Won't eat Hay

[Katrina]

When I first got Katrina she ate so much hay that I would have to refill it by night time (so twice a day). However, now she does not eat any of the hay. I have tried moving it to different places in the cage, leaving out of the dish, putting it in the dish, giving her less pellets, and hand feeding it to her. I can't figure it out. She just will not eat the hay now. She still has the same one as she's always had (Timothy Hay) and is now getting fat because pellets don't really have very much nutritional value to them. What do I do to get her back into the hay?

 

[aurora369]

If she's getting chubby, then definitly cut her pellets down. She's probably filling up on her pellets and leaving no room for hay.

Also, how old is she, and what type of pellet is she on? If she's on an alfalfa pellet with a high protein (16% or higher) then she should be switched to either a low protein alfalfa pellet (14% or lower) or a timothy pellet.

Take a look at our feeding section in the resource center: http://rabbitsonline.net/view<WBR>_topic.php?id=12046&forum<WBR>_id=17

And just a note, all food changes should be made gradually. Mix a little bit of the new food with the old until she&#39;s eventually on all new food.

--Dawn

 

[Katrina]

I don&#39;t know what the pellets are. They are not high protein at all. They are low everything (meaning they really don&#39;t have anything to them). Just like the hay it was what she has always had and she is so young I&#39;m not looking to change her off of them unless I see a reason to (ie. they make her sick or something). She is only about 4 months and I am giving her hardly any pellets now.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Maybe she&#39;s getting picky. You could try a new brand of hay and see what she does. Even try putting the hay in a toilet paper roll, she may play w/ it and eat the hay as well.

 

[cheryl]

Like Snuffles suggested,maybe try a different brand of hay,i noticed other members mentioning about other kinds of grass hay,can&#39;t remember the names now,but you could try something like that

Another thing you could try is putting some hay at one end of the litter box,most bunnies like to use the litter box and eatat the same time,it passes a bit of time

cheryl

 

[Bo B Bunny]

I have had to change hay sometimes. Bo and Clover get bored with their hay so I get them some Orchard grass to add a little variety.

I&#39;ve not heard anyone else say something about bunnies going potty and eating hay! I put one of Bo&#39;s hayracks by one of his litterboxes so he can sit and eat, and poo. Before, he would eat and poo on a mat. I figured he was lazy.

 

[Katrina]

Thanks guys. Bo Bunny my vet told me about how most bunnies like their food by their litterbox to eat while they go and that was working with the pellets but not the hay. The hay she had was some store brand that was bought when she was bought. I had some Kaytee Natural hay in my room waiting till she finished the hay she had but last night I noticed that she had chewed a hole in the package so I thought maybe she wanted that kind. I gave it to her last night and she LOVED it! She&#39;s back to eating an entire bowl twice a day. Thanks for the help guys. You were right about changing the hay. She needed something better than the crap she had.

 

[cheryl]

I&#39;m glad to hear that Katrina is back to eating her hay..she was just trying to tell you that she needed a change,that&#39;s all

cheryl

 

[Bunman]

Yes, adult buns can be given any type of hay except alfalfa. Timothy, oat, meadow hay, etc.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Hey, that&#39;s great! Just remember that you can also change up the kind of hay, not just the brand too, like Cheryl said. That would change it up for her.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Bunman wrote:

Yes, adult buns can be given any type of hay except alfalfa. Timothy, oat, meadow hay, etc.

Exactly! mine don&#39;t like brome and bo is not fond of Oat hay. Clover will eat anything.

I think it all depends on your bunnies If you don&#39;t mind trying a bit here and there, you can give them a bit of variety.