En masse hay desertion

Hi, I have 3 rabbits that have all of a sudden just about given up eating their hay. Previously they were eating it by the mouthful, now they barely chew a small amount 2 or 3 times a day. Has anyone else had this trouble? Here are the circumstances:

1. They are eating their other food as normal (lots of lettuce and cabbage, small amount of carrot, cucumber, apple, celery and tomato, plus a teaspoon of pellets, all twice a day for each rabbit).
2. It is quite hot at the moment where we are.
3. I thought it may be the container, so I put hay in another place too, but it made no difference.
4. I thought it might be the hay itself, so I bought a new bag, but it made no difference. I also bought a different brand in addition, but that made no difference either.
5. They are all doing it so I can't imagine it's sickness related.
6. Despite the heat they are not drinking much water either.
7. They don't seem to be in pain at all and are behaving as normal in all other ways.
8. They have access to the garden for 12 hours or so a day, which is lawn, which they are eating. But they've had that for the last two years as well and have still eaten lots of hay.
9. I gave them some dandelion from the garden and they ate that as normal too.
10. They are spending most of the day snoozing in the sunshine because we haven't really had it here so far this year.

I don't really know what to do. It's been about 3 days since this started happening. Does it really matter as long as they are eating something? Have they just gone off the hay? Is it normal?

Thanks,
May

Hi there May.

It could of course just be that they don't care for the hay but the first thing I would look at is their teeth to be honest. Hay being the most difficult to eat when the teeth are beginning to be uncomfortable. If they are continuing to eat other things (which are easier to chew) then I think it would be worth having a look at teeth first. My vet would suggest that teeth can be the cause of most ailments with rabbits including pain, low gut motility, mucky bums etc so it's always ta good place to start I think.

All of my buns are hay monsters and when they have just been given a fresh load, they will drink much more, being drying they need more - so not drinking water as much as they have been might just be related to the slow down in hay eating.

Helen

:wave: Have you had their teeth checked?

Edit: cross-posted, oops

I'll have a look at their teeth next time they decide to come in (it's almost impossible to catch them in the garden). What should I be looking for?

One of them came in and I managed to get a picture of her mouth. Does it look ok?



I'm trying to get a picture of the inside of her mouth, but it's not easy!

You need a special vet thing (cant remember name begins with O ) that can get to the back of the teeth to see if they have molar spurs! Get a vet to look dont force the mouth open!

If they have molar spurs the vet will put them under GA and burr/file the spurs off :wave:

Yes, we've given up on getting a picture inside. The outside one was easy. We weren't trying to force her mouth open, we were trying to get her to open it herself but no luck. How do you make a rabbit yawn?!

Can I ask, is it likely that all 3 of them have developed a problem with their teeth at the same time?

It would be difficult for you to check to see if their back teeth (molars) are in good shape. In order to see you need a piece of equipment called an otoscope - it's the thing that vets put in ears and mouths when they do their regular health checks. Without one, you won't be able to see what's happening. Even if the front teeth are good, it doesn't mean that the back ones are as good.

Hopefully you will be okay but I am afraid, it's most likely going to mean a trip to the vets, unless you know someone with an otoscope.

may said:

Yes, we've given up on getting a picture inside. The outside one was easy. We weren't trying to force her mouth open, we were trying to get her to open it herself but no luck. How do you make a rabbit yawn?!

Can I ask, is it likely that all 3 of them have developed a problem with their teeth at the same time?

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It is quite unlikely but not impossible especially if they have all had the same diet.

may said:

Yes, we've given up on getting a picture inside. The outside one was easy. We weren't trying to force her mouth open, we were trying to get her to open it herself but no luck. How do you make a rabbit yawn?!

Can I ask, is it likely that all 3 of them have developed a problem with their teeth at the same time?

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I guess it'd be likely if they're all related? Say if they're from the same litter and/or have been living on same diets?

They have the same diet and all live together, but they are 3 different breeds so certainly not related. They did come from the same rescue centre, but at 3 different times.

Have you changed your hay? Or stored it somewhere different?

Were they eating grass when out in the garden?

may said:

They have the same diet and all live together, but they are 3 different breeds so certainly not related. They did come from the same rescue centre, but at 3 different times.

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In that case it seems less likely, but they still have diet in common and could all have had underlying problems why you got them from the rescue, so still possible. I hate trying to second-guess things like this (but always do with my buns). Trips to the vet usually put my mind at rest

it sounds like they have access to a large amount of grass during the day????? my guess would be that they are scoffing themselves on spring grass (wet ground plus good sunshine = lots of grass....which hasn't really happened in the last 2 years) which bunnies much prefer to hay. That would account for reduced hay AND water consumption.

it's always worth while getting them checked out though if you are concerned.

may said:

They have the same diet and all live together, but they are 3 different breeds so certainly not related. They did come from the same rescue centre, but at 3 different times.

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Whilst I agree that related bunnies are most like to have the same issues especially if they are treated and fed the same way, but I don't think it would be impossible for this to be a dental issue for all three.

But, it could be any number of other things too so if they persist in not eating hay, you do have a problem and should probably seek advice from a really bunny savvy vet. They could all have the same problem that isn't dental.

Can I ask what hay you are feeding?

Is is pet shop hay? Is it meadow or have you tried them on some of the special hays to see if it makes a difference?

I have to say that when one of mine who has previously enjoyed hay doesn't eat as much, I always know it's time to look at the teeth. Just my experience though; I have 19 bunnies of my own and foster too so I have seen quite a few cases of impending gut stasis due to dental problems.

ecudc said:

it sounds like they have access to a large amount of grass during the day????? my guess would be that they are scoffing themselves on spring grass which bunnies much prefer to hay. That would account for reduced hay AND water consumption.

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That sounds very likely too - and that in itself can cause problems like bloat if bunnies eat too much spring grass when not used to it, so it's something to keep an eye on.

Angie65 said:

Have you changed your hay? Or stored it somewhere different?

Were they eating grass when out in the garden?

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We've changed nothing regarding the hay. They had eaten 80% of the bag and then wouldn't eat the rest. We bought another bag of the same in case it was the hay but it made no difference. We also offered them a different hay at the same time but they didn't want that either.

They have been eating grass out in the garden but they have been eating grass in the garden for two years or more whilst still eating hay inside. The only thing that has changed is their (not) eating of hay.

ecudc said:

it sounds like they have access to a large amount of grass during the day????? my guess would be that they are scoffing themselves on spring grass (wet ground plus good sunshine = lots of grass....which hasn't really happened in the last 2 years) which bunnies much prefer to hay. That would account for reduced hay AND water consumption.

it's always worth while getting them checked out though if you are concerned.

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Is that right. I hadn't noticed that. Maybe that is the reason. (I'm talking about the spring grass.)

It's whether or not to go to the vet that we're trying to decide. At the end of the day it's up to my husband though, and he doesn't get home until later.

The Duchess said:

Whilst I agree that related bunnies are most like to have the same issues especially if they are treated and fed the same way, but I don't think it would be impossible for this to be a dental issue for all three.

But, it could be any number of other things too so if they persist in not eating hay, you do have a problem and should probably seek advice from a really bunny savvy vet. They could all have the same problem that isn't dental.

Can I ask what hay you are feeding?

Is is pet shop hay? Is it meadow or have you tried them on some of the special hays to see if it makes a difference?

I have to say that when one of mine who has previously enjoyed hay doesn't eat as much, I always know it's time to look at the teeth. Just my experience though; I have 19 bunnies of my own and foster too so I have seen quite a few cases of impending gut stasis due to dental problems.

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We are feeding them this: http://www.friendshipestates.co.uk/vmchk/pure-dried-grass/view-all-products.html. We have been for two years or so. They used to get some brown hay too but a year or so ago they stopped eating that and would only eat the ReadiGrass.

The only other hay we tried was a normal brown hay from a pet shop.

How long would you say we should wait to see if it's a fad or because they're eating lots of fresh grass? Because they are eating everything else perfectly normally. I just gave the one from my photo some dandelion leaves to say sorry for cutting her nails and photographing her mouth and she ate that normally. I'm not sure if not eating hay is ok or not? Considering that they are still eating the grass in the garden.

The Duchess said:

That sounds very likely too - and that in itself can cause problems like bloat if bunnies eat too much spring grass when not used to it, so it's something to keep an eye on.

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I'm beginning to see how little I know. I thought that they could have as much fresh grass as they want because that is their natural food.