Removed incisors - feeding questions

hiya, as you may know Jack had all 6 incisors removed on Friday. She has perked up considerably since then, is washing and nibbling on pellets (proper, hard ones bless her)

The thing is, she hasn't worked out how to eat veg yet.. I have cut them up into "julienne" strips, around the same size as the SS pellets but she picks them up, takes them in her mouth and just sort of makes a chewing motion.. She can't seem to work out to use her back teeth like she doesn with the pellets. I've even tried gently shoving the strip back a bit further in the hope she'll get the hint but no dice.

Is there ANYTHING I can do as she loves her veg and I want her to be able to enjoy it... but nothing I seem to do works. She'll take ti from my hand and it breaks my heart watching her try to eat it (she'll even try to heat a whole carrot, not realising she has no teeth :lol: )

help?

Dicing or grating tends to work better. They need to be 'bitesized' as opposed to just thin. Incisors slice food into mouth sized pieces so she wont be able to cut the strips into small enough bits without them.

We used to grate things for Sage - bit messy but it was the only way she could eat carrots etc

thats a fab idea... i jsut thought as she was managing with the pellets that veg would be a breeze

just sliced the top off my thumb making human dinner but I intend to go and grate my knuckles to the bone now with carrots :lol:

She will get better as time goes by. Bobby only needs his leaves ripping and other bits breaking apart now. I have seen that rabbit manipluate a dog biscuit into his mouth with no incisors (I thought the dog food would be safe from a toothless rabbit).

Hiya Buddabun :wave: I am in the same situation, Molly had her incisors out on thursday and I have prepared salads better for her than I have us!! :lol: Molly is turning her nose up at some things or goes to take some things then thinks twice and wanders off, but she has been back to her bowl and spent absolutely ages there with the food - bless her! I have chopped up all sorts for her and she has taken her pick. I have tried grated carrot which she ate like we eat spagetti (quite funny - shame on me!!) but she loved that but when it came to ripped up kale it kept falling out of her mouth.. she did persevere (or came back later shoudl I say!) and finally got it.
She has also been careful with her pellets whcih she coudlnt get enough of before.. she is now chasing her treat ball (her best friend!! :lol for them again... I think that she just knows which bits are gogn to be a challenge or spikey or what ever the case is and will avoid them until she is ready.
The main thing she adores is 'herbs plus' from the naturals collection (P@H or online at hayexperts)... its fairly high in fibre and I am allowing her anythign she will eat right now, tho she is fairly set with the hay (even with all the treats :roll

Jack sounds like she is doing really well, keep up the good work and she will get the hang of it all

:lol:I was going to suggest sticking the carrots in a blender in reading your original post - thinking grating a far better option however!:lol:
TP

well someone (could hjave been you sorry can't remember ) suggested making a slushie out of soften pellets and veg which I may try if she doesnt start eating properly soon.

Off to the vets for post-op checkup later today and her eye started weeping yesterday (see rabbits chat, it looked sore straight after the op) so I'm more than a little worried.

Poor little mite, I feel so cruel for doing this to her but I guess it's ultimately her own fault for jumping off the examination table and snapping her tooth!!!

still

I've heard of rabbit nappies and stuff... I wonder if you can get rabbit dentures? :lol:

*Now imagines a rabbit with a beaming smile*:roll:

PMSL

you'd need those cleaning tablets. they might even make adverts "one of these rabbits is wearing dentures..." and have them doing wholesome 'couple' activities like bobbing for apples and eating corn on the cob :lol:

Aw hope Jack does ok with her food soon... I have bought everything imaginable from the naturals selection for Molly to eat... what about soggy porridge oats too? blended with banana or other fav treat? Also been feeding herby excel and cutting it into smaller pieces for her....
Hope she is feeling better soon - big hugs to her

she's not a fan of porridge, the grated carroyt did NOT go down well (the boys polished it off tho :lol, will try her on some apple tonight as i know she likes that