My boy has stopped eating hay since two weeks ago. HELP!!

[HoneyBunny07]

He's 5 years old.. and he's stopped eating hay for like...two weeks now. He stil eats parsley and fruits and still begs for treats, but he has lost all his interest in hay. took him to three different vets; he got a blood test, an x-ray of his whole body, and other tests. All three vets said that there was physically nothing wrong with him and they couldn't see anything wrong with his teeth or guts or blood. I tried hand feeding, different types of hay, he just doesn't like hay anymore. I'm so scared rn, l don't want to lose my baby. Has anyone faced this problem with their bunnies? What should I do? Please help!

 

[Shimmer]

Is he maintaining his weight? I would check him weekly to make sure he's not losing weight.
Do you have access to grass? He may eat that instead of hay.
There are other types of forage that you could try, with the aim of increasing the fibre in his diet for both gut health and to keep his teeth in trim. Bramble leaves are available all year round and grow in many places. Some weeds such as dandelions are starting to grow again now.

If his weight is stable, I would slowly cut out the elements from his diet that could be considered treats (eg fruit) and gradually introduce other fibrous greens. Make sure that he still has hay available at all times.

There are some ideas here:

Diet sheets — Frances Harcourt-Brown

Dietary recommendations for rabbits with and without health problems

www.harcourt-brown.co.uk

 

[Omi]

I agree with Shimmer re weighing regularly, gradually cutting out all treats (including fruit) and also trying him with grass. I would also try him with Readigrass, which he might like.

Also bear in mind that, whilst it seems unlikely after three vets have examined him, sometimes it's not possible to get a very good view of a rabbits' teeth while awake. Some rabbits can be very sensitive to just tiny problems with teeth.

Bramble leaves are excellent for both teeth and digestion. Also other wild forage is gradually re-appearing, which would be beneficial.

Let us know how you get on. Maybe if none of the above helps, it might be worth discussing with your vet whether a trial of pain relief could be started. It could help to narrow down the issue.

 

[tonibun]

Maybe he is getting too many treats etc. They can be quite crafty if they know they will be getting the things they "prefer" to hay so wait until you give in.

 

[bunny momma]

Did you start a new package of hay? Does the hay smell musty/damp/moldy?
Sending vibes for you and your bunny. Were skull x rays done to check jaw and tooth roots?

 

[EBM]

Did you start a new package of hay? Does the hay smell musty/damp/moldy?
Sending vibes for you and your bunny. Were skull x rays done to check jaw and tooth roots?

I was going to say this. I've had buns not eat a new hay which to me looks fine but they obviously know something is wrong with it