I need to regulate my bunny’s diet, and have some questions

[berkua]

Hello all, 

I have been struggling with my Holland Lop’s dietary needs for years.  I really need a solution pronto.

My bunny, Aesop, is a Holland Lop that I have had since 2009.  He has never had a steady digestive system, which has been a struggle since I got him.  There has never been a time when I wasn’t shaving hardened mats of fur and dried poop and wet diarrhea from his rear end.  I have gone through every combination of pellets, and veggies, and papaya pellets, and probiotics. 

I have always been consistent with the timothy hay … 24/7 access to fresh hay.

Aesop is in a pen with another bunny, Piper.  Piper is fine … she has just recently started peeing out of the litter box though. 

They are both on 100% pellet, because the veggies kept giving Aesop wet tail, although he is still getting wet tail, so obviously I was wrong. 

They are on 100% pellets, timothy hay 24/7, and water 24/7.  I just started mixing benebac into the water.

I would like to get my bunnies back on a veggie diet.  I don’t want to go straight into something new, and was thinking I can just feed 100% timothy hay and water until Aesop clears up. 

Is this a good plan?  If so, how long can my bunnies eat and drink just hay and water?  Is a week okay?  Will this clear up digestive problems before I introduce veggies into the diet again?

I just really want to get this under control.  I appreciate any help and suggestions I can get at this point. 

Cheers!

[BunnyBrigade]

What I suggest is talking to your vet about the change over. I had to do something similar to this with my girl, Skipper, because she has a very sensitive stomach too. I had my vet help me through the process. She was able to guide me through how much I should feed Skipper through the weaning process and giving her updates of how she was doing. At the time Skipper was eating pellets and veggies while I was trying to wean her off the pellets, making the process a lot easier. I’m not sure how to go about weaning Aesop off the pellets and onto veggies. Going through this process with the help of your vet will really be beneficial because they can help guide you through the process and be able to give you a better idea of how to handle the situation. I don’t want to advice you and have the advice be way off. Maybe another BB member can help.

[LongEaredLions]

What does %100 pellets mean? How much pellets are you giving them each day?
If they are getting unlimited pellets, I would wonder if that could be the problem-many bunnies are sensitive to pellets, and 24/7 access to pellets can cause poopy bum because they fill up on those and don’t eat enough hay. I would decrease the pellets and see if that helps.
I agree with BunnyBrigade that it is best to meet with your vet and discuss what the best route would be. Bunnies don’t get “wet tail” (only Syrian hamsters get that) but they do get soft poos/wet bum which can be caused by many things (unlike wet tail which is a single ailment). If your vet is sure this is a digestive issue and that something else isn’t causing it, they should help you decide what steps you should take next.

[mikenyny]

I will not offer any advice, but just outline what I feed my 5 rabbits daily:
1. Good quality pellets (green and orange combination in one pack) and alfalfa hay always available.
2. Breakfast is porridge (instant oatmeal – just mixed with boiling water): 2 desert spoons in a cup with the hot water is sufficient for all 5 (allowed to cool first).
3. Lunch and dinner (same menu): sliced/diced cabbage, carrots, green beans, kale (and some apple slices occasionally as the “treat”).
4. Clean, fresh water alwasy available in clean bowls.
5. Dried leaves, grass, small (1 cm dia) twigs for chewing always available
You can also use the plastic caps from aerosol cans for them to chew (obvioulsy sterilized first).

[Sarita]

Have you had a vet check his teeth? I would. Many times the problems you are describing can be dental related and Holland Lops are notorious for having dental problems.

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