Why does my rabbit stop eating?

Apologies for very long post. I’m hoping for advice about what might be wrong with my little bun Simba. Last July he had stasis, vets were useless. I read on here about Infacol & need for pain relief, so I requested (& got) pain relief & bought Infacol & I honestly could not believe it when he recovered, though I’ve never thought he was fully better. He seemed OK until Christmas day when stopped eating. I took him to vet who gave wrong injection & so I changed vets. I have posted on here for rabbit savvy vet in my area, but no luck. My new vets do at least seem to be a decent practice. In February he had bladder flushed. Vet didn’t think there was much sediment (I still do) but was concerned about consistency (struvites?). I was extremely anxious about anaesthetic as previous bad experience (when teeth rasped) but new vets got history from old vets & so gave him different anaesthetic & conservative dose. X-rays showed no stones and no loss of bone density, and blood was apparently “normal” for a rabbit “of his age”. Within past week vet confirmed no problem with teeth.
Vet specifically said her main concern is that he lose weight. He’s 2.5 kg & needs to lose 0.5 kg. For about 3 weeks following bladder flush he seemed OK. Then he had another episode of not eating. I went to vets, confirmed no blockage, brought him home & syringe fed Supreme Science (SS) mix, Zantac, Infacol & Metacam. Exactly 24 hours after noticing he was unwell, he recovered, life & soul of party. A week later it happened again & I decided not to take to vets but gave him food & meds & maybe 12 hours later he was suddenly OK again.
Since then he’s had other episodes, and on one occasion I took him to vets. But I think I’ve kind of kept the problem going by doing things like shutting him out of bedroom (it’s difficult to catch him under bed) and going to vets. For 2 days last week I shut him out of bedroom while I was at work and I think this has truly upset him. The other night I decided to post on here so turned on computer and while waiting for it to boot up I played piano. I haven’t played for months and I am very bad at it, but I knew he likes piano (possibly partly because he knows I’m occupied and so unlikely to grab him). I played for just a short while, and suddenly he came in to join me, binkying etc, and went to and from bedroom and ate. Since then we’ve had other episodes and he brightened up and started eating when I played piano. So now I’m wondering if at least sometimes Simba’s eating problem is set off by something psychological. E.g. at weekend one morning he was very chirpy and hopped on bed and ate from bowl beside me. He’s very wary of being touched or picked up so I think when he got off bed he was feeling proud of self and binkied - but landed in drinking water. Then he wouldn’t eat. Piano appeared to make it better. Right now it’s after midnight and he’s not eating (so far piano hasn’t made it better). Yet all evening he’s been happy and cheeky and fun, especially when I was playing piano earlier. I don’t know what is causing this. It’s very upsetting. Picking him up and syringing feeding him meds and especially liquid food upsets him terribly as he hates being handled. He’s about 7 I think (rescue bun) but when he’s not having an episode he is just so strong and agile and happy. I’ve read (somewhere) that older rabbits have reduced appetite and/or that some buns are stasis prone. What causes buns to be prone to not eating?

What do you feed him?

Thank you for replying and so quickly. First I want to say that I know I need to change his diet but when he stops eating I will tempt him with anything.
I give him excel mature but he doesn't eat it. I also give dried plantain and dried dandelion. But his meal tonight was broccoli, lettuce (very little), sweetheart cabbage, spring greens, cucumber, parsley. When I give him the bowl of food in the bedroom and play piano (I know how crazy this sounds) he eats so well and has done for last 3 days. If I try to feed him in lounge he eats much less. But he's currently very wary of being shut out of bedroom. I was playing piano in lounge earlier and he came in from bedroom and played and clearly was happy. He'd eaten almost all of his veg (just 2 pieces of lettuce left), and when I put bowl of new food for supper in bedroom I could tell he was off his food again - I just don't know what has set him off. One minute he's full of beans and then next not eating.

If I can't get him to eat in next hour or so I think I'll have to syringe but he's under bed and catching him is so difficult. I feel quite desperate as I don't know what the problem is and vets don't have any specific suggestions.

Oh sorry, I give him a small bowl of rabbit muesli at night which he loves. I know it's not good because of selective feeding but my priority is to get him eating something.

You don't mention hay. Hay is the most important part of any rabbit's diet - it is what keeps the digestive system and teeth in good order and should be 80-90% of the diet.

Have you suddenly started to shut him out of your bedroom? If so, that could be stressing him.

Babsie said:

You don't mention hay. Hay is the most important part of any rabbit's diet - it is what keeps the digestive system and teeth in good order and should be 80-90% of the diet.

Have you suddenly started to shut him out of your bedroom? If so, that could be stressing him.

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this.
Also whereabouts are you?
Maybe it's time for another thread for a rabbit savvy vet?
New members aear al the time so thre may now be someone in your area that can advise?

Sorry I didn't mention hay, but actually he has plenty of hay and enjoys it. When I gave him his veg (that I described before) I also gave him a huge bowl of 4 different types of hay. He tends to go through phases of which hay he likes. E.g. loves a particular one so I buy more of it and then loses interest. He very much enjoys the straw in his litter tray. In recent weeks I've put hay in the corners of his litter tray for him to eat while he does his business. In terms of what he eats he does have treats (e.g. dried fruit, Treatums, mini shredded wheat), but I think that mst of his diet is reasonably healthy. I'd prefer him to eat more hay and have really big poops, but I am reasonably happy with his hay consumption as he gets fresh hay with every meal and he makes a point of eating some of it. I've just ordered some Ings hay; we haven't tried that before. We also have a large number of seagrass huts and other willow and straw toys that he chews too.

I think being shut out of the bedroom has upset him greatly (though I've done it on occasions in past) but he was recovering again from when I did that last week and wasn't staying in bedroom this evening. He's a free range rabbit and the bedroom is his favourite place, but it is so difficult to catch him to syringe him or take to vets that I shut door once he leaves the room. This is because the longer I spend pursuing him in order to syringe him or take to vets, the more distressed he becomes. But I think after last week that I may not shut him out in future. If he doesn't come out soon I think I'll need to catch him and that might require gentle pushing with broom.

I see that you feed treats. My advice would be to cut out treats completely - rabbits do not need them, they can certainly upset the digestion and are not good for the teeth. Much better to buy dried plantain etc.

There is very little goodness in straw and I would suggest newspaper and hay in his litter tray.

I do think that shutting him out of the bedroom is an issue and causing him stress, which can certainly be a contributory factor in stasis.

Also last summer he had plenty of grass too. I live in a flat without a garden but grew loads of grass indoors in containers, which he loved. I've bought organic compost and grass seeds already and will be planting soon but am waiting for it not to be so cold, as I have to put on my windowsill.

Babsie, thank you. I will change litter tray to hay, though I do think that since I've been putting hay in the corners it is the hay he's been eating (though one of the 4 'hays' I gave him in his huge bowl tonight, and every night, is straw - I'll change that to hay).
He does like the straw and my main reason for feeding it in his bowl is because he needed his teeth rasped a year ago and so I thought if he likes it, it will help wear his teeth down.
Actually, regarding the treats, when he has one of these 'episodes' his appetite preferences tend to change and he's less likely to eat a treat. Earlier on tonight though he was happy to eat a treat.

Perhaps rather than shut him out of the bedroom you could just block off the bed so he can't get under? Maybe provide a box or similar for him to feel safe and hidden in but not be out of catching range.

I agree the best way to go with the diet is to cut out all of what you call treats, raisins (too much sugar), breakfast cereal, shop bought treats and to increase hay intake - I would fill the litter tray with hay, forget the straw, add new hay three times a day not necessarily when you feed other stuff as this may be more interesting to him than the hay and we don't want that. Clear away old/dirty hay regularly.

A small amount of veg, nothing too sugary like carrot, apple, parsnip, pear or banana, try fresh herbs maybe - basil, mint, coriander leaf, parsley, be sure you are not feeding iceberg lettuce - but I would steer clear of lettuce all together really. Some bagged veg is not good for buns because of what it has been washed in.

MAny people find that wild forage helps stasis prone buns, hawthorn, apple tree leaves, brambles, etc

Of course, during an episode of stasis any food is good food!

I would continue to try to find a vet I could trust.

Be sure his teeth have been properly checked.

Could he be eating something he shouldn't around the house?

bunnykin said:

Babsie, thank you. I will change litter tray to hay, though I do think that since I've been putting hay in the corners it is the hay he's been eating (though one of the 4 'hays' I gave him in his huge bowl tonight, and every night, is straw - I'll change that to hay).
He does like the straw and my main reason for feeding it in his bowl is because he needed his teeth rasped a year ago and so I thought if he likes it, it will help wear his teeth down.
Actually, regarding the treats, when he has one of these 'episodes' his appetite preferences tend to change and he's less likely to eat a treat. Earlier on tonight though he was happy to eat a treat.

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I can only reiterate what I said about feeding treats.

In order to get his long-term diet improved - which I am sure is what you want to improve his health and hopefully reduce the episodes of stasis - I can only tell you what is recommended: an eggcupful of pellets a day (but reduced very gradually if you are feeding more), as much good quality hay as you can get him to eat (80-90% of his diet) plus leafy green vegetables (not lettuce).

I don't think he's eating anything around the house. I know when he's had an episode afterwards he sometimes wants to eat the plaster from the walls.
I suspect blocking the bed would upset him like shutting the door has. He used to love pear (it was his favourite food) and I would give him 2 small chunks a day, but since Christmas has lost interest in it. Vets suggested broccoli, cabbage and cucumber (and carrot), and to cut out lettuce. He's not keen on carrot anyway, but currently seems to love cucumber. Whe he had his x-ray (under GA) in Feb they checked his teeth and when I took him to vets on Friday a different vet checked his teeth.

Thank you to all of you who've given advice. I know the piano things sounds mad but I have tried just doing nothing and going to bed and hoping he'll start eating, but he hasn't. Mind you, neither has piano so far tonight.

I give him dried plantain and dandelion as part of his meals. Should I reserve them for treats? I also give him dried blackcurrent leaves with his supper and he loves them. Also since Friday I've given him fresh parsley too and he's loved that.

Mine also love the dried plantain, blackcurrant leaves etc. These are what I give as treats, rather than the sweet/cereal based ones. Basil, coriander and mint are good, but not too much parsley or spinach.

I've been sittiing here playing piano songs I am so sick of (cince I only know about 10), and he's just come rushing in to joing me.

Personally I never feed cucumber.

Definitely stop the lettuce and carrot, no pear, no apple (the sugar upsets the gut flora).

Some buns find greens, cabbage, broccoli, sprouts etc too gassy leading to stasis.

One of my buns is prone to stasis. I feed hay,hay and more hay, one egg cupful of science selective pellets and a SMALL amount of veg - 1-2" of celery, some rocket, a radish for instance, or some fresh coriander, some broccoli stalk and celery, in summer apple tree leaves and herbs from the garden. Hay is 80/90% of her diet. Nothing fancy just meadow hay from a farm bale.

She often has problems if she is moulting - at these times I try to up fibre and fluids by pushing more hay, going a bowl of water, feeding veg wet, feeding brambles and apple leaves (dried if not time for fresh ones).

How did vet inspect teeth? Some think a cursory glance in the mouth is enough!

It does sound like you are feeding a lot of foods. You want him to eat a pie of hay equal to his body size as a guide each day, with so many other foods I doubt he would have the appetite or the room for sufficient hay.

He's just eaten some hay (there is hay everywhere in my flat right now) and has chewed some hay from one of his hay tunnels. Vet used one of those special instruments to inspect teeth. I don't know what they used when he had his GA in Feb. I think cucumber was suggested to make sure well hydrated. I have tried him with wet veg before and he wouldn't touch it wet.

Obviously I am concerned as to why he keeps going off food, but I also don't know what to do for the best when he does. I am well aware from experience how quickly a rabbit goes from being off food to being dead, which I think is why I go into a blind panic when Simba goes off food. Before he came into lounge just now I was thinking I was going to have to catch him and give him meds as can't bear to leave overnight (and I have to go to bed soon as will be knackered at work tomorrow). But now of course he seems to have brightened up again. I think if I had given him syringed meds I would have set him back because of the distress it causes him.

I just don't know what to do for the best. He's now playing. It's as if when he hears me occupied playing piano in lounge it snaps him out of not eating. It's so bizarre.

Oh it's a huge worry I agree.

When they are not eating then yes anything goes - mine is offered crated carrot, porridge, grated apple, biscuit, puréed veg anything! Would never give her this stuff normally of course.

I always put a very small dish with a teaspoon full of critical care (syringe feed) down for her when in stasis, just sometimes she will eat it and I don't have to syringe feed.

It is very important that he eats so if he is not then you must syringe feed and keep doing so often until he eats alone.

Best of luck!

Yes, it's difficult to get him onto a diet of only good things when I'm constantly trying to just get him to eat something/anything. I've definitely cut down on lettuce since vets told me to in Feb, and increased cabbage instead. I also feel that I did it wisely by doing it gradually. I need to do something like that with his evening muesli and have been reducing it. The past two days he's eaten so well. I give him three meals - brekky, dindins and bobos (supper). For a long time he hasn't had much of an appetite at dindins. Last 3 nights I've put it in bedroom instead of lounge and he's polished all the veg off, which makes me think feeding in bedroom gets better results.

I know I'm supposed to check that no obstruction in stomach before syringe feeding him, but based on his pattern of not havong blockage I'm inclined to syringe feed at first and if no improvement and/or no poops after a day take him to vets, since trip to vets upsest him so much (more so than me syringe feeding him alone).

Have just ordered some more Fibreplex, which at least is not as awful for him as the SS recovery fluid or Oxbow Critical Care (which I prefer). I also have the big SS syringe so I know he gets the fibrous particles o the food.

It is so difficult but he is such a precious little boy. I just want to make him well. If I thought he was suffering I woudl put him to sleep, but when not having an episode he's just so happy. I think he's amazing.

When he was in lounge just a short while ago I went to look at his food in bedroom and he hadn't touched it. He's since gone back to bedroom and I've just been to look at food and nearly all the veg has gone.
I'm so pleased he's eaten, but I just wish I knew what's causing these episodes and what is the best course of action when they occur - because at the moment the best course of action seems to be to play piano.
I will try to make adjustments gradually to his diet though. And I won't be shutting him out of bedroom unless I am specifally needin to catch him at that moment. I won't shut him out for hours again.

Thank you everyone for your advice. Simba is such a special boy.

It would be much better to adjust his diet - which you say you are going to do - rather than having to force feed him, which is bound to stress him.