out a message to a friend asking what it could be, and all I got to type was, “my rabbit is showing,” before he got worse. A friend called and typed out a message for me and then I realized that he was dying. My 6.5 month old baby boy Max was dying before my eyes. I held him tight in my arms like I did so many times before when I needed him to cheer me up crying and praying this wasn’t happening. But it was. Within a minute he was gone… Just like that my baby boy was taken so suddenly from me. It hasn’t even been 48 hours since his passing and the pain is just so real yet unreal. I keep thinking it’s not true, it can’t be true. I expect to hear him running around, see him excited and being goofy to see me and just making my day that completely positive experience that I had never experienced before he was born. I woke up and looked forward to seeing him and having him be a part of my day.

I will never hear his little bell on his collar jingle again, he
will never be glued to my feet as I am trying to get things done again, and I will always miss my little man, Max. He is gone but will never be forgotten. He was that one special pet that comes into your life and changes you. For the better in their presence and maybe for the worse in their departure as I don’t think I will be able to fully open my heart to another like I did with him. There is a part of my heart that will always ache for him and love him at the same time. 

Safe items and no no's to do for rabbits

1. What NOT to feed your rabbit: Rabbits are fond of vegetables, but not all fruits and veggies contain ingredients that are suitable for them.
2. 
   
3. You should definitely limit the amount of calcium-rich veggies and fruits
   you feed them. Calcium can ultimately cause health complications.
4. 
   

• Absolutely never feed your rabbit cauliflower! This is vital
  information! They are unable to pass gas and cauliflower will cause them to need
  to, which puts their lives in danger!!!!


• Any fruits and veggies should be bought from a store and cleaned, rather
  than picked from your neighborhood or backyard. These backyard harvests often
  contain hazardous chemicals and pesticides.

1. How
   Much to Feed Your Rabbit:
   This
   all depends on their size. Small rabbits (2lbs - 6lbs) are fine on about a 1/2
   cup to 1 cup daily. Larger than that should have 1 cup daily, possibly a cup and
   a half if they are over 10 lbs. Ones that are pregnant or nursing kits should
   always be free fed. Once again, talk with your vet to determine proper food
   servings for your particular breeds.


2. Where
   to get Rabbit Food:
   Part
   of taking care of a rabbit, is finding the best food possible. Pellets can be
   found at any local grain elevator, farm supply store, or pet store. Timothy Hay
   can often be found in the same location. Often the feed found at grain elevators
   or farm supply store will be of a higher quality, and the employees will often be more knowledgeable
   about it.

Caution:

• Absolutely NO Cauliflower!!!

Quick Tips:

• Water is a rabbit's #1 important
  nutrient!!!