Hi,
Our rabbit Luigi, neutered, 5.5 yo, large dwarf, has dental problems (right down molars near about absent), he has been treated for that in January by the vet.
Before his teeth were done, he got quite skinny and even got into stasis and I had to force feed him to pull him through, but since then he's improving and he is lively (apart from a few days when he was really bad, he is nearly always a happy rabbit).
The advice was only two tbsp pellets a day and he must eat hay to keep his teeth as much healthy as possible. He gets Science Selective, which he likes very much, though he does not finish them completely.
Sadly he almost entirely refuses hay, even when I give him no pellets at all to force him to eat hay. I've tried several types of hay and Readigrass, but to no avail. When I stopped the pellets he got very poor, sitting with his back pulled up and had bad poo, with lots of slime. So I felt forced to continue the pellets, also because he became even more thin.
He gets veg too, broccoli, carrots, fresh grass, dandelion leaves. Those he eats well, though the grass he leaves half of the time. He drinks a lot of water, though it varies from day to day.
Now for my question: accidentally his pellets got soaked (he threw his water bowl) and I noticed he LOVED the soaked pellets. He ate all of them in no time. They were not entirely mushy, the water was not so much that the pellets lost shape. Since then I'm giving him half of his pellets with a little water and he devours them. Finally he is also producing more and better poo and appears to be gaining weight, plus that he's clearly getting more energetic (like I said, he is always happy, but tends to be a bit lazy).
My worry is that this is not good for his teeth, he doesn't have to chew enough. Effectively he only has to chew his veg and a bit of grass and the one or two dry pellets he takes.
I understand that these soaked pellets are very easy for him to eat, with his missing molars and I am also very happy that he appears to be doing better than he did for quite some time.
What would be your advice: should I be 'hard' and consequent, trying to get him on the proper diet - give him only a bit of dry pellets and lots of hay, veg, grass, knowing that at least initially he will almost stop eating and lose weight?
Or should I consider that indeed this is more easy for him and he is doing very well now, in every way, so I should just continue with soaked pellets next to hay (which he most likely won't eat), veg, grass and regularly visit the vet to deal with tooth problems which may soon arise with this diet?
Sadly his girlfriend died in December, when we were with my parents in Holland and family was taking care. As soon as he is really well and the weather a bit better, we will try to find him a new friend from a rescue. Till then he is sitting next to me in the living room, roaming free. I'm sure, being lonely, while he has never been alone before, did also not help with all the problems we encountered since January. Though he seems clearly on the way up now.
Sorry for this very long post.
Thank you in advance for any advice!
Our rabbit Luigi, neutered, 5.5 yo, large dwarf, has dental problems (right down molars near about absent), he has been treated for that in January by the vet.
Before his teeth were done, he got quite skinny and even got into stasis and I had to force feed him to pull him through, but since then he's improving and he is lively (apart from a few days when he was really bad, he is nearly always a happy rabbit).
The advice was only two tbsp pellets a day and he must eat hay to keep his teeth as much healthy as possible. He gets Science Selective, which he likes very much, though he does not finish them completely.
Sadly he almost entirely refuses hay, even when I give him no pellets at all to force him to eat hay. I've tried several types of hay and Readigrass, but to no avail. When I stopped the pellets he got very poor, sitting with his back pulled up and had bad poo, with lots of slime. So I felt forced to continue the pellets, also because he became even more thin.
He gets veg too, broccoli, carrots, fresh grass, dandelion leaves. Those he eats well, though the grass he leaves half of the time. He drinks a lot of water, though it varies from day to day.
Now for my question: accidentally his pellets got soaked (he threw his water bowl) and I noticed he LOVED the soaked pellets. He ate all of them in no time. They were not entirely mushy, the water was not so much that the pellets lost shape. Since then I'm giving him half of his pellets with a little water and he devours them. Finally he is also producing more and better poo and appears to be gaining weight, plus that he's clearly getting more energetic (like I said, he is always happy, but tends to be a bit lazy).
My worry is that this is not good for his teeth, he doesn't have to chew enough. Effectively he only has to chew his veg and a bit of grass and the one or two dry pellets he takes.
I understand that these soaked pellets are very easy for him to eat, with his missing molars and I am also very happy that he appears to be doing better than he did for quite some time.
What would be your advice: should I be 'hard' and consequent, trying to get him on the proper diet - give him only a bit of dry pellets and lots of hay, veg, grass, knowing that at least initially he will almost stop eating and lose weight?
Or should I consider that indeed this is more easy for him and he is doing very well now, in every way, so I should just continue with soaked pellets next to hay (which he most likely won't eat), veg, grass and regularly visit the vet to deal with tooth problems which may soon arise with this diet?
Sadly his girlfriend died in December, when we were with my parents in Holland and family was taking care. As soon as he is really well and the weather a bit better, we will try to find him a new friend from a rescue. Till then he is sitting next to me in the living room, roaming free. I'm sure, being lonely, while he has never been alone before, did also not help with all the problems we encountered since January. Though he seems clearly on the way up now.
Sorry for this very long post.
Thank you in advance for any advice!
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