How to get bunny to eat hay!

[mocha200]

I would normally do research on this but I need to know fast!  Some of you may know I am pet siting a bunny. I am only pet sitting him for 2 more days. He is very cute and active but he doesn’t eat much at all! He gets less then 1/2 cup pellets and he never even finishes them all in 24 hours. He has three hay racks in his cage that I am taking the old hay out, mixing it around and putting new hay in. He eats a tiny bit but their is barely any gone when I come back the next day. He has the same hay as my bunnies eat and my bunnies LOVE it. But, some bunnies may not like the thick stalky hay, I have about 30 hay bales out in my shed with different textures but half of them my bunnies wont eat because it isn’t stalky. Maybe this bunny would like the nice grassy stuff.

Any other tips on how to get this bunny to eat hay if he still wont eat the other kinds of hay? Please help! I need to know soon!

 

[Sam and Lady's Human]

Adding a handful of botanical hay and mixing it in with the pile makes my bunnies eat with renewed excitement hah, maybe that’ll work for yours?

[Monkeybun]

It may be he gets too many pellets, and he fills up on that. 1/2 cup is a ton!

[Stickerbunny]

Or he may not like the hay as it is presented, is the arrangement he has the normal one he has at home at the moment with the holders? Neither of my buns will eat out of a hay holder, they have to have it their own way. Could also try scattering some pellets or other treats into the hay. And yeah, 1/2 cup is a lot 😮

Other options are try different types of hay – Powder will eat anything pretty much, but Stickers prefers only soft, grassy hays, anything coarse is a no go with her. So texture can for sure make a bun picky.

[mocha200]

He gets 1/2 cup but only eats about half of it. I will get a whole bunch of different textures and kinds for him and see if he eats it then. I tried mixing pellets and hay and he dug at the bowel for a little bit but then he ended up not even eating the pellets. He enjoys taking little pieces now and then and chomping on them but doesn’t eat a lot. Maybe I am just used to my two pigs. :/ haha. Thanks guys! if you have any more tips, please share!

[Sam and Lady's Human]

What is mixing pellets? I’d probably cut back to 1/8 cup daily of pellets. What kind of pellets is he eating?

[bunnyfriend]

How big of a rabbit is he? My Totoro gets 6 tablespoons a day (8 tbls is 1/2 a cup) and he weighs 7 1/2 pounds, and I think that’s too much. I would talk to the owner about his diet.

[mocha200]

SLH: I meant I mixed hay and pellets together.

I will talk to the owner and tell her he may be getting to much. I offered him 3 other types of hay. Will tell you if he eats them.

Today while I was taking care of him, he humped my arm and sprayed my hands with pee. gross!

[Rei]

Try downing the amount of pellets as a first option. My second suggestion would be what worked with my bun (tho it may not work with all buns). Try making getting the hay into a game. Stuff some (loosely) in a toilet paper roll. As soon as I did that my bunny was eating her hay again. She loved that it was now a “game.” I actually just created a post about this in diet and care entitled “Success!!!” lol

[Author]

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