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Hovis (Nibbles as was) isn't eating much

Rhianna

Wise Old Thumper
Hovis arrived here yesterday afternoon after having a long journey. He is now in my spare room in a crate/pen set-up and the plan is that I start bonding him in my bedroom with Marnie, probably on Sunday.

I am, however, a bit concerned as he doesn't seem to be eating much at all. I gave him some SS last night and he has only had a few pellets. He ate most of his dandelion leaves but I've given him some of Geoff's Peoples forage and some kale and he hasn't touched either.

I've stroked him and given him a cuddle. I think he may be lonely and stressed after his long journey and seeing so many people. I work so am not around all day but am working from home this afternoon so I can keep an eye on him (am lucky I have an understanding boss).

I do have metaclop (for Dylan) I could use if I have to. I really don't want to take him to the vet as I think he is stressed enough but obviously I will if I need to.

Geoff's People/Graham/Pretty Lupin - what did he like to nom when he was with you? Maybe there is something else I can try him with. I do have some Excel but I know he has been on SS so was going to try and stick with that.
 
Aww I hope Hovis settles into his new home and starts eating soon.....have you tried him with any treats....I know they are naughty, but I've found the odd one does sometimes help, or maybe some fruit? Is he drinking?
 
Aww I hope Hovis settles into his new home and starts eating soon.....have you tried him with any treats....I know they are naughty, but I've found the odd one does sometimes help, or maybe some fruit? Is he drinking?

I haven't tried treats but I do have some.

Not sure about the drinking. He has a bottle but maybe I should try a bowl as well as I am not sure what he is used to. I will check to make sure he is hydrated when I next pop in to see him. I am trying not to fuss him too much. He doesn't have any toys or anything apart from a kitchen roll tube with hay in but he hasn't paid that any attention. I will pop in Wilkos shortly and get him a ball.

My own bun, Dylan, isn't eating much either so I am doubly worried :(
 
He was pooping in the carrier, we could smell it and found quite a few when we got home in the empty carry case :mrgreen.

He was also tucking into some plantain, and his hay on the journey from Geoff's People > PrettyLupin.

He is apparently a very nervous bun, so perhaps watching him, he won't want to eat? I'd perhaps leave him with an absolute buffet and leave him for a bit and come back and check in say, an hour?

Might be worthwhile contacting the vet, just in case, perhaps get some advice?

ETA: just seen - Geoff's people said he wouldnt use a bottle at all even though thats all he had at his original home apparently, after having a bowl he happily drank from it.
 
Oh noes!

He always ate his SS for me, but thinking of it, as he was a bit scared I blocked of his hutch so It was dark, he had access to the run 24/7 but I fed him in his hutch. Have you a hidey hole that is private that you can feed him in? Or pop a blanket over his crate?
Forage that I put in dissapeared overnight. He didn't take anything from his bottle here bit I always give a bowl too and he drank from that:thumb:

He was a little blue after his journey here, so I suspect he is stressed love him. Has he pooed at all? How much has he eaten? I would think if there are poo's and he is still eating some, he would right himself without the stress of another trip:?
 
Thank you all for your suggestions - I sooooo love this site.

I am deliberately leaving him alone and not going in to check on him too often. I will put a cover over the crate so he has somewhere dark. I will also give him a bowl of water.

I don't know what all the different forage is in the bag you kindly supplied, Geoff's People but I have tried a couple of different bits. He did eat some dandelion last night so I will try him with some more of that.

There are poos in his litter tray so we do have output;)

He is eating - if he wasn't I would have taken him to the vet - but he isn't eating much. I am going to try him with a fenugreek crunchie. Mine all love those. He seems to like nose rubs and he does snuggle if I pick him up. If anything he seems more relaxed when I am holding him than when he is in his pen. He kind of smooches under my neck and we have kisses.

I'll give him some reiki later if I am still concerned about him. That may settle him.

Off to check on him now and then go to Wilkos to get him a ball.

He was fine when he was with everyone else. I feel awful that he isn't eating much now he is with me:(:(
 
Hey hun, just a random thought that just shouted itself at me.....
Can he smell other bunnies where he is? I know it's not the normal prebonding thing but he hasn't been out of smelling distance of another rabbit (save car trips, and our car certainly smell like rabbits:oops:) in over a year.
Can you stick a blankie on your lap when you are having cuddles, them leave him with it when you have to tear yourself away (he does the best snuggles doesn't he:love:)
 
Hey hun, just a random thought that just shouted itself at me.....
Can he smell other bunnies where he is? I know it's not the normal prebonding thing but he hasn't been out of smelling distance of another rabbit (save car trips, and our car certainly smell like rabbits:oops:) in over a year.
Can you stick a blankie on your lap when you are having cuddles, them leave him with it when you have to tear yourself away (he does the best snuggles doesn't he:love:)

Hi

I doubt if he can smell bunnies where he is, no, as my other indoor buns are downstairs. He is in the same room as Mr Banoffee Pie (guinea-pig). Not ideal I know but I only have a tiny house and I have animals in every room at the moment.

I am sure I smell of bunnies so maybe that is why he relaxes more when I am holding him. Yes, I can leave him with a blankie. Trying to work out how I can bring the bond forward but I really need at least three days where I don't have to go out and I am out for the afternoon and evening on Saturday so Sunday really is the earliest as I am working this week so in and out.

I could move him to my study if human company would help but then he would be sharing with three or four of my cats who like to 'help' me when I work from home so I don't think that's a good idea.

Hopefully, this is just a temporary blip and normal service will be resumed shortly. Poor Hovis has had an awful lot of upheaval and a very long journey for a bun. I am not surprised he is a bit confused.
 
Perhaps leave a blanket in his crate/pen that has been in another rabbits area for some time?

If he's missing bunny company, the smell/scent/fur may be enough to appease him :)
 
Hovis now has a dressing gown over his crate, a water bowl and a ball to play with.

He has eaten some more forage but doesn't seem interested in the SS. He also ate a fenugreek crunchie - but only the one - my own buns would kill for them. The kitchen roll tube full of hay has been moved too.

I am not panicking yet. I have checked and he is hydrated. I think he is eating enough to keep his gut going. Not sure how much hay he has had as his tray is full of hay but have added some fresh for him. Haven't cleaned out the tray as I thought the smell of him may comfort him rather than me changing it all. When I do clean it I will put some of his droppings back in for him.

He looks puzzled but hopefully he will soon settle.

Looking after someone else's bun is VERY stressful:shock:
 
You are doing a grand job hun!
I'm sure he'll be eating as normal soon. He was ok after his journey to me, though a little quite but then it was only a half hour trip.
Forage is his favourite so so long as he is eating some of that i would say he'll be fine. When I feed SS I only give about 12 pellets, so don't panic when he does start on them if he doesn't eat many.:thumb:
 
I am sorry to read this but not surprised actually because he has had a lot of change in a very short space of time and I suspect that on the day he travelled he ate very little and potentially has a mild ileus due to stress. It wasn't until the evening when he was with you that he was finally in one quiet place to sit and relax - by which time an awful lot of the day has gone by without any nibbling and eating. Although some rabbits often don't graze their food between late morning and late afternoon....which is normal for many, this AND the stress of travel and new environments/people/noise/smell is very overwhelming for a bunny and has probably affected his tummy. Personally, provided he is still eating something AND producing droppings (in particular overnight tonight as this would indicate he was passing through what he ate yesterday and the day before (the day he travelled) then I would be inclined to give him a little more time to relax and keep offering lots of nice food. Buns in ileus IME tend to stick to things like dandelion leaves, sow thistles etc. Geoff's People's forage was fantastic but I should think that he is likely to only eat the hawthorn out of it and possibly the hazel and plantain. I had quite a prickly sow thistle in mine - some buns aren't used to these. Perhaps you could pick him out some dandelions local to you and a handful of fresh grass - that's always a good way to get them eating and things moving.

I can confirm that whilst he was with us from 11am-2.30pm he ate nothing and did no droppings at all. He did however get cross with the bedding in the carrier and chewed at the cotton pillow case. I have been anxious ever since in case he ingested some, it was very hard to tell. He made a few holes put it this way. I did tell Sam this and to keep an eye on his eating/droppings. It would be very hard to pin his current lack of appetite and output on this when there have been other triggering factors involved but there is a risk yes. Cotton being a natural fibre I would be surprised if it caused a blockage BUT with the lack of other food going in there is a risk that he may have ileus as a result.... and could be at risk of a blockage. Therefore, you may need to see vet attention tomorrow if he does not pick up and certainly if he stops eating completely/producing droppings. My advice would be to request an abdominal Xray (consciously) and ask for sub-cutaneous fluids. I suspect more than anything he is just dehydrated. Hope he picks up soon - please let me know I am worried too xx
 
Sorry I haven't been on yesterday.....was Js last day so had a lot of stuff to get sorted and ready for him going.

He seemed ok at mums while he was outside...we had some noms and quite a lot of hopping around. He was there for a couple of hours and we even had a few flops. He did some teeny tiny poos at Mums too.

Could it be because he isnt used to being inside? He does enjoy being snuggled....I love how when you stroke his face under his eye his ear falls down :love:

If he does need to go to the vet Karen...just take him and I'll pay (obviously) Do you think it would help if he had something that smelled like Marnie moo...or would it be better for it to be a 'stranger bunny'

He definately seems to like having somewhere to hide....I think I might have to rig up some kind of hidey box for him for when he moves here...the only problem is that Marnie will just use it as a stepping stone onto the side :roll:

Let me know if you want to try him on any meds or anyhting. Have you tried the fiber thingys I gave you? Marnie LOVES them.

I hope it wasn't my driving that frightened him so badly :oops:
 
Yep we saw him grazing too at Bluesmum's on the grass so he was eating a little that afternoon by the sounds of things. Tiny poos sounds like he has ileus to be honest. I suspect it is stress induced (nothing to do with anyone's driving!) simply the stress of change of environment and travel that's all. I would soak any greens you offer him in lots of water so they are dripping wet and encourage him to have as much fluid as possible. I would hazard a guess that he is mildly dehydrated and has stress ileus.... peace and quiet, somewhere to hide so he feels safe, no more change for a while and lots of wet greens and tasty weeds and hopefully he will slowly pick up.

I have to say, and I appreciate this may not go down very well :oops:, that I would be extremely reluctant to consider bonding him whilst he isn't on top form, it is just an additional stress and may push him into full blown stasis. He might be better off with a good couple of weeks to recover from all the travel and changes and then consider bonding. I personally would give him a few weeks to settle in first. Bonding is very stressful and stress affects the immune system but I do appreciate that there is a time and space limit whilst he is at Rhianna's.

If he goes into stasis this week then I would be happy to contribute to any vet fees seeing as it was my pillowcase he ate. None of my rabbits have ever eaten bedding before so it never crossed my mind but in hindsight I should have travelled him on simply newspaper and hay.
 
Come on Hovis (eating peoples nice things:shock: norty bun) I hope you are eating properly again and not scaring people (((((((eating and pooing vibes))))))
 
Yep we saw him grazing too at Bluesmum's on the grass so he was eating a little that afternoon by the sounds of things. Tiny poos sounds like he has ileus to be honest. I suspect it is stress induced (nothing to do with anyone's driving!) simply the stress of change of environment and travel that's all. I would soak any greens you offer him in lots of water so they are dripping wet and encourage him to have as much fluid as possible. I would hazard a guess that he is mildly dehydrated and has stress ileus.... peace and quiet, somewhere to hide so he feels safe, no more change for a while and lots of wet greens and tasty weeds and hopefully he will slowly pick up.

I have to say, and I appreciate this may not go down very well :oops:, that I would be extremely reluctant to consider bonding him whilst he isn't on top form, it is just an additional stress and may push him into full blown stasis. He might be better off with a good couple of weeks to recover from all the travel and changes and then consider bonding. I personally would give him a few weeks to settle in first. Bonding is very stressful and stress affects the immune system but I do appreciate that there is a time and space limit whilst he is at Rhianna's.

If he goes into stasis this week then I would be happy to contribute to any vet fees seeing as it was my pillowcase he ate. None of my rabbits have ever eaten bedding before so it never crossed my mind but in hindsight I should have travelled him on simply newspaper and hay.

Don't be silly with the vets bills...It's not your fault he ate the pillowcase...I do appreciate the offer though :D

We wouldn't try bonding untill he was back on form....We'll see how he is at the weekend and make a decision then I think.

Do you think it might be worth giving him a little metaclop/cam or should we ruile out bloickage of some sort first?
 
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