Teeth problems and hay

[lucygoosey]

Hey guys,

I’ve had Lucy for about 6 months now and I’ve noticed that she doesnt’ eat much hay. The major problem is not that she wont eat it but that she cant eat it. She will take a strand and munch on it for a really long time but she can’t eat it because her teeth aren’t aligned enough to cut through the tough fibres. I already cut the strands into 4 inch strips (i heard cutting them any shorter defeats the purpose) but she’ll chew and chew and eventually give up.

The thing is, she gets her expensive oxbow pellets and veggies (usually bak choy or cilantro). She gets 1-2 doses of petromalt when she’s shedding which helps with the fur. She poos very well and has no digestive problems to date.

Is it still very important that she eat hay? I’ve put it in her litterbox but I’m afraid she’ll pee on it and it will mold (i change her box very often and I feel it’s a waste to throw it out so i pick out the hay and scoop out the dirty litter).

What are your thoughts? I still have a huge bag of timothy hay in my kitchen and I heard it only keeps for a year. I’m not sure what I should do.

[JK]

Have you talked to a vet about this?  Hay is extremely important and should be the main source of their diet.  Don’t worry about putting hay in the litter box as rabbits apparently don’t eat the peed on hay. I worried about wasting it too but I just throw the whole litter box contents out daily.  I have to because my rabbit pees a ton. The hay won’t get mold if you change the box frequently. I would definitely see a vet about the poor little guy’s teeth and see what they recommend.  Good luck!

[Beka27]

i’m not sure what else can be used to replace hay.  what does the vet recommend about the teeth?  do they need to be trimmed or removed? 

[Sarita]

Well, Sterett Brothers makes a pelleted hay (it’s not a food pellet but a hay pellet) – they are originally made for horses but Bunnybytes offers them and I decided to buy some for my rabbit who cannot eat pellets to see if I could trick him into eating these thinking they are pellets – it didn’t work though.  The pellets are larger than food pellets.

It’s worth trying to see if Lucy will eat those – that way she can still get the benefits of hay but in a pelleted form.

midvalleymillinghaypellets.com/hay-pellet-faq

[lucygoosey]

Lucy’s teeth have already been checked out by a vet. Originally they were so bad they were going to be completely removed but then the appointment before the operation, her teeth had miraculously improved. So he cancelled the operation and ordered a trim every so often.

We check her teeth constantly and she is fine eating small solids like chopped up veggies and carrots. Her pellets are small enough to be picked up with her lips and if you hold a whole carrot she will use her teeth to shave off small bits.

I’m just wondering if anyone else has the same problem and how do they deal with it? Because I know hay is really important for digestive systembut so far I’ve not seen any problems with Lucy’s digestives at all (for the past 6 months) so is she doing okay? Or are there other signs I should look for?

[babybunsmum]

wow… good to have avoided removing her teeth, thats for sure!  i don’t have this problem.  like you, i know that the important thing is that her system keeps moving, which you mention is happening.  i wonder if there is any long term effects from not eating hay that may not show signs?  like that it taxes her system trying to keep food moving?  obviously i’m just speculating – sorry – maybe some one else will have some input about that.  could you try out the pelleted form?  lucy’s lucky to have you looking out for her  

[Scarlet_Rose]

There are other things that you can do for Lucy.  There is a recipe my local HRS uses for "diet challenged" rabbits called Angel’s Mush. It is very important that she get fiber and if she cannot do the hay, try to offer high-fiber veggies chopped up or even some pureed canned pumpkin (not pie mix). 

[skunklionshow]

Leo has seriously messed up teeth!  He needs trims & filings about every 3 months.  I showed the hubby the difference b/t Leo and Jessi’s incisors this weekend and he was shocked!  Leo’s incisors are 2 different widths and lengths.  One side is about twice as wide as the other incisor.  They both have really jagged edges.  Not to mention they bow in an unnatural manner.  When it gets really bad he stops eating.

B/c of his teeth, he never was a hay eater.  He also has some problems w/ various veggies.  I have tried several types of hay, thinking it was the taste, but that wasn’t all that great.  He does have a preference for the Orchard blend.  I like putting some in a paper bag or paper towel tube w/ raisins spread throughout.  He will usually get some hay down while hunting for raisins.  I keep hay in a bin, litterbox and near his bed.  I also give him the wreath leaves.  Sometimes, if it looks like he hasn’t been munching much, I feed it to him a few bits at a time.  My vet said that the preference is for him to eat it on his own on a regular basis b/c it helps keep their teeth healthy and body running well.  However, b/c of his issues, I should maintain a blend of fibrous veggies, quality pellets, ample opportunities to eat hay, and try the best I can.

[lucygoosey]

Thanks guys! I will try the angel’s mush and see if she likes it. I have conditioned Lucy to eat from a plastic spoon (for syringe medications and such as I don’t like syringe feeding because it places stress on her) so I’ll make up some mush and see if she’ll eat it! I tried feeding her canned pumpkin (not pie filling) and she hated it so I hope she wont smell it in there!

When Lucy was sick one time, the vet ordered critical care just in case she stopped eating. We were supposed to feed it through syringe, but when I got home I spoon fed it to her and she lopped it up faster than you can say “bunny” ! From then on, whenever she sees the spoon come out she’ll binky straight into your legs and pounce you before you can even sit down and feed it to her!

Her normal diet now consists of oxbow pellets (the blend for adult bunnies) and lots of bak choy in the evening. I’m not sure how fibrous bak choy is, but i will check it out.

Any other suggestions for what the most fibrous veggies are out there?

[skunklionshow]

I wonder if Lucy is realted to my Leo…He too won’t eat w/ the syringe, he will eat straight off the spoon though.  That’s the only way I can "force feed" him.  He also hates pumpkin!

B/c of his teeth, I go through periods when I have to force or keep weight on him.  Those times he gets unsweetened applesauce, banana baby food, & mushy bananas (he’s fav all the time).  However, he will not eat cold food, I always have to heat his foods for 20 secs in the microwave. 

Leo also likes:  brocolli (mostly just the crowns), kale, collard & dandelion greens, green & red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, parsley, cilantro, & cabbage.  He hates carrots.  I often chop up his bunny salads so we don’t have any teeth issues w/ his veggies.  My vet suggests the critical care mixed w/ strawberry ensure when he needs nutrition.  I also recommend trying a different hay to see if it makes any difference.  I also chop the hay on occasion.

[Scarlet_Rose]

The one that I can think of is kale but you need to be careful with it as it is high in oxalates and should not be given all the time. Is there a way that your vet will give you a regular supply of critical care? That would really be ideal since your bun snubs pumpkin.

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