Not eating grain - found the problem

*Funny*Bunny* · Sep 6, 2012

I moved Harvey and Lilly's set up onto concrete a couple of days ago from grass because Harvey started digging (I'm in the process of setting up an aviary which now I know he's a bit of a digger I will put a digging box in but it's not currently secure enough for him to dig on the lawn) and ever since both buns won't eat their grain :s they're both normally trying to push me out of the way to get their food :s but they are still eating hay and grass and veg with enthusiasm so I'm not too worried.

Any ideas why they'd go off grain? They're on rabbit royale (I know everyone here will say it should be pellets but I control their portions to a level where they don't pick only certain things and eat all of if so I know they're getting all parts) and they've been eating from that bag for about 3weeks now so it's not a bad batch :s

If they don't fancy starting to eat it ever again are there any ways in which I should compensate in other areas of their diet?

bunnytoes · Sep 6, 2012

*Funny*Bunny* said:
I moved Harvey and Lilly's set up onto concrete a couple of days ago from grass because Harvey started digging (I'm in the process of setting up an aviary which now I know he's a bit of a digger I will put a digging box in but it's not currently secure enough for him to dig on the lawn) and ever since both buns won't eat their grain :s they're both normally trying to push me out of the way to get their food :s but they are still eating hay and grass and veg with enthusiasm so I'm not too worried.

Any ideas why they'd go off grain? They're on rabbit royale (I know everyone here will say it should be pellets but I control their portions to a level where they don't pick only certain things and eat all of if so I know they're getting all parts) and they've been eating from that bag for about 3weeks now so it's not a bad batch :s

If they don't fancy starting to eat it ever again are there any ways in which I should compensate in other areas of their diet?

I am not sure what grain is. Is it the pellets with the colored bits in it? If they are sick of it you could try a a good timothy pellet. That will compensate their diet.

Tamsin · Sep 6, 2012

It's the least tasty part of dry food, so if they've other food that tastes better eg fresh grass or veggies they'll often not bother with it - have they had more veg recently or it could just be the grass you've providing is near the bowl so they've been nibbling that instead of the grains.

It shouldn't do any harm in the short term but swapping to a pellet when you get nearer the bottom of the bag would be the easiest way to deal - make sure you've enough left to mix the two and swap gradually. Otherwise, offering a wide range of different veggies, herbs, plants helps make sure they get a balanced range of vitamins.

*Funny*Bunny* · Sep 7, 2012

Ah ok I thought grain just counted as all of it, they're literally eating none of it though :s not even the tasty bits :s some will be eaten and it's a little bit of all but not much, there's still a bit of everything left :s

Thanks Tamsin, I'll make sure I up their range of veg and herbs if they continue to turn their nose up at their meals. With regards to pellets, I've always said as soon as they start not eating the less tasty bits I'd swap but it's not happened, even now they're ignoring both tastier and less tasty parts! :roll:

tonibun · Sep 7, 2012

bunnytoes said:
I am not sure what grain is. Is it the pellets with the colored bits in it? If they are sick of it you could try a a good timothy pellet. That will compensate their diet.

Hi there. I am doing a study of rabbit pellets and wonder if you can advise me of a good Timothy pellet?

bunnytoes · Sep 7, 2012

tonibun said:
Hi there. I am doing a study of rabbit pellets and wonder if you can advise me of a good Timothy pellet?

I live in the USA. The best rabbit pellets that all the rabbit savvy vest around here recommend is Timothy Pellets Bunny Basics "T by Oxbow. I think the UK offers other good pellets that are not available here.

*Funny*Bunny* · Sep 10, 2012

Just thought I'd say that Harvey started eating the next day

Lilly however just wouldn't eat and cereal

I found the problem though, I'd ran out of logic ear cleaner and I ordered more at the end of August first class post and it's still not arrived!!!!!!

so I popped into the vets with them on Sat to get the ear cleaner the more expensive root (it's a non prescription med but because I'm at a new vets they wanted to see me for a consultation first regardless, which is fair enough) and the vet said Lilly's ears were really bad and spent a while manually cleaning them

since then though Lilly has been back on chudley's rabbit royale and loving it

I think it was the crunchiness of the food in her sore ears that stopped her eating.

Thought I'd add this so if anyone else's bun goes off hard and crunchy food but not soft food to check their bun's ears!!

RedFraggle · Sep 10, 2012

Glad you got to the bottom of it and good idea to share.

Not eating grain - found the problem

FunnyBunny*

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bunnytoes

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Tamsin

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FunnyBunny*

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tonibun

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bunnytoes

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FunnyBunny*

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RedFraggle

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