Bun Won't Eat Pellets?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 12sd replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 11 months ago by Deleted User.

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- 06/03/2014 at 7:01 AM
  tanlover14
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  3617 posts
  Does anyone have a rabbit that refuses to eat pellets??
  
  I’m a little confused as we have brought the new guy home (so I am not familiar with his likes/dislikes or anything like that). He’s been home since Sunday afternoon following a neuter and has not eaten ANY of the pellets I’ve given to him. I know the rescue and I know the brand of pellets they use, they are not the kind with the added extra pieces, they are just the pellets. So I know he’s not rejecting the good pellet in place of wanting the bad pellets. I’m just confused. I’ve never had a rabbit refuse pellets before unless there was something wrong with him?
  
  I gave him about a 1 1/2 cups of salad yesterday morning (he’s 3.4 lbs) and he ate it all. I usually feed pellets later at night around 9pm so when I realized he had not eaten any pellets I gave him another salad and he started scarfing it down! What do you guys think?? I did not remove any of the pellets (or add anymore) so the pellet dish has been sitting there since he came home Sunday afternoon.
  
  He had an exam before leaving the shelter, nothing was wrong with him according to the exam, right before his neuter. He is going for another wellness checkup at the end of July (I was taking the six for their annual and so just scheduled him in as well so everyone would be at the same date for their next annual).
  
  What do you guys think? Is this normal for some buns?
- 06/03/2014 at 7:12 AM
  Roberta
  Participant
  4355 posts
  All I can say is if he is eating greens and hay the pellets aren’t a big concern… Maybe he has just decided he likes the good food and sees no reason to eat the other when the good stuff is on offer…
- 06/03/2014 at 7:15 AM
  Roberta
  Participant
  4355 posts
  Above having been said mine vary, Nermal will not eat many pellets just every now and then she’ll check them out… Pipi isn’t a big pellet fan nor is my rescue girl Uma.. Piglet likes them in moderation, Pascal has decided he likes them this month but possibly will refrain next month… Starsky is a pellet pig and would gorge if I let him… Pandora, not a huge fan and prefers her hay.. They’re all very different.
- 06/03/2014 at 7:18 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  My rabbit Bobby eats very little pellets if any. It’s not a big deal as long as they are eating greens and hay.
  
  That being said – I don’t know how old he is but if he’s a Holland Lop they can be very susceptible to dental problems.
- 06/03/2014 at 11:04 AM
  Sindri
  Participant
  1515 posts
  when my rabbits were spayed and neutered they didn’t really eat their pellets until they felt better it took a few days to a week for them to go back to eating those. They love their pellets too. They seemed to like the greens and hay the best for the first few days or so. Perhaps that is how he is. I wouldn’t worry too much about it right now.
- 06/03/2014 at 12:05 PM
  Whobott
  Participant
  168 posts
  When I first got Larry he wouldn’t even touch his pellets. All you can do is encourage eating them and keep them available all the time until he starts eating them. It shouldn’t be a problem though good luck though
- 06/03/2014 at 12:54 PM
  MoveDiagonally
  Participant
  2361 posts
  Can you ask the shelter how his pellet appetite was before you brought him home? (in case this isn’t super abnormal for him) Did they check his teeth recently?
- 06/03/2014 at 1:14 PM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17033 posts
  My bunny Yohio is not a big fan of pellets, but my other bun eats them as candy. So I too think it’s normal for some bunnies to not eat pellets as long as they’ve other stuff to eat. As long as he eats hay I think your bunny’ll be fine. I think MD’s advice is excellent, maybe you can call the shelter and ask?
  
  It could also be the transition. Bunnies’ tummies mustn’t get empty, but as long as they eat good quality hay and greens, there won’t be any nutritional deficiencies for a very long time, if ever. Refusal to eat anything is an emergency, refusal to eat pellets while still eating everything else is not really cause for worry. How is his tummy working, I mean poop-wise?
- 06/03/2014 at 5:34 PM
  tanlover14
  Participant
  3617 posts
  He’s a year old, Sarita. I was a tad bit worried about the possibility of dental issues but they were *supposed* to check his teeth while in his neuter. Idk how well they really check them at the shelter though so it could have possibility have been overlooked.
  
  MD, they do not know. I tried calling about Lacey as well in Dec. and they knew nothing. When I called today, with a little sparkle of hope that MAYBE they would know something about his eating habits, nothing. She was like “it may take them 24-48 hours to get their appetites back, throwing up is normal”, giving me the same lecture they gave me when I picked him up. Yeah, buns don’t throw up and no… a rabbit should never go that long without eating… So annoying. I already e-mailed our “head honcho rabbit person” here in Pittsburgh, she does a lot and kind of helps run the rabbit volunteers through the shelters and whatnot. She is the head of the Pittsburgh House Rabbit Club telling her we need to make a new “guide” to send home with the rabbits for post-spay/neuter because the one they gave me was so misinformed, it was the same one they use for cats/dogs.
- 06/03/2014 at 9:03 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17244 posts
  Well, I think little “Manny” is probably just being picky since he may not be feeling 100%. It isn’t unusual for bunnies to snub food when they come home after surgery, so offering him what he will eat is a good idea.
  
  Note: I’m just going to keep calling him “Manny” until it sticks. LOL
- 06/03/2014 at 10:45 PM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  How’s little “Manny” doing since you last posted? I’m sure this won’t help, but thought I’d stick my 2 cents in…..
  
  When I first got Henry he would NOT eat hay! Being the new mum and over compensating I let him indulge in his pellets and salad/veg. When I realised how crucial hay was to the wellbeing of his teeth and tragic as it must have seemed to him I cut right back trying to encourage him to eat hay. It worked! Now I’m at the other extreme where he barely eats the 1/8 cup I serve him each morning, and that’s all ok with me. As long as he eats a good portion of hay and veggies every day, pellets are now the least of my concern. Having had Henry for over a year now, I have also accepted, just like us, he has days where he over indulges in something and the next week, turns his nose up at it. Maybe he just doesn’t feel like it? Another example – right now, a quarter of his salad/veg that I served up last night is still sitting on his plate (the floor actually – messy bunny!) and if he doesn’t come back to it by the time I give him dinner tonight, I will pick up the leftovers and throw them out. But most nights it’s all gone when I wake up in the morning. And not that I can quite remember myself, but the fact that Manny has just endured surgery, I’m sure that won’t be helping either. Take comfort that he is eating his hay and veggies. Cheers TL!
  
  PS – Say hi to Manny for me (and seriously, he looks a lot like Henry…..) LOL!
- 06/03/2014 at 11:04 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17244 posts
  LOL AndHenry! The more people that call him that, the more likely it will stick!
- 06/03/2014 at 11:08 PM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  Even if TL and the BF choose a different name we’ll all refer to him fondly as MANNY! (her little man). Lol…..
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