new bunny with small appetite

[rockstaramez]

Yesterday, I went out and got my first bunny! He is seven weeks old and is a Holland lop. :]

The problem is, he hasn't been eating very much at all [I haven'tobserved him eating any food, and his dish still looks about as full asI filled it.] I was looking around online to try to find an answer andthe most logical explanation seems to be that he is under a lot ofstress right now [he spent a whole lot of time in the car yesterday,and is still adjusting to his new home] and so that's probably why he'snot eating a whole lot.

But what can I do to get him to eat more? He chews on things a lot andeats some of the hay, I think, but doesn't really enjoy chewing on anyof the toys I got him, just some magazines when I let him explore thehouse. Also, he seems to be pooping just fine for now, but I'm worriedthat if he continues to barely eat, he'll develop diarrhea and becomeill. :[

Pleaaaase help! Thank you!

[edit]--By the way, his food bowl is kind of big and so it's a bittall. Would it help if he had a smaller and lower food bowl, maybe?

Also--his name is Napoleon Bonaparte and here is a picture of him!

 

[babybunnywrigley]

What a cutie! I haven't had to use ityet, but a lot of people on this forum use nutri-cal to boost theirbunnies appetites.

Jenn

 

[bunnylover134]

He is so adorable!!! Sometimes a bunny might dothat..its a new place and they usually like to explore more than eat!He should start up shortly though. hay is really good for them(especially timothy hay, alfalfa is a bit more fatty) so its good thathe's at least eating that. Is he drinking ok?

 

[JimD]

Greetings and welcome to the forum!

Very cute bunnie!! I'll take him if you ever get tired of him!!

He's probably a little stressed and still getting accustomed to his new home.

Are you giving him the same diet as he was getting before you brought him home?

With a cute flat round face like that, he needs a low wide bowl. We gotour Binkie a ceramic bowl about 1 1/2 in high x 4 1/2 in wide, toaccomodate her little loppy face.

At 7 weeks he needs to have alfalfa in his diet. Are you giving him alfalfa hay?

Also check to see that any pellets you give him are alfalfa based. Ibelieve they should have unlimited pellets at this time, but someonewill correct me if I'mwrong about this.

I would hold off on introducing any veggies, fruits, and treats for now.

Pooping is good! Continued pooping is better. Something coming out means somethings going in!

Is he drinking?? Very important to keep him hydrated if he stops!

Nutri-Cal is a great product to help boost the buns system. Made fordogs/cats and can be safely given to the bun. You can find it in mostpet stores or online. I would put a pea size amount on his front pawand let him lick it off. Make sure it's applied so he can't shake itoff.

Keep us updated!!

:~) Jim

 

[Fluffy]

HI ya i have a 7 week old min dwaf lopbunnie and she doesnt really eat alot but coz i have had her for quiteawhile now she is eating more then ever, but coz my muj has only reallyjust got her one called muffin she doesnt eat hardly nothing so i thinkshe/he needs to know you and getnused to evrything then she/he willstart eating but im not to sure!!

hope that helped, theres more exsperince people here who ownrabbits so they might be able to help you more!! cute bunnie thanks forsharing ya pic with us all!

 

[Fergi]

Every bunny goes through an adjustment period andthey generally are not the little piggies they have the capability ofbeing. If he is still not eating well in a couple of days then you mayhave an issue on your hands.

Little babies don't always chew on things or play with toys, this seemsto be more of a "coming of age" activity. I wouldn't be overlyconcerned with his lack of interest in your toys, try using an emptytoliet paper roll or a wicker basket. Phone books are also a lot of funfor most bunnies.

Good luck with the new addition, what an absolute doll!

Fergi's mom

 

[JimD]

Fergi wrote:

Little babies don't always chew on things or play with toys,this seems to be more of a "coming of age" activity. I wouldn't beoverly concerned with his lack of interest in your toys, try using anempty toliet paper roll or a wicker basket. Phone books are also a lotof fun for most bunnies.

Good luck with the new addition, what an absolute doll!

Fergi's mom

Hiya lady!!

To help pique Binkie's interest, we took the toilet paper tubes andstuffed them with hay. It worked well. Between tosses,shewould munch a little hay, too.

:~) Jim

 

[KiwiKi]

Sooo cute, so so sooo cute. lol

 

[rabbitgirl]

Napoleon looks like my Izzy at 7 wks. She darkened as she got older:

Very adorable, and good luck. I agree with the other posters, give him time to settle in!

Hope he's eating well soon!

Rose

 

[rockstaramez]

Thanks everyone for the advice!

The hay I've been feeding him is timothy hay, which is what the breederraised him on and reccommended; I've also been feeding him with foodfrom the breeder. Is alfalfa more suitable for younger rabbits? Forgivemy cluelessness; I'm new to bunnies!

Also, the past day, he hasn't really even been touching the hay. Maybebefore he just moved it around and it fell into the bottom of the cageso I thought he ate it..? I dunno. Or is it that the amount he eats isso small [since he's a baby] that it's hard to notice a difference inhow much food I put there? Also, I got him a smaller bowl that's easierfor him to eat out of, annnnd also, I gave him some Nutri-cal, but sofar, he still seems to not have eaten the food. Also, I haven't beenseeing much new poop, [maybe i didn't see it?] but his bottom is clean,so at least he's not having diarrhea which is my main concern.

Other than that though, he seems alright. I'll let him run around thehouse to play, and he'll nibble on magazines and stuff, and gets reallyhyper and darts around real fast. I've even witnessed a couple ofbinkies! But the fact that he doesn't eat much still really worries me.

Should I go ahead and take him to see a vet?

 

[rockstaramez]

rabbitgirl wrote:

Napoleon looks like my Izzy at 7 wks. She darkened as she got older:

Very adorable, and good luck. I agree with the other posters, give him time to settle in!

Hope he's eating well soon!

Rose

Awww, she's so cute!!! Yeah, the breeder I got Napoleon from told me hewas going to get darker when he gets older. :] Is she a holland lop?

 

[rockstaramez]

JimD wrote:

To help pique Binkie's interest, we took the toilet paper tubesand stuffed them with hay. It worked well. Between tosses, she wouldmunch a little hay, too.

:~) Jim

I tried this with Napoleon after reading this, but he wasn't veryinterested. :[ For now, the only thing that seems to interest him isexploring and sniffing everything.

 

[Emmy-webby]

Welcome to the Rabbits Forum Rockstar,
What a cute adorable bun you have there! I preferyou to him a smaller and lower food dish, and save the one you have nowfor later. ( When he gets bigger). Prefer what Jenn said...

but alot of people on this forum use nutri-cal to boost their bunniesappetites

Good luck on the new bun!
xoxo Emmy & Crew

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Welcome to the forum rockstaramez,

Give Napoleon Bonaparte more time to adjust. Maybe aweekor two before he feels comfortable in his newhome. Don't change things too much as rabbits like to keep aroutine in their daily lives. Keep using the food that thebreeder was using. I cut my hay into smaller bits so it fitsin a bowl for my Pebbles to eat out of. There's less wastethis way.

Sounds like he is fine if he's active, and maybe he is eating enough. Just keep an eye on him.

Rainbows!

P.S. He is a cutie.