A rabbit that doesn't eat hay....

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Since I got my rabbit 7 weeks ago, I noticed he hasn't eaten much hay. The only time he eats hay is when he goes to the bathroom so I make sure he has plenty to choose from. I also don't have a hay dispenser, but I use an old tissue box as a dispenser. (which he only uses once a day to eat one piece of hay) :rabbithop
I think the reason he doesn't eat much hay is because I give him too many options on food. He always has fresh pellets and fresh veggies on hand. I know most of their diet is supposed to come from hay but he just doesn't seem to like it.. It's good to know I am not the only one with a rabbit that hates hay. :D
 
Benjamin basically quit eating hay when we took him off alfalfa hay. We have tried him on timothy, orchard grass, timothy with flowers and herbs and another fancy blend by oxbow. He just won't eat it. When he ended up with GI statis from a bee sting, heat and lack of fiber, we switched him back to alfalfa mixed with timothy. He eats it happily. I think he just picks the good stuff out. He will though eat timothy hay if you put it in his dirt box, but NOT great quanities. Only suggestion I can make is to try putting hay in tubes that he can pull out, play with and eat. Also put fresh hay in his litter box each day and see if that helps.
 
Mine is a very picky eater and I have a hard time getting her to eat hay. She had a big tube filled with it, pulled out most of it and ate a few pieces. So much ends up going to waste because it gets dirty. But I try Timothy with carrots, marigolds, and those different Kaytee blends. She gets so excited about it to look for the carrot pieces. But usually doesn't eat much hay. I try botanical, orchard grass, bermuda grass and different kinds. I've also tried oat. I would try different varieties if I were you to see if she likes something. I try to change it up so as not to get bored. She does love alfalfa however, but only gets it as a snack once in a great while. I put the hay next to her litter box though...a lot of bunnies eat and poop at the same time, so it's good to put it in their litter box. I just can't with mine because she will pull it all out haha.

The vet's even told me to spray some with apple juice. But then you need to make sure you get rid of it after like a day. I can't really tell you if it worked much because I didn't see much of a difference. But when she's molting, a lot of hair gets in her poops and they get stuck together. So the hay part is very important! I try and restrict other foods, or maybe feed veggies every other day. I only offer her hay usually when she's in her pen.
 
Layla is almost 3 months and gets unlimited pellets (alfalfa based) and alfalfa/timothy/orchard hay. I think feeding her the mix of the hays from the start helps her switch over taste-wise when she will no longer be getting alfalfa in a few months. She eats just plain timothy if that's all I have. She's really not picky about hay and eats her fresh handful of hay before any pellets. It's like having a kid that likes carrots over cupcakes, but I always knew she was odd :p
 
In hindsight I probably do feed him more pellets and veggies than what I should... I always feel guilty cutting back on the pellets... the little bugger literally hits the bowl against the cage! Like a prisoner banging on bars... talk about guilt...I guess that is why we are called slaves...lol.

Thanks for everyone who posted, Stitch is my first rabbit and my experience is more with guinea pigs and parrots... I just wanted to make sure others has similar issues... it is so great to have this type of forum.... Thanks again. Momma Stitch.
 
Coco and Mocho don't eat that much hay either... little bit frustrating cuz I know its so good for them. My vet told me: "treat them like little horses. They need to eat mostly hay. and veggies as a treat. Careful about the pellets."

I notice if they are locked in the cage with no other food but lots of fresh hay they will start eating.

I've read that dwarf rabbits are more susceptible to tooth problems, so eating hay is really good to help them not get that later.

I have a lionhead and one website suggested one day of nothing but hay, since they have wooly fuzzy fur that needs fiber to help pass.

Now I only give them 2 handfuls of pellets a day (once in the morning, once at night). Veggies during the day (but not a whole lot) and hay all the time... now I see a lot gets wasted... so I'm gonna try the cage trick... see how...
:bunnysuit:
 
My rabbit Snip is a very picky eater, he only eats the colored shapes and dried fruit in his pellet food, he will only eat dandelion leaves for greens (he HATES spinach)and won't eat any treats. But actually Snip mostly eats hay, instead of anything else. If his food bowl isn't full he picks up and spills the food he doesn't like all over (I love him anyways)
 
buster2369 wrote:
I think the reason he doesn't eat much hay is because I give him too many options on food. He always has fresh pellets and fresh veggies on hand. I know most of their diet is supposed to come from hay but he just doesn't seem to like it.. It's good to know I am not the only one with a rabbit that hates hay. :D
I think you're absolutely right, it's not that he doesn't like hay, it's just there is always something more tasty around. It's like giving a child the option between cake and broccoli, they are always going to pick cake.

As the 'mum' you have to make the choice for him and restrict the tasty stuff so he eats what's good for him. Pellets should be restricted most, a couple of tablespoon for an average size rabbit - and no top ups! Veggies you can feed more off but he should still have half the day or so with nothing but hay!

I'd start cutting back pellets and increasing the time period he only has hay, I think you'll find his intake will go up a lot and it will be much healthier for him long term :)
 
My late dwarf lop wouldn't eat much, especially hay. It was because his teeth grew into lip afterwhile (Grew the wrong way), he had to have them removed but afterwards he was much happier.
 
This may be obvious, but did ya'll realize, that pellets and hay, are made of the same thing, (Timothy hay & Timothy pellets) and may bunny is tired of eating the same thing (like a person given only potato chips and mashed potatoes)all the time? Also, aren't rabbits herbivores, as in herbaceous plants, as in LEAF eaters? Rabbits, are not grazers,, so why the recommendation of eating only 80% hay forever? Shouldn't rabbits be fed a varied plant matter diet, just like humans like variety? Shouldn't they be eating 80% mixed plant matter, like LEAVES, stems, flowers, twigs, roots,? Stuff like raspberry & blackberry, dandelion, lettuce, clover, apple, mustard, radish, carrot, turnip, parsnip, beet, celery, dill, parsley, leaves, roots: carrots, turnip, beet, parsnip, etc, and flowers; dandelion, calandula, yarrow, clover, tubers, like potato, sweet potato, etc as well as the rinds of squash, etc.? Many commercial rabbit foods, have seeds in them, when rabbits don''t eat seeds. Rabbit pellets, were invented as a easy to feed, complete diet, for confined rabbits, like "meat" rabbits, and lab rabbits. I think the feeding rabbits hay, was recommended also out of convenience, (shelf stable, easy to supply, and sell) than what a rabbit should really be eating. It's strange, that plant farmers, don't market all the tops they cut off celery, carrots and turnips, as rabbit food.
 
I just got my bunny in sept. and he does not like hay one bit. We've cut back on his veggie and pellet intake to maybe 3 tablespoons of pellets and a 1/2 cup of veggies. But he still does not like to eat hay, even though he's got a giant pile of it in his cage and hanging from a feeder. He'll starve himself until he's given his pellets or veggies. Any suggestions on how to get him to eat ? Thank you
 
I just got my bunny in sept. and he does not like hay one bit. We've cut back on his veggie and pellet intake to maybe 3 tablespoons of pellets and a 1/2 cup of veggies. But he still does not like to eat hay, even though he's got a giant pile of it in his cage and hanging from a feeder. He'll starve himself until he's given his pellets or veggies. Any suggestions on how to get him to eat ? Thank you

I wouldn't restrict his food any longer as this could in itself cause a potential health problem, and since it doesn't seem to have induced him at all into eating his hay. Though I would gradually increase the pellet amount over a few days instead of a sudden increase.

So there are a few things you can try. First is trying different varieties of hay. If it's timothy you've tried, try orchard, meadow, bermuda, etc. Even though I prefer not to use oat hay because of the extra carbs from the oats in it, it might be worth trying if nothing else works, as most rabbits really like it due to the oats in it.

If your bun doesn't have bladder calcium issues, sprinkling a little alfalfa on top of his regular hay might be worth a shot. You can even try different suppliers of the same type of hay or a different cut. Even if you've tried, say timothy hay, a different cut or crop from a different supplier can taste completely different to a rabbit. I usually feed my rabbits timothy, but I've gotten a bale in the past that my rabbits haven't liked as well. Same grass hay, just a different crop of it that tastes different to them. There are pet hay companies that will sell particular cuts of hay if you don't mind the extra cost. Some will even have a sample pack that you can order. This thread had a few recommendations on it too.
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/showthread.php?t=88674

Another thing I did for a bun that wouldn't touch hay no matter what, is give him plain hay pellets. I used the standlee brand. They're just hay in pellet form. This particular rabbit would eat the pellets just not the loose hay. I did have to start him on the alfalfa/timothy pellets though. Eventually after several months he did start to eat hay, but the hay pellets helped him get the needed fiber until he started eating hay on his own.

And if nothing else works, it might be a good idea to have a rabbit savvy vet check his teeth to make sure that isn't the cause of his reluctance to eat hay. They can get molar spurs that cut into their cheeks and tongue when they chew, and sometimes this will cause them to not want to eat a particular type of food because it causes them more pain to chew it. If this has happened, then you will need to have a dental done on your bun, where your bun is sedated and the vet burrs down the sharp points.
 
This may be obvious, but did ya'll realize, that pellets and hay, are made of the same thing, (Timothy hay & Timothy pellets) and may bunny is tired of eating the same thing (like a person given only potato chips and mashed potatoes)all the time? Also, aren't rabbits herbivores, as in herbaceous plants, as in LEAF eaters? Rabbits, are not grazers,, so why the recommendation of eating only 80% hay forever? Shouldn't rabbits be fed a varied plant matter diet, just like humans like variety? Shouldn't they be eating 80% mixed plant matter, like LEAVES, stems, flowers, twigs, roots,? Stuff like raspberry & blackberry, dandelion, lettuce, clover, apple, mustard, radish, carrot, turnip, parsnip, beet, celery, dill, parsley, leaves, roots: carrots, turnip, beet, parsnip, etc, and flowers; dandelion, calandula, yarrow, clover, tubers, like potato, sweet potato, etc as well as the rinds of squash, etc.? Many commercial rabbit foods, have seeds in them, when rabbits don''t eat seeds. Rabbit pellets, were invented as a easy to feed, complete diet, for confined rabbits, like "meat" rabbits, and lab rabbits. I think the feeding rabbits hay, was recommended also out of convenience, (shelf stable, easy to supply, and sell) than what a rabbit should really be eating. It's strange, that plant farmers, don't market all the tops they cut off celery, carrots and turnips, as rabbit food.

The idea of getting tired of a food is a very anthropocentric one. Humans are omnivores, rabbits are strict herbivores, the fact that their diet is made of fewer things is a given. Besides, hay is made of a lot of different plants and two bags won't taste the same at all - which is why your rabbits will turn their noses up at a lot of them. Not because they are tired of them but because they don't like those ones. It's obvious even opening different bags that they are all different and I can tell beforehand when a bag will be a flop with my rabbits. Rabbits spend most of their time eating grass. You can replace hay with grass, but to meet your rabbit's needs in terms of quantity and variety, that would mean spending hours a day picking herbs and different kind of grass outside which is not an option for most people. You can't replace hay with vegetables. Hay is poor in calories and it contains long fibers essential to the guts. It's also the best and most effective way to wear down teeth.
I don't mean rabbits shouldn't be eating vegetables. Mine do, about 8% of their weight everyday with different vegetables (about 5 different everyday, changed weekly depending on what's avaible, to avoid defiencies... my rabbits would be overjoyed to eat carrots and only carrots everyday of the week). My rabbits eat very few pellets and they contain mainly herbs and vegetables.
Besides, if you're talking about what a rabbit would eat in the wild, most of what you suggest wouldn't be part of their diet - rabbits obviously don't eat roots or things that grow on trees because they don't have access to them. Few of them eat vegetables at all - they mainly eat grass and wild hers, mushroom and bark during the winter (when they hivernate and mostly starve).
I wouldn't recommend giving potatoes and sweet pototoes to a rabbit.
 
My Snowball hates hay. I try feed to him and spits it out! I've tried every brand, all different kinds, and even smeared banana it. He's so stubborn. My other bun Buttercup loves hay. I'd also welcome any suggestions the group has. Can't restrict other food because he would starve himself!
 
Sedgewick who lived to 13 very seldom ate hay. My other rabbits devour hay like crazy. I do not like buying bagged hay so buy orchard grass hay bales at the farm. They are big and one needs a place to store them but it might make a difference to your bunny.
 
The idea of getting tired of a food is a very anthropocentric one. Humans are omnivores, rabbits are strict herbivores, the fact that their diet is made of fewer things is a given. Besides, hay is made of a lot of different plants and two bags won't taste the same at all - which is why your rabbits will turn their noses up at a lot of them. Not because they are tired of them but because they don't like those ones. It's obvious even opening different bags that they are all different and I can tell beforehand when a bag will be a flop with my rabbits. Rabbits spend most of their time eating grass. You can replace hay with grass, but to meet your rabbit's needs in terms of quantity and variety, that would mean spending hours a day picking herbs and different kind of grass outside which is not an option for most people. You can't replace hay with vegetables. Hay is poor in calories and it contains long fibers essential to the guts. It's also the best and most effective way to wear down teeth.
I don't mean rabbits shouldn't be eating vegetables. Mine do, about 8% of their weight everyday with different vegetables (about 5 different everyday, changed weekly depending on what's avaible, to avoid defiencies... my rabbits would be overjoyed to eat carrots and only carrots everyday of the week). My rabbits eat very few pellets and they contain mainly herbs and vegetables.
Besides, if you're talking about what a rabbit would eat in the wild, most of what you suggest wouldn't be part of their diet - rabbits obviously don't eat roots or things that grow on trees because they don't have access to them. Few of them eat vegetables at all - they mainly eat grass and wild hers, mushroom and bark during the winter (when they hivernate and mostly starve).
I wouldn't recommend giving potatoes and sweet pototoes to a rabbit.

" my rabbits would be overjoyed to eat carrots and only carrots everyday" - "rabbits obviously don't eat roots" - What IS a carrot? A ROOT. What do rabbits like to do when they can do it? Dig! So, it IS possible for rabbits to eat ROOTS.

What is grass? A LEAF aka "herb".

"obviously don't eat... things that grow on trees because they don't have access to them." Really? Then why are Apple Twigs sold for rabbits to chew on? What happens in nature? The wind blows hard, and knocks apples, twigs and LEAVES out of trees.

My rabbits love an array of LEAVES. Calendula, dill, parsley, cilantro, turnip, beet, parsnip ROOTS & leaves, lettuce, kale, dandelion, blackberry leaves, raspberry leaves, quince leaves, pea plants & leaves, bean plants & leaves, radish ROOTS and leaves, they even ate some Aloe plant LEAVES, corn PLANT LEAVES, Golden rod & even thistle leaves, violet leaves & flowers. My rabbits LOVE to eat FLOWERS, such as dandelion, violets, clover, marigold, and the flowers of the root crops, like carrot, kale, parsnip, etc.


"if you're talking about what a rabbit would eat in the wild, most of what you suggest wouldn't be part of their diet" - Wild rabbits have a VERY diverse diet, because they have FREE ACCESS to all the varied plants in nature. Wild rabbits, are considered pests because they go and eat up garden plants, and other crops.

"My rabbits eat very few pellets and they contain mainly herbs and vegetables." - most manufactured rabbit pellets, do NOT contain "herbs and vegetables" They're almost exclusively ground up HAY, alfalfa, or timothy mainly, with possibly ground up grains (corn, wheat,, or oats), and added vitamins and minerals. They usually do NOT contain "herbs and vegetables"' unless it's a special "Bonanza" mix where they add them to justify a price hike.

I got a 40# bag of Orchard Grass pellets, and my rabbits refused to eat them. So, I decided to make my own "pellets" for them, using the pellets buzzed into flour. Half buzzed pellets (1 cup) & half potato flour (1 cup) (not a grain or seed based), plus 1/2 cup of sweet potato/pumpkin & 1/2 a cup of fruit (mangos/apples/pears/de seeded berries, etc + 1/4th cup of parsley, 1/4th cup of celery & 1 tbs of molasses. This mash was put into a candy pan (1 tbs sized cell candy form pan) and baked until solid. The rabbits LOVE these. They get 1 a day, as a treat. In the summer, they LOVE baked & fresh squash rinds, baked potato & baked sweet potato rinds, carrot tops, beet tops, celery, they can eat what a vegan human eats, with some exceptions, like not seeds, or chocolate or rhubarb.

The world is filled with a massive array of plant parts rabbits can eat. Just do a search for "safe foods for pet rabbits" or something like that and lists will come up, with 50+ things on it.

Rabbit pellets, were invented as a subsistence, easy to feed, & measure basic food for lab rabbits and "meat" rabbits. The rabbits had no other food source, so they had to eat them or starve. Pellets are NOT an optimal diet for pet rabbits, and neither is hay. Hay was also used as a convenience food for rabbits, rabbits are NOT grazers. They also will eat hay, when nothing else is available, because it's their only choice. Also, rabbits need to chew on solid things, twigs, wood, etc, to wear their teeth down. Pellets do NOT help with this, as the "meat" and lab rabbits were killed before their teeth could ever get overgrown. Wild rabbits seek out bark, twigs, and pieces of wood to chew on. Why do you think they make twig, wood and wicker chew toys for rabbits?
 
Also, rabbits need to chew on solid things, twigs, wood, etc, to wear their teeth down. Pellets do NOT help with this, as the "meat" and lab rabbits were killed before their teeth could ever get overgrown. Wild rabbits seek out bark, twigs, and pieces of wood to chew on. Why do you think they make twig, wood and wicker chew toys for rabbits?

Actually, that isn't true - though it is a common misconception. The wearing down of teeth requires hay or grass (long strands) because that is the only thing that causes them to move their jaw in a figure 8 motion that grinds the teeth (according to Rabbits USA magazine). It is the silica in the grass that works like sandpaper to grind the teeth down. It isn't the chewing of hard objects that does this. Hay or grass is essential to this process.
 
The idea of getting tired of a food is a very anthropocentric one. Humans are omnivores, rabbits are strict herbivores, the fact that their diet is made of fewer things is a given. Besides, hay is made of a lot of different plants and two bags won't taste the same at all - which is why your rabbits will turn their noses up at a lot of them. Not because they are tired of them but because they don't like those ones. It's obvious even opening different bags that they are all different and I can tell beforehand when a bag will be a flop with my rabbits. Rabbits spend most of their time eating grass. You can replace hay with grass, but to meet your rabbit's needs in terms of quantity and variety, that would mean spending hours a day picking herbs and different kind of grass outside which is not an option for most people. You can't replace hay with vegetables. Hay is poor in calories and it contains long fibers essential to the guts. It's also the best and most effective way to wear down teeth.
I don't mean rabbits shouldn't be eating vegetables. Mine do, about 8% of their weight everyday with different vegetables (about 5 different everyday, changed weekly depending on what's avaible, to avoid defiencies... my rabbits would be overjoyed to eat carrots and only carrots everyday of the week). My rabbits eat very few pellets and they contain mainly herbs and vegetables.
Besides, if you're talking about what a rabbit would eat in the wild, most of what you suggest wouldn't be part of their diet - rabbits obviously don't eat roots or things that grow on trees because they don't have access to them. Few of them eat vegetables at all - they mainly eat grass and wild hers, mushroom and bark during the winter (when they hivernate and mostly starve).
I wouldn't recommend giving potatoes and sweet pototoes to a rabbit.
 

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