Forum

OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS.  SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED.  We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. 

You may have received a 2-factor authentication (2FA) email from us on 4/21/2020. That was from us, but was premature as the login was not working at that time. 

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES

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.

What are we about?  Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

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 Won’t eat…kinda.

Viewing 11 reply threads
  • Author
    Messages

    • caudex
      Participant
      104 posts Send Private Message

        Mr. Liam has lost weight. Too much. I gave him a little space to be mourning, but started trying to coax more into him a few days ago. He does has a chronic tear duct problem, which I knew could effect his appetite. I added oats and seeds to his grain, which used to be his favorite thing on earth. Wouldn’t touch it. Worried that it might be a problem with his teeth, I made a mash. No interest. Hay? Gross Mom, what do you think this is?

        But he’ll eat all his veggies, including carrots. And fruit. And craisins. And MY tortilla chips. And when I maybe put the TEENIEST, TINIEST drizzle of maple syrup on the mash… oh, well that’s good, I’ll eat that. 

        He needs a vet check for sure, by a more savvy vet than I have now. (I would call them rabbit “competent”…I wouldn’t let them touch his teeth though.) But, even if this is a spice-of-life problem, not something worse, he needs more calories. Can I indulge a staples strike, and if so, what can I offer instead?

        And I would like to state for the record that I haven’t had a non sick/no concerns rabbit in more than a year, and it really sucks.


      • Mikey
        Participant
        3186 posts Send Private Message

          Parasites? Tooth problems? Internal pain? Gas? You mentioned hes mourning, for how long has he been and how close were him and his bond mate? Exercise is normal? Until you can get him checked over at the vets, i would keep trying to feed him whatever he will eat, side from your tortilla chips, lol. If hes not eating enough, you can try to feed him more carrots and ive heard alfalfa hay is good for buns who need to put on more weight


        • Moo <3
          Participant
          35 posts Send Private Message

            When a rabbit loses their companion, they can become so depressed, they don’t want to eat nor do they want to move. I suggest going to your local shelter and setting him up with a friend. In the meantime, keep feeding him veggies and fruits (maybe not syrup lol) and you can even try baby food, or critical care (most rabbits love these options)


          • jerseygirl
            Moderator
            22338 posts Send Private Message

              Are you weighing him often. I know elderly rabbits can look quite thin at times, yet remain stable.
              I would be suspicious of teeth also, especially if he has a tear duct problem. It can get confusing what they do and don’t cope with when they have dental issues. I guess with carrot and fruit, he’s using his incisors more?

              Mixing up something like Critical Care or Rabbit Recovery might help. He could eat that from a bowl.
              Also a bowl of the hay “fines”or chaff mix of lucerne and oat (or wheat, barley) hays.

              Vitamin B is supposed to help stimulate their appetite so giving some of that (somehow) might help some.

              The other thing to try is maybe put a bowl of food down when you feed your dog? He might be more inclined to eat when his buddy is eating.

              @LucyKao, you wouldn’t have been aware of this but Liam is 12 now. I think Caudex would be hesitant to get him a companion at this age. It is a very good suggestion in general though. We had one member here whose rabbit wouldn’t eat after he lost his companion. She ended up having a friend bring her rabbit around for play dates and they were able to get him to eat. : )


            • Cinnabunn the bunny
              Participant
              134 posts Send Private Message

                He’s eating veggies so maybe he’s just tired of his hay? I know my bunnies are picky eaters. They stick their head up at regular Timothy and prefer sweeter hay. They are so wasteful. I know Timothy is recommended because it helps to grind teeth down but some owners have found success just feeding their bunny all natural veggies. Just something you could try but this is something you should consult a vet for


              • Moo <3
                Participant
                35 posts Send Private Message

                  @JerseyGirl Ohh, okay. I assumed since the rabbit was mourning, he would be best to get another companion. I wasn’t aware of the age, although elderly rabbits get along fine with younger ones. Thank you. Hope everything works out fine for him.


                • caudex
                  Participant
                  104 posts Send Private Message

                    Thanks Jersey girl. Old man is not quite as ancient as that…a shelter bun, best guess is 7 years old. He has gotten very bony, and while he can still move and get in and out of his litterbox and such, I think his hop has gotten a bit weak and wobbly looking. Like I said in Sophie’s thread, almost overnight.

                    LucyKao, he lost his companion only three weeks ago, so even if he was a healthy three year old, I don’t think he’s ready yet. We are not looking to start over again with a young rabbit…in fact, my husband is very much against more rabbits… but will concede to one close in age to Liam IF he seems in good health.

                    In fact, the candidates are already beating down the door. My mom called me only a few days after Sophie passed to tell me about a lady whose teenager no longer has time for a bonded pair of six year old males and, after hearing about me, can imagine no one else she would rehome them with. They are the most adorably squishy faced lops in the world, but I won’t bring strange bunnies into the house and subject Liam to the stress of bonding if he’s decided to leave quietly in a few months.

                    To update, Liam has an appointment with a superior rabbit vet on Monday, 1.5 hours away. The bummer is that if she wants to do his teeth, or flush his tear duct, it is a separate, all day appointment. Good grief animals, if you want to keep getting sick, I have to go to work once in a while to pay for it!!!

                    My friend is giving me some Critical Care she had around Monday. Liam ate all his veggies today, and I got him some baby food. Apple/pumpkin? Sure Mom, I’ll eat a quarter teaspoon of that, yum! Garden Vegetable? ehhhhh I’d rather not. Had to mix them. I’m still holding out hope that this is a serious case of the sulks.


                  • jerseygirl
                    Moderator
                    22338 posts Send Private Message

                      Thanks Jersey girl. Old man is not quite as ancient as that…a shelter bun, best guess is 7 years old. He has gotten very bony, and while he can still move and get in and out of his litterbox and such, I think his hop has gotten a bit weak and wobbly looking. Like I said in Sophie’s thread, almost overnight.

                      OH ! My apologies to you and Liam!!! I don’t know where I got 12 years old from then.

                      Good luck at the vet appointment!


                    • caudex
                      Participant
                      104 posts Send Private Message

                        Kind thoughts today…he’s gone downhill fast. Went from eating veggies, hay, and greens and a few bites of grain mash, to licking grain/baby food puree and a bit of parsley, to a few bites of my apple, to being force fed baby food with a syringe. It mostly just runs out. He was waiting to be held this morning…ears were cold, poor mite. gave him metacam, warm babyfood, two bites of baby carrot, and a little water. He just wanted to be stroked. Went limp in my arms, I was supporting his head. I half feared/half hoped it was going to be over right then. Put hay tea in his water bowl, greens and carrots with him in case he changed his mind. He’s taken to lying close to the “family” side of the pen, so I dragged Mowgli’s bed over, Mowgli lay right beside him. Hopefully he’ll keep Liam company til I take him to his appointment. If it IS his teeth, and he’d be perfect after a dental, I don’t know if he’d survive that long. But he doesn’t want to eat ANYTHING, not the softest, mildest, most tempting things, though he must be hungry.

                        I don’t understand. I’ve done my very best, and these adored, indoor, vet checked rabbits don’t live any longer than the ones I had as a rotten neglectful teenager. Why am I killing them?


                      • Vienna Blue in France
                        Participant
                        5317 posts Send Private Message

                          Oh Caudex I am so sorry you feel this way. Try not too, though I know it’s hard…. you’re not killing them of course. But maybe it is a dental prob and he will bounce back. I think 7 is still a good age for a bun indoors or outdoors… and they are so so loved.
                          Hang in there. So many vibes from all BB members.
                          (((((( Liam ))))))


                        • jerseygirl
                          Moderator
                          22338 posts Send Private Message

                            I couldn’t agree more! Please don’t beat yourself up about this.
                            Sending {{{vibes}}} for little Liam. Thinking of you caudex!


                          • Vienna Blue in France
                            Participant
                            5317 posts Send Private Message

                              ? Does he have a fluffy friend – could that help him? – or something with Sophie’s smell on it ? Just a thought…

                          Viewing 11 reply threads
                          • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

                          Forum DIET & CARE Won’t eat…kinda.