Stubborn bunny

[Bunny parents]

Hello, everyone. I'd like to ask something and if anyone has advice or tip. Please let me know.
Kimiko has been so stubborn lately. I read on one thread saying that giving a pinch of oats daily makes bunny's fur more healthy and shiny. I've been giving her since then and wow ! I can see the difference. Her fur is so pretty now, so soft and shiny. But the problem is she stops eating pellets ! I took her to the vet, due to her sneezing and at first I thought she lost her appetite, but now it's so obvious that she won't eat pellets unless she will get some oats mixed with it. My vet suggested me to being " Tough love" with her ; by stop giving her oats, cutting down the amount of treats she gets daily. I did that yesterday and she kept begging for a while, then finally she gave up on hunger. I thought thing will go back to the way it was, but no today she doesn't eat pellets again and it was my fault .:embarrassed: This morning I gave her oats but not with pellets. I cleaned her cage, changed her water and hay, filled up pellets ( only pellets ). I always groom her everyday around 10.00 AM. And every time I groom her I have to give her some treats, so I decided to give her oats. She gobbled it up at once and kept begging for more. Darn it, I shouldn't do that :X Now we have to start all over again.
Does anyone have the same experience ? How do you deal with it ? How long will it take to get her eating pellets again ?
Thank you very much for your time. :thanks:

 

[jcl_24]

So she has decided oats are her favourite but she will still know that pellets are edible too .

Even if a small amount of oats are mixed with a larger amount of pellets, she will most likely eat the oats, ignore the pellets and wait for you to top up the food she really likes again.

'Tough love' is a sensible way here-pellets only. She will not let herself starve.

Jo xx

 

[Bunny parents]

Thank you so much, Jo will do Oh ! what about play time, can I still give her some treats ?

 

[GorbyJobRabbits]

I don't see rabbits as dogs and don't award them a treat for grooming. Rabbits groom each other and its a social thing, there for they should see your grooming them as bonding and not need treats.


Just give her the pelletts and stop giving the oats and so many treats. Like the vet said 'tough love' will get her back on the pellets. As others have said on here, a rabbit will not starve itself, eventually she will eat the pellets.

 

[Bunny parents]

Thank you for your advice. I'll try changing the grooming idea with her. Thing is...she loves to be petted but when it comes down to brushing, she's never stayed still for us to brush her, so I don't know if there is another way to do. I agree with you that they're not dogs and grooming is their social thing. I just can't get her stay still while brushing.

 

[MAXX55]

I had the same problem brushing my bun. I could never brush her when she's out of her pen but when she's in her pen she lets me. I get the feeling that she feels more protected there. After a while she felt comfy and nothing happened I was then able to brush her out of the pen....

 

[Bunny parents]

MAXX55 :
Thank you so much for sharing your story My girl is similar to yours. We can do most of things with her while she's in her cage, but outside no. This morning, I tried brushing her. I could do that for couple times then she hopped away. I hope she will get used to it one day. She loves being petted anyway, but for her idea, brushing might not be the same ?? :confused2:

 

[GorbyJobRabbits]

Mine don't really sit completely still either. My one buck actually prefers to jump in my lap while I'm brushing him... doesnt make it an easy task but then he just lays there. I figure it amounts to 'cuddles'

on some of mine I just talk softly and try to keep my hand over their head and shoulder.... not really pushing down but it kind of keeps them more still. Where they learn they have to settle down.


or you can dampen your hand and just 'pet' her basically. it gets all the loose hair like brushing does.

 

[Bunny parents]

Thank you so much for all of your grooming tips. I will work on those. My girl loves being petted but she prefers it from my hubby,lol. Unfortunately, I'm the one with her more often than him, so I'm the one grooming her. Today, I didn't give her treats while I was brushing her, she seemed a bit confused but allowed me to brush couple times, then she hopped away. Then she hopped back, I brushed, then she hopped away. Well, at least it's a bit progress,right ? Thanks again.