Adult Rabbit Not Eating Pellets (But Eating Hay & Veg!)

[RabbitLove2008]

We have a four-year-old adult female Flemish Giant, “H,” without any significant medical history. She has had occasional problems with sneezing (perhaps an allergy), but our vet told us about six months ago that this is essentially normal.

During the past 2-3 days, H has mostly stopped eating her pellets, but still eats her hay and veg well. Our rabbits are fed a mixture of 3/4 Oxbow adult timothy pellets and 1/4 Oxbow adult Garden Select pellets. H previously enjoyed this pellet mixture, and her roommate “B,” a two-year-old male, still does. Therefore, I don’t think anything is wrong with the pellets!

Aside from illness, other potential factors:
1.) This past Wednesday we received a shipment of our rabbits’ favorite hay, Sweet Meadow organic herbs and timothy. We alternate between three different brands/types of hay; H has probably not had this specific hay since January or February. Perhaps she is eating so much hay that she doesn’t want her pellets?
2.) Our weather grew unseasonably warm (going from 50s-60s to 80s-90s) in a matter of days. Next week we should we return to seasonably normal 60s-70s, but could a sudden weather change affect a rabbit’s eating habits?
3.) B seems unaffected by #1 and #2, so I’m guessing they are unlikely to affect a rabbit’s eating habits.

I cleaned litterboxes two days ago, and her excrement looks normal although I’m not absolutely certain the quantity is normal.

Should I be concerned and call the vet? When I came home from work this evening, H was happily chewing on a willow ball. . .

[Azerane]

A change in dietary habits can always be cause for concern. Pellets are the hardest food a rabbit eats so my first thought when there are issues there is a possible dental issue at play. Recently my rabbit Apollo started having trouble eating his pellets and while it wasn’t dental, he had growths on his larynx, the pellets were the only food he struggled to eat and all others remained fine. A vet check certainly wouldn’t go astray.

[RabbitLove2008]

Last night after writing my original post, H was in our master bathroom/rabbit playroom (where we keep the play tunnel and Oxbow play post) while I snuggled with B on our bed nearby. I heard H sneeze twice and her sneezes sounded congested (they usually don’t), so I gave her a dose of pediatric diphenhydramine (Benadryl) mixed with mashed banana and fruit baby food. This morning, I called our vet’s office (they are open on Saturday mornings), and was told I should bring her in next week, although they did not consider her symptoms urgent. We have an appointment for Wednesday, 5/18, and they approve of my giving her diphenhydramine twice per day until then.

I’m hoping H is having an exacerbation of her presumed allergies, not a respiratory infection. . .

[Wick & Fable]

Hypothetically, if it is a respiratory infection, that at least is permanently treatable as opposed to allergies. URIs have a really good prognosis.

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.

[DanaNM]

I agree that it could be a dental issues, or something else. My Bunston would often snub his pellets as a first symptom when he was having GI issues.

Let us know how your appointment goes!

. . . 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.  

[RabbitLove2008]

H had her vet appointment this morning, but we still do not have a diagnosis. Of note, I gave her pediatric diphenhydramine (Benadryl) through Monday, 5/16, then decided to see how she would do without it. Even without it, her sneezing has not returned.

Following the retirement of our longtime vet, we have had a new vet (at a clinic recommended by our previous vet) for less than one year. Although we trust our new vet, he has only seen H once before, for a routine examination to establish care.

H has lost 1.25 pounds since her last visit about six months ago. Our vet said H’s gut sounds are normal, which is a big relief. To rule out dental issues, he next recommended that she have a full series of skull x-rays under sedation, which I approved. However, he said these look normal. He offered to send them to a radiologist for a second opinion, but I told him I trusted his judgement. Since H hasn’t had a full lab panel since she was spayed, I also consented to blood tests, which are pending. In addition, I bought a bag of Science Select adult rabbit pellets from the vet clinic (my idea, not theirs), hoping that different pellets may entice H to eat more. This is not a good long-term solution, since the Science Select pellets are even more expensive than the Oxbow Garden Select pellets, but I’m willing to try them (at least as a mix-in with Oxbow pellets) in order to get H to eat. I’ll give her some later this evening, but the vet clinic told me she may not want to eat much of anything today due to the lingering effects of sedation.

I know that rabbits don’t technically “need” pellets, but our rabbits over the years, all rescues, have come to us accustomed to eating pellets, so we’ve kept them in their diets.

Does anyone else have a giant-breed rabbit who does not eat pellets? Is salad 2x/day and hay 2x/day enough food for a pellet-free giant breed? Prior to her pellet hunger strike, H received measured pellets 2x/day, fresh hay 2x/day, and one large dinner plate of rabbit salad.

 

[RabbitLove2008]

H has nibbled a few of the new Science Select pellets, but not many. I would describe it as “tasting” more than “eating.” She still eats her veg well, and at least a moderate amount of hay. I cleaned her box yesterday evening (Wednesdays are always box-cleaning nights due to our garbage pickup schedule), and so far her new poops look normal.

Early this evening, I received a call from our vet. In summary, he said that he had one of his colleagues also review H’s skull x-rays; both vets agree that there is nothing obviously abnormal about her dentition in them. However, he also said that he had H’s lab results, and while nothing is glaringly abnormal, some of her liver labs are at least slightly elevated. He offered us the option of a liver ultrasound (perhaps more for our peace of mind than diagnostic purposes at this point), but we’re going to hold off on this for now and probably repeat the liver labs in a few weeks.

In addition to being concerned about H’s labs and change in eating habits, I feel somewhat guilty because I’ve never had to worry much about her physical health before. When H first came to live with us she was about nine months old, and we had three seniors: one senior died in 2019, one in 2020, and one in 2021. I was grateful for H’s previous good health, and never meant to take it for granted. . .

[RabbitLove2008]

After weeks of infrequent/intermittent nibbling on her Science Select pellets, H began eating pellets more regularly again last weekend. Since she is willing to eat pellets again, I am now feeding her half Science Select and half Oxbow adult timothy pellets. At this point I am feeding her about 2/3 her previous quantity, but she is definitely eating more, at least for now.

Since H’s pellet restriction began, she has continued to eat her hay and vegetables well, and (fortunately) her excrement quality and quantity have remained normal. I’m hoping this was perhaps an eating-less-during-warmer-weather (never before an issue with her) situation, but will keep watch and also keep in touch with her vet.

[DanaNM]

That’s good news! Thanks for the updates!

. . . 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.  

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Glad to hear that she’s doing better!

Our boy is just recovering from a bout of stasis, and he has trouble eating his pellets too. Veg and hay are all fine, exactly the same as your girl. I just soaked some pellets in water, and these are going down quickly now.

He’s not had a dental check yet, but that’s going to happen soon if he keeps having problems with eating.

Maybe soaking the pellets may help your girl to eat more as well 🙂

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