Hi everyone :wave:
I'm worried about Plumpkin 24/7. I am naturally a big worrier, so perhaps I'm taking a lot of what I'm observing far too seriously. I'd like to share my daily observations on here to hopefully gain some perspective!
As you probably all know, I have struggled to put weight on Plumpkin for many months. My daily routine now is to let all three bunnies out of the greenhouse run first thing in the morning - they all run outside and Ham & Bea quickly come back in for their bowl of greens. Plumpkin has learnt now that if she waits under the run shelter I set up for her especially, she'll get her own tailor made bowl of breakfast.
So at this point I shut Beatrice and Hamilton in the greenhouse. They eat their breakfast in 5 minutes - Plumpkin takes at least an hour, and usually only eats half of what I give her, so I have to try separating her at a later point in the day to give her the rest. I give her a bowl of shredded mixed greens, topped with 8 broken up fibre first sticks, softened with boiling water to encourage her to eat them all as she finds hard foods difficult to eat. I mix in a little mashed banana (she is mad for it) and sprinkle some oats on the top.
When she has finally left her bowl alone to say she's done (around an hour after I have given it to her) I let the other two out to join her and remove the bowl. What I have noticed, which worries me, is Plumpkin is deliberately distances herself from the other two. There is no hostility, but since I have started feeding her on her own she keeps to herself. E.g, they all used to snuggle in the hutch together to sleep during the day, but as I am typing now, Ham & Bea are upstairs asleep together and Plumpkin is in the greenhouse asleep by the hay feeder.
There was always a part of her that was 'in her own world', but giving her breakfast alone has amplified this. Her behaviour is very reserved and shut off, unless I come outside to see her; she will always run over to me and want her head rubbed. Part of the problem is because she can't forage like the other two, who are constantly nibbling on the grass, it's like she's left out and can't 'join in'.
I'm trying to think of how I can improve life for her and make her happier, but I'm out of ideas. Does she need her own companion, or will it be a similar problem because rabbit 4 would also be healthy and normal? I sometimes wonder if she would be happier inside as a house rabbit, but I think the rabbits do still all love each other and they would miss her.
Any advice or suggestions are always appreciated, thank you everyone!
I'm worried about Plumpkin 24/7. I am naturally a big worrier, so perhaps I'm taking a lot of what I'm observing far too seriously. I'd like to share my daily observations on here to hopefully gain some perspective!
As you probably all know, I have struggled to put weight on Plumpkin for many months. My daily routine now is to let all three bunnies out of the greenhouse run first thing in the morning - they all run outside and Ham & Bea quickly come back in for their bowl of greens. Plumpkin has learnt now that if she waits under the run shelter I set up for her especially, she'll get her own tailor made bowl of breakfast.
So at this point I shut Beatrice and Hamilton in the greenhouse. They eat their breakfast in 5 minutes - Plumpkin takes at least an hour, and usually only eats half of what I give her, so I have to try separating her at a later point in the day to give her the rest. I give her a bowl of shredded mixed greens, topped with 8 broken up fibre first sticks, softened with boiling water to encourage her to eat them all as she finds hard foods difficult to eat. I mix in a little mashed banana (she is mad for it) and sprinkle some oats on the top.
When she has finally left her bowl alone to say she's done (around an hour after I have given it to her) I let the other two out to join her and remove the bowl. What I have noticed, which worries me, is Plumpkin is deliberately distances herself from the other two. There is no hostility, but since I have started feeding her on her own she keeps to herself. E.g, they all used to snuggle in the hutch together to sleep during the day, but as I am typing now, Ham & Bea are upstairs asleep together and Plumpkin is in the greenhouse asleep by the hay feeder.
There was always a part of her that was 'in her own world', but giving her breakfast alone has amplified this. Her behaviour is very reserved and shut off, unless I come outside to see her; she will always run over to me and want her head rubbed. Part of the problem is because she can't forage like the other two, who are constantly nibbling on the grass, it's like she's left out and can't 'join in'.
I'm trying to think of how I can improve life for her and make her happier, but I'm out of ideas. Does she need her own companion, or will it be a similar problem because rabbit 4 would also be healthy and normal? I sometimes wonder if she would be happier inside as a house rabbit, but I think the rabbits do still all love each other and they would miss her.
Any advice or suggestions are always appreciated, thank you everyone!
Last edited: