Taking care of a Chinese Rabbit

I came across your post when searching for reasons why I was told not to give them water. I also killed one of my rabbits when I gave it a foot bath. Ayi told me not to give them water but I just couldn't believe it. I wish I knew the science behind this, though. It makes no sense. Have you found out anything?

Little morbid here but I'm wondering if the symptoms were the same. A couple of hours after the foot bath (there was no more than a millimeter of water in the sink), I got it back out of the cage and it would try to hop and its back legs would come up over its head. It writhed around in the cage a little while and then it just stopped moving all together and died within a few hours. Does that sound familiar? It really is an awful way to go and I feel awful for giving it access to water like that, especially after I'd been told not to. Of course, there is a language barrier. I just assumed she meant that they don't need water b/c they get enough from the veggies. I had no idea she meant "absolutely do not give them any." She probably thinks, "Dumb American. Everyone knows not to give rabbits water." He he.

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No, the water is not toxic to them. Through all of online research, i have come to the conclusion: They have extremely sensitive stomachs. They need a lot of soluble fiber, which is what you get in the rabbit pellets. Since they don't get that in the veggies that are recommended (by Chinese), they get lots of gas. It is so extreme, it can cause their whole digestive tract to shut down. Somehow, water makes the whole situation worse.

I also read that cilantro is good for their stomachs as well as other herbs, but that's the one that's easiest to smell and tell for sure what it is, since I can't read Chinese.

Okay, I know you didn't ask for a litany on rabbit innards, sorry!

Anyone with better knowledge than me, please feel free to contradict.

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