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FORUM DIET & CARE Bun refuses to eat hay

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    • docdonut
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        My bun refuses to eat any kind of hay, and would rather starve than eat some. I’ve only caught him eating hay once or twice, but these are very rare occasions. Unfortunately, because of this, he has to visit the vet monthly for a molar trim, and it costs a lot! I’ve tried orchard, all kinds of cuts for timothy, botanical, and alfalfa. I have no choice but to only feed him greens and pellets, and I understand it’s not a good diet, but he won’t eat anything else! The vet suggested removing other food to force him to eat hay, but I’ve read that a bunny always has to have something going through their gut. Any ideas on how to make him eat more hay?


      • Azerane
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          What’s the rest of his diet? How many pellets are you feeding? Have you tried giving things like Apple branches as well to help promote tooth wear.

          When trying the different types of hay, are you using a particular brand or trying different brands? Some companies will send samples out to try.

          I’ve also heard of people spritzing the hay with a little bit of apple juice to encourage then to eat it. You need to do a very small amount at a time this way though so the hay doesn’t go bad.


        • Q8bunny
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            If all else fails, Sherwood makes a bunny pellet for buns who don’t eat hay. It’s their blue bag. It won’t help with the tooth issue much, but it will help with the fiber. For teeth, maybe give Fiba sticks a try? Does your bun enjoy chew toys? What about hay cubes? Different texture from regular hay… Meadow hay, too, is quite different and VERY sweet smelling. Might trick the wee creature into nibbling a bit.


          • sarahthegemini
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              I’d recommend giving oat a try too. Oat is usually well liked! Hay cubes are a great idea too and hay based toys.

              FibaFirst sticks as Q8 suggested have 30% fibre and are of course hay based so might be helpful. What are his stools like?


            • docdonut
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                Thanks for the replies! My bun eats 1/4 cup of pellets and a cup of veggies in the morning and at night.

                Sorry, I forgot to mention that we have also already tried meadow and oat hay. If it helps, we have tried Kaytee and Oxbow for hay.

                He doesn’t like chew toys, unfortunately. All of the hay cubes I’ve given him were tossed around and eventually forgotten about. I have also tried apple branches and he didn’t touch them. I will be sure to try out FibaFirst sticks and the apple juice! Does the apple juice have to come straight from the apple, or can it be the bottled, store bought kinds? His stools are fine, too!


              • Wick & Fable
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                  For Wick, I’ve found the following to be helpful for upping hay consumption:

                  1) Place hay sources near his sleeping area.

                  2) Buy the hay he likes. It’s annoying and costly yes, but hay quality can vary within a brand. I’ve had Wick for a while now and he eats Oxbow hay stacks. He eats more of it than the loose hay, but there are variations within it. After some time, I’ve got an eye for what hay Wick likes, like more stalks, lighter green, more crunchy. That being said, he doesn’t like oat hay which is known for its crunch!

                  Wick also does not chew on anything, so his hay consumption is important. It’s been trial and error to find what works for him.

                  Generally, the longer between your pellet time and veggie time, the better. Also, not giving treats in between too.

                  The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

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              FORUM DIET & CARE Bun refuses to eat hay