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Adding coarse straw for dental prone buns

newbabybuns

Warren Veteran
My buns (all sisters) have all started to have slight teeth problems, one has been in for a dental under GA, and the other some concious rasping. The vet isn't overly concerned that they are very bad at all. More of a case of not perfect, but the slightest hint of anything they stop eating pellets. Also I'm thinking it's because their pellets are SS, and large so they struggle a bit quicker. Lola hadn't eaten hers yesterday, well more of gave up with them when I watched her but when I cut them up, she ate them. Whereas my old bridge bun had Excell nuggets which were tinier, so perhaps that's how he kept eating for longer when his teeth grew long.

I try everything to keep their interest in hay, and so far we are winning that battle most of the time, but now I have thought to give them say a handful of that very big and long straw, in an effort for it to aid keeping their teeth down. I bought the pillow wad stuff http://www.pillow-wad.co.uk/products.asp and even though it says it's soft, it doesn't feel it.

They still have their fresh hays twice as day aswell, and not really a large enough amount of straw to detract from wanting the hay. But I'm hoping it will aid keeping them down a bit more.

Do you think it will help with the teeth??
 
Straw won't help with their teeth im afraid :) Straw has no nutritonal value ans the only thing that grinds down molar teeth properly is hay or grass. I think it's something to do with it's long length and something in it. :) have you tried using different hays? there are some places online which do sample bags. Then you could use cheap hay for bedding and the hay they like on top or in hay racks. I use baled hay from a horse suppliers and my rabbits love it, it's stalky and fresh and a lot cheaper than in pet shops.
 
Oh, thanks Schuette :) I thought the straw I bought may help as it is so long and thick they really have to chew at it to finish a whole piece. It's only really a handful in addition to their hay really. It's sort of the thickness (but tougher)that the Burns Green Oat has been recently if you get that in addition to your bales? but I find the green oat has been chopped up really small. Actually I may email them about that telling them us bunny owners prefer big long strands!

Yeah they have all sorts of hays, I'm constantly buying new ones for them from the hay experts etc. I didn't know there were so many available until I joined RU :lol:
 
How old are your bunnies?

I've noticed that SS do a smaller pellet for bunnies ages 4+ - I accidentally brought a bag and all of my bunnies are younger than 4. Whoops.
 
Oh, thanks Schuette :) I thought the straw I bought may help as it is so long and thick they really have to chew at it to finish a whole piece. It's only really a handful in addition to their hay really. It's sort of the thickness (but tougher)that the Burns Green Oat has been recently if you get that in addition to your bales? but I find the green oat has been chopped up really small. Actually I may email them about that telling them us bunny owners prefer big long strands!

Yeah they have all sorts of hays, I'm constantly buying new ones for them from the hay experts etc. I didn't know there were so many available until I joined RU :lol:

The thing is the straw has no nutritional value. If they start eating straw instead of hay you may end up with more problems as hay is the best thing for wearing down the teeth.

Is it back teeth or front teeth they have the issues with?

I don't actually use any hay other than my baled hay 99% of the time. Sometimes if I am ordering from The Hay Experts I will get a bag of the Alfalfa King Oat, Wheat and Barley hay as mine love that stuff and then they get a handful every now and then.
 
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