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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.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum DIET & CARE Still concerned….

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    • Deleted User
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        I posted quite a few weeks ago that I was concerned that Henry (9 months old) wasn’t eating his hay and did everything that was suggested – reduced his pellets to a quarter of a cup, only give him 1 and 1/2 cups of veg (actually, a bit less) and he still refuses to indulge in his hay! Yep, I have tried a few different hay types and still no luck? At first I wasn’t worried as a few said it took a while for there buns to pick up the habit, but I’m actually worried now – I think he is hungry, I caught him eating the dry dog food (yes, it’s outside now) but to eat that over the hay???? To look at him, he has lost weight (modelling career back on) but still, he refuses to eat his hay! Do I give in and increase his pellets and veg, or do I keep control (boss, yer right?) and stand my ground – if he’s hungry, he’ll eat the hay? I’m only worried cause I thought he’d give in by now – NO!  Do I need too?


      • Bam
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          Well, I’ve had the same experience with my bunny Bam. He didn’t eat hay and he wouldn’t eat hay even if I cut down on the pellets. He had a serious bout of gas and then I found out he’d been eating rag-rug fibres. So I’d say there is cause for some concern, a rabbit can fill up on other stuff if you refuse him his favourite food. What I did was a) exchange the rag-rugs for fleec-blankets and sherpa-fleece. For you that would mean remove all dog-food and be super-cautious about destructive behaviour, he may be eating carpet or wall-paper etc on the sly. b) give him lots of leafy greens and apple- and willow-twigs. I couldn’t increase his pellets or other treats, because his tummy wasn’t in a good shape + he was fat.

          I’ll write more when I come back from my doctor’s appointment, I’ve sprained my ancle =/


        • Roberta
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            All of mine are pigs ( the swan dives into the fresh hay when I fill their box is really quite deplorable, nearly as bad as the death defying leaps into the bags full of soiled paper, old hay and poop when I clean their cages and play area) and it’s never been an issue, even Starsky eats some hay… He does prefer the oaten or lucern over the others though.


          • jerseygirl
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              Did he used to eat hay but now isn’t, or hay he always snubbed it?
              Have you given hay cubes a try?
              http://multicube.com.au/

              Those are horse ones but I *think* most are pure hay, no binders. Avoid ones that require soaking before feeding or ones that have beet pulp.
              Maybe some stockists would do a sample size bag.

              Jersey is my non hay eating bun. Very frustrating.
              I’d offer oaten chaff and the finer short hay left from a bale and she’d eat a little but never became keen on it.
              I use a 98% hay pellet for her now to keep her gut healthy.


            • Bam
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                Back from the hospital now, turned out I hadn’t sprained my stupid ankle but broken it =(

                I have to feed my bunny Bam new hay several times a day because he will only eat it right when it’s served. If I feed him a whole bunch he’ll eat some and the rest will go to waste. It seems as if a small portion is more enticing than a big bunch.

                It took me a year or even a little more before I got him to eat hay, all his first year with me he barely consumed one 15 oz bag of Oxbow timothy hay. So don’t give in just yet! I finally found an organic meadow that was to his liking and once he started eating hay for real, he accepted the other types of hay that I’d tried and that he’d refused earlier, so it didn’t go to waste, hay keeps several years if stored properly.

                PS: Some bunnies prefer coarse hay, others want softer hay. There are like a million varieties of hay. Organic generally consists of a larger variety of grasses I’ve been told.

                Good luck to you and Henry!


              • jerseygirl
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                  Sorry to hear abouts the ankle Bam! Hope it heals up fast.

                  Did you find Bam started to eat more hay also after Yohio came?


                • LBJ10
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                    I agree with Bam, sometimes starting will several small bunches throughout the day somehow makes it more enticing. Not sure why that is, but some buns are just weird like that.


                  • Bam
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                      Jersey: Thanks! 6 weeks in a plastic boot-cast for starters, but luckily it didn’t need surgery.

                      Yohio and Bam are never fed togeather so they don’t know about the eating-habits of each other. But I’ve seen it in dogs, if you have a dog who won’t eat, it will if you bring in another dog and feed it at the same time. Competition for resources is a great appetite-enhancer!


                    • Deleted User
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                        OMG Bam! How terrible – please say it didn’t happen tripping over your buns (lol) or dog? I too wish you a good speedy recovery. And after enduring all that, you still helped me out, THANK YOU! I have decided I’m not gonna give in – and am going to offer the smaller amounts a few times a day to see if that makes a difference. Just a couple of questions…. I currently have 3 different types of hay (all Owbox brands), should I try mixing them together, or just serve them up one at a time? Also, you said if stored correctly it will keep. How do you store yours? I have mine in the product bag in the pantry.

                        Roberta, if only my bun was as piggy as all yours…. ha ha hah! (actually, he is – just not for the hay, dam!)

                        Hey Jersey, I live in Oz too, but I find it hard to buy the different products, there isn’t the wide variety available where I live. But I am super keen to try the 98% hay pellet as a back up plan till Henry starts eating hay. Can you tell me what brand and the actual name is and I’ll see if my local pet shop can get it in for me? (or something simular). Ta!

                        LBJ10 – Thanks! I am gonna take on your and Bam’s suggestion, and will let you all know if that works? Dam wabbits – worse than kids! LOL!


                      • Bam
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                          I slipped on some pine-needles when I was out in the woods looking for chanterelles with my dog, it was all my own stupid fault =(

                          I don’t think you should mix the different hay-types, rabbits seem to like variety a lot. I have various types of hay, it seems to work according to the same principle as small portions – “new” is always a little tastier than same old.

                          Hay should be kept in an airy container, in a dry but not too hot place where vermin can’t get at it. Most places indoors will do fine. I’ve my hay in open, losely packed plastic bags in various closets. The distribution and management of hay is the least practical aspect of owning rabbits imo. I sometimes feel I’ve hay everywhere f ex stuck to the inside of my gym-clothes =/

                          Problems with hay going bad most often arise if you for some reason have to store your hay outside or if you get very fresh hay and store it in an airtight container (risk of mould or even rot). From what Roberta has been writing I’ve gathered that you sometimes get hay-mites in Australia, so I guess you have to be extra careful in your country.


                        • Deleted User
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                            Oh Bam, silly you…. and again, thank you for your advice (especially under the circumstance).
                            Ok, I’ve reduced his hay portions and offer it 3 times a day, sadly it hasn’t changed his attitude towards eating it, but it’s only been a couple of days so I will persist! I won’t mix it together, I’ll keep it separate and offer him a different variety each day – out of all the battles I’ve had to endure with Henry, I’m determined to win this one. His diet is our #1 concern (healthy bunny).
                            Luckily, I haven’t had to deal with a pest problem (touch wood) here, but am always mindful of it. The Oxbow packaging says to keep the hay stored in it’s original bag, and under the same conditions as you mentioned above, so will stick with my pantry (the thought of grabbing a pair of undies covered with straw from my closet – gotta laugh!). But it’s great to know, considering how long it’s taking me to get through a bag, let alone 3, if stored correctly it will keep.
                            One thing I will also investigate, just as a back up plan – the hay pellets that Jersey suggested. I’m sure if I ask the pet shop, they should be able to get something in for me, just to keep his tummy healthy till I win the battle (not the war) of getting Henry to eat hay on a regular daily basis. Wish me luck – I think I’m gonna need it! (frazzled face).


                          • Bam
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                              I absolutely wish you luck!

                              With closets I think I meant like cupboards, really. The thought of storing hay with undies makes me laugh too! No, the hay in my gymclothes comes from stepping in hay on the floor. Mine are messy hay-eaters, they can’t just eat it, they need to spread it out first =)

                              Now I’ve got absolutely nothing to do except sit by the computer and the TV, I can’t put any weight on my foot for at least a month. My dog is at my mother’s because I can’t do walks.

                              I’ve hay-based pellets for my bunnies, but it’s a European brand (Versele-Laga) so I don’t think it’s available in Australia. You’re very clever about not letting foreign edibles into your country, I’ve seen on TV (Border Security).


                            • Deleted User
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                                Hey Bam – yes I was pretty sure what you meant (cupbpoards), but took advantage and had some fun – why not if it makes you smile, and I think I got a chuckle from you? lol. And messy! My goodness – besides the mess Henry makes with ‘all’ his food, look up the recent forum “weird behaviour” by ‘lulu the bun’ and you can read my whinge about Henry’s molting! Seriously – I would take straw in my knickers any day if I could avoid that! (big frowning face!) lol.
                                A month of computer and tv – my hubby offered to swap places with you, lol….
                                And your dog is on holiday at your mum’s (the Grandma?). She will be spoilt rotten (isn’t that what Grandma’s do????) Does that mean Bam and Yohio get you all to themselves, no sharing? (are you sure they didn’t set you up????)
                                Anyhow, getting back to being serious…. I’m going to the pet shop tomorrow and am gonna sus them out about what I can get in the hay based pellet. I’m sure they can access something as they sell the Oxbow ‘rabbit’ food. Hopefully Oxbow has one, and they can add a bag to their next order? Otherwise I’ll see if I can buy a hay based pellet online? If Jersey can buy it (admittedly in another state) I should be able to as well?
                                Take care…. (and make sure your mum gives your dog ‘cabbage & carrot’ every day – sorry, I still have a laugh about that). Cheers.


                              • Bam
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                                  My Bam had a terrible moult last spring, it seemed like it would never end. It went on for 2 whole months and there was rabbit-fluff everywhere.

                                  I recently ordered an all-hay pellets from Germany (Meister-Lampe ) – organic, excellent nutritional values – and guess what, Bam refuses to have anything to do with them. My dog finds them very tasty though =)

                                  My dog loves her Grandma more than anything so she’s probably glad I broke my foot. Good time of year for breaking a foot though, the weather is terrible (rain, rain and more rain + hard winds), the hours of day-light few.

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                              Forum DIET & CARE Still concerned….