Changing around position of things in cage to make her interested?

[Rainn]

Hello, recently Rain has been eating less hay, and I’m pretty sure it’s because she’s gotten used to just expecting pellets and veggies all the time since whenever we need her to do something i’ll give her like two or three pellets. Ive realized even in small amounts giving pellets multiple times a day is a bad idea because the furball doesnt want to eat hay as much anymore…I doubt it’s an underlying health issue because she eats everything else ravenously and her behavior is normal. Ive also noticed that she’s a little too comfortable in the top floor of her cage/house, which isnt good because now she wont spend as much time downstairs where her litter box is. Is it a bad idea if I bring her litter box upstairs so that she’ll have it nearby and might be inclined to use it more? I dont want to stress her out by disrupting her surroundings but I feel it might work? As well as limiting pellets to only once a day.

[Louiethebunny]

I’ve actually been having similar troubles, except for the litter box thing, the way I’ve been getting my bun to nibble on more hay is by giving him smaller amounts that are a little bit fresher, and by making toys with hay and treats inside. Moving around toys and fun things help get my bun interested in them, and as long as you don’t move too much, it shouldn’t be stressed, it’s fun when they get to re-explore new things.

[DanaNM]

You can try offering hay in new ways so see if that helps, but dental issues can appear as a subtle change in diet preferences. I had a dental bun that would ravenously eat everything except hay when his teeth were bothering him. I think because he wasn’t eating his hay he was extra hungry for everything else. If you hold out a fresh strand to her does she take it and eat it?

. . . 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.  

[Wick & Fable]

What I would have mentioned is highlighted, but you yourself mention what I think could be a big contributor. Unexpected and frequent servings of pellets could really deter a rabbit from eating hay if they aren’t intrinsically motivated enough to do it.

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.

[LBJ10]

I agree with the others. Extra pellets can definitely make a bunny less hungry for hay, but I wouldn’t rule out possible dental issues completely.

[Rainn]

Okay so Ive monitored throughout the day and the problem seemingly is getting worse…she absolutely refuses to eat any hat and I’m definitely going to schedule a vet appointment but there’s only one rabbit vet in my area, and she takes a couple days to schedule things. What should I do in the mean time to get her to eat the hay?

[Bam]

If she has trouble chewing hay, you could cut it up into smaller pieces. You can also soak hay to soften it, but if you do, the hay should be replaced often because wet hay spoils quickly.

To make hay more appetizing you can sprinkle herbs on top.

If she hasn’t bothered to go “downstairs” to pee in her box, I’d say that is another sign that she isnt feeling so well.

[DanaNM]

Ditto Bam, and you can also try offering some fresh grass. Since you suspect a medical issue, it is important to keep up the bulk in her diet, so it would be OK to offer extra greens and even give some critical care to make sure her gut stays moving. You can try offering the critical care on a plate or from a spoon. My dental bun looooved his critical care. 🙂

. . . 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.  

[Rainn]

Hello, thank you all so much for the advice. The past two days Ive sat with her for hours and made sure she consumed hay and thankfully she’s started eating it on her own again today and seemed to enjoy it…if anything when i offer her some she’ll pick out the toughest strands so I’d think if it was a dental issue it’d be too painful for her to eat it comfortably? But today she hasnt pooped nearly enough and i’m not sure if it’s because she’s not used to the decrease in pellets and increase in hay (honestly it is my fault for being so neglectful of her diet, I hadnt noticed how reliant she became on veggies and pellets recently and just shoved hay under her litter) but what should I do? I gave her a little bit of baby gas drops because it might have been gas but she’s eating normally, body temperature is okay, not lethargic at all although I know bunnies are good at hiding symptoms. Just not pooping very much.

[DanaNM]

Dental pain can manifest in different types of food preferences so it’s hard to say.

If she isn’t eating enough hay, keep offering her what she will eat to make sure she doesn’t go into stasis. You can also offer critical care and see if she will take that. Did you make an appointment to take her to the vet? If her pooping stops she should be seen right away.

It could also be another source of pain that is making her not feel well. Is she molting at all?  A lot of buns get tummy trouble when they molt.

. . . 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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