I took the plunge and got Dobby a new roommate.  He is a 3 year old netherland dwarf and is adorable.  I’ll try to post pictures soon.

He is not fixed, but they had no problems when they met.  I think I’ve done plenty of research to understand the potential consequences of this and what I need to do to bond them.  And I’m prepared if it doesn’t work out.  The little guy also didn’t have the greatest backstory (wire floor cage in a backyard, used for breeding) and he is super friendly, so I was happy to take him in.

I took him to the vet to make sure he was OK and to have a baseline visit in before scheduling his neutering.  I had some concerns about his weight and his really odd shedding pattern.  Luckily, he has no fleas, ear mites, or other visible health problems.  His teeth are good.  And I guess he just looks really funny when he sheds.  But, unfortunately, he is underweight.  He should be about 2 pounds and is only 1 1/2 pounds.  The vet recommended unlimited pellets for now, to get his weight up.  And I’m slowly introducing some veggies.  He was barely eating when I first brought him home but is now eating about 2 tbls of pellets a day.  We’ve also discovered that he really likes arugula!  Once he has gained some weight he’ll be able to be neutered.

My more immediate problem is that he is not eating much hay at all.  I’ve given him a wide variety (timothy, oat, the binky bunny blend) and he only seems to nibble a small piece.  I’ve also ordered some alfafa.  The vet said to try it for a little while to see if it would interest him in hay and add some bulk to his tiny frame.  I’ve also given him hay in his litter, just on the floor, in a box, in a toilet paper tube (which he likes to throw, not eat) and nothing seems to work.

I don’t want to limit his pellets because he is so underweight but I do want him to eat some more hay.  Are these two things impossible to have together?  Any ideas or advice would be appreciated!