HAY - how to convince bunny it's good for him!

Hi everyone,

I have a 2yr old lop who has never eaten hay or straw or even shown any interest in it, no matter what make I buy. He eats veg and supa rabbit excel - no problems there but I need to get him on hay.

He has had a couple of dentals for spurs on back teeth and we now need to tackle the hay eating problem to try and help reduce the time between required dentals.

I have had some advice from the vet who says that we have to be cruel to be kind and cut down his pellets so that he's hungry enough to have a go with the hay.

I just wondered if anyone can offer any advice and whilst I'm confident he could take losing a few pounds from his middle, I am not looking forward to the begging face he can put on so well!!

Thanks,

Helen.

One of my buns isnt keen on eating hay either, try stuffing some empty loo rols with hay and hiding some favourite food or treat inside so he/she has to eat the hay to get the treat.

I have found holding back pellets does make her eat hay as she is a bit of a greedy bun and loves her food so if her bowl is empty she doesnt have any other option :roll: It is hard though, they look at you so pleadingly and you feel like your being rotten by not filling up the bowl

What about fresh grass? if he wont eat hay try grass as it is just as good if not better.

Good luck, and be strong......its for his own good :?

Just ask yourself, do you love your bunny enough to say no?

All our buns get very little pellets (some get none) and their diet is mainly hay supplemented with fresh veggies and herbs, and of course grass now that it's growing again :roll:

A rabbit won't starve itself - very few pellets and they will eat all their hay. If they continue to leave the hay, reduce the pellets even more. As debbie says - grass is excellent too. I have to be careful with Harmony's teeth - vet says she may need a dental at some point in the future so I ensure that she gets even less pellets than the others and an opportunity to graze on grass as often as possible.
Maybe it is just the mother in me - if my kids (wel my daughter anyway - my son never leaves anything :lol: ) leave their fruit and eat the chocolate they don't get the chocolate the next day.

I've tried cutting down on Princess' pellets but she is still fussy with hay! She goes out every evening anyway cos she is so clean in her shed, so she gets to eat grass and plants every day. She also sometimes eats the hay cubes, I'm sure that is better than nothing too! I've tried so many different types of hay but no luck!

Nicola

Hay

Thanks all for your words of advice...

I know it's going to be tough but has to be done! He'll get stroppy and sulk but tough action is needed!

One good thing is that he does eat plants and grass when he's out in the garden but won't eat the grass in his run...strange creature.

I've tried stuffing loo rolls etc with treats and hay but he just "kills" the loo roll / hay until the treat falls out.

Thanks again and I'll start today...hay for tea nothing more nothing less!!

Helen.

He'll thank you in the end :shock: Honest :lol:

Especially if it means less vet visits and dental work

:lol: :lol:

Good luck, and dont let those pleading eyes sway you :lol:

Hiya Helen

Yep everyone's crack on here with the advice - you've just got to do it - I've just gone through the same process with Buffy whos had gut slowdown this week and its been really hard - especially as she's lost some weight so its been a fine line on which route to take really.

My hay trays have been a regular "Jamie Oliver" dishes and at times have been filled with 3/4 different types of hays so she has absolutely no excuse and luckily it seems to be working.

Good luck Helen - persevere and I'm sure it will pay off :wink:

Just a thought, is he litter trained?

If so why don't you try putting hay in his litter tray, if not already, our Jet loves to eat the hay in this litter tray whilst he is dropping raisins

That way might encourage him.

Good luck XXX

Jet, Lui, Treacle (Alison and Stephen)

Have you tried storing the hay with some dried herbs, like thyme. It will impart some of it's aroma onto the hay and may make it taste more interesting. You could try it on a small amount in a separate bag, to see if it'll work. Just make sure that it is fully dried as you don't want the hay to go mouldy.

But the first thing to do is reduce the pellets, you'll have to be cruel to be kind.

If you get the begging face just give some extra hay, he'll soon get the message ........ you could also try hand feeding some hay sometimes they'll take it as they love the attention! :wink: