Inactive bunny

[Kizza]

I have had Rocky for just over a year now and since he was a baby his behaviour has changed a lot.

He used to be very active, I could never get him to stop running around, he was like the energiser bunny. He got the snip at around 7 -8 months or so and I knew he would calm down a bit, but this much?

He is very inactive and lazy and sleeps a lot. He gets out for an hour in the morning before I go to work and then he comes out again from about 5.30 til 8.30 and has free run of the house and backyard.

His diet consists of a small bowl of pellets, bok choy and meadow hay. I have had a lot of trouble getting him to eat the hay but he eats more than he used to.

He gets mushy poops a lot also so i was wondering if maybe he was lazy because he was having stomach problems? I took him to the vet recently and he didn't think much of it. His liver enzymes are normal too and he is a good weight.

Does anyone else have a really sleepy lazy bunny? Could he just be bored because I'm not home most of the day and he needs a friend? It stresses me out a little to think there might be something wrong with my little guy

He is 1 year and a couple of months, dwarf lop, might have breathing problems from having snuffles when he was a baby, has had a bout of worms previously. Not sure if any of that helps lol

 

[Kizza]

Also he seems to be having trouble pooing, it looks like he is straining a little :S

 

[Jacki-Small-Pet-Select]

Hi Kizza

I'm really sorry to hear that you're having worries with Rocky. I too would be a little concerned about him not eating much hay, not being that active and having trouble pooing.

Rabbits can suffer very quickly from issues of gut stasis, where the food stops moving through the digestive system. This is extremely serious and needs immediate veterinary attention.

Just a thought - is your vet experienced in treating rabbits? It's pretty essential to make sure that a vet is an expert in the animals they treat, so that's worth checking out.

You also bring up the point of Rocky being kept on his own. Well, he really should have a friend if at all possible. Rabbits naturally live in large communities. The live together, play together, eat together, socialize together, groom each other and generally are never on their own. When we keep rabbits alone we're literally putting them in solitary confinement, and this can cause them no end of stress and health problems.

If I were you I'd firstly get Rocky checked out by the vet to make sure there are not digestive issues. Then, if possible, get him a friend. I'm absolutely sure that you'll see a huge difference in his behavior. You say he's neutered so he'll probably be more than happy to have a lovely lady friend to live with. You could consider going to one of the many rescue centers that are overflowing with unwanted rabbits. Not only will you make Rocky happy, but you'll be saving another bunny as well.

Good luck, and I hope everything goes well with Rocky.

Small Pet Select

 

[Kizza]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I have taken him to a couple of vets, the problem with the area I live in is that there really aren't any rabbit specialists. Some claim to be but they really aren't. In that regard I will keep trying until I find one I like.

All the vets I have taken him to say he is fine, but as a first time mum (lol) I worry a lot. They did say that he needs to eat more hay but they aren't very quick to advise where I can get good hay and how to encourage him to eat it.

I have been considering another bunny since I got Rocky so it is definitely on the cards. I just need to construct some suitable housing for them and make sure I can separate them if they don't get along. I don;t think there are any shelters that are close to here, only the RSPCA who gets the occasional bunny or two so I will see if they can have a play date first to make sure they are fine with each other.

Any ideas on how t get him to eat more hay? he nibbles it but doesn't eat a lot and he is very picky with it. I will try to find some better hay and get him belly checked out.

Thanks for your well wishes

 

[Jacki-Small-Pet-Select]

Hi Kizza

Any updates on Rocky? Is he pooing normally now?

It is really important to make sure that the hay you feed is of the best quality. You wouldn't think it, but hay comes in so many different types and so many different qualities. Some is suitable for bunnies and some isn't.

Ideally you should be feeding him timothy hay - this is the best kind for adult bunnies. It should smell sweet and fragrant, have zero dust or mold spores. In fact, if you chew a bit yourself it should taste almost sweet.

Many pet stores sell hay for rabbits, but some is of better quality than others. There are also places online where you can order hay for bunnies well.

It's great news that you're considering getting him a companion - he'll be very happy to have one.

Oh, just one more thought. If he's not eating well then it might not necessarily be his belly, it could also be his teeth. Because rabbits teeth grow continually, they need to constantly munch on fiberous food to ensure that their teeth get ground down. If Rocky isn't doing this then it could well be that his teeth are getting sharp. Ask your vet to look at his teeth as well.

I really hope you get this sorted out, and that you manage to find an experienced rabbit vet. Do you have any friends with rabbits, and if so, which vets do they use and could recommend.

Kind regards,
Small Pet Select

 

[Kizza]

Hi! Rocky is still having problems, his cecals are still mushy, but he has been a bit more active the last couple of days.

I have a feeling that the hay isn't very good. Unfortunately I can't find any timothy hay around here at all. It isn't a very good place for bunnies in Wollongong! (East Coast Australia ) They do sell it at petstock but it is extremely dusty, compacted and overpriced. It ended up in the green waste bin.

I have ordered some oaten hay from a farm, it was a bit pricey also but it was fresh cut and plastic sealed. Hopefully this goes ok. Is oaten hay ok to feed as a staple? the only other options from around my area is lucerne, clover, rye and the odd bit of pasture hay. I will keep looking and if need be I will just keep ordering it online or move to a farm

There is another vet I will try, apparently he is a specialist so we will see. I will have him give Rocky's teeth a good look including his molars and talk to him about his poop. He did have worms when he was little and his poop was similar, can he have them again even if I can't see them in the poop anywhere?

Thanks for the tips I am looking at getting another bunny in a couple of months when I get the new cage sorted and Rocky is better

 

[lagomorph]

Hi Kizza,

Not sure about his activity level, from what you say. Is he active during those hours that he is allowed to run around the house and the backyard? If so, that might be quite enough activity for an adult bunny.

The mushy poop would concern me, however. I am wondering if his diet is not balanced -- How much bok choy does he eat per day? Any chance you could give him mixed greens, instead of just one type of green? I have no clue what kinds of trees grow in Australia, but bunnies like to eat the bark and buds of twigs of some trees. Apple trees are a great favorite, but mine eat many other kinds, too. In addition to the nutritious bark and buds, twigs provide some dry, woody material, which isn't much in the way of nutrition, but it does help dry out the poop.

If you cannot get timothy hay, I would probably give a mixture of mostly meadow hay, with small amounts of all of the others. Oat hay and all of the others you mention, are, as far as I know, good as supplements but probably not as staples.

If your pellets are alfalfa based, you could try switching to a timothy based pellet, which are not as rich, and might also dry out his poops a bit.

As for adding another bunny, I am all for providing animals with companions, but do beware that it can be very difficult to get rabbits to accept each other. You'll want to introduce them very gradually. My two buns love each other, but I've read of many accounts of fur-flying aggression on this site.

Good luck.

 

[Kizza]

Hi lagomorph, he isn't very active at the times he gets out to run around. He can be in the mornings sometimes but when he gets out in the evenings he doesn't do much.

He doesn't have the best diet, I have tried to change it but he is stubborn. I have tried to get him to eat timothy hay pellets but he refuses to eat them. I gradually changed his pellets over like I was advised but he just picked out what he liked. It is also very expensive as I have to order them from oxbow, they dont sell any timothy based products in my area. I have also looked online for something and I haven't had much luck. I also can;t get any mixed hays as the produce stores I can get to aren't very accommodating and refuse to split bales or anything.

Will giving him too much variety make him a picky eater? It did make him very picky when he was younger. Now, he gets about 2 metric cups in the morning and same at night and we will eat about 1/2 cup worth of his pellets and rummage around in his hay. He gets on occasion some parsley and basil and also some grass and dandelions.

This is only a rough guess at amounts. He has done very well as when i got him he was eating a lucerne (alfalfa) pellet mix, lucerne hay, too many carrots and too many vegetables.

I will take him to the vet probably tomorrow and see what the vet says also, and hopefully he can tell me where I can get some good hay! My options are very limited, it is very disappointing.

I have read that in Australia, oasten hay is the best option for bunnies, so why do you believe it should only be used as a supplement?

Thanks for helping also

 

[lagomorph]

Well, who knows for sure about diet. I've read so many different philosophies about the best diet for bunnies, and what I say is based only on what I've read as well as my experience with my own rabbits. different people on this forum will tell you different things.

I've read that oat hay is not good as a staple - don't really know if it is true. I've read that sweet meadow hay is a good alternative to timothy, and that's what you are giving him. However, I have found that my rabbits don't like oat or sweet meadow hay nearly as much as timothy.

All I can say is that mine have done extremely well on the following: timothy hay always available, a couple of scoops of timothy based pellets per day, a handful of alfalfa and a handful of oat hay each day, a salad of mixed greens every morning, and, in winter, twigs from at least one type of tree (usually apple) every day. In nice weather, they also get to run around the back yard eating grass, weeds, etc., as they choose.

 

[Kizza]

You are right, there is a lot of information out there on the best diet for rabbits and people do have differing opinions. And I guess I will just have to go with how Rocky handles the food I give him, and at the moment if the problem is his diet then it isn't working for him.

I am heading to the vet this morning so hopefully he can give me some sort of plan and maybe steer me in the direction of some good hay.

Thanks for the tips I appreciate your help a lot, hopefully he will feel better soon

 

[Flopsyrabbit]

Hi kirrie I sent you a private message about some hay that you can get.

 

[Kizza]

Thank you flopsyrabbit I will have a look into that one

I had a chat to the vet and he was very nice, he said that his teeth look fine but could possibly start to get a bit long at the front if he doesn't start eating more hay. At the moment though they are ok.

He said that if I can't find timothy hay then oaten hay is the next best option and I need to get him onto more of it. The hay I have is too dry and no good. Rocky has been a little bit more active the last few days. I will get some new hay and I have some oxbow pellets so I will see how he goes with a different diet hopefully he will eat them lol

 

[Jacki-Small-Pet-Select]

Hi Kizza

Just a thought, are there any horse stables in your area? They might have decent quality grass hay (perhaps bermuda or orchard hay if they don't have timothy hay), and they might be happy to sell you the odd bale here and there.

Of course, you'll need to be careful about the quality, but horse owners tend to feed high quality hay, so it might be an option.

Glad to hear that the new vet you've seen seems to be okay.

Regarding feeding pellets, there are some schools of thought that say that pellets aren't necessary in a rabbit's diet at all, and that hay and fresh vegetables on a daily basis are more than adequate. But, as you say, there are many different opinions on the subject.

Keeping my fingers crossed that Rocky perks up soon. Keep us updated.

Small Pet Select

 

[Nancy McClelland]

ray:

 

[Kizza]

Thanks guys Rocky did an awesome poop yesterday (is that a weird thing to say? lol) but since then they haven't been so great.

I'm not too keen on giving him many pellets because I want him to eat more hay. I'm of the opinion that it can't hurt to give them some good pellets to munch on if you can't find good hay for them. He hasn't been eating as much pellets since I started putting the good ones in with his normal ones lol he picks around the good ones but every now and then I think he accidentally eats some.

I got some oaten hay but it isn't as good as I hoped. Not as green as I would like, I will probably give most of it away. Should he really be eating the little seed things on the hay?

Where i live is more of a city and there aren't many horse places around here unfortunately. There are a small handful of pet/horse places so I will try the few I haven't been to yet and see what they've got. They tend to be a bit rude and not very helpful, it's like they are offended that I would like to know how good quality their hay is. And they NEVER just give me a little bag to see how it goes they always make me buy a bale. I have one rabbit who is a dwarf, how much hay do they think he is going to eat lol

He seems to be in better spirits so maybe he is on the right track I will keep trying for that hay! I wish I lived close to some farms, farmers are good people and would give me some hay lol