• 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.

Post-neuter eating

susie bun

susie bun

Wise Old Thumper
After a couple of really slow days, Spenser is eating quite well. He's still really iffy with greens, but his hay eating has definitely improved. The fact that he went totally off pellets for 48 hours has given me confidence in providing him with less, and encouraging hay-eating. He's still living mainly indoors, and I think the extra stimulation helps. The vet who did his dental x-rays wants him eating more greens and less pellets, but this is difficult when he is so fussy with veg. Still, the extra hay-eating has got to be good news for his teeth, hasn't it?
 
Of course, although it wont improve tooth root issues :)

A bun can easily live on a hay only diet. They will eat it if forced to.

How many pellets is Spenser having, per day, roughly?

I've been through all this, as have many RU members. For health reasons, B&G only have 10 SS pellets per day - then just herbs and they eat so much hay its untrue.

We know Spenser is fussy - but i genuinely think (and this is no reflection on you or your care Susie) that you pander to him a little too much when he's being fussy. Spensers weight is stable - he's had his teeth checked and if the vet thinks thats controllable by diet, excellent. If not, and he needs burring etc, then so be it - thats fine too.

We have both here - diet control and dentals (which Ginger is probably going to need again in a week or so :/) - so it is doable.

I think another factor you need to think about here - is your parents. I know how you are often told your mum has given him extra pellets as she feels he's starving and not getting enough. I think you REALLY need to enforce that they CANNOT do that. Thats not helping the situation at all - if they are still doing this.

I really hope you take this as its meant - it's so very difficult to show empathy and sympathy and understanding with text, i jsut really want you to know i want to help, as do others :)
 
I don't count his pellets - maybe I should. I'm confident, though, that he is getting about half what I was giving before. I know a slower reduction is normally recommended, but his case is slightly different as he went TOTALLY off them for 48 hours.

I still don't completely understand what is up with his roots, but hopefully our appointment on Friday will clarify matters. To be honest, last Thursday night I was so desperate to see Spenser, and upset at the confirmation of my suspicions, that I didn't take in what the vet said. On Friday we are seeing Spenser's usual vet, who didn't do the op but will have seen his xrays. :)
 
susie bun said:
I don't count his pellets - maybe I should. I'm confident, though, that he is getting about half what I was giving before. I know a slower reduction is normally recommended, but his case is slightly different as he went TOTALLY off them for 48 hours.

I still don't completely understand what is up with his roots, but hopefully our appointment on Friday will clarify matters. To be honest, last Thursday night I was so desperate to see Spenser, and upset at the confirmation of my suspicions, that I didn't take in what the vet said. On Friday we are seeing Spenser's usual vet, who didn't do the op but will have seen his xrays. :)
Click to expand...

I think Sky-O's wording always comes to mind in some situations;

"It's not just about knowing the rules - it's about knowing when to break them"

So your cutting down of pellets to half, is okay in this situation :)

I'd count them personally - see how many your giving him - i find it easier to guage what im feeding that way. I even count my sprigs of herbs :lol: I'm a total geek ! :D

Re being upset and not taking it all in - i totally get that. It took me 3 vet trips to really understand what was happening to Ginger as i was so distraught at being told she wasn't well. That's also okay. You care about Spenser a great deal, thats so obvious to see, so dont feel bad about that. I know you'll see the vet on Friday, to discuss his teeth further. Perhaps take a notepad and make notes from what he tells you, so you can remember it?

Well done for doing it all Susie - i know its not always easy, but you know you are doing the right things deep down :)

*Hug*
 
GrahamL said:
Of course, although it wont improve tooth root issues :)

A bun can easily live on a hay only diet. They will eat it if forced to.

How many pellets is Spenser having, per day, roughly?

I've been through all this, as have many RU members. For health reasons, B&G only have 10 SS pellets per day - then just herbs and they eat so much hay its untrue.

We know Spenser is fussy - but i genuinely think (and this is no reflection on you or your care Susie) that you pander to him a little too much when he's being fussy. Spensers weight is stable - he's had his teeth checked and if the vet thinks thats controllable by diet, excellent. If not, and he needs burring etc, then so be it - thats fine too.

We have both here - diet control and dentals (which Ginger is probably going to need again in a week or so :/) - so it is doable.

I think another factor you need to think about here - is your parents. I know how you are often told your mum has given him extra pellets as she feels he's starving and not getting enough. I think you REALLY need to enforce that they CANNOT do that. Thats not helping the situation at all - if they are still doing this.

I really hope you take this as its meant - it's so very difficult to show empathy and sympathy and understanding with text, i jsut really want you to know i want to help, as do others :)
Click to expand...

Wise words from Graham & I agree :D

It's easy to say "don't worry", "he'll be fine" etc but when it's YOUR rabbit not worrying is just impossible.

Gray has first hand experience of changing a buns diet to improve hay nomming, a bun not eating, stasis and a bucket load of other stuff :( Take comfort in knowing that we're all here to help and offer our support.

You've done SO well over the last week & it sounds like Spenser is pretty much fully recovered. You've got over the biggest hurdle - the GA - & he came through that fine :D:D

Now he's neutered & you know the situ with his teeth the rest is relatively straight forward. I know you'll talk to the Vet & people on here and we'll all help you to get Spenser in a much better place eating wise. It won't happen overnight but you're making positive steps in the right direction :D

I agree that the additional exercise and stimulation is helping him Spenser and it wouldn't hurt to mention this to your parents ;) I know they've eaten a little bit of humble pie re. the teeth thing, maybe now they will have more confidence in you and what you say regarding his needs. I know your parents are lovely people and they mean well so please don't take offence :wave: Getting him a proper run set up is really important now and I'm sure will only aid his ongoing health & well-being :D
 
GrahamL said:
"It's not just about knowing the rules - it's about knowing when to break them"
Click to expand...

I agree with this. Every bun is different and you know Spenser so well, you know what's best for him. If his hay eating is improving this is such good news for his teeth :D have you tried mixing his greens with his hay?

What about treating him as a 'gummy bunny' when it comes to veg and ripping things into smaller pieces or grating them, and giving him herbs as they are easy for gummies to hoover down. I know he loves kale and this might be because the pieces are smaller so easier for him to eat, putting less pressure on his teeth if they're a bit tender?
 
i hope mr spenser is feeling ok today? hay is really good i would say :D does he like grass? i had to be really striked with poppy and reducing her pellet intake too, as she seems to put on wieght quickly, she mostly eats hay and grass now, she has a spring green and some lemon thyme and 6 pellets a day bless her! but this encourages her to eat more of what i want her to eat, casper has his bowlful of apple leaves and wet pellets in the afternoon whilst poppy is eating the grass :) i really know how you feel to have a fussy bun, trying to get casper to try new things was a big challenge! and even now he goes off of things like chrunchies and he decides he wants his apple piece as a treat instead and then he will go back to liking crunchies :lol: it is very very difficult and i know exactly what it is like, all you can do is offer him and you are doing a brilliant job of his aftercare :) how is he this afternoon? xx
 
Nicola1 said:
I agree with this. Every bun is different and you know Spenser so well, you know what's best for him. If his hay eating is improving this is such good news for his teeth :D have you tried mixing his greens with his hay?

What about treating him as a 'gummy bunny' when it comes to veg and ripping things into smaller pieces or grating them, and giving him herbs as they are easy for gummies to hoover down. I know he loves kale and this might be because the pieces are smaller so easier for him to eat, putting less pressure on his teeth if they're a bit tender?
Click to expand...

^^ this is a very good point, i know with casper somtimes his tooth root is tender which is why he likes his dried apple leaves so much :)
 
Spenser has had another good day with his eating. :) He wasn't interested in his evening greens, but I'm not bothered because he has had plenty hay (well, plenty by his standards) and he did eat most of his morning greens. He did at least four flops in his crate this morning, then spent the afternoon mainly sleeping in his hutch. He is on metacam for a week, so this may be helping him to nom his hay.
 
Only just found this thread :wave:

when you text me today, my first thought was that the metacam must be helping his roots and therefore improving his hay eating :)

Hopefully you will have a clearer picture of what Spensers actual root problems are on Friday and what further steps need to be made to keep him comfortable
 
so glad spenser had a good day :D yes i suspect the metcam is playing a good role in painrelief for spenser, i know when casper went on to metcam the change was amazing! i will be thinking of him friday, hoping there is a easy solution to his root tooth issue xx
 
We're not at all confident that Spenser actually got his intended doze of metacam until today. He wrigggles and wriggles dreadfully when I hold him. I need both hands to do this so my Dad had the syringe, but Spenser always seemed to turn his head at the crucial moment. :roll: Today we gave up and just put the metacam on a fenugreek crunchie. :oops: He's such a relaxed rabbit as long as nobody is trying to pick him up. I've seen so many flops today. :love:
 
beccimarie said:
^^ this is a very good point, i know with casper somtimes his tooth root is tender which is why he likes his dried apple leaves so much :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, when Grace had teeth and they were bad I had to treat her as if the teeth were already gone and give her grated, herbs etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

a reader of books
Too many pellets
2
Replies
29
Views
1K
a reader of books
a reader of books
Zigzag
Struggling with Zigzag- not eating hay
Replies
18
Views
516
InspectorMorse
InspectorMorse
H
Showing no symptoms - then stops eating
Replies
18
Views
987
bunny momma
bunny momma
Back
Top