Need advice. Bunny won't eat hay or veggies!

[claramae99]

Hello. I asked for advice a few weeks ago on here and got some great help. As a result, my bunny had his teeth trimmed and we hoped he'd go right back to eating. Alas, not much has changed. He's eating plenty of timothy pellets (Sweet Meadow), and he's drinking more water then I've ever seen him eat. Problem is that's about all he's eating. I've offered him carrots, romaine, celery, radishes with tops, parsley, green peppers, broccoli and dandelion greens. He ate some broccoli in the first few days, but that's all. And he loves his yogurt treat he gets each night. He's also having no problems producing droppings at this point, so blockage isn't a concern. I know this can't be good as far as his nutrition, and if he doesn't eat hay eventually, he's bound to get a blockage, right? I called the vet, and they've basically told me that there isn't much more that they can offer us for advice on sparking his interest in his hay or veggies. Any ideas of what I could try to tempt him?

Jennifer

 

[SweetSassy]

My first bunny Sassy didn't like Hay either. My vet told me to try Botonical Hay cause it smells really good and I think it has some extra stuff in it. I would try Botonical Hay. Oxbow makes it. You can get it at Petsmart. Sassy liked the Bot..hay.

 

[Rosiesmom]

I have a bun who won't eat much other then pellets. She refuses long grass, romaine, carrots, cauliflower, basil, cilantro, celery, spinach, just about everything fresh I try to give her. Someone on here told me that buns are all different and he had some that would only eat pellets. mine will nibble on a little fresh hay, and rarely on a little fresh clover, but turns her nose up to most other fresh veggies. She does LOVE grapes however... But I only give her one a day. She's three years old plus and has never had a GI problem.

My baby bun, however,will eat lots of fresh long grass, romaine, carrots, clover, etc... but won't touch cilantro, basil, spinach, sometimes she'll eat celery tops, sometimes not... she likes dandilions. But overall, they both seem pretty finicky...:nerves1

 

[tonyshuman]

I had to giggle at the buffet of veggies you've offered him! He's a picky guy! Some bunnies don't like hay, but I have a few tricks. First, make sure the hay is right by the litterbox, even in the box if that's the only place you have room. Make sure it's a grass hay. If Timothy isn't to his liking, many bunnies like Orchard Grass better. My guys also love Oat Hay, and Botanical hay is a good hit too--it's Timothy with herbs in it. I got this idea from TreasuredFriend's rescue's website: put some treats deep in an empty paper towel roll, and fill the ends with hay. You can tie it to the side of the cage, or just set it on the floor. The smell of the treat will make him want to destroy the toy, and in doing so he may realize that hay is tasty. It may take a few tries for this to work. Cutting back his pellets may make him hungrier for other things. A good maximum amount of pellets for a house bunny is 1/4c per 5lbs of bunny. My guys get a tablespoon each, though, so less can be just fine. Finally, you can dangle hay in front of his face--he'll get upset at it and bite it, and may realize that it's tasty and start eating it.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I would cut down the pellets. Only give a small amount, like a tablespoon, in the morning and evening (you can give more if he is a large rabbit). Put lots of hay out for him to eat. He should get hungry enough to eat the hay.
Putting some pellets in a paper bag stuffed with hay will make him forage for them and he mat eat some hay while he is at it and decide that hay is yummy.
Hay in the litter box and maybe some cut up in a bowl will make him eat it.
Different varieties can help too. If he doesn't like timothy, try orchard grass or another type. Even some alfalfa can spark his appetite.

 

[Rayen]

When my Briar wouldn't eat her hay I started to try random things to get her to eat it. I bought almost every kind of hay I could find in pet stores (she wouldn't and still won't touch most Oxbow hay but oat) and eventually settled on a few cheaper brands that I found in Walmart/Bulk Barn that she would actually crawl into the bag and eat if I left it out on the floor. These are some pretty questionable looking bags of hay too, a lot of it looks more yellow than green but it still smells rather good. I've also been putting random treats into her hay rack/toilet paper tube. I put a few very small pieces of dried fruit into the hay rack, and I usually pour a bit of pellets into the middle of the toilet paper tube. I tend to put two-three different kinds of hay into the cage as well, the majority of it being mixed grass hay or timothy with a small bit of botanical or oat hay put in there. I'll go through a small Oxbow bag every two or so months and the cheaper timothy hay/mixed hay bag much faster.

I'm not sure how many vegetables you've given over again, but my Quinn is a horrible vegetable eater. He loves them and all, but if I try to give him a new treat or a new vegetable he will not eat it for several times. Even if he's eaten it before. I don't give him strawberries often, so if I leave it in the cage he'll eat it and if I give him another one recently after the first he'll take it, but if a week or more has passed, he won't take it. I'm not sure if that's the case with your rabbit, but he was such a pain to introduce vegetables to!

 

[claramae99]

Thanks so much for the suggestions everyone! Here I am thinking my bunny is doomed, when he's just being finicky and may never be much of a hay eater. I'm going to try all of your great ideas, cutting back on the pellets and hiding some in the TP tubes with hay. I feel so much better! Thanks again.

Jennifer

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I would keep offering hay. You never know when or if his tastes will change. He may just decide that he loves hay one day. A hay rack or container that you can easily remove from the cage will save you from wasting hay each time you clean.