Peanut is home! OT: I must be bonkers (inc. small poo / hay avoider questions)

[jemjabella]

I went to my first morning as a volunteer at a local cat rescue this morning. Somehow ended up spending more time with some guinea pigs and rabbits they've got in at the moment :lol: in doing so I discovered a little lone boy, Peanut, who is just gorgeous in colouring but his poos have me concerned. They're tiny. Golden, the right consistency, but really really tiny. Occasional wet one in there too.

Apparently he was rescued from a dark cupboard with no space or stimulation, and no hay or grass. He doesn't seem to know how to eat the stuff. Only interested in muesli (which he is predictably picking at and eating the 'best bits' - which I'm guessing is why his poos are so tiny).

As the title said - I must be bonkers, because despite all the loss lately and me saying I wasn't going to bring home any more because I can't deal with the losses, I've agreed to adopt him. I will bring him back next Tuesday.

So anyway, questions - priorities for me are getting him to eat hay, and moving him over to a pellet diet. Should I focus on the hay first?

One of my previous rabbits, Rosie, was fed a muesli diet and although moving her over to pellets did improve her poo a bit they were always quite small. Bearing in mind it's been a while since I've had a small rabbit - is it likely that I'm overreacting on the poos and he is just doing what is 'normal' for him?

I'm such a pushover

 

[tonibun]

I think you are doing a great thing, ot at all bonkers! So, it could be his teeth which are preventing him from eating hay and if he hasn't been fed any hay then he just isn't in the habit of eating it. If his teeth are not the problem then you can work on his diet, perhaps he's been overfed Muesli. so reduce it down to a normal amount and in time he should start to get used to filling up on the hay. His poos might be on the small size as he has had a change of "home" and this is stressful for them. Good luck with him.

 

[jemjabella]

Thanks for replying tonibun.

I think what I'll do is get him booked in at the vet and get his teeth checked out as soon as I have picked him up, that way we can rule out dental issues and concentrate on any behavioural/habit based food issues.

Apparently at his original home he had "plenty" of muesli so I'm guessing they just kept the bowl topped up. He's only a wee tiny bun (although compared to how big Bramble was, everybun is wee tiny) so I guess I need to be careful that I don't reduce too quickly.

 

[joey&boo]

Aw, its lovely you have rehomed this little guy. I agree with your plan of a dental check as there is a good chance he is calcium deficient if he has only had muesli which is big deal when they selectively pick at it (ie its technically nutritionally complete if they eat it all but woefully low if they concentrate on maize & the like) He may not be able to eat hay but might be able to manage readigrass & forage if it is dental. Good luck with him & photos when you are able please

 

[jemjabella]

Thanks for the tips - will see if I can hold of some readigrass between now and then.

Picture as requested, from yesterday (will get some more once he's home):

 

[joey&boo]

Thanks for the tips - will see if I can hold of some readigrass between now and then.

Picture as requested, from yesterday (will get some more once he's home):

thank you. He is very handsome, I can see why he stole your heart

 

[MightyMax]

Thanks for the tips - will see if I can hold of some readigrass between now and then.

Picture as requested, from yesterday (will get some more once he's home):

He is lovely

I rehomed a rabbit a few years ago who was being kept in a very small cage with only a bowl of muesli for company

He was very overweight, and his teeth were a mess! However, on a new diet and after a dental, he has never looked back and eats hay and grass fine, including readigrass.

I have found that when I rescue a rabbit from dire circumstance where they have only ever had access to muesli, readigrass is a good 'transition' to hay, as it's usually quite delectable to a rabbit


He's one lucky rabbit - good luck with him

 

[jemjabella]

Just ordered 15kg of readigrass

 

[joey&boo]

Just ordered 15kg of readigrass

My that is a lot of readigrass for a little bun - I hope he likes it

 

[jemjabella]

If he doesn't, the guinea pigs will eat it :lol:

 

[MightyMax]

Just ordered 15kg of readigrass

:thumb:

I hear it makes good burgers when you run out of celery etc :lol:

Seriously, I can get through that amount for 2/3 buns in 6 months. Very useful

 

[Clare-uk]

Oh I can see why you fell for him

My Jazz bun always had small poops, perfectly golden and he was a big hay eater and wasn't bothered by pellets. I just seemed to be his way (I miss my golden pooper boy ) hope it's the same for Peanut and that he's healthy

 

[jemjabella]

The readigrass arrived and the two honeybunnies pigs LOVE IT :shock:

So excited for tomorrow. I know I could be getting into all sorts if the little guy needs dentals etc but I am all full of hope for the little man

 

[Omi]

I think it's lovely that you have adopted him Good luck for tomorrow. It may be that his teeth are perfectly fine, despite not having had an ideal diet. He doesn't appear to have the sort of squishy face that a lop would have, which could have meant misaligned teeth. He also doesn't appear to be overweight.

He possibly just doesn't realise quite how yummy hay is yet. The Readigrass should also help.

How old is he?

 

[MightyMax]

The readigrass arrived and the two honeybunnies pigs LOVE IT :shock:

So excited for tomorrow. I know I could be getting into all sorts if the little guy needs dentals etc but I am all full of hope for the little man

Awwwww you're such a sweetie to have taken him on

I hope he loves the readigrass ... It should last you ages now x

 

[jemjabella]

How old is he?

I don't know. I sent lots of questions to the lady at the rescue but she's understandably busy so will just pick her brains when I go back tomorrow. Maybe I'll get to do something with the cats tomorrow too - otherwise I might come home with another guinea pig or something :lol:

 

[jemjabella]

Peanut is home Picture here, although he's not left the carrier yet:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEYh6YdOaEm/?taken-by=therealjemjabella

He's having a nibble on the hay in his carrier though, which is good.

The other good news is that he was checked over by the vets when he was brought to the rescue and his teeth etc are fine - so food issues are more likely to be habit than anything else. I'll get him checked at my vets this week to be on the safe side (trust them) but he's neutered, vaccinated and chipped so just need to concentrate on getting him eating a good range of hay if we can.

I'm trying to let him settle in at the minute - he was not happy being herded into the carrier (kicked and grunted at me). Once he's happy I'll get some more photos.

 

[MightyMax]

Peanut is home Picture here, although he's not left the carrier yet:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEYh6YdOaEm/?taken-by=therealjemjabella

He's having a nibble on the hay in his carrier though, which is good.

The other good news is that he was checked over by the vets when he was brought to the rescue and his teeth etc are fine - so food issues are more likely to be habit than anything else. I'll get him checked at my vets this week to be on the safe side (trust them) but he's neutered, vaccinated and chipped so just need to concentrate on getting him eating a good range of hay if we can.

I'm trying to let him settle in at the minute - he was not happy being herded into the carrier (kicked and grunted at me). Once he's happy I'll get some more photos.

Aaawww... he may be shy, but he looks like a bright little button

 

[jemjabella]

Just to really confuse me, he's eaten nothing but hay since he's got home, so now I'm wondering if maybe he's not had enough hay at the rescue (they are predominanently a cat rescue) so he's eaten lots of muesli to fill the gaps and then got into a circle of not being hungry enough for hay? Or maybe he just like my hay more. :lol: I don't know, but am pleased at this positive sign

 

[jemjabella]

Well, as well as eating lots of hay, he's eaten a few science selective pellets and a couple of dandelion leaves and only picked a tiny bit at the bit of muesli I gave him, so err.. not sure what they were on about to be honest :lol: