Not drinking water at all !

[MessiTheLop]

My 5 and a half years old bunny hasn't been drinking water for a year or even more ! i have tried different water bottles, bowls etc. he didn't drink it. Since his diet consist off mostly vegetables and fruits, he is getting what he needs from these according to his vet. But in summer time, here in Antalya, Turkey, it's mostly around 35-40 °C and very damp . So he doesn't wanna eat his meals and gets less water as a result . Is there anyone who did face something like that and solved it ?

 

[JBun]

If you are using tap water, he may not like the taste of it. If so you could try bottled water and see if that makes a difference. You could also try using a syringe without a needle, to syringe water directly into his mouth. If you do it just make sure to do it slowly and carefully, giving him a chance to swallow after each little bit so you don't risk any of it being aspirated into his lungs.

 

[ladysown]

he's five years old, has been living in Turkey for all his life and appears healthy?

Why are you worrying? if it's not enough he wouldn't be okay.

I live in southern western Ontario with lots of humidity and hot days and my rabbits eat and drink less when those two are combined as well. They are just fine.

So worry less and enjoy more. as long as appears healthy, probably is healthy

 

[Thumperina]

I understand what the TC talking about. Heat makes his/her bunny passive and bun isn't eating well (same here). Also the bun isn;'t used to drinking water (same here). I can predict that in this situation the bun is having small poop and probably isn't thriving at all.

What I would suggest
- If bringing the bunny into cooler environment isn't possible, make sure you feed him well during the coolest time of the day (here it's 6 o'clock in the morning )

I bought portable air conditioning unit and installed in in my garage. I bring my rabbits into garage at about noon (until noon it's bearable) and let them out when the sun goes down. I can see huge difference in their food intake.

I never heard that having a rabbit on mostly fruits and vegetable is a recommended diet. Does your rabbit eat grass or hay? Do you have a chance to let him eat fresh grass during morning hours if he is not eating hay ?

 

[MessiTheLop]

I used tap water, bottled water from different brands . Sometimes I do use syringe but he hates it . If I'm going out for long hours I give him water with syringe before going out and after i come back home.

 

[MessiTheLop]

Yes , he's born and raised here in Turkey In summer time I can't help it .

 

[MessiTheLop]

He eats hay only he wants to eat . His diet is not ordinary I know that but it's been like that for 5 years . He has only one front tooth left in his mouth so I need to cut anything down to little cubes so he could pick it up with his lips . It has to be fresh i f fruit cubes sits in his bowl for awhile he wouldn't eat them all ! He is a picky guy , our beloved one , we live our lives according to his needs, wishes He is a free bun , lives like a cat in the house , with a cat and parakeet . Sometimes I think so much freedom makes him that picky . I don't know . When he doesn't eat I turn on the air condition so he could eat . But I'm also afraid him to get cold because of it . Summer times are hard times ...

 

[Akzholedent]

Oh, he won't get cold. Rabbits are made for cold weather, and an air conditioner won't get cold enough to affect him. ^_^

 

[Thumperina]

Summer times are hard times ...

yes, we all hate summer!

I can certainly say that bringing him into cooler environment would improve his appetite/liquid intake. this is what I do to my buns.

 

[squidpop]

If you could find a marble slab for him to lay on that would be really good. There is something special about marble that makes it stay cold, that's why the sell them to make pastry and ice cream. Sometimes you can find big pieces of marble on sale because it got chipped or broken at thrift stores.