Rabbit not eating

[Lindbergbrumby]

Ok, so I have a rabbit that I've owned for about 15 days. I've bred her 14 days ago. Anyhow she isn't eating very much at all. Like if I give 1/2 cup she may take 2-3 days to Finnish. I have a doe same breed and age that will eat 3/4 cup. Anyhow she doesn't have any dierea and I do see some droppings below her cage. Should I be worried? She has lost some weight, but is still healthy.

 

[squidpop]

Yes, I would be very worried. If she is not eating at all I would take her to the vet immediately.

If a rabbit refuses food and doesn't have diarrhea, I would suspect GI stasis which means the gut is slowing down, there may be a blockage, and when this happens hydration is very important because the gut can't move if it is not well hydrated and there's a good chance if the rabbit hasn't been eating its not drinking either.

If she refuses food for 8 hours or longer its considered a medical emergency. So if she is completely refusing food I would immediately syringe some fluids/electrolytes into her with a 3ml syringe to tide her over until you get her to the Vet for an examinantion, and then I would rush her to the vet.

If she just has lost her appetite but is still eating. In that case i would syringe 15ml electrolytes (low sugar pedialyte is good, or look up a recipe for homemade electrolyte on the internet) and then give her a bowl of water mixed with pureed fruit fresh apple or fresh pineapple mixed into the water to get her to drink as much as possible, and the give her some of her favourite fresh greens. If her appetite doesn't get better 8 hours after that then I would take her to the vet.

It would be good for you to read this article Signs of Gastric Stasis
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=484
The following is a list of signs that are commonly noted with gastric or cecal stasis:

Rabbits will eat less over a period of days or weeks.
Eventually rabbits completely stop eating
The waste droppings become smaller, then completely stop
Often affected rabbits will be bright and alert for several days after they stop eating.
Rabbits will refuse to eat pellets but will chew the paper on the bottom of the cage, the woodwork or wall board, all of which are sources of the fiber they are craving.
Some rabbits have periodic soft, pudding-like stools prior to a complete loss of appetite.
As the condition progresses with further dehydration of GI contents and finally complete shutdown of the GI tract, the rabbit becomes increasingly lethargic, depressed and ultimately can die.

"...As the movement of material through the GI tract slows, the ingesta sits longer then normal at any point, particularly in the stomach and in the cecum. Fluid continues to be extracted from this ingesta while it is delayed and eventually the ingesta can become thick and dry as it dehydrates. The dehydrated ingesta causes further slowdown of GI motility causing a vicious cycle. The result is dry, impacted material in the stomach as well as the cecum, which ceases to move altogether. The rabbit stops eating and drinking because nothing is moving and further aggravates the condition. Now we have a "ball" of material in the stomach that can be felt on a physical examination and seen on an x-ray. Dehydrated stomach contents viewed on an x-ray exhibit a halo of air demonstrating that there is little liquid present..."

 

[majorv]

Sometimes bred does will change their eating habits for a short period of time. We've had a few lessen what they eat, but usually they eat the same or become ravenous. Encourage her to eat by putting a little bit of plain rolled oats in with her pellets. For bred does sometimes I will add a little bit of calf manna, before kindling and while nursing. The electrolytes mentioned will help also.