Is my bunny sick?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 11sd replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 8 months ago by Sarita.

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- 08/01/2013 at 7:29 PM
  Jaki
  Participant
  4 posts
  So a few weeks ago my bunny’s eyes started watering. I had to go on a business trip for a week and when I got back he looked fine and my grandmother (who had been his sitter) said that he seemed healthy and was acting normal while I was away. He starting eating less and drinking a lot more and peeing A LOT. Then I noticed that there was a little patch of fur missing near his eye and I took him to the vet (this was a week after I got home).
  
  A week has passed since I took him to the vet and he was declared healthy. He is still acting normal but he refuses to eat his pellets and only picks out the seeds and treats. He’ll also eat hay but that’s it. He has always been a picky eater (won’t eat fruits or vegetables except pear skins) but he has never refused to eat his pellets completely. Plus he was eating from this bag of food for weeks before he decided to stop. Is he sick or does he just need different food???
- 08/01/2013 at 7:42 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Did the vet check his teeth? Could be dental problems.
- 08/01/2013 at 7:46 PM
  Jaki
  Participant
  4 posts
  The vet didn’t check his teeth but he is still chewing very enthusiastically on his wooden toys so I think they’re ok.
- 08/01/2013 at 7:53 PM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  This does sound like it could be a dental issue. Just bc he is chewing on wood toys doesn’t mean the back molars are not causing him discomfort when he eats pellets.
  
  (Once you figure this out, you will want to start switching him to a plain pellet. Seeds and crunchy pieces in the pellet mixes are not good for rabbits.)
- 08/01/2013 at 8:12 PM
  Jaki
  Participant
  4 posts
  Oh, good to know. I’ll check his teeth then.
  
  BTW, I tried giving him plain pellets but he wouldn’t eat them and I was afraid he was going to starve to death so I switched :-/
- 08/01/2013 at 8:18 PM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  Rabbits won’t starve themselves. He might protest at first, but eventually, he will give in and eat what is given to him. In the meantime, he has hay and veggies to fulfill his nutritional needs.
  
  If he is under 7 months, he can have alfalfa pellets, but if he is over 7 months he should be on a timothy pellet.
- 08/01/2013 at 11:52 PM
  Roberta
  Participant
  4355 posts
  Mix your pellets so the change is slow… When I changed Nermal over from the garbage mix she was being fed I added a small cup of normal pellets the first week. As the level in the tub dropped I added more plain pellets each week until they were completely plain. As the sweet crunchy treats disappeared Nomnoms would eat more of the plain pellets then fill up on hay and fresh greens. I have no trouble getting her to enjoy the plain pellets now.
- 08/02/2013 at 1:17 AM
  Dwarf Sparrow
  Participant
  184 posts
  Just as an fyi, if your rabbit is particularly stubborn, the mixing method Roberta suggested might not work. When I was trying to switch Merida from a diet of alfalfa pellets and seeds to just timothy pellets, she would pick through the mix of alfalfa pellets, timothy pellets, and seeds so that only timothy pellets were left. And as I added more timothy pellets to the mix, more timothy pellets were left behind. Finally I stopped mixing altogether and just gave her the timothy pellets. When no more alfalfa pellets and seeds came, she settled for the timothy and now accepts them as if they are treats.
- 08/06/2013 at 9:30 AM
  Jaki
  Participant
  4 posts
  Thanks for everyone’s help! It turns out he did have a dental problem. The vet will be filing his teeth down today and said he will be fine
- 08/06/2013 at 9:43 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  I’m glad you got that figured out! That’s the only problem with pets… they can’t talk and TELL US what hurts… :o(
  
  I hope he feels better!
- 08/09/2013 at 1:05 AM
  Brandi Lynn
  Participant
  11 posts
  I’m wondering if hay is at least 80% of your rabbits diet? Personally, I don’t feed my rabbit anything that he can’t get outside. I strongly urge you to switch over to primarily hay, and if you’re adamant on feeding him pellets, PLEASE MAKE SURE THE PELLETS DO NOT HAVE SEEDS, CORN, NUTS, ETC. IN THEM.
  
  It really sounds like your rabbit is not getting enough hay, which is exactly why the dental issues ensued. Hay is ESSENTIAL because hay actually helps keep the cheek teeth grinded down.
- 08/09/2013 at 8:06 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Glad you got that figured out. Definitely want to make sure he is eating hay however not eating hay isn’t always the cause of dental problems it is essential. I would try to transition him out of the junk food pellets too if you can.
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