New Rabbit: not eating much hay?

[DoragonHinansho]

Hello! I recently got a Rabbit for the first time - I've only really had Guinea Pigs before so it's a new area for me.

My albino Chappy came to me at 6 weeks old; just after being weaned. She's been happily running around and eating pellets, grass and vegetables; but she really hasn't even eating much hay from the hay net? She likes to climb into the hay rack and chew on a little bit she doesn't really seem that interested!

Since I'm new to this I just wanted to ask if you guys have any ideas what to do? Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[Bonsai]

If she is 6 weeks old, she shouldn't be receiving veggies at all, it can cause an upset tummy. However, all rabbits have different amounts of hay they'll eat. Some will eat a lot, some will eat none. Maybe try mixing in different types of hay such as alfalfa, meadow, botanical, etc. She may just be picky about the type she wants. My rabbit will eat meadow but not timothy. Try putting hay in all sorts of places. A lot of bunnies like it in their litterbox so you could put the hay net over her litterbox or cover her litterbox with hay. My rabbit likes to eat hay out of one end of his litterbox so I fill up one end of his litterbox with hay and he pees/poops in the other end. He just likes having the hay while he potties.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Til she hits six months, you should be giving alfalfa as it's higher in protein and calcium that is needed for growth and bone development and then wean her off alfalfa and onto to orchard grass or timothy hay. She does need the roughage to keep her teeth from overgrowing and it is a normal part of the diet. Ours get very little pellet in the diet. Also, veggies are supposed to be started at 4 months--I didn't know at first so some of ours got them at 10 to 12 weeks,, but we had no problem with loose stool. Good luck.

 

[DoragonHinansho]

Oh okay! I wasn't aware about the veggie situation: my friend who gave me the rabbit had been feeding her veg and said nothing about not giving her any veggies! She didn't say about the vaccinations they need either; but luckily I had researched a little first and knew she needed vaccinations so she's booked in this week.

I've bought another type of hay which should be nicer than my current one; so I'll keep the guinea pigs on the already open one and try Chappy on the new stuff! If she still refuses...I might bribe her with more expensive hay!

Thanks for all the advice; it's all about learning again! At least she's only been getting a tiny bit of veggies and she eats grass well out in the run. I feel like such a newbie!

 

[Watermelons]

.... Despite the nay sayers, you can totally give a young rabbit veggies!
Just be mindful and watch out for an upset tummy. All my guys got veggies the day the came home, even if their mother didn't get veggies.
Youre definitely fine, especially since she was all ready given veggies before you brought her home.

However less other stuff usually leads to more hay consumption.
If the pellets shes eating are alfalfa based, then you're find to feed a grass type hay (orchard, timothy, oat, etc....)

 

[DoragonHinansho]

Thank you! I wanted to ask something else...I know this sounds silly; she was kept on jay bedding before and she's swapped to sawdust and "safe bedding" from pets at home - should I place some hay in there and may she eat it? I just feel so stupid! Xx

 

[Watermelons]

Most people here don't use bedding at all. Most rabbits pick one corner to pee in, grab the peed on stuff, put it in a litter box, then put that litter box back in that corner you found the pee in. Remove all other bedding.
Most people use towels or fleece blankets
Depends if your rabbits a chewer or not.
I have my guys on ceramic tile because they are chewers.

Otherwise no idea what "jay bedding" is.
And sawdust is.... well you will have differing opinions again. I personally would only use aspen shavings.

 

[DoragonHinansho]

Oops! I meant to say "hay"! She was kept on hay! Sorry - silly autocorrect!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Mine all have a corner pan with kiln dried pine for their toilet needs--works fine for us for more than 13 years now. It gets dumped and cleaned daily. It would help to know your location too--we don't have to vaccinate for anything here in the Desert Southwest. The only bedding that can't be used is Cedar--kiln drying removes the phenol from pine, but not Cedar--that's why it's used to construct Hope Chests as it is toxic to insects and small animals.

 

[DoragonHinansho]

Update: I noticed she was actually sleeping inside the hay basket; so I assumed she wanted hay as bedding. I've caught her nibbling at some strands now; and changed to a different hay and still not much difference! I'm just really worried she's not getting enough!

 

[Watermelons]

Then reduce the amount of other stuff she gets, or try a different kind of hay, You can try offering multiple types until you figure out what she likes best.

 

[DoragonHinansho]

Alright! I'll try that! Thank you.

 

[ravenmoore36]

Is the hay sweet enough? Have you tried super forage meadow hay? My guys love there meadow hay.