8 week old bunny not eating hay

[RowdyRabbit]

Hey all!

Over the weekend I got an 8 week old Netherland Dwarf, Rowdy. I've had multiple rabbits in the past but never one this young.

He is eating his pellets and drinking but I haven't seen him touch his alfalfa hay. Should I be worried? Is this normal? I'm taking him to the vet today to get a check-up and make sure he's completely healthy. Should I ask them this as well?

He's extremely active and seems fine but I don't want this to cause any problems.

If it is a problem and he does need to be eating his hay, how do I get him interested in it?


Thanks in advance!

 

[novan]

just let him hungry and he will try to eat hay. reduce his pelets and vege

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Well, he's too young for veggies, but, in the past when I had ones that wouldn't eat their hay, they got their pellets reduced--they are all great hay eaters now. You might also try hand feeding to stimulate their interest.

 

[majorv]

Are your pellets timothy based or alfalfa based? If they're alfalfa based then it isn't that important to feed the alfalfa hay. You can find a grass hay, like timothy, coastal or orchard, that he might like better. If they're timothy based then you might try mixing a different hay in with the alfalfa, and if you have to, reduce the pellets some to encourage him to eat the hay.