Really picky new bunny!

[Pancification]

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting here, but I’ve been reading this site since my girlfriend and I first considered getting a bunny. We just picked up Tiki from the pound on Saturday, and I’ve noticed he barely eats. Is this common in new moves? I’ve tried everything. The only food he consistently will eat is raisins and that obviously isn’t the best. He sparingly eats his pellets and will munch on some hay, but refuses any and all vegetables that I have come up with to offer him. I checked his teeth today, much to his great displeasure, and they seem to be ok. What has made me especially worried is he hasn’t passed any pellets today. He has been pooping about once a night, in big clumps, and there was nothing this morning, and still isn’t at 5:30 pm. I’m starting to think I need to get him to a vet, which has me even more stressed out. Other than the lack of lust for food, he seems perfectly happy and curious. Any advice would be great appreciated!

 

-Evan, a nervous new father.

[Sarita]

You need to have a vet check his teeth with an otoscope. You won’t be able to tell just by looking at them. I highly recommend that since you got him from the pound to get a full blown checkup including the teeth and a fecal analysis. I think it’s wonderful that you adopted from a shelter as well, kudos to you.

[Elrohwen]

Ditto everything Sarita said. He could have molar spurs, which are points on his molar teeth that you won’t be able to see without the scope.

My bun actually had them on her vet visit today and they were able to take her back and trim them in about 15 minutes. Nice and easy.

[Andi]

With little to no poops and a small appitite I would probably see the Vet.
Congrats on the new Bunbun

[RabbitPam]

Congratulations!
I would take him to a vet for a general, baseline exam, and fill her in on his behavior since you’ve had him. It’s important to establish yourself with a vet you like. The bunny specialists are called Exotics vets, and some don’t see cats and dogs, like my vet who is a bird and small animal specialist. It helps them to know your bunny when he’s healthy, so if something comes up (assuming he’s OK right now) they know what “normal’ is for him. And if you don’t care for the vet, you can shop around before it’s an emergency visit.

[Pancification]

Thanks everyone! I think I’m going to make an appointment asap with the local small animal vet. I’m lucky enough that one of the ones on the HRS lists is less than half an hour from me, so I’ll give them a call and see whats what. I hadn’t considered that he might need a baseline checkup. Thanks for the input

[jerseygirl]

Welcome and congrats on your new bunny! Did the pound have much history on Tiki? It may be he is not used to veggies so you may be able to introduce them into his diet over time. Also, I thought he might not be familiar with the pellets. Are they the same ones the shelter gave or or ones you want to give long term?  Lastly, is he getting water in a bowl or from a bottle?

Goodluck with his vet visit.

[Balefulregards]

Hurrah for Shelter Buns!

I found with my guy, he took a couple of weeks to trust us. I mean he seemed happy to be here, but was still firmly in the “You people may try to eat me” frame of mind. He also took quite a while to warm up to Veg. He had a bit in the shelter, but nothing like I feed daily.

I would start with Romaine as it is the easiest to find and seems to be an across the board accepted Veggie. He may look at you like you are CRAZY when you place it in front of him. But give him a few days. He needs to ignore it. Ignore it again. Then taste it when You aren’t looking. Then act like you are stupid for not giving him more. When I first got Jackson , he ignored the Lush End of Summer Mint I was harvesting. Ate AROUND it. Couldn’t be persuaded that Mint was not Poison. Now, he will push Coco out of the way to get his favorite bits.

And Hay is also an “acquired” taste it seems..which is funny because now both of mine will DIVE into the refreshed hay and we know it is really good for them…but they tend to be very suspicious of new things.

The water bottle or crock is also a good question. I’ve used both, although my aim was to transition to a crock. It does take some time though too. Jackson liked to chuck his all over the night cage during his first few weeks in residence!

The vet visit will be really helpful…and is he Neutered? Because that is an important conversation to have, especially as he loosens up and starts to claim your house as HIS. Toilet habits can be a pain to re-train ( although it is possible) and may become easier with a Spay/neuter.

Lastly, welcome to the Bunny Family!

[LoveChaCha]

Hope the little one will be alright

My bun is 4 months and dislikes any vegetable I give to her. I gave her a strawberry and she ignored it. She loves wheat grass

[Sara Darlingg]

Hope everything’s okay, keep us updated on what the vet says!
I’ve discovered that bun’s poop ALOT! small ammounts of poop isnt usually a good sign.
Like I was shocked at how much comes out of such a small animal lol!

I have a really picky bunny, she’ll only eat the greenest parts of lettuce, carrots, and the ocasional fruit.
Wont bother much with any other veggies lol!
Its so funny to give them something new and watch them turn away just to go back to it later and love it!

[Author]

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