• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Any more ideas to encourage hay eating???

wiggie

Alpha Buck
I know this has been done before but I'm getting to the point of running out of ideas. So far I have done:-
I always use green sweet smelling hay for all the buns.
Selection pack from the hay experts - no interest
only giving grass - disaster ending in stasis
reducing pellets - just lost weight
chopping hay up
Covering hay with critical care food that I know he loves - showed interest the first time but ignored after that
mixed hay with grated carrot - picked out the carrot
Likewise if dandelions in grass - picks out dandelions (better than nothing!)
Hay cakes - no interest

He has fresh hay every day that he doesn't touch other than to pee on.
He has fresh grass every day which he has the occasional nibble on but not much.
He has excell pellets morning and night and a small amount of greens.
he used to have a small hand full of pellets once a day like the ohter buns but is thin at the moment so he is having 2 lots to try to put the weight on. I do realise this may reduce the chance of him eating hay but feel stuck between getting his weight up and getting him to eat hay to reduce the number of dentals he has. Otherwise he is well and bright.
Any advice would be appreciated
 
I have the same prob with my 2 buns, particularly Izzy. From time to time some of those things work for me, especially reducing pellets but then they refuse and go hungry sometimes.
 
:wave: What is the problem with his teeth? Could it be that he physically cannot eat hay?
That's the situation with my Spike (and when I tried to force him to, that's when he dropped the weight:( . 2 Vets agree that the way Spikes back teeth are aligned (he has no front ones) means that he can't eat hay so I have to give unlimited pellets.

It may be worth a chat with your Vet in case it's a similar situation.
 
think that hay experts do a pelleted food espeically for buns with dental issues.. might be wroth looking into it?
sprinkluing dried herbs onto hay? how about a high fibre pellet diet instead.. the grass is a good thing provided it is introduced slowly. im sure there are other high fibre foods ssuch as spinich and dark greens that maybe you coul dadd to diet but i agree with luvabun maybe you just need ot give him the pellets in case he cant eat the hay for some reason?have you treid alfalfa or maybe hay from local farm? good luck whatever happens xx
 
I have a few things you can try to get them to eat more hay (must admit that nothing I have tried with Homer works though :roll:)

· Take his favorite treat, hide it in the hay and make him forage around to get to it.

· If he gets any veggies, mix hay in with them, hay will stick to the moist veggies and he may grow to like the hay.

· If he likes carrots, you can shred a carrot and mix it in with the hay, the carrot will also stick to the hay.

· You can also mist the hay with a diluted fruit juice (if he likes a certain flavor) which may entice him to eat it.

· Also, put hay everywhere that he frequents; make it so he can’t get away from it.

· Rabbits also like to eat hay in their litter box; most rabbits will only use one side of the litter box for waste. Place the hay in “clean” side. There is no need for concern about him eating soiled hay, he will just pick around it.
 
Thanks guys, bunny babe, have tried or already do everything you suggest apart from spraying fruit juice. . . it's worth a try! - thanks:D
Bunlover, he is already on excell light as it's higher in fibre than the normal and seems fine with that (ironic as we are trying to increase his weight:roll::lol:), but I will definately check the hay experts website for those pellets you mention:D. I have tried loads of different types of hay including alfalfa. . no interest:roll:
Luvabun - hadn't thought of that. will mention it to the vet next time. also quick question, how does spikes digestion cope with the unlimited pellets and how many does he eat in a day? I don't want to over feed TJ but am aware that without hay he is completely dependent on veg and pellets I give him.
William - glad to know I'm not alone:lol:
I have a feeling this will end with TJ eating the occasional bit of grass and that's it like he does now, but at least we will know we have tried everything!
x
 
I know it's no help but I am in exactly the same situation with Gregory - I've even tried the fruit juice!

He has pretty bad dental probs - crooked incisors and probs with molars. I tried to limit pellets and 'force' him to eat hay but he lost 520g in one week and was basically on death's door - I now figure I am best giving him enough to survive (so 3 small handfuls of Science Selective, 4 teaspoons of porridge, 2 spring greens leaves and one alfalfa chip) each day as his teeth can't get much worse, and better his teeth be bad than him die of starvation!

Does mean VERY regular dentals though, to stop him being in pain, and my vet and I have now decided we have tried everything else and the next option is removing his front teeth.

Hope things turn out ok for you bun how are his teeth?
 
Yep, I know the problems you are having.

I feed my two Oxbow as they are hay based (Excel did not agree with Homer) and really have to let Homer have them as much as he wants or he has a dicky tummy. He does eat grass but not as much as he should :roll:

I am in a catch 22 because this means Katy has access to them too and she is a pudding :oops: She is also a good hay/grass eater. I don't know what else I can do.

My vet has said that he has noticed that Homer has put on a bit of weight since his regular dentals (monthly) as his teeth are a lot more even now so this helps them to chew the food better which helps them digest it.

If you do find a way to get your bunny to eat hay, please let me know. I will try anything.
 
Will do bunny babe!
his inscisors are fine it's his molars that are the problem. He had his first dental about three weeks ago after loosing weight. His teeth were really bad - on a scale of 1-5 about a 4:shock: and is on long term abx for an infection in his jaw. The vet wants to check him every 6 to 8 weeks but as this is the beginning of road we haven't travelled before we are unsure how often he will need dentals from now on. The vet said could be anything from every 2 to 12 months but without hay it will probably be nearer to the first option:roll:. I guess we will have to wait and see. We go back to the vets in 3 weeks. At least he is eating pellets well and seems happy in himself so things could be alot worse. Thanks or everyone's advice
x
 
Yep, I know the problems you are having.

I feed my two Oxbow as they are hay based (Excel did not agree with Homer) and really have to let Homer have them as much as he wants or he has a dicky tummy. He does eat grass but not as much as he should :roll:

I am in a catch 22 because this means Katy has access to them too and she is a pudding :oops: She is also a good hay/grass eater. I don't know what else I can do.

My vet has said that he has noticed that Homer has put on a bit of weight since his regular dentals (monthly) as his teeth are a lot more even now so this helps them to chew the food better which helps them digest it.

If you do find a way to get your bunny to eat hay, please let me know. I will try anything.

I can understand your dilema! TJ has a wife bun reserved at a local rescue and I am worrying about the same kind of issues. I guess there's no easy answer. Good luck!
 
Oh man, I can't believe I'm about to suggest this, but a hay 'smoothie'?

Could you maybe whisk it up in a food blender or something to make some sort of mush, then offer it in a bowl or something? That might give you an idea as to whether or not its a teeth issue or a taste issue.

I can't believe I just suggested that, it sounds so stupid, lol.
 
Oh man, I can't believe I'm about to suggest this, but a hay 'smoothie'?

Could you maybe whisk it up in a food blender or something to make some sort of mush, then offer it in a bowl or something? That might give you an idea as to whether or not its a teeth issue or a taste issue.

I can't believe I just suggested that, it sounds so stupid, lol.

Thats a good idea, I think I'll try that.
The same sorta thing worked with my WW hamster.. he didnt like his pellets so I mushed them up with water and added some peanut butter (not enough to make it sticky though) and then he ate it!
 
Luvabun - hadn't thought of that. will mention it to the vet next time. also quick question, how does spikes digestion cope with the unlimited pellets and how many does he eat in a day? I don't want to over feed TJ but am aware that without hay he is completely dependent on veg and pellets I give him.


x
Spikes digestion copes fine with unlimited Science Selective. herbs and grated carrot, apple and celery. It takes a while but he does manage to gum a bit of grass. As for the quantity, it's difficult to say as he's just needed to put weight on for his dental... I'd guess he's eating half of one of those ceramic bowls full a day )he's a small bun, currently 1.9kg).

Good luck.
 
Oh man, I can't believe I'm about to suggest this, but a hay 'smoothie'?

Could you maybe whisk it up in a food blender or something to make some sort of mush, then offer it in a bowl or something? That might give you an idea as to whether or not its a teeth issue or a taste issue.

I can't believe I just suggested that, it sounds so stupid, lol.

:lol::lol: I have tried putting it in blender too...:oops::lol::oops::lol: I then tried to make hay cakes with it when he wouldn'e eat it but no joy.

Worth a go though.
 
Oh man, I can't believe I'm about to suggest this, but a hay 'smoothie'?

Could you maybe whisk it up in a food blender or something to make some sort of mush, then offer it in a bowl or something? That might give you an idea as to whether or not its a teeth issue or a taste issue.

I can't believe I just suggested that, it sounds so stupid, lol.

:lol::lol: It's not stupid! I will try ANYTHING:roll:. Thanks for the suggestion! My other half already thinks I'm bunny mad . . .this will just confirm it:lol:
have tried the hay cakes with no luck but just grateful to have something else different to try! The things we do for buns:roll:
x
 
Well I'm glad people didnt think it was a stupid idea because I felt a right muffin saying it, lol.

Rabbits are a right pain sometimes and I hope those that need their buns to, can find ways to encourage more hay eating. I have someone who adopted a bun from the RSPCA recently who is struggling with this, so I am making a list involving all your ideas.
 
Back
Top