My boys arn’t eating much

[Deleted User]

So the boys are eating only the Oxbow pellets.  SInce switching them they really don’t eat as much as before.  Neither one would eat the Oxbow mixed with their old food so I just gave them the Oxbow and Connor broke down first and then finally Coney.  They both eat it but about 75% less than they did before.

Coney eats lots of hay and his greens to begin with.  He gets his treats, Oxbow Critter Carrots, and Oxbow Critter Berries.  I fill his crock up half way with the pellets and it takes about 3-5 days to eat them all.  Before on the Ecotrition he would eat a full crock in 2 days. 

Connor eats some hay, and lots of greens.  His treats are the Oxbow Papaya Tablets.  He has a small bowl for his pellets and he maybe will eat 3/4 of it a day.  It is much smaller than Coney’s crock.  Before he used to eat two bowls a day of the Ecotrition. 

Both are pooping enough, and Connors actually seem much bigger than before and he has less poopy butt, but when I give them the greens they almost seem frantic like they are starving.  Connor in perticular.  He jumps out of his bed and almost is shaking he is so frantic for the food.  I am worried that I am starving them.  I think they really don’t like the Oxbow pellets and that is why they eat so little of them.  I think they only eat what they do because they run out of greens.  With Connor I really wonder if he is actually eating the hay.  He gets the Oxbow Brome and the Botanical hay.  He doesn’t do much with the botanical except eat the flowers.  But the Brome is a very long strand and course hay.  He rearanges it in his bed and then cuts it into smaller pieces.  He is pooping a lot in his bed everyday which leads me to believe he is eating some of it.

Any suggestions?

[Sarita]

Well. 2 bowls a day of pellets is too much. You should be only giving them small measured amounts not free feeding them. Hay and veggies should make up the bulk of their diet. As long as they have plenty of hay and greens they should be fine.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Medina, it sounds like they may be getting too many pellets.  My two, full grown 9 pound monsters get only a tablespoon each in the morning for breakfast and free feed on hay and water until fresh veggies at dinner time. I would not be overconcerned with their consumption of the pellets, but definately cut way back. Our little stinker bunnies have a habit of making us think that they are starving to death (nothing like a guilt trip) when in fact they aren’t.  Fresh veggies and fruit are treats and so they get excited as it is something other than the norm for them.  It sounds like they could be a little bored and so you might want to try and spice up things with a few toys and stuffing a paper bag with hay. Your stinkers sound like they are trying to "train" you to only feed them goodies and what they like, so stand firm, you’re the momma and know what’s best for them.  You’re doing a great job so keep up the good work and I am glad to hear they are eating the Oxbow now.

[Deleted User]

Coney doesn’t worry me that much because I know he eats tons of hay, but Connor does not eat much and when I give him his greens and papaya tablet he is just freaking out. They are really only supposed to get a few tablespoons a day. I thought it was like half a cup or something. Right now both are eating maybe about 1/4 cup which is what worried me. I just don’t want to starve them and make them have hunger pains. And yes everything they consume with the exception of the greens is Oxbow. As for the hay in a bag, I did it with Coney and it took him a week to get it open. Connor completly ignored it. Coney loves his hay in a toilet paper roll, but that only lasts about 5 minutes before it is out. I tried the same with connor and stuck some goodies inside and he ignored that as well. I wonder if it has something to do with his blindness.

One thing I was noticing was with the Spring salad mix that I give them it is not really green anymore. Does anyone else notice that, it is mostly red and purple lettuce. I even switched grocery stores and same thing it is mostly red greens if that makes sense. Oh I wondered about how much to give them. I get 1 and a half pounds of the salad mix and that lasts me one week exactally split between both boys. Does that sound like enough? They also get a sprig of flat leaf parsley a day each.

[MooBunnay]

My bunnies practically step on each other’s heads to get at their pellets in the morning, so I know what you mean by them acting like they are “starving” – but its OK – they are just excited for their treat! Definitely stick to the recommended amount of pellets, and just realize that they are just excited to have their pellets – its VERY normal for bunnies to act like that.

As far as the greens – you might want to try purchasing just regular romaine lettuce from the store, it may be more economical, and the bags of salad mix (at least at my stores) don’t really look as fresh as the romaine lettuce heads. I have 7 bunnies and so go through one head of romaine per day – which usually ends up being about 2 cups of veg for each bunny. I have heard varying opinions on the amount of veg, but I think what is more important than the amount is how fresh and healthy it is – so I’d recommend trying something that isn’t bagged, you could give them more parsley, or romaine, those two happen to be my bunnies favorites!

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hello again Medina!  Moobunnay gave you some great input.  Just for some info, here is the link for Binky Bunny’s diet info https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=60 to give you a better handle and what and how much like portion size.  It does sound like they are getting plenty. So, not to worry! Coney and Conner sound just like every other bunny, like Moobunnay said, it is very normal and hers step on each others heads.  Mine dance on, over and around my feet when it’s breakfast time. How mych do your guys weigh now?

 

[BinkyBunny]

You’ve gotten great tips, also, when you are switching over to Oxbow, are you doing it over a month’s time as suggested on the package? I know with mine, when I first switched them to Oxbow, and it was mixed with the old, they snuffed their nose at it at first and always ate the old pellet portion first, and left the oxbow behind. But after about a week, they started nibbling more on the Oxbow brand, and then slowly ate more and more until they are now happy with it. As long as you have plenty of hay for them to eat at all times, they won’t starve.

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