Change in appetite

I need some help please

Bit of info - I feed the boys 50g pellets(scattered) and a hand full of greens in the mornings and evenings. They get their pellets first and while they're eating that I put their greens out.

I noticed last week that it seems like Zeus is eating most of the pellets and Athie would have a few then go eat greens but as soon as Zeus comes over Athie would run off. Both of them have unlimited hay all day long.

Worried that Athie isn't getting enough food I've started feeding them separate, well me sat on the carpet with 1 on each side and their pellets and greens in a bowl each.

Athie gets really excited when I start prepping the food and does binkies and runs around me, but as soon as I put the food down he very hesitantly will nibble a few pellets and maybe 1 or 2 greens. Zeus gobbles his up with no issue.

Seems like Athie has mostly lost his appetite for pellets and greens but he still eats a lot of hay(with healthy poops) and will happily eat treats.

Any ideas why the sudden not wanting to eat greens or pellets? :s

Have to add, he's not lost any weight and all his other behaviour is the same still.

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First of all I would say I don't think this would concern me very much as long as weight and poops remained good. Is Zeus' weight the same, or is he gaining with more pellets and greens? If he is then I would adjust the quantity.

What treats do you give them? I think if you stopped them, maybe Athie might start eating more pellets and greens. It might be worth a try

It seems unlikely that Athie feels inhibited by Zeus as you have found the same if you feed them separately.

I think I would just monitor them both for any changes. It's not really a reduced appetite, more a change in food preferences.

Omi said:

First of all I would say I don't think this would concern me very much as long as weight and poops remained good. Is Zeus' weight the same, or is he gaining with more pellets and greens? If he is then I would adjust the quantity.

What treats do you give them? I think if you stopped them, maybe Athie might start eating more pellets and greens. It might be worth a try

It seems unlikely that Athie feels inhibited by Zeus as you have found the same if you feed them separately.

I think I would just monitor them both for any changes. It's not really a reduced appetite, more a change in food preferences.

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Thank you [emoji4] nope Zeus's weight has remained steady, he's 2.5kg and Athie is 2.4kg, so not even a big difference in them :s

Think I might just be over paranoid as he used to eat with some gusto. Yea I agree about the inhibited as feeding them separately doesn't seem to have made much impact.

Ah the treats depends, when I noticed the drop in eating last week I stopped with the treats during the day and now only give them each a cookie at bedtime. The cookie is homemade out of pellets, hay, banana, strawberry and touch of fenugreek leaves. And they're 2cm x 2cm and only about 1cm thick, so quite tiny and it's mostly hay, the rest is a small amount.

Haha change in food preferences makes me think Athie is just being fussy [emoji1787] but now you mention it everytime I've offered him a juvenile basil plant he's happily eaten it. [emoji848]

Should I be worried about nutrients and stuff? I mean I know greens and pellets are a very low % of their diet but if he's not eating pellets then do I have to find a different substitute? :s

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Has he had his teeth checked recently ? Whilst most Rabbits go off hay first if they have Dental problems this is not always the case. Also, Athie is a Lionhead isn’t he ? Lionheads are prone to dental problems.

Cookie is so spoiled about food. I also notice that his mood sometimes goes down in rainy weather. Like humans, rabbits can sometimes have mood swings or get bored. Sometimes acted like Athie on Cookie. For him sometimes food is not valuable when it is available. He started getting excited for the same foods again when I started to hide the food or give it as a game. If his behavior, his hay eating, his poop are good, I don't think you should worry. Probably he is bored, don't stop watching closely though and if it persists take it to the vet.
Because sometimes back tooth problems can cause this, if this situation does not improve, do not neglect the vet.

InspectorMorse said:

Has he had his teeth checked recently ? Whilst most Rabbits go off hay first if they have Dental problems this is not always the case. Also, Athie is a Lionhead isn’t he ? Lionheads are prone to dental problems.

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He was at the vets 2 or so months ago and she checked then and it was all fine. But I know they're due for their vaccinations in the next month or so, so going to see if the vet will bring it forward and do a checkup at the same time.

Ummm he's a mix. Not really any lion head looks but where I rescued him from if I remember right said the dad was a lop and the mom a dwarf, but then again she told me so many lies I wouldn't trust that.

That's what I find really odd, he still happily eats hay(a lot) and the treats, just seems like he doesn't like pellets and fresh greens anymore

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KCG said:

Cookie is so spoiled about food. I also notice that his mood sometimes goes down in rainy weather. Like humans, rabbits can sometimes have mood swings or get bored. Sometimes acted like Athie on Cookie. For him sometimes food is not valuable when it is available. He started getting excited for the same foods again when I started to hide the food or give it as a game. If his behavior, his hay eating, his poop are good, I don't think you should worry. Probably he is bored, don't stop watching closely though and if it persists take it to the vet.
Because sometimes back tooth problems can cause this, if this situation does not improve, do not neglect the vet.

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Yea that's a good point, maybe Athie saw the scale the other week and put himself on a diet [emoji1787]

He does not like games [emoji1787] in the past I tried making dinner time game time and would exchange pellets for tricks or put it in their toy or such... Athie has no interest then [emoji1787] he's never been that fussed about food, except banana, for banana he will do anything [emoji1787]

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I wouldn't be concerned about the nutrients. Athie is still eating some pellets and greens isn't he and some rabbits don't have any pellets. If he happily eats Basil, then maybe swop the greens for herbs some days.

The treats sound lovely btw I wouldn't stop them.

It's good advice about having his teeth checked to make sure there's no problem there.

Omi said:

I wouldn't be concerned about the nutrients. Athie is still eating some pellets and greens isn't he and some rabbits don't have any pellets. If he happily eats Basil, then maybe swop the greens for herbs some days.

The treats sound lovely btw I wouldn't stop them.

It's good advice about having his teeth checked to make sure there's no problem there.

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Phew ok good thanks so worried I might do the wrong thing or not give him what he needs [emoji15]
Seems he only wants the Basil, tonight gave him parsley(one of his previous favs) and he threw the bowl over and laid down next to it [emoji2356] will have to go scouting for some proper basil, I only have 5 juvenile plants left and my tescos seem to only have the Chinese basil, which Athie hates [emoji2356]

Thanks yea was a happy find on an article I read and figured they must be healthier than shop bought treats and the boys seem to love them

Yea agreed, definitely going to call the vet tomorrow. Thank you again for your advice [emoji4] it's nice to get some feedback and ideas

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cheriseru said:

Yea that's a good point, maybe Athie saw the scale the other week and put himself on a diet [emoji1787]

He does not like games [emoji1787] in the past I tried making dinner time game time and would exchange pellets for tricks or put it in their toy or such... Athie has no interest then [emoji1787] he's never been that fussed about food, except banana, for banana he will do anything [emoji1787]

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Sometimes they can be spoiled because we love them so much. They notice our love too. Also Cookie is also crazy about bananas, he will do anything for bananas. :lol:

KCG said:

Sometimes they can be spoiled because we love them so much. They notice our love too. Also Cookie is also crazy about bananas, he will do anything for bananas. [emoji38]

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Oh absolutely easy to spoil them! A few months back I actually did a lot of reading and discovered I was wayyyy over feeding them bad stuff. Too much greens, banana everyday with strawberries and fenugreek cookies and dandelion roots, basically they were living on junk food and hardly ate hay [emoji15]
So had to learn to curb my wanting to spoil them haha had it down to max 2 treats a day with proper amount of greens and pellets and maybe a green bean each at 3am when I can't sleep. And finally they were producing healthy poops [emoji1787][emoji1787]

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Chibbs does this Lopsy will trough the lot if I'm not quick enough to get the bowl back :lol: I did think at first, being a lionhead, it might be something more sinister but nope, she just CBA to eat pellets sometimes :lol:

Thanks again for the advice peoples

Happy to report it was just purely fussiness [emoji1787] after Athie eating my last baby basil plants and then doing a few binkies I decided I'll give the Chinese basil a try till this weekend when I can go round local shops etc.

This morning and this evening he's back to his happy eating [emoji16][emoji16] turns out he doesn't even like pellets that's been touched by mixed leafy greens(that he used to love) [emoji1787]

Look at this cutie happy face [emoji16][emoji16]

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Brilliant news Fussy Athie eh

Bunnies can be such confusing creatures sometimes can't they. They will of course also 'go off' certain plants I find at certain times of the year. They must obviously taste a little bit different.

I've only got Tui at the moment and I would say she is the easiest and least fussy of all the bunnies I've had. But even she this afternoon, when presented with two Sage leaves, which she hasn't had for a very long time, sniffed, ran away, sniffed again, nibbled a bit and then quickly ran away as though they were going to bite her :lol:

Omi said:

Brilliant news Fussy Athie eh

Bunnies can be such confusing creatures sometimes can't they. They will of course also 'go off' certain plants I find at certain times of the year. They must obviously taste a little bit different.

I've only got Tui at the moment and I would say she is the easiest and least fussy of all the bunnies I've had. But even she this afternoon, when presented with two Sage leaves, which she hasn't had for a very long time, sniffed, ran away, sniffed again, nibbled a bit and then quickly ran away as though they were going to bite her [emoji38]

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Hahaha yes they are [emoji1787] it's the first time Athie has gone off his veg and Zeus never does [emoji1787] he'd eat anything and everything I swear [emoji1787] only downside is feeding Athie Basil will basically double the veg cost [emoji2356] shouldn't be surprised that he has 'expensive' taste actually [emoji1787]

Awww poor Tui! Being frighrened by your scary offering [emoji39][emoji39]

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