Problems with Bramble

I've been avoiding posting this as tbh, I feel like a horrendous rabbit owner ATM :'(

Last week, I went to give the bun's pens a thorough clean out. Tom had been looking after them for me for the week before as I was exhausted and really busy with work.

Anyway, Tom said he noticed Brams looked thin and he seemed to be chucking out a lot of hay. I brushed it off but when I went to see Brams myself, I wish I'd gone sooner :'(

Brams has lost around half his body weight in a matter of maybe a week. I panicked and brought him indoors. Since then, he's been living in his own bunny-proofed room and I've been able to keep a really good eye on him. He's noticeably put on a bit of weight since I brought him in but it's meant we've figured out the problem. He's refusing to eat his hay.

I'm now free-feeding pellets but he won't eat them off the floor. They have to be in a bowl and even then, he won't eat the ones in the very bottom and tips the bowl over for me to fill it again.

He won't touch his hay but is fine with pellets and treats.

I've just bought him some hay with added mint ad camomile from hay experts and some readigrass.

He's not gone for the hay but has gone mental for the readigrass.

What on earth do I do? He's gone so fussy overnight. He's lively, active, drinking and weeing normally and pooing fine. His poos are darker than normal but I know this is because of the lack of hay.

His teeth are fine as he was just checked over. He's never had teeth problems.

I just don't understand why he's refuse to eat hay and let himself get to that state

When were his teeth last checked.. it does sound dental

Sorry he's poorly. My first thought would be teeth and maybe it's something that can't be seen using an oteoscope. Scarlet's were way worse than imagined when FHB first had a look as she couldn't see some of the issues until she was GAd and even then she had a rogue tooth growing along the inside of her gum that could only be seen by moving her tongue.
You might want to consider getting his weight back up and then having a GA to have a proper look in his mouth if the vet can't pinpoint anything else.

A simpler option.... did you change the hay or get a fresh bag? Maybe he doesn't like it. We have H4P timothy and rye, I can give you some if you want to try it.

Yes sounds odd to me. I think it may be his teeth too. I would get him to the vets to check him out as losing all that weight there must be something wrong.

I'd say it is almost certain to be a Dental problem

With that amount of rapid weight loss he may be really struggling as far as his Liver function is concerned now so personally I'd get him to a Vet today or tomorrow at the latest.

I agree with what's already been said. An off-bag of hay or a change of hay would be my first thought as an 'easy' explanation but, after ruling that out, my suspicion would be dental problems too.

As RedFraggle explained, it's often very difficult (or impossible) to get a full view of all the teeth, especially the ones at the very back without an anaesthetic (sp?). You also find that some bunnies are more sensitive to pain than others - Bubbles, for example, used to go off her food with even the slightest of spurs that wouldn't have troubled another bunny in the slightest.

Tooth root problems are a possibility as well; this makes it very painful for them to eat but you would need an x-ray to assess what was going on below the surface.

It happened when we changed his hay over. We've not been able to get to the farm shop so I've been buying supermarket hay for the past few weeks. His teeth were checked a few weeks ago.

I wasn't sure whether it was dental because he's eating everything else. Anything I out down, he eats. He's been going through an insane amount of pellets, he's gone through a bowl of readigrass in 20 minutes, treats are no problem and neither are vegetables or dry forage.

I thought dental issues would be apparent if he wasn't touching any of th above as well as hay?

I will get him to the vets this week and especially try for tomorrow although Tom will need to take him. I wouldn't want him under a GA ATM due to his weight but will keep going getting him back up there and then see what the vet thinks.

I've also discussed this with other bunny people and we thought him being in the garage was part of the problem too. He'd always been a house bun until we moved here and he got really depressed looking outside. Tom will probably say I'm over reacting on the weight loss, he said its been gradual. Maybe I noticed more because I'd not seen him in a week.

Thank you for the advice everyone. I was going to make a vets appointment anyway but wondered what to do if it was just simply pure fussiness? Would readigrass be an alternative to hay or would I need to keep searching for something he'll eat?

Ive had bunnies eating ok but just going of certain foods and it has usually been dental related
He shouldnt really lose so much weight if hes eating other stuff as well as your saying Hope the vet visit goes ok and theres nothing more worrying going on xxxx lots of vibes for your lovely boy x

Dental issues don't always mean a reluctance to eat all types of food. Bubbles used to go off hay first but would eat everything else. When her tooth root problems were diagnosed she'd stopped eating hay altogether as she must have just found it far too painful but she used to tuck into plenty of fresh grass, readigrass, dried forage, pellets etc. She would have eaten lots of veg too, given the chance, but they gave her a mucky botty.

I'm not sure about readigrass as a substitute for hay, so hopefully somebody else can advise. Bubbles was eating a fair bit of it in her last few months but, by that stage, it was a case of better her eat something that was relatively good for her than lots of pellets.

He's eating other stuff now he's indoors, I've added so much more food to get his weight up.

But, I think you're right. I was really hoping it wasn't dental issues but it looks that way, doesn't it?

Shall make a vets appointment then and hopefully get this sorted out. I guess we'll need to get weight on him before a proper dental as I suspect it'll be his back teeth if they can't be seen without a GA.

Thanks everyone. Promise ill get this sorted and will update on Mr Bramble's progress. He's only 3 so he's still a young boy! We need to get him back to his hay as I can't afford super posh hay for the next 7yrs

Hiya. Readigrass is softer than hay so they don't need to chew it with the same action and nuggets I think they can just crunch rather than chew. It's always hay that's th first thing to go with Scarlet but she rarely stops eating other things (Sunday's episode was the only time she has ever stopped eating).
Do you use Tower? If so go and see Nigel but I would feed him (Bram not Nigel!) up on pellets first to get some weight on him before you GA if he is eating well other than his hay. Oats are also supposed to be good for weight gain but I'll leave others to advise on that.

i fed my fussy buns readigrass instead of hay until my vet told me it wasnt a suitable replacement, i think its not as high in fibre possibly? and also not long strands. so i would try to get him back on hay if/when you can! i hope he is ok and it just turns out to be a fussy few weeks!

RedFraggle said:

Hiya. Readigrass is softer than hay so they don't need to chew it with the same action and nuggets I think they can just crunch rather than chew. It's always hay that's th first thing to go with Scarlet but she rarely stops eating other things (Sunday's episode was the only time she has ever stopped eating).
Do you use Tower? If so go and see Nigel but I would feed him (Bram not Nigel!) up on pellets first to get some weight on him before you GA if he is eating well other than his hay. Oats are also supposed to be good for weight gain but I'll leave others to advise on that.

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I am with Tower, yes! Nigel is the only vet since Jo left that I would let near my bunnies so don't worry, I'll be seeing him

He is eating very well, especially pellets. Readigrass, he's given up on.

I'm glad I asked now, instead of being silly His eyes have also started watering again so I guess the two could be linked and it is highly likely to be back teeth/tooth roots.

I've spoken to Tom and he is of course fine with paying for a dental for Brams

I know oats are good, so I'll pop some in with his pellets and keep with the free-feeding. Shall get him to the vets too so I can get him weighed and so we can work out a plan to get his weight up so he can go in for a his teeth doing!

Thank you all so much I really do appreciate it and I'm sure Bramble does too!!!!

Zahirre said:

I am with Tower, yes! Nigel is the only vet since Jo left that I would let near my bunnies so don't worry, I'll be seeing him

He is eating very well, especially pellets. Readigrass, he's given up on.

I'm glad I asked now, instead of being silly His eyes have also started watering again so I guess the two could be linked and it is highly likely to be back teeth/tooth roots.

I've spoken to Tom and he is of course fine with paying for a dental for Brams

I know oats are good, so I'll pop some in with his pellets and keep with the free-feeding. Shall get him to the vets too so I can get him weighed and so we can work out a plan to get his weight up so he can go in for a his teeth doing!

Thank you all so much I really do appreciate it and I'm sure Bramble does too!!!!

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Scarlet's in next week for a GA exam and probably burr of her molars and Captain Squeak (the cat) is off to "Uncle Nigel" in the morning! Nigel's been "my vet" for 14 years now.

Id get him in as soon as poss.. if he is refusing certain foods its because hes in pain / uncomfortable eating them .. If your vet wont do a dental because hes underweight or at risk.... he will at least need some pain relief. That said..... im not one for waiting... Id have it done if it needs doing
Good luck xxxxx

Zahirre said:

It happened when we changed his hay over. We've not been able to get to the farm shop so I've been buying supermarket hay for the past few weeks. His teeth were checked a few weeks ago.

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It could be that his teeth were ok a few weeks ago, but his refusal to eat the new hay meant that they have overgrown even in the past few weeks since he has refused the hay...or there was a dental problem bubbling under which again suddenly erupted by him refusing the new hay.

I don't think that conscious examinations can really give any certainty though - one time Sant went in for a dental and my vet found a spur which had grown sideways into her cheek, which couldn't be seen at all during a conscious exam

Good luck, hope Bramble is ok x x

i agree, definitely sounds dental. they usually stop eating one thing - either hay or pellets/veg. sometimes they can have spurs that are hidden away. this happened with bisc every time. hope you can get him some pain relief anyway for now and discuss what the vet wants to do with regards to the dental. :wave:

Hope you can get Bramble sorted, at least you are aware of there being an issue so that is a good step forward. :wave: