Anorexic rabbit? Rabbits with mental health?

I have posted on here before about my female rabbit Myrtle and the fact that she is eating like a sparrow.

The saga continues - she's still not really eating. But she is more active.

All of my rabbits get monthly vet checks, and especially with her as we have to keep an eye on her weight and teeth.

She eats in small chunks - those chunks being around 1 or 2 mouthfuls a day, maybe once or twice a day. I haven't seen her eat hay to fill in this gap either. This includes what was her favorite food.

She is regularly seen by her vet, her teeth are good, her mouth movements are good, her stomach sounds ok and she actually gained weight when I took her last weekend. Now Myrtle is 5 years old, so I believe (and my vet agrees), that its likely her age. The weight gain is probably muscle turning to fat. Otherwise she is in good condition. She's not unhappy, and seems lively.

However, i do have a feeling that she is mentally challenged. I have said this before when i have posted on on here, and I still truly believe she is.

The problem I am having is that she lives in a trio with 2 younger ones, and they mop the food up. So there is nothing left by the time she wants to eat something. Because she is a very timid rabbit putting fresh food down is out of the question as she just runs off and the younger ones come in. I have tried separating her and it causes stress to her and the male bunny she is closest too.

So I have just come to the conclusion that its best to leave her be, she could eat if she wanted too, and I do believe she will probably end up starving eventually. Which is a sad thought, but unfortunately there is nothing I can do that doesn't stress her. I have tried syringe feeding her but she doesn't swallow it and lets it run out of her mouth. So I just give up.
Again I truly believe this is a combination of her age and her mentally ability. She is defiantly the most 'different' rabbit I have ever had (and i have had many).

Has anyone ever had an anorexic rabbit?
Again, teeth are fine, and her gut is fine, no statis. I am really not sure how she's doing it, as I can go a whole day and not see her eat with no problems (and this includes nibbling on hay which she never does anymore).

Personally I would separate her from the other 2 to see if she starts to eat normally.

tonibun said:

Personally I would separate her from the other 2 to see if she starts to eat normally.

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I have done this and her eating is the same. Granted there would be food left when she wanted to eat, however this is a tiny window in the day and all it does is add stress as she's separated from the others. It also adds stress to my other 2. Not to mention that I don't have the space for her to live permanently on her own as they are indoors.

I'm sorry that you remain to have concerns about Myrtle

I think that muscle weighs more than fat, so I don't think the weight gain can be attributed to muscle turning to fat. Is this something that your vet told you? I would also say that 5 years is not really old for a rabbit and so I would not expect such changes in behaviour to be due to her age. Again, is this something that your vet has said? Which leads to the question that if she is only eating one or two mouthfuls once or twice a day, why is she not losing weight? You also say she is more active. Could it be that you are just not witnessing her eating hay?

If you are absolutely sure that she is only eating a couple of mouthfuls of anything a day and yet is gaining weight, I think I would take her to a vet who is more rabbit savvy, as she possibly needs some further investigations done.

Omi said:

I'm sorry that you remain to have concerns about Myrtle

I think that muscle weighs more than fat, so I don't think the weight gain can be attributed to muscle turning to fat. Is this something that your vet told you? I would also say that 5 years is not really old for a rabbit and so I would not expect such changes in behaviour to be due to her age. Again, is this something that your vet has said? Which leads to the question that if she is only eating one or two mouthfuls once or twice a day, why is she not losing weight? You also say she is more active. Could it be that you are just not witnessing her eating hay?

If you are absolutely sure that she is only eating a couple of mouthfuls of anything a day and yet is gaining weight, I think I would take her to a vet who is more rabbit savvy, as she possibly needs some further investigations done.

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Hi Omi

I have been with my vet for 4 years and he is very knowledgeable with rabbits. However, we are taking Myrtles case knowing Myrtle for how she is. I know 5 isn't 'old' as i have had rabbits live up to 15 years old. However rabbits are classed as a senior at 6. So she is 'getting on a bit'. All rabbits are different, and she has always been a highly stressed rabbit. She was also a breeding doe in her young life. My vet informed me that the body changes as we age and muscle can turn to fat, which would explain the very small weight gain if she's not eating anything. We are only talking a small amount of weight - nothing much may I add. She's hardly eating so I can't think what else would be contributing to this.

I am working from home and we are all in the living room together most of the time. During lockdown i have been around them all of the time (apart from when i am in bed). I never see her eat anything apart from small mouthfuls. I have closed the other two in their pen leaving her out and shoving the bowl near her. Hours later - still nothing and she has yummy forage, and blueberries there also. She only eats when she wants too, and its not a lot.

I seem to recall that you had issues with feeling any affection toward Myrtle .Maybe her ‘ mental issues’ are because she is picking up on this.

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?481425-Issues-bonding-with-your-own-rabbit

Also, you have previously mentioned an ongoing issue with the trio bond http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?482231-Rabbit-getting-left-out-in-a-Trio-Food maybe it would be kinder to find her companion of her own rather than being with two Rabbits whom she is not happy with



Rabbits can become Anorexic ie lose their appetite due to stress, amongst other things. They do not get Anorexia Nervosa as in the Psychiatric Illness seen in humans

InspectorMorse said:

I seem to recall that you had issues with feeling any affection toward Myrtle .Maybe her ‘ mental issues’ are because she is picking up on this.

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?481425-Issues-bonding-with-your-own-rabbit

Also, you have previously mentioned an ongoing issue with the trio bond http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?482231-Rabbit-getting-left-out-in-a-Trio-Food maybe it would be kinder to find her companion of her own rather than being with two Rabbits whom she is not happy with



Rabbits can become Anorexic ie lose their appetite due to stress, amongst other things. They do not get Anorexia Nervosa as in the Psychiatric Illness seen in humans

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Hi Jade

There has in the past been some ups and downs, however over recent months she has been the closer one among them both. The bullying is mainly between the other two a (i say bullying i mean the odd chase now and again). Myrtle is the bunny that grooms them both and happy to lay between them.

Yes, Myrtle and I have never had the closest bond. However, its not like i ignore her, or unkind to her. I treat her the same as the other - I just don't lay with her and stroke her as i do the others as she hates it and runs away. So I give her the space she wants. This is also nothing that would suddenly effect her over night.

Myrtle has always been an overly stressed rabbit (hence why there has never been that bond with her, as I am unable too), I have had people comment of her extreme behavior before, while at the vets or any kind of boarding as they have been concerned she would have a heart attack. I had to sleep over at the vets once while she was getting spayed as she was so bad. She ended up having to stay nearly 2 weeks as the vets wouldn't discharge her until she would eat.

So her stress and anxiety isn't caused by any kind of change in her environment. The only change however, is the fact that I to suffer with anxiety disorder and have been struggling during the lockdown.

You mention her teeth and her stomach and everything being fine, but have other tests been done? X-rays, blood tests, urine? There are many illnesses that can cause a loss of appetite. Is it possible that she eats while you sleep? Have you ever tried setting up a bunny cam so you can see if she eats at night?

She could be eating at night - I do not have a bunny cam however she is surviving statis free somehow. I never see her eat in the day and her pen is right by my work desk.

I can get the vet to recheck her but we will be going over old ground.

If you can get a cheap camera with night-vision to see if she eats at night that could give you some important answers.

So, she's had blood tests and everything came back normal? No problems with her organs that could cause a lack of appetite? And X-rays that didn't show any tumours or arthritis or problems with her tooth roots, or anything else that can cause pain? Just trying to think of anything that might be causing her to eat so little, because it's really not good, of course.

I think you need to establish what she is eating at night - one of mine eats very little all day, he just sleeps, so it is possible she just eats when you aren't there. But reading your previous threads I do have to wonder if she is really happy with this situation - it seems to have started with the trio bonding, and just got worse. Could you perhaps look at getting her her own pair bond again? She doesn't sound like a happy bunny going by what you've written.

dollyanna said:

I think you need to establish what she is eating at night - one of mine eats very little all day, he just sleeps, so it is possible she just eats when you aren't there. But reading your previous threads I do have to wonder if she is really happy with this situation - it seems to have started with the trio bonding, and just got worse. Could you perhaps look at getting her her own pair bond again? She doesn't sound like a happy bunny going by what you've written.

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:thumb:

I think you've got two separate issues causing you concern. They may not be related.

The first is that, whilst you don't see her eating she is putting on weight. Plus you have rightly identified that, if she is not in fact eating, she could be lacking in essential nutrients, possibly leading eventually to her starving herself. My view is that she is eating, which could of course be happening at night. Has your vet x-rayed her and run blood tests? As was said by a reader of books, this would confirm whether there was a physical cause to explain how she is putting on weight whilst seemingly not eating. If she is eating at night, it would also give you the reassurance that all was well physically.

The other issue is her stress and anxiety. As others have said, it's possible that she would be a calmer, happier bunny with her own partner.

Omi said:

I think you've got two separate issues causing you concern. They may not be related.

The first is that, whilst you don't see her eating she is putting on weight. Plus you have rightly identified that, if she is not in fact eating, she could be lacking in essential nutrients, possibly leading eventually to her starving herself. My view is that she is eating, which could of course be happening at night. Has your vet x-rayed her and run blood tests? As was said by a reader of books, this would confirm whether there was a physical cause to explain how she is putting on weight whilst seemingly not eating. If she is eating at night, it would also give you the reassurance that all was well physically.

The other issue is her stress and anxiety. As others have said, it's possible that she would be a calmer, happier bunny with her own partner.

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:thumb:

Omi said:

I think you've got two separate issues causing you concern. They may not be related.

The first is that, whilst you don't see her eating she is putting on weight. Plus you have rightly identified that, if she is not in fact eating, she could be lacking in essential nutrients, possibly leading eventually to her starving herself. My view is that she is eating, which could of course be happening at night. Has your vet x-rayed her and run blood tests? As was said by a reader of books, this would confirm whether there was a physical cause to explain how she is putting on weight whilst seemingly not eating. If she is eating at night, it would also give you the reassurance that all was well physically.

The other issue is her stress and anxiety. As others have said, it's possible that she would be a calmer, happier bunny with her own partner.

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Myrtle is closely bonded with Mylo and she is close to Summer. In fact she has become a lot closer with Summer over recently months. She is the glue within the bond and gets on with both of them. When i started the other posts in the past, that trio was a new one - so it would be a little unfair to judge a nearly formed bond. To separate her out now would cause a lot of stress among them all, it was bad enough for the 1 day and she wasn't any different.

As stated before - her stress and anxiety she has had this her entire life. She was a lot worse when I first collected her from the breeders (she was a retied breeding doe). I have over the years worked on her and she has improved - but she is still leagues away from other bunnies in her confidence. When I first brought her home, I was in two minds as to weather I could keep her as she was so bad.

She has had tests - bloods, head scan, stool and urine. I have thought about any kind of blockage as that is how I lost Finn so I am always weary with anything like that. She is in good condition apart from her weight. She did eat a little last night - again not a lot but she had a little bit. I could well be like one poster above mentions that she only eats at night. But I am not sure why this wouldn't cause her to go into statis - she bundles of energy also. I would say 'maybe she doesn't need much food' but I know rabbits should eat often.

They are all on Haybox Long Stem Hay, small volume of Excel / Chudleys Royale Pellets plus Forage. They also get fed their greens and Herbs daily.

Oh my God what an utterly stunning rabbit she is.

Ok so i may know why she is managing to keep going while not eating. She seems to be eating the flooring and not her food.

What would be the causes for this and I can cross check with my vet? She's had just about every test going and they seem find. But I can get them to double check anything specific. I can't find anything on why rabbits would favor foreign objects (rubber, cardboard, plastic) over food. She has eaten a small amount of pellets this morning (well what was left over), but that was only because I yelped at her every time she attempted to eat the flooring.

tulsi said:

Oh my God what an utterly stunning rabbit she is.

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She is very stunning.
I just wish i could figure out what was wrong with her.

Finn.The.Mini.Lop.Bun said:

Ok so i may know why she is managing to keep going while not eating. She seems to be eating the flooring and not her food.

What would be the causes for this and I can cross check with my vet? She's had just about every test going and they seem find. But I can get them to double check anything specific. I can't find anything on why rabbits would favor foreign objects (rubber, cardboard, plastic) over food. She has eaten a small amount of pellets this morning (well what was left over), but that was only because I yelped at her every time she attempted to eat the flooring.

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Rabbits with problems with the motility of their cecum (hind gut)crave inappropriate sources of fibre such as cardboard, flooring, paper etc. This can eventually lead to an impacted cecum.

InspectorMorse said:

Rabbits with problems with the motility of their cecum (hind gut)crave inappropriate sources of fibre such as cardboard, flooring, paper etc. This can eventually lead to an impacted cecum.

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Thanks Jane

Sounds a little like Cecal Hypomotility

Decline of normal appetite and water intake
Picking at food; dropping uneaten food
Smaller and fewer fecal pellets

She has all these - including a poor coat.
I will mention this to my vet for testing for this. However treatment is mainly sound to diet, and their diet is mostly Hay and Forage, however she wont eat anything which would explain her lack of nutrition.