Do any of you have bunnies who occasionally go off their food for a few hours?

Bitzy-B · Mar 11, 2016

Rascal is 6 next month and although he's had a couple of episodes of full on stasis ...... he'll also, now and again, go off his food for a few hours but then be perfectly fine afterwards.

Take last night for example, he had his tea at about 5pm and was running round like a nutter in the garden with Hollie for a couple of hours.

I went out to give them their supper at about 10.30pm and he completely refused it. He let me massage his tummy and I tried to get him to run round a bit which he did, albeit reluctantly (lots of feet flicking).

I stayed up with him massaging him and keeping a close eye on him (because he has done this before) and I kept offering different kinds of foods that I knew he liked until eventually he had a nibble on some dandelion and oat hay. I carried on checking on him through the night (I love bunnycam even more now) .... he ate some hay and generally mooched around ....... then this morning he was running round like a nutter again and wolfed his breakfast down!!

He's done it a few times now and has been perfectly fine afterwards. Terrifies me every time and I'm always 'at the ready' for a dash to the vets.

Does anyone else have a bunny who does this??

Jo x

Jack's-Jane · Mar 11, 2016

Do you monitor poo output ? This being equally as important as eating

Small poo/fewer poo is indicative of gut slow down which would mean the Rabbit eats less

Rupert & Tia · Mar 11, 2016

I have two bunnies and if Rupert does this, its panic stations. But if Tia does this, she usually is just being moody (she refused food around us for weeks - we did check on the sly to make sure she was eating which she was) turned out to be because we'd moved where the hay was! We've moved it back and she's fine!

This time of year (and season all season changes) I find they both get a bit strange / bit poorly, whether that's the weather, moulting or whatever I don't know.

I don't like them having grass this time of year either, the first time Rupert was poorly was due to spring grass (apparently its a lot richer when it first starts growing).

Sounds like he may have had a bit of gas that's passed through.

Bitzy-B · Mar 11, 2016

Jack's-Jane said:
Do you monitor poo output ? This being equally as important as eating

Small poo/fewer poo is indicative of gut slow down which would mean the Rabbit eats less

I do try to yes, I kept rummaging through the litter tray every time he'd been in it .... his poops looked maybe a little on the small side last night (but plenty of them) .....but this morning was like poop central.

MightyMax · Mar 11, 2016

Bitzy-B said:
Rascal is 6 next month and although he's had a couple of episodes of full on stasis ...... he'll also, now and again, go off his food for a few hours but then be perfectly fine afterwards.

Take last night for example, he had his tea at about 5pm and was running round like a nutter in the garden with Hollie for a couple of hours.

I went out to give them their supper at about 10.30pm and he completely refused it. He let me massage his tummy and I tried to get him to run round a bit which he did, albeit reluctantly (lots of feet flicking).

I stayed up with him massaging him and keeping a close eye on him (because he has done this before) and I kept offering different kinds of foods that I knew he liked until eventually he had a nibble on some dandelion and oat hay. I carried on checking on him through the night (I love bunnycam even more now) .... he ate some hay and generally mooched around ....... then this morning he was running round like a nutter again and wolfed his breakfast down!!

He's done it a few times now and has been perfectly fine afterwards. Terrifies me every time and I'm always 'at the ready' for a dash to the vets.

Does anyone else have a bunny who does this??

Jo x

It may well be that your massaging averted what could have been a stasis episode. That said, yes some rabbits if they are stressed by another cause (nothing physical to them) will refuse food.

Stator · Mar 11, 2016

It's happened many times for me but not so much recently.
I find after eating lots of fresh food they are more prone to some kind of stomach discomfort. I tend to give a few pellets after eating fresh food as I think it helps stabilise their stomachs. But that's just my loony unscientific theory.

WillowAndBiscuit · Mar 11, 2016

My little Storm doesn't go off his food, but will instead get smaller poos every now and again and then after a day or so will return to normal again (albeit with the help of recovery food). Just make sure when it does happen that you keep a very close eye on him because although when it happens with Storm it usually passes again, he does sometimes end up needing a vet visit. (Although I'm sure you probably know that already haha)

ripminnie · Mar 12, 2016

This used to happen to Daisy all the time when she lived outside. Funnily enough, since she became a house bunny nearly two years ago, it hasn't happened once! She does still go outside most days, but I assume it was something she ate in the garden of my old house, that was making her a bit unwell....

Rupert & Tia · Mar 13, 2016

the vet did say to me that yes poops are important but to remember, that if they haven't eaten / not eaten much, the poo's will be smaller so as long as there are poops to try not to worry too much. She also said she'd worry more if there was no caecs.

Its good to keep an eye on all poops tho

MightyMax · Mar 13, 2016

Rupert & Tia said:
the vet did say to me that yes poops are important but to remember, that if they haven't eaten / not eaten much, the poo's will be smaller so as long as there are poops to try not to worry too much. She also said she'd worry more if there was no caecs. Its good to keep an eye on all poops tho

Indeed :thumb:

There can be no poops without first eating, which is primarily important. Small poops are expected when recovering from stasis.

Do any of you have bunnies who occasionally go off their food for a few hours?

Bitzy-B

Mama Doe

Jack's-Jane

Wise Old Thumper

Rupert & Tia

Mama Doe

Bitzy-B

Mama Doe

MightyMax

Banned

Stator

Warren Veteran

WillowAndBiscuit

Mama Doe

ripminnie

Wise Old Thumper

Rupert & Tia

Mama Doe

MightyMax

Banned

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