I cannot make my bunny eats hay.

[nipoolas’s sister]

Hello, this is my bunny Nipoolas, who is sleeping soundly and hates hay at least for now.

When I brought him home, the first thing he gets to eat was timothy hay. He LOVED it. Last summer, I introduced him some veggies little by little. 🥬 Then he stops eating hay, at all.

I tried many ways to get him eats hay again. I tried different brands and types of hay. I have tried most “How to get your bunny eats hay” from the internet. But he is so stubborn. I offer him many types of hay but he will keep nagging me to give him some veggies or pellets(he only gets hay-based pellets)

He is a free roam bunny so he is literally near me all the time. He also gets angry when I don’t give him what he wants and what is worst, he ends up getting a DIGESTIVE  problem.When I only give him hay, he might grab one or two hay straws but that’s it. Then he will starve himself until GAS built up in his stomach.

The problem is, if I try to make him eat only hay, he will starve himself and ends up with a gas problem. I have to give some food he likes to eat or else he will become sick since he does not eat any hay.  It is like a loop. I am in a difficult situation. Could you please give me any suggestions how to get him eat hay ?

[LBJ10]

How old is he? Has he been checked for dental problems? Hay eating is usually the first thing to go when a bunny has a sore mouth.

Another thought is that he’s getting too many pellets. What are you feeding him and how much?

[nipoolas’s sister]

He is 2 years old. I don’t think he has dental problems. He eats hay when he feels like it but  only a little. I don’t see any other symptoms such as drooling. He drinks fine and chews a lot. He is now having Oxbow garden select 2 tbsp per day. Yesterday, I prepare him a buffet of  different types of hay and he seems to be more interested in it that I heard him chewing hay last night while I was sleeping.

 

 

[Wick & Fable]

What kinds of things are he chewing in his free time? Some rabbits may need limited access to cardboard and such because they ingest too much, making them not eat as much hay.

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.

[nipoolas’s sister]

He chews apple sticks chew toys made of hay such as hay cubes. He does not have access to cardboard at all. In my opinion, he seems to be very stubborn. He is such a cute little well mannered bunny except for the fact that he dislikes hay. I might have spoiled him a little bit too much because I used to give him what he wants if he doesn’t eat hay in the older days. ☹️☹️☹️

[DanaNM]

Have you had his teeth checked by the vet? Selective eating, and especially not eating hay, is the probably the most common symptom of dental problems.

. . . 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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