Does your bunny bite it's bowl and why does it do this?

[cpayne]

Doughnut never used to bite her ceramic bowl, now she's feeling better she is constantly biting it when eating and picking it up so it crashes to the floor! She's got food in it but she does this when she's eating.

Does your bunny do this? It's like she's frustrated and can't get the food down to her stomach quick enough! I'm also wondering if it's because she's on more food so not eating as much hay, although she eats lots, but she is nibbling everything or biting radiators etc. She doesn't bite me and it's not because she's being aggressive just seems to be going round having a bite of some object then off to something new!

I am cutting back the muesli a bit though and adding in the oxbow pellets and more hay if her weight is maintained, so maybe this will cure it!

 

[warlepus]

1. Rabbits are naturally curious. They will explore the world by nibbling.
2. Their teeth grow constantly. If she's not getting enough hay she will try to wear her teeth down by nibbling on everything else.
3. Are you feeding muesli when she would throw her bowl even if there's food in it? My rabbit does this too but only when I put hay in his bowl. He hates the hay and will throw it out of his bowl if he can. He did this too when I switched half his food with cheaper pellets.

Bottom line, if she may be picky with food and throwing out the rest of it as she has already eaten the bits of her food that she likes.


I've tried introducing more hay to him. I leave it overnight in his cage in case he gets hungry. In the day time, I cut them into tiny bits and crush a bit of the pellets so I can mix 'em popcorn and cheese flavor style. He eats his hay now.

Also, my rabbit just does the bowl thing for attention. He knows it's noisy and if you go near his cage for doing this, well, it's kinda reinforcing the behavior. Unless your bun really is uninjured, etc. and there's hay in her cage, just take the bowl out if it bothers you.

 

[Vegan_Bunny]

Mine throw and clatter things about when they want attention, are angry, or just think it's fun. She probably just likes the fact that it makes a big noise when she does it. :lol: Has she got any toys that make noises? She might enjoy having something like a ball with a bell in it.

 

[*Funny*Bunny*]

Mine do this, Lilly has recently perfected what I believe her intention was all the time..... Literally turning the food bowl around! She eats all the food from the far side of the bowl then has to strain her neck over the edge to get the near side, then gets angry and turns the bowl putting the hard to reach food in an easy to reach place! Harvey does it too, but appears to just shake the food from the edges to the centre of the bowl. I think they've just learnt when they're struggling to reach the food picking up the bowl and dropping it makes the food more accessible, well at least that's what my honest belief is that they're doing! I often sit with them whilst they eat and it definitely looks like that

 

[cpayne]

She's got toys but doesn't really play with them, it seems she's a bit angry with it even when there is food in it. Maybe she just likes the noise like you say, she sometimes eats with her paws in it so it's nice and quiet then!

She's outside her hutch when she's doing it so got lots of space.

I'll try reducing the muesli a bit more and see if it stops. I just don't want her breaking the bowl or lifting it up with her teeth and it landing on her paw.

 

[cpayne]

Mine do this, Lilly has recently perfected what I believe her intention was all the time..... Literally turning the food bowl around! She eats all the food from the far side of the bowl then has to strain her neck over the edge to get the near side, then gets angry and turns the bowl putting the hard to reach food in an easy to reach place! Harvey does it too, but appears to just shake the food from the edges to the centre of the bowl. I think they've just learnt when they're struggling to reach the food picking up the bowl and dropping it makes the food more accessible, well at least that's what my honest belief is that they're doing! I often sit with them whilst they eat and it definitely looks like that

Oh I think that might be it as she literally gets in the bowl with her front paws sometimes so I guess she is turning it around to get to the food as getting frustrated. Funny she's only started doing this but I was feeding her pellets before so I guess now she is on muesli she wants to get to her favourite bits and leave the pellets.

 

[Vegan_Bunny]

She's got toys but doesn't really play with them, it seems she's a bit angry with it even when there is food in it. Maybe she just likes the noise like you say, she sometimes eats with her paws in it so it's nice and quiet then!

She's outside her hutch when she's doing it so got lots of space.

I'll try reducing the muesli a bit more and see if it stops. I just don't want her breaking the bowl or lifting it up with her teeth and it landing on her paw.

Perhaps get a larger bowl? I had this problem with the water bowl..I don't know why, but they kept throwing it around and soaking themselves and everything else! I bought a big none-slip plastic dog bowl and they haven't done it since.

 

[*Funny*Bunny*]

Oh I think that might be it as she literally gets in the bowl with her front paws sometimes so I guess she is turning it around to get to the food as getting frustrated. Funny she's only started doing this but I was feeding her pellets before so I guess now she is on muesli she wants to get to her favourite bits and leave the pellets.

I definitely think she's doing what my two do my two are on muesli too (rabbit royale), they do always finish their food though. When I just had Harvey he wouldn't finish it all straight away, but my rule was that as long as all of it was gone before the next meal I was feeding him the right amount. If there are bits that she leaves maybe try slowly reducing until she finishes her whole meal? Now I have two rabbits they will always finish straight away because it's a competition :roll:

 

[warlepus]

I'm not sure how this will help but maybe get a metal bowl? I got a metal one for Levi because the ceramic ones might chip if thrown hard enough and he eats a piece.

 

[cpayne]

I'm going to try and change her back to the oxbow bunny basics, so she will probably be getting half muesli half bunny basics, since it's better for her, I just need her to maintain her weight.

She just won't eat one type of pellet, eats the other one. She prefers her hay to that but she loves the bunny basics. The specialist put her on the muesli but since I'm sure it's the medicine that is keeping her well and also she eats everything, changing her slowly back to something a bit healthy won't hurt her.

The bowl is big but the food seems to slide to the edges, so I guess that's she picks it up and gives it a good smash!

Thanks everyone for clearing it up for me.

 

[egg]

It's lovely to see Doughnut feeling better, must be such a relief for you

One of my rabbits bites and tries to pick her bowl up but only when I put my hand in to take it out to refill it. It's almost like she's helping me lift it out! Once it's at her head height she puts her head under it and sort of nudges it up and out, I'm certain she's trying to help me. Or hurry me up maybe :lol:

 

[tulsi]

Mine only have bowls for water. Had to get Mottle and Peaches a really heavy ceramic one as Mottle liked to throw his around (soaking everything).

I scatter feed their pellets. Could you try this - just for variety?

 

[Lea-Anne]

Mine throw and clatter things about when they want attention, are angry, or just think it's fun. She probably just likes the fact that it makes a big noise when she does it. :lol: Has she got any toys that make noises? She might enjoy having something like a ball with a bell in it.

This. Meg does it lots. :lol:

 

[RogerRabbit999]

Bodger is always throwing his bowl about, and seems to like the noise it makes as he sits banging it against the wall :roll: If he isn't hungry, he will tip the food out and then sit banging and throwing the bowl about. I personally would be tempted to get her just a lightweight plastic one which is what Bodger has now. He didn't hurt himself, but when walking past him he cracked my knee with it so hard, it took my breath away and made my eyes water, and it really hurt :evil:

It's definitely a toy/game thing to him, and it could be that Doughnut is just feeling so well now, after being poorly for so long, and this is one of the things she likes to play with the most, or that she is trying to turn it around. When I think about all the toys, tunnels, pop up play tents, god knows what my buns have, and yet the thing they love playing with the most, other than Bodger with his bowl, is egg boxes :shock:

 

[cpayne]

Bodger is always throwing his bowl about, and seems to like the noise it makes as he sits banging it against the wall :roll: If he isn't hungry, he will tip the food out and then sit banging and throwing the bowl about. I personally would be tempted to get her just a lightweight plastic one which is what Bodger has now. He didn't hurt himself, but when walking past him he cracked my knee with it so hard, it took my breath away and made my eyes water, and it really hurt :evil:

It's definitely a toy/game thing to him, and it could be that Doughnut is just feeling so well now, after being poorly for so long, and this is one of the things she likes to play with the most, or that she is trying to turn it around. When I think about all the toys, tunnels, pop up play tents, god knows what my buns have, and yet the thing they love playing with the most, other than Bodger with his bowl, is egg boxes :shock:

I keep getting plastic egg boxes which is annoying. Will have to shop around to get the cardboard ones.

 

[Sarah1989]

Slipper does this - the second I feed him, he dives over to it, digs all the food out and then throws the bowl around his cage :roll: I'm sure he does it to annoy me or get more food! :roll: But he doesn't do it so much now I've got him on pellets, it was what he did with the museli. I never really questioned it, just adapted to it and accepted it as one of his "things". It's not the worst habbit he has so it's easy to ignore noisy bowl throwing over "I'm going to rip your arm off for touching that bowl!" :roll: I love him really though

Maybe Doughnut is just enjoying playing with it? Sods law you buy her proper toys and expensive stuff and she wants to play with her food :lol: