Difference in appetite for different breeds?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 4sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 7 months ago by kurottabun.

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- 09/16/2018 at 9:42 AM
  Sarahdipitey
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  6 posts
  Do certain breeds eat more than others?
  I have two small buns. I have a lion head that eats all of her hay twice a day and I also have a mini Rex that eats so little, I only have to refill her hay about once a week. They both also get pellets once every few days.
  Lionhead is not overweight despite how much she eats and Mini Rex has a small dewlap and is not bone skinny but it’s concerning when one rabbit eats so much and the other hardly eats at all.
- 09/16/2018 at 10:16 AM
  sarahthegemini
  Participant
  5584 posts
  The only difference I would expect is giant breeds would eat a lot more than a dwarf!
  
  It’s concerning that your rex eats so little. That’s not due to breed. Have you tried different hays?
- 09/16/2018 at 10:30 AM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17242 posts
  You will see some variation between individuals so it’s important to know what is normal for your bunnies. I do agree with Sarah though, perhaps your rex just isn’t fond of the hay. Have you tried different varieties to see if anything else is more appealing? How old is your rex? Have you considered the possibility of a tooth issue? Molar spurs can make a bunny want to eat less hay.
- 09/17/2018 at 2:51 PM
  Sarahdipitey
  Participant
  6 posts
  Thanks guys! Both buns are very small but my lionhead is slightly bigger. I try all different kinds. My lionhead eats it all and my mini rex hardly touches any of it. My mini rex has always been somewhat picky and mostly ate pellets and hardly touched her hay but i put them both on a diet because my mini rex was getting fat and my lionhead had sticky droppings. Would you recommend for me to give the pellets back to my mini rex all the time?
- 09/17/2018 at 10:11 PM
  kurottabun
  Participant
  908 posts
  How much pellets were you giving previously and how much are you giving now?
  
  It’s important that they both eat hay as it’s not just to prevent sticky poops but also to grind their teeth down and provide fiber for better digestion. Like LBJ said, have you brought them to a rabbit savvy vet to get their teeth checked? Their molars can only be seen using a special scope that vets have. If they have spurs then it might be painful to chew hay, so that’s definitely a reason why the rex isn’t eating much.
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