Rabbit does not eat all hay — selects only certain kind and discards the rest

[cs]

Hi guys!

My rabbit is approximately 1 year old and he used to eat all his hay when he was 6 months and under, but now he is super selective.

He only likes the crunchy long stalks and the ones with the fuzzy ends. He also eats the green grass that comes mixed with it.

The problem is, this accounts to only about 20% of the bag. The rest he refuses to touch. I have bags and bags of leftover hay.

I don’t know what to do since this is so wasteful. Twice a day, I have to remove the ignored hay out of his cage and give him fresh hay that he proceeds to go through. I never had to do this before and I am tempted to just leave him with hay that he wont eat to see if he eventually gets hungry enough to eat it.

What should I do? Thanks to all!

[Bunniesareamazing]

What hay do you give him? Are you sure it’s just him being selective or maybe he’s not eating that much hay in general. I would check his stools too

[cs]

Thank you very much for replying.

I give him Kaytee Timothy hay, it also has a bit of grass mixed in.

He used to LOVE hay. He would eat every little piece. Then he got sick with stasis and was on gut moving meds for over a month. It was hell.

His poop used to be VERY large, golden, dry and completely odor free. You could actually see pieces of chopped up hay in the poop.

After he got better, the poop gradually got larger — but never the same large size again, nor the golden color it used to be (it is now a bit darker and wetter) and it also has a sweet unpleasant kind of smell to it. I can’t describe it, it’s almost like licorice or something. I don’t know how to bring him back to how he used to be. I can tell he was healthier then vs now.

So he just picks through the hay and I don’t want to be this monster who makes him finish it all but I am tired of going through bags and bags of hay. I do want what’s best for him but I also want his previous gut back for him.

Do you think he will ever get back to how he was before and is this normal for a rabbit to be this selective with hay?

Is there anything I should be doing? Thank you so so much!

[Bunniesareamazing]

Personally my rabbit HATED kaytee hay. It smells sour compared to oxbow. How long ago did he have stasis? I would try giving him oxbow Timothy hay and see if he improves, if not maybe call up a vet or try mixing in a little oat hay to entice him. Having fresh hay would be the best thing but with rhdv2 everything’s a bit iffy, best of luck with your bun and update me! If he’s still not doing well with the hay maybe he’s having some tummy issues or teeth issues and for that id consult the vet 🙂

[cs]

He got stasis over 6 months ago and was on medication for over a month. It’s been gradually improving but it’s nothing like it used to be. I know recovery from stasis is slow but I figured it’s been months now, so shouldn’t he be back to normal? I tried enticing him with other hay — botanical and oat. He hated both, especially the botanical kind. I think there’s some bacterial that he still has in his gut that he cannot get rid of. Is there anything that can be done for him and do you think this is why he’s been so picky with the hay that he normally loves? Thanks again!

[Bunniesareamazing]

Aw 🙁 have you tried orchard grass? Considering he’s picky with things maybe give him something more plain so he doesn’t really have anything to pick out of? I’d definitely ask your vet about any possible issues, 6 months and still not eating much hay is concerning. How about the rest of his diet? What else does he eat and how much

[Bunniesareamazing]

Just scrolled back up again, I would try getting different cuttings of hay, considering he likes the crunchy ones better maybe he’s more suited for 1st cut hay. The wetter poops could be because he eats more grass than he does hay, grass is good for bunnies but you wanna watch out for if his poops are getting really moist/mushy. Maybe separate the grass and give it as a snack during the day, that way he’ll be eating more hay but still get some grass. If taking out the grass causes him to stop eating hay completely do put it back so that he doesn’t have more gut issues.

[cs]

1st cut hay? I didn’t know you could just buy a certain cut 🙂

[Bunniesareamazing]

Yes you can! Binkybunny sells a bunch 😁 I personally haven’t tried their hay but dahlia goes bonkers for all their toys. I think it’s worth a shot

[Bam]

Was the cause of the stasis ever determined? Were his teeth incl his molars examined? (The inner teeth of a rabbit can only be seen with an otoscope, snd the bun often has to be sedated for the vet to get a proper look. It is often about teeth when a bun that normally eats lots of hay  siddenly stops eaing hay.

[DanaNM]

I agree with Bam that his teeth should be checked. Eating selectivity is often the main symptom of a dental issue.

. . . 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.  

[LBJ10]

For the record, it seems a lot of bunnies do not like Kaytee. Mine sure didn’t. It just doesn’t smell that fresh. I would try some Oxbow orchard grass or oat hay, both are very popular. They also have a botanical hay with some herbs mixed in. Small Pet Select, Rabbit Hole, and other brands are also good. Binkybunny also sells some awesome mini bales!

I do agree about having having his teeth checked though. Less hay eating is often the first symptom of a tooth problem, so it’s a good idea to rule that out.

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