09
Jun
Certainly if a rabbit that normally eats hay abruptly stops doing so he should be examined by a rabbit-savvy veterinarian as soon as possible to ensure nothing is wrong such as a dental problem or gastrointestinal upset. If your little bun is neglecting to eat their hay and not even touching their water it may be the way you set up their cage.
If your little bun is neglecting to eat their hay and not even touching their water it may be the way you set up their cage.
What happens if bunnies dont eat hay. If your little bun is neglecting to eat their hay and not even touching their water it may be the way you set up their cage. Rabbits typically poop while eating so placing the hay rack above the litter box will positively reinforce them to eat while using the bathroom. Certainly if a rabbit that normally eats hay abruptly stops doing so he should be examined by a rabbit-savvy veterinarian as soon as possible to ensure nothing is wrong such as a dental problem or gastrointestinal upset.
Rabbits are prone to both conditions. While your rabbit should primarily consume hay pellets contain carbohydrates and can be helpful in aiding thin rabbits to maintain or. Im pretty frugal so I dont want to waste hay and Ive found that mixing yesterdays hay with fresh hay renews it with a fresh aroma and our bunnies start eating right away.
If you dont want to mix staler hay with fresh hay then just use yesterdays hay in your rabbits litter box and put fresh hay out to eat. Science also confirms the need for hay in a rabbits diet. Course fiber such as hay keeps the digestive gut muscles strong.
Good gut strength is necessary for these animals to digest food properly and avoid serious health problems. If your rabbit does not like hay or is not eating enough hay dont give up. Rabbit owners across the planet have had great success using the tips below.
What If My Rabbit Wont Eat Hay. Sometimes rabbits dont take an interest in hay. This is problematic because if they dont curb their appetite with hay theyre more likely to overeat pellets.
Or theyll steal poisonous foods such as chocolate or cookies. But while rabbits require a special high-fiber dietthink high-quality Timothy hay fresh vegetables and herbshamster food will do little to nothing for your bunnys nutrition. Walnuts are high in fat not fiber which can cause your rabbit uncomfortable indigestion.
Alfalfa hay should be avoided for rabbits older than 6 months. Theres no such thing as a rabbit eating too much hay. Rabbits teeth grow constantly.
Grazing on hay helps to keep their teeth short. If your rabbit isnt eating enough hay itll have to have its teeth filed down by a veterinarian. I dont know if part of it is because when he was young I never gave him much hay so a small bag of hay lasted him a year until I realized I needed to give him more.
My other rabbit eats whatever hay I give her. My rabbit is also very lazy and I think he likes his pellets too much and eating hay is more work. If you are concerned a momma rabbit has stopped caring for her baby bunnies dont start panicking.
There are things you can do to keep your bunnies safe and healthy. Read through to learn how you can take care of baby bunnies. GI Stasis is a condition that occurs when a rabbits gut slows down or stops moving.
In this state the rabbit will be unable to poop and therefore unable to eat comfortably. Its incredibly dangerous and can be fatal if the rabbit does not receive emergency veterinary care. If a rabbit doesnt eat enough hay then this can slow down the rabbits intestinal functions and cause serious problems eg.
GI Stasis see below. Chewing hay grinds their ever-growing teeth down to a. If your rabbit doesnt eat alfalfa hay they can still have plenty of the nutrients that it provides by eating fresh hay.
Rabbits dont need as much food as you think. When you give your bunny a healthy diet with plenty of vegetables and fruits they will look and feel healthy and they will stay that way. Dont feed Lucernealfalfa hay this is commonly available but is just far too high in calcium and protein and too low in fibre for adult rabbits.
This will predispose to weight gain calcium sludging in the urine and potentially kidney damage. Can Bunnies Eat Grass Instead of Hay. Yes rabbits do great on eating grass instead of hay if you are using it as a main food source.
It needs to be fresh and the rabbits need to be allowed to graze. The process of rabbits grazing on fresh grass and also eating hay is not only that it feeds them. If you notice your bunny isnt eating as much hay cut back on the pellets.
Seriously yall please please stay away from junky pet store pellets. Theyre packed with unsafe ingredients and can cause obesity. The mixes may look appealing but they dont have the nutrients your rabbit deserves.
A Word on Water and Housekeeping. Pellets provide nutrients that your bunny may not get from hay and some fresh foods. In the early stages fresh foods can only take a very small portion of the bunnys diet so pellets must be supplemented until the bunny gets older.
A good pellet brand should not contain dried. If your rabbit is not used to eating any fresh foods start out gradually by giving the green leafy veggies and then adding a new item from the list every week or so. If the addition of any item leads to diarrhea or unformed stools in 24 to 48 hours then remove it from the diet.