Why has my rabbit stopped eating hay?
Some rabbits turn up their noses at hay because the are fed too much pelleted food. Many healthy rabbits will turn up their noses at hay because they are offered excessive amounts of pelleted food. Adult rabbits can get all the nutrients they need from good quality hay and don’t actually need pellets.
Can a rabbit survive without hay?
No, absolutely not. A rabbit’s primary diet ingredient is hay. They need to eat as much hay as then can during the day. In fact, rabbits don’t need to eat anything else to survive and be healthy.
What should I do if my rabbit won’t eat hay?
It is important to know your rabbit’s routine so you can detect if something is medically wrong with your rabbit. For example, if your rabbit is really healthy, eats Timothy Hay, a small handful of pellets, and their favorite treats are a few raspberries, you would recognize when they aren’t eating or not eating as much as normal.
What happens to a rabbit when it stops eating?
When rabbits stop eating this very quickly shuts down. The gut stops turning over properly – also known as ‘stasis’ – and they may start to bloat. This is exceedingly painful and compounds the problem, as the pain causes the rabbit to eat even less.
How often do you feed a rabbit with stasis?
This diet will need feeding every 2 hours during the day, so it can be quite hard work. Most rabbits with uncomplicated stasis will start eating again within a day or so – keep tempting them with tasty milk thistle and herbs until they’re voluntarily eating.
How can I tell if my rabbit has lost its appetite?
Hold a mirror up to your rabbit’s nose so you can check whether both nostrils are clear and creating condensation. When your rabbit leaves its food untouched, it’s obviously a sign that it has lost its appetite. In other cases, however, the changes may be subtler. If you aren’t sure whether your rabbit is eating, look for signs such as:
Why is my rabbit not eating enough hay?
If you aren’t making sure that your rabbit is eating at least 80% grass hay, then you could be the reason why your rabbit is overweight, has healthy issues, or more. We know that you want what’s best for your rabbit, so begin changing their diet, and habits, now.
What happens if a rabbit does not eat for a second day?
Toxic bacteria in the intestinal tract will overwhelm the beneficial bacteria, leading to serious illness and death if the rabbit does not eat. Any rabbit who has not eaten for a second day needs to see a veterinarian with knowledge of rabbit medicine.
What kind of hay should I give my Rabbit?
Thirdly is the critically important non-alfalfa hay, available fresh at all times. Read more about the importance of hay here. Sugars, fats, and carbohydrates in any other form should be avoided if you wish your rabbit to stay healthy.
What should I do if my rabbit stops eating?
Rabbits are built to extract nutrients from a poor diet, and if you give your rabbit rich foods low in fiber, you are inviting the overgrowth of toxic bacteria and decreased motility in the GI tract. Some people, including myself, give their rabbits a bit of Petromalt© as a preventative of trichobezoars (“hairballs”) every week or two.
