Not Eating and What Seems to be Hiccups

My 4 year old rabbit Loki is a big eater usually and will bounce up in excitement at the sound of food being chopped, hay being moved, or pellet bags crinkling.

One morning 2 months ago, he refused all food and lay on the couch until about 1pm when I cut up an apple to eat-- Loki got really energetic then and followed me to ask for some apple. He got a little and after that began to eat normally. I chalked it up to wanting comfort food and being picky!

He's been really regular since, but this morning, he didn't eat and was sitting in the litter bed and having these little bounces....

He ate 1 apple treat and then stopped again!

Do you guys think he has hiccups and that's why he doesn't feel comfortable eating?

Hiccups doesn't cause them to stop eating. Pain and discomfort does. Often it is from their stomach hurting or from feeling nauseous from something they ate. Their stomach can also bloat which is life threatening if it does happen. Other health problems that cause pain will also cause a rabbit to stop eating. Usually if a rabbit has not eaten for more than 12 hours it is an emergency, though in a case of bloat it can be life threatening quicker than that, just a matter of hours. So prompt vet help can be essential.

If it is some gas in the stomach that is causing the upset, sometimes giving infacol/gas x will help, but if there is no improvement within 2-3 hours of giving it, I get my rabbit right to the vet.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html