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Forum DIET & CARE Questions about rabbits eating habits.

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    • Floppybuns
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        Hi I just have a few question regarding my buns eating habits    

        My buns always have an unlimited supply of hay and variety but often they will only eat some of it then the the rest goes to wwaste because they kick it all around and wait till I out fresh stuff in so then I tried putting a little less hay in but still the same thing happens. They only seem to be interested in hay when there is a massive amount in there. Does anyone else’s buns do this?

        what is your rabbits favorite type of hay? I have read heaps of people saying that there buns love timothy hay so I specially ordered some online but they don’t really seem to think its that great. What else could I try?

        Also I have been slowly introducing some veges into their diet, peach will it anything and everything however Shamus is really fussy the only vege he is really interested in is romaine lettuce anything else he won’t even try. How can I encourage him to eat something other than the romaine lettuce? Or is it ok if that is the only vege he eats other than the occasional slice of carrot as a treat?

        thanks


      • RabbitPam
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          First, Shamus is fine eating only Romaine daily, so don’t worry about that. I a couple of months/years (not kidding) he may want to try some other greens. But romaine is a staple in my house and I really don’t diverge from that or green leaf as Sammy’s basic. I add kale (she loves it), or carrot tops, or curly parsley as a second type of green. She likes a little variety, but is fine after that.

          The hay problem is common, and after devouring some fresh hay last night for over an hour, she left a pile in the hay bin that looks like she didn’t touch the stuff there’s so much left. What seems to happen is they like it fresh, they pick through it, then it’s ‘old’ in their eyes and they ignore it. I have had this happen whether it’s a full amount or a more limited serving that never gets finished. So I would first suggest you give less and let it get mostly eaten, then freshen it up more often.
          Also, turn it over in the container they eat out of and fluff it. Sometimes what’s underneath gets flattened, but is still tasty so toss it after a day and see if they eat more again.

          Definitely might prefer a different type of hay. My girl ignored Timothy but devours Oat Hay. It seems dry, but it has tasty bits that she can’t get enough of. She forages through it happily. Regular or Mature Oat are both dry looking but she loves it.

          Other bunnies prefer a very soft hay, so Orchard Grass or Second Cut Timothy are good choices. I think Broam is a blend, so some like that. The thing to do is try the smallest amount you can purchase and experiment. Some bunnies even change their minds after a while, so you can keep what you buy for months and switch it out if they begin to ignore it again. Don’t forget to try separate holders for different hays. They may not like eating what the other one has already tasted. All hay is healthy for them, so you can change kinds without worry.


        • jerseygirl
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          22338 posts Send Private Message

            My buns always have an unlimited supply of hay and variety but often they will only eat some of it then the the rest goes to wwaste because they kick it all around and wait till I out fresh stuff in so then I tried putting a little less hay in but still the same thing happens. They only seem to be interested in hay when there is a massive amount in there. Does anyone else’s buns do this?

            Oh yes. It used to bother me but now I’m ok about it. I buy hay in a bale and its economical that way. I see it as a litter material also so not bothered as much at how much is not eaten. I also throw it in the garden after so eventually it will be good for the soil. Mine hang out for and get excited when I add some fresh hay to the pile. If for some some reason I have been out if house for really long day, I do notice they’ll finish off more hay then is the norm.

            I’m not surprised about the Timothy hay Floppybuns. It’s often cited everywhere that this is the hay for rabbits and other small pets but its certainly not the only. It’s just that it’s widely available in the US. In Australian it’s hardly grown and I’ve only seen one pet company do Tim hay. The other is imported and expensive. Those smaller bags tend to get dusty too.
            IMO oaten hay is most common and best hay here for rabbits. Most love it! You can also try wheaten or barley hay. Meadow hay is suitable but not easy to find good quality. The types of plants in it vary a lot depending on where or who grows it. Oaten hay is the hands down winner at my house.

            Sometimes reducing the amount if pellets the buns get will have them eating more hay.


          • tanlover14
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              My buns turn their noses up at Timothy hay. They will go on strike whenever I put it in their cage.

              But they go BONKERS for Oat and really enjoy Orchard Grass. They typically get Orchard Grass as we can get it easily in a 50 lb. bag from Oxbow. But sometimes I like giving Oat as a treat as they really, REALLY like it.


            • LBJ10
              Moderator
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                Here’s an idea. Maybe you can trick your buns into thinking the “old” hay is “new”. If you keep the hay in a plastic tub, you could put leftovers back in with the fresh hay. By mixing the old with the new, they might not notice the difference.


              • LittlePuffyTail
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                  Olivia is a real stinker with her Timothy hay. She will eat all the fuzzy pieces (the seed part) and leave all the sticks parts. Then she will sometimes pee in the rest that she doesn`t plan to eat. Then she will stare at me like `Mom, time to refill, no more fuzzies.`


                • Elrohwen
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                    Their habits sound pretty normal. Mine much prefer fresh hay and will run for the hay when I put it in, but an hour or so later it’s boring again. They also pull a bunch out onto the floor and then refuse to eat it, but if it’s not peed on I put it back in the hay racks and they think it’s new again. Bunnies like novelty. Mine only get timothy because I buy it in 50lb boxes, but they have eaten other varieties when I offered it.

                    Eating only romaine is fine as well. One of mine is very picky with veggies and only eats lettuce (either romaine or leaf) and parsley. He actually wouldn’t eat parsley for a while, but eventually tried it when his bonded buddy was eating it and now he loves it. The other day I had some leftover spinach leaves that I threw on top of their usual salad and he wasn’t interested in eating right away. I realized he was put off by the spinach being there and it took him a while to decide to eat around it. lol PIcky!

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                Forum DIET & CARE Questions about rabbits eating habits.