• 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.

Same old hay question.

D

DropDeadFred

New Kit
Since Fred arrived he has never eaten any hay. There has always been some available and I've tried the hay cakes different hays from the "hay experts", different pet shop hay but he just starves himself until he get pellets/muesli/fresh food.
He's been the vets a couple of times for his teeth and has only just got back from another visit. Obviously there is a danger with the dentistry so I need to get him on hay as I don't particularly want to be responsible for him not coming back from the vets because of his teeth aren't worn down with eating hay.
He weighs just over 2kg. What amount of pellets should I give him to keep him going until he decides that hay is better than nothing and to get eating it?
 
Approximately an eggcup ful of pellets for that size id say.

Does he eat ANY hay at all?

Do you give any veges, or other grass?
 
My buns are really fussy with hay too...
They currently have excel fresh forage, it looks so yummy!

Toffee is the worst of the group and i am currently reducing pellets to increase hay eating, i also put the hay in all litter trays and also in their bowls.

Have you tried making it fun? Getting cardboard tubes and stuffing them with hay and goodies can be fun and might get him to eat the hay?
 
GrahamL said:
Approximately an eggcup ful of pellets for that size id say.

Does he eat ANY hay at all?

Do you give any veges, or other grass?
Click to expand...

Never once have I seen him eat any hay. Eats loads of veges though. I mix the hay with his pellets and muesli but he just fishes though it to get to them.:roll:
 
I have tried things like:

spraying it with fresh pineapple juice
grating carrot in with it
chopping it up
putting it everywhere
stuffing it in tubes
tickling under the chin
reducing pellets of course

None worked for me :roll: but you could always try them.
 
How about try mixing dried leaves and herbs in with his pellets to start with. If he starts to eat those, then mix in shorter bladed hay such as redigrass or excel forage. There are also alfalfa cubes you could try. For mine it seemed once I had found the key to get them to try that little bit they liked it from that point. ;)
 
I found i had this problem with my bunny but i started giving her Timothy hay and then I started to mix it through with normal hay. She loves it but I still have to mix it so she still eats her hay :) hope this helps :)
 
You might have already tried this but Vitacraft make some 'flavoured' hay with dandelion, peppermint or rose - the dandelion variety is v. popular with mine :wave: Hope you find a solution!
 
Have your buns teeth been checked by a vet? Has he ever needed a dental?
Only asking as I had a dental bunny who had elongated tooth roots, this was only diagnosed after Xrays. He would eat everything apart from Hay I never saw him eat any hay for the 2 years I had him :( and I tried everything too :(

Hope you can get Fred onto liking Hay, does he eat grass?
 
:wave: If your bun isn't eating any hay I would advise you reducing the pellets/muesli until they are nothing more than a 'treat'. Pellets & muesli are like feeding sweets. They are not necessary. Hay should be the major part of the diet, followed by a variety of greens & herbs, with pellets, muesli & fruit being given as treats only.

Also, I would make sure that your bun has no dental issues :)
 
benkat said:
:wave: If your bun isn't eating any hay I would advise you reducing the pellets/muesli until they are nothing more than a 'treat'. Pellets & muesli are like feeding sweets. They are not necessary. Hay should be the major part of the diet, followed by a variety of greens & herbs, with pellets, muesli & fruit being given as treats only.

Also, I would make sure that your bun has no dental issues :)
Click to expand...


Sounds as though the bun has had several visits to the vet for dentals.
 
How much do you feed your bun in the way of pellets? Only an eggcupful is recommended. Mine have lots of veg (probably too much), that amount of pellets and eat plenty of hay. If you feed lots of pellets then probably he's filling up on those and doesn't 'fancy' hay. Mine love Oxbow Western Timothy hay (different from Timothy hay) which I buy on-line.
 
He's just come back from a dental (£100 this time :roll:), and as we know at some point the odds are he won't at some point.

He gets loads of pellets and a bit of museli daily. He eats all vegies and herbs put out. In fact everything except hay. Lets face it who'd eat dried grass when fresh veggies are on the table.

I've tried reducing the pellets and fresh food but he just starves himself and loses weight. In the morning he's ravenous and leathers anything put out. The hay is still there untouched. I need to get him to start eating it before his teeth grow spurs again.

I'll give the oxbow hay a try as none of the sample packs from hay experts have done anything.

After that I'll drag him around by his ears and give him a light beating with a stick. Worked on me when I was a child when I wouldn't eat liver.:mrgreen:
 
Does any one know of a good hay supplier?

Hi guys,

I am looking for a hay supplier, Timothy and alpha alpha hay in particular as my bunnies really like them. I have looked in my local petshops but could not find any, Timothy yes but not alpha alpha hay.

If you know of any places where I can get some, can you kindly let me know :wave:

PS: My bunny is doing really well after loosing the babies and spending 2 nights at the vets. She is back to her usual self. Looking forward to getting her spayed. Do I need to though if there is no buck around?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Zigzag
Struggling with Zigzag- not eating hay
Replies
18
Views
509
InspectorMorse
InspectorMorse
DemiS
Ways to keep hay low to the ground without being peed on?
Replies
2
Views
170
InspectorMorse
InspectorMorse
P
Bunny still off food and hay, drooling and teeth chattering
2 3
Replies
49
Views
924
twistedtiggerz69
twistedtiggerz69
Back
Top