Indoor bunny questions

Hi all. Badger the bunny is a small chap and about eight years old. He is neutered and we’ve had him since he was a kitten. He is free-range in his own room and litter tray trained. He has always had a very good diet: fresh hay daily; Burgess grass pellets; a small amount of parsley and carrot (he’s never been that keen on vegetables and they used to make his poos rather soft). Any treats have always been of the herby variety - nothing with sugar or additives.

Badger recently had a check-up and nail trim at the vet and I mentioned that he’s producing excess caecatrophes, and is much less interested in the Burgess pellets. The vet was not at all concerned, saying that he presented as a good couple of years younger than his actual age and very healthy (she is a ‘bunny expert’), but suggested getting some fibre pellets, which I’ve done. Badger is ignoring these, along with the Burgess ones!

So, my questions are: does it matter that he’s eating less, or is it natural at his age (he’s fine in every other way); do the excess caecatrophes matter (his bottom is clean!); should I try him with more veg and, if so, what would you recommend please? Thanks in advance.

Welcome to the forum, some bunnies just don't like the taste of fibre pellets if you mean the science selective ones. Have you tried science selective mature rabbit food?

Does he eat plenty of hay and herbs, forage?

Did your Vet check Badger's teeth or check him for Arthritis as this could be preventing him from reaching round to eat his Cecals. I have older rabbits but they eat well and possibly more than before. It doesn't sound like he is overweight. How many pellets do you give him each day?

Thanks for the replies. Badger’s teeth are fine, and he doesn’t have arthritis. He has a teacupful of pellets each day and, although they’ve always looked boring to me (they are just compressed grass) he’s previously happily eaten them.

Some rabbits get excess caecatrophes when fed on burgess excel, although none of mine ever have. It could be the carrot and parsley, some rabbits can’t seem to tolerate fresh veg and herbs, it might be worth cutting those out and seeing what happens, and introducing dried forage or other herbs.