Bunny hiding more and eating less

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This topic has 2sd replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 1 year ago by Sky&Percy.

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- 11/17/2023 at 3:47 PM
  Sky&Percy
  Participant
  2 posts
  I know people will tell me it’s gi stasis and to go to the vet, I am 17 and I don’t have enough money to take him to the vet right now. He is getting neutered in December so hopefully they will see what is up with him then, also I have checked around other vets and their exotic vet doctors are all booked up so I couldn’t even if I wanted or needed too. But back to the problem, 3 days ago he started hiding under my bed more and not coming out to eat or drink, I was worried it was stasis as well but when I blocked off my bed or put him in his pen he would eat, it wouldnt be much and he would eat for only a minute or so and he would eat the hay slowly like he’s bored of it. He eats pellets, treats, fruits and even the critical care with ease and eagerness, I did have a hay bowl I gave to him but took away cause he was eating it too much. Did I overfeed him treats and pellets and now he won’t eat his hay enough or drink water?
  Him not eating and hiding more are the only symptoms of him being sick I see, he still has energy (when he’s not under my bed hiding the whole day) he’s not hunched in a corner and his nose is twitching, basically he stil has his other normal behavior except that. I’m getting him neutered so I can get 2 girl bunnies from a rescue to be his partners and maybe that’s why he’s hiding more, maybe he’s lonely? is it because he’s having a fit because I took his treats away? Or is it hormones and he is just being a moody teenager?
  
  sorry if this is a lot and doesn’t really make sense, I’m just very worried and I can’t seem to find answers on the internet similar to what’s going on with my bunny. If he is sick I will happily use my next check on him if I’m able to find a vet.
- 11/17/2023 at 7:09 PM
  Wick & Fable
  Moderator
  5813 posts
  First, you cannot attempt to bond rabbits until all are spayed and neutered and please note that not all rabbits are compatible with one another, even after weeks to months of attempted bonding– keep this in mind before going from 1 to 3 rabbits, as you may end up w/ housing 3 rabbits separately forever.
  
  To encourage hay consumption, cut down or cut out fruits and treats entirely– neither are necessary for rabbit diet and yes, that is going to deter hay eating. If your rabbit is an adult (post 6mo), then he should only be getting a small amount of pellets (generally 1/4c max) per day, and the entire rest of the day is hay. A plate of rabbit-safe veggies can be nice stimulation, but a good quality pellet takes care of nutrition rather than needing to get it solely from veggies.
  
  Unsure the “hay bowl” you’re referring to, but if it was literally a bowl made out of hay, he’s supposed to eat it and it’s very good that he was eating it. If you were leaving out a physical bowl made out of non-rabbit-safe material, then you need to switch gears– in general, any rabbit owner serves the vast majority of a rabbit’s hay in their spacious litterbox. Rabbits should have unlimited access to hay and it should primarily be in their litterbox, so it is comfortable to graze, forage, and eat.
  
  Lastly, please keep in mind if your rabbit is showing actual signs of GI stasis, your rabbit can pass well w/n 48 hours without proper veterinary care. GI stasis is not something that can be put off for weeks, even days, once obvious signs show themselves.
  
  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.
  - 11/17/2023 at 8:01 PM
    Sky&Percy
    Participant
    2 posts
    Hi, thank you for responding. This is my first bunny so I tend to overreact and not make the best choices. I have done a bunch of research after and before I got him and he hasn’t had a problem like this since I got him last December. I was scared that the reply was going to tell me something scary, but thanks for bringing up the bonding. There’s a rescue near me that does the bondings there before you adopt but I definitely was getting in over my head with getting two bunnies as I think I read somewhere that bonds could break..I definitely would be lost there.
    
    I was told to slowly wean him off the treats but I will cut them off completely now and the hay bowl is the kaytee chew a bowl. I thought it was a treat so I gave it to him in moderation, when I took it away from him that’s when he started acting like this so that’s one of the reasons I thought he was being dramatic and having a fit.
    
    I recently got him a bigger litter box as he got bigger, I got a cat one and I started putting hay in the hay bag and in the litter box he didn’t really go for the hay in the litter box as much as the bag so I stopped doing it since it made more mess when her would jump in and out, but I will start again.
    
    I’m fully aware how serious gi stasis is I went down a rabbit hole filled with rabbit tragedy’s from stasis so I’m making sure to take every precaution I can, but again all the vets around me are booked out until January and the closest one to me is 5 hours away. I was ready to call and schedule an appointment with them as Percy stopped eating again but an hour after I did this he came out and started eating more. So he’s probably eating and drinking while I’m asleep or at work. It’s still not as much as before but it’s made my heart feel better.
    
    just to mention before I made this post he was pooping good and doing Binkies and zoomies so I really wasn’t suspecting gi stasis. I noticed his ear was twitching today so I gave him some of my dogs ear drops that was for his ear infection(I looked it up and it said it was safe to use for rabbits) he started eating more after that but it was still on and off and very short amount so I made this post for closure and to see what anyone else had to say!
    
    As I’m writing this he just came out to eat more hay which is more than he’s done in the past 2 days, so it might have been an ear infection that was bothering him.
    
    Since I was going through things on the internet I say that he might be bored of the hay so I bought a mix of oat and orchid hay and he instantly loved that as soon as I gave it to him so I will start mixing now.
    Againnnn thank you soo much for the response, and if you think there’s a chance he still might be ill or stressed pls let me know.(this is a lot to read again I’m sorry)
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