Diet change

[Steve Parker]

I’m a little concerned about Buddy. Normally he loves to eat red leaf lettuce, cilantro, bits of organic apple, hay and willow leaves. He also drank a lot of water each day.

For the last few days, he only nibbles the lettuce; won’t touch the apple; nibbles the willow. He still eats the cilantro and has even increased the amount of that he wants going through a full bunch every day. We have added a couple of blueberries as treats each day to his diet over the last month since they are in season. He eats those and begs for more.

He has also greatly reduced the amount of water he wants to drink. He continues to poop and urinate like normal. His tummy seems normal, no hard spots and no gas. No diarrhea.

He has a physical scheduled next month, but I wonder if I need to get him in sooner. Or do rabbits just want different food from time to time. I can keep him filled with the cilantro, but he needs to be drinking more water.

What do you think?

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Is he eating his hay and pellets? It’s just his veggies he’s being picky with?

[Beka27]

ditto K&K… is he eating the hay and pellets still?

i would not rush him to the vet as long as he is eating and poops are normal. do you ever change up his veggies selection? does he like parsley, romain, escarole, collard or dandelion greens? maybe try introducing one new thing this week and see if he will eat it. could it be he needs some more variety?

[Steve Parker]

He is being picky with his hay. He tends to play with it and toss it everywhere. But he eats a little.

He has never been too much on the pellets. He’s eating a little of those. About the same amount of hay and pellets as in the past.

He wants greens. Green or red leaf lettuce, but he’s cut back on that. He used to eat romain, but won’t eat it any more. Will not touch collard, dandelion or parsley. He’s PICKY! He’s on a cilantro kick right now. A month ago, he wouldn’t touch the cilantro.

Weird bunny!

[Balefulregards]

He may be getting more water from his greens – I just offered Coco cilantro, mint,basil and edible viola flowers from the garden and she turned her nose up at it all.

But as my vet told me the other day when I told her that Coco doesn’t eat much hay…”I bet if you stopped the gorgeous salads the hay would suddenly look really good to her!”

Which is true.

[Scarlet_Rose]

To me it sounds like he has “trained” you to only give him what he wants/desires the most. Rabbits do go through finicky periods but what I am also wondering is how much and how often are you feeding him? It sounds like he may be getting too many veggies which will not encourage him to eat hay. Usually drier foods like hay make them drink more water, and really veggies are high in water content so I don’t think that there is a need to worry. Are the poos strung together with fur in them at all?

This does not sound like a rabbit emergency where he needs to go in ASAP. If he starts to get lethargic and stops eating, then definately take him in. Also, you can soak his veggies in some water if you are concerned with him getting dehydrated. How hot has it been there? My bunnies go into a picky eater funk when it is too hot out and they just want to flop.

[Steve Parker]

He probaby does have me trained. He will eat a lot of one food for about 3 weeks, then stop eating it. I always give him a little of several different items. I’ve tried beet greens, organic baby lettuce, parsley, mint, you name it. He’s fun to watch; he pulls out the cilantro like he’s pulling a weed from the garden. Leaves everything else. He may be getting enough water from the greens, because they are still wet from washing when I give them to him.

We always have pellets, willow and hay out and available. He gets a huge “salad” morning and night. He eats all his greens. We toss remaining hay and pellets every 2 days. We try to give him a little apple morning and night, but he’s not interested. We have tried strawberries as treats which he ate for about a week; now won’t touch.

He gets 2 blueberries in the morning and 2 mid-afternoon.

[Scarlet_Rose]

How many pellets and can you measure how many veggies you give in a somewhat tightly-packed measuring cup?  I am beginning to think he gets full from the veggies so skips the other things he should be eating.  Are the pellets free-feed?  What type of pellets are they?  It is not necessary to throw out pellets and hay every 2 days.

Here is some info on picky eaters:

http://www.coloradohrs.com/articles/diet_misc_feeding.asp

http://www.coloradohrs.com/articles/diet_hay_crisis.asp - although this artcle suggests keeping hay away for several days, I would not do it at all.  It is dangerous.

 

[Steve Parker]

He has at least a cup of pettets available at all times. He also has a big handful of hay & about a dozen+ willow leaves.

I give him a two or more big lettuce leaves and a half bunch of cilantro morning and night. He’ll eat all the cilantro in one sitting and nibble the lettuce. He’ll eat the best parts of all the lettuce within about 4 hours leaving only the stems. I’d say he’s eating about 1.5+ cups in the morning and the same amount at night. He used to eat 4 to 5 lettuce leaves in a sitting plus more vegies. (He’s a big bunny! Lean & heavy; he runs and plays a lot.)

He used to eat a greater variety of food, but just wants that cilantro. We moved his water and he started drinking a bit more. I guess he didn’t like the old location.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hmm, interesting have you checked out Binky Bunny’s info on diet? https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=60  Pellets should be limited to 1/4 to 1/2 cup per 6 pounds of body weight and 2 cups of greens per 6 pounds of body weight.  However you say he is lean and healthy, maybe there is just something about the lettuce he no longer likes.

[Steve Parker]

Thanks for the info. I’ll read the food link. He’s a lot heavier than 6 pounds, so maybe he’s eating the right amount. He’s mature now, so maybe he cut back food intake on his own.

Up until last month, he’d eat everything in site, as long as it was exactly what he wanted, and would bite if we went near his food bowl. He begged for my banana last night, so maybe he’ll want to start eating those.

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