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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum DIET & CARE Underweight Bunny – Pellets vs. Hay

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    • Dobby
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        I took the plunge and got Dobby a new roommate.  He is a 3 year old netherland dwarf and is adorable.  I’ll try to post pictures soon.

        He is not fixed, but they had no problems when they met.  I think I’ve done plenty of research to understand the potential consequences of this and what I need to do to bond them.  And I’m prepared if it doesn’t work out.  The little guy also didn’t have the greatest backstory (wire floor cage in a backyard, used for breeding) and he is super friendly, so I was happy to take him in.

        I took him to the vet to make sure he was OK and to have a baseline visit in before scheduling his neutering.  I had some concerns about his weight and his really odd shedding pattern.  Luckily, he has no fleas, ear mites, or other visible health problems.  His teeth are good.  And I guess he just looks really funny when he sheds.  But, unfortunately, he is underweight.  He should be about 2 pounds and is only 1 1/2 pounds.  The vet recommended unlimited pellets for now, to get his weight up.  And I’m slowly introducing some veggies.  He was barely eating when I first brought him home but is now eating about 2 tbls of pellets a day.  We’ve also discovered that he really likes arugula!  Once he has gained some weight he’ll be able to be neutered.

        My more immediate problem is that he is not eating much hay at all.  I’ve given him a wide variety (timothy, oat, the binky bunny blend) and he only seems to nibble a small piece.  I’ve also ordered some alfafa.  The vet said to try it for a little while to see if it would interest him in hay and add some bulk to his tiny frame.  I’ve also given him hay in his litter, just on the floor, in a box, in a toilet paper tube (which he likes to throw, not eat) and nothing seems to work.

        I don’t want to limit his pellets because he is so underweight but I do want him to eat some more hay.  Are these two things impossible to have together?  Any ideas or advice would be appreciated!


      • mia
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          How long have you had him? One of my buns barely ate when I got first got him. After a month, his appetite was better.


        • Dobby
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            I haven’t had him very long, so he could still be adjusting. But I don’t think he’s too used to hay and the normal remedy of reducing pellets to eat more hay concerns me because he is so skinny already.


          • MoveDiagonally
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              Some rabbits will always choose pellets over hay. Why not give him access to pellets all day and then take them away at night? During the day he can eat and get the calories he needs and not having them at night could encourage him to eat hay.

              I did something similar with my baby rabbits.


            • Beka27
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                Unlimited pellets doesn’t have to actually mean a constantly full food dish. And allowing them to run out before feeding more should make him more excited for feeding time… Which might actually lead to him eating more. I still wouldn’t give him more than about a half cup a day. Can you divide that into several smaller feedings?

                I do agree that there should be some time when all he has is hay.

                Just keep working on improving his diet. Fast weight gain isn’t desirable either. It may take a few months for better eating habits to become established. And as he becomes more comfortable in his new (better!) home, he’ll start to relax.


              • Dobby
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                  Thanks for the advice, Beka27 and MoveDiagonally.

                  I took away his pellets last night and he was definitely more eager for them this morning. I’m not sure how much hay he ate though. I’ve given him so many different places to eat his hay and different types of hay, it’s hard to tell if any was gone this morning. I’m going to clean his litter and pen tonight so I’ll try to be more aware of where the hay is before I take away the pellets.

                  I’m also only giving him about 2 tablespoons of pellets at a time, in order to tell how much he is eating. I give him some before I leave for work and I’d say about 1/2 a tablespoon is left when I get home. Then I refill with another 2 tablespoons, which are definitely not all eaten by the next morning. I’m also giving him a small bowl of veggies in the morning and there are usually some pieces of that left by the end of the day.

                  The good news is that I have seen several binkies and a flop. His binkies and the way he runs are a little funny right now. I’m assuming this is because he was mostly confined to a cage before and he’s still getting used to his new found freedom. He also has pretty much litter trained himself, which makes me very happy.


                • Dobby
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                    I’m happy to report that Pip has started to eat a bit of hay.  I got some second cut Timothy with clover from Farmer Dave’s and it’s a success.   He’s not eating a ton, but he is eating some in front of me.  I imagine when I take away his pellets at night he’ll eat even more.  

                    Now I need to figure out how to get him to sit still for the kitchen scale so I can monitor his weight.  He does not like that one bit!

                    And Dobby loves the new hay.  So we are all happy.


                  • LittlePuffyTail
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                      Congrats on your new bunny. Glad to hear he is eating hay now.

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                  Forum DIET & CARE Underweight Bunny – Pellets vs. Hay