New Bunny won't drink?

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jquiizzy

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long island, New York, USA
i just got a new bunny yesterday and he doesn't seen to drink at all.. i've tried putting a bowl and bottle along with squeezing the bottle right into his mouth...he just doesn't seem interested?
 
He may take some time to get used to his suroundings, just leave him be, keep things calm and quiet, and keep the corner of your eye on him.

Is he eating? Just leave the bowl and bottle in his cage and if hes thirsty he will drink, you can always check his skin turgor (do this over the rump), moisture of gums/mouth, and how sunken in his eyes are.
 
He eats ALOT but doesn't seem to be thirsty at all.. he's also the friendliest cuddliest rabbit i've ever seen... he was instantly calm, loves being held (binkies everywhere)runs around freely, and has no fear of anything at all...i just don't think he's not used to his environment he loves throwing his cardboard box around and eating everything in sight..i hope he just starts drinking though..:?
 
He sounds very healthy other than not drinking very much. Something that could be taken into consideration... I've heard that some rabbits have some trouble getting use to a change in where the water comes from (city water to well water, vice versa).
 
He may be drinking when you're not looking. I've had Otto for two years and have only seen him drink a handful of times. I don't think I've ever seen Hannah drink in the year I've had her. Especially if you're feeding veggies, the rabbit will get a lot of water from food. Just keep the bowl and the bottle as an option and check to see if it looks like the level is lower each morning.

Also, how is his hay eating? The more hay they eat, the more they tend to drink. If he's not eating hay, that could be another reason he doesn't need a lot of water.
 
If he's eating fresh greens he's probably fine. The more veggies mine eat, the less they drink. Make sure he has as much timothy hay as he needs, which also makes them thirsty. You can also give romaine lettuce which has a high concentration of water. If you pull some skin up (like a large pinch) and it doesn't stay sticking up, he's not dangerously dehydrated. Bunnies do take time to settle in too, so don't worry too much and give him some good hiding places and I'm sure he'll settle right in! Congrats on your bunny!
 

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