• 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.

Timmy not eating hay-Should I bond him?

William

Wise Old Thumper
After Timmy was neutered almost 2 months ago he wouldn't eat for 4 days and then when he did he wouldn't eat anything but pellets so I've been struggling to convert him back to hay. I'm trying all sorts of things and nothing is working very well.

I've been planning to bond them at the beginning of December but I don't think I can if he isn't eating hay because I would have to give him pellets and then my other 2 would eat them. They're great hay eaters so I don't want to risk them getting addicted to pellets. I was thinking maybe if he saw them eating hay he would. i noticed whenever I feed Jack hay Ben starts eating it (and vice versa). But I don't want to risk having to split up Timmy if he's refusing to eat hay. And I don't want to not be able to see when/how much he's pooping- then I won't know whether he's eating or not.

I'm going to move jack and Ben right next to Timmy and hand feed them all hay and see if Timmy starts eating it because they are. But if that doesn't work should I hold off on bonding? I don't know if I'm making the right decision with this. Would he starve himself instead of just eating hay? I'm just scared of him going into stasis like he nearly did a couple months ago.. :?
 
what a hard situation :( dont know what to suggest, i had this problem when my boy had dental he was on soft foods for a while, unforunatly my bunnys had already bonded ages ago, so i had to keep them together for his recovery, poppy gained weight :( but there both nomming hay now :D i think if it was me i would make sure he is nomming hay before you bond, maybe try him with some yummy hay with little apple bits in to encourage him? or fresh grass?
 
:D He ate hay for 30 mins straight earlier. I have to keep putting one piece at a time in front of him (despite having his cage full of hay he prefers to eat this way :? ). He even ate all sorts of pieces, not just his favorite pieces. Then I did it again 2 separate times for about 15 min. each. I've tried this a lot and he usually will only eat his favorite bits for a couple minutes so I'm really excited.

Only problem is, I think he was actually hungry... I know how sensitive rabbits are, so is it okay to let him go hungry a little if I'm able to get him to eat hay? I figure once he starts getting a liking for it he'll eat it better.
 
I think bonding him might be helpful because they will remind him and reteach him to each hay.

I would suggest gradually cutting down the pellets (gradually, but as fast as possible) so that he gets time to adjust to having hay again.
 
My Amber wouldn't eat hay but as soon as she went to FF's for bonding she started eating it! :oops::shock:

Now she eats any hay so i don't think having a husbun/wifeybun will certainly help :wave:
 
Thanks for the advice. I think I will stick to bonding them in the beginning of December then.

Today I've been hand feeding him hay and then giving him pellets, waiting till he finishes his pellet, and then repeating the steps. He's definitely eating it better, but nothing like my other 2. They went through the same thing as Timmy and now in the last couple weeks they're like hay vacuums, so hopefully within a couple weeks he'll be eating as well as they are.
 
He's driving me insane :evil: Seriously. I think I'm going to give up for now, see if he eats it when they're bonding. :( Its just really worrying me because he's a nethie. Can 2 months without much hay cause teeth problems?
 
He's driving me insane :evil: Seriously. I think I'm going to give up for now, see if he eats it when they're bonding. :( Its just really worrying me because he's a nethie. Can 2 months without much hay cause teeth problems?

Its probably not ideal but out of curiosity does he nibble other things that would help his teeth e.g. willow/apple branches?
When Gilbert came to live with us & was bonded with Parsley he was a little to non hay eater. He soon came around on this & munches away on hay.
I think he just learnt by watching his wife. Hope this helps.
Personally I'd just carry on with the plan to bond him with the others & see how it goes.
Good luck :)
 
I don't think so. He's not a big chewer. I think thats part of why he doesn't like hay. Its so frustrating. :(
 
Back
Top