Not eating as much

[toyabrooke]

Hi Everyone,

This is about one of my other bunnies that has always lived with my mum. He couldn't come with us when he moved out because he is a giant English Angora, and his wool is too much for a tiny apartment!

A few days ago my mum brought home a Asterix cross Lop Rex baby bunny. He was the runt of his litter and almost died with the breeder a few times because of how small he was, but he is fit and strong now and settling into life with my mum very well. Dudley chased him around a little bit at first, but Benjamin Button (he looks like an old man trapped in a little bunny body that is for sure), then went straight down to the ground and submitted and Dudley groomed him! Mum said that happened a few times, and each time Dudley did a bit of a chase he never bit or was rough at all. All in all it seemed like amazing progress for their first meeting!

My mum has concerned though that Dudley is now eating less. He is a giant gutso so he has unlimited pellets and hay and some oats too (even though he is over 3 years old), and veggies a few times a week (we have lots of problems with the runs with him if he gets any more than that). She said he had a bit of veggies last night but nothing much else, and his poops are smaller. He is still drinking normally and not acting strange apart from not stuffing his face with food.

Could this be due to the arrival of the new bunny? He lives in the same room as the baby bunny but he is in a separate cage and Dudley lives free range in the room like he always has. Benjamin is only tiny so he isn't neutered yet, but Dudley is and is a very sweet and carefree bunny that has mean bitten or been anything but an angel to anyone. His behaviour hasn't changed at all mum tells me since Benjamin came, just his eating she has noticed in the last day.

Any advice would be great!

T

 

[ZRabbits]

With a new bunny, comes changes. All bunnies go through a period of adjustment. This could be Dudley's. Just have Mom observe and love on him. Assure him that he's safe and the relationship is intact.

Very simple animals. They run on logic. New bunny means new changes. And no matter how long a bunny has been around, any change will throw them off.

K

 

[LakeCondo]

Unless he starts losing weight, I wouldn't worry. And even then it'd only be if he couldn't stand to lose an ounce or 2. I'm sure his eating soon will return to normal.

 

[toyabrooke]

Thanks everyone! I'm sure it would actually be a good thing for him to slim down just a tad, so we aren't too worried. And he isn't fully off his food either, so that is also good. Dudley isn't one to ever not eat

They seem to be getting along well, so aslong as there are no dramas with fights or anything (which I HIGHLY doubt), they are on track to be good friends!!

And don't worry, Dudley is mum's little boy. I told her I wanted to take him with me when I moved out and just have him very short haired, and she cried until I retracted that statement (almost as much as she cried when I actually left to live 30 minutes away...).

I will keep you updated but I'm hoping this isn't anything serious!

T

 

[tonyshuman]

I'd make sure he keeps pooping and has no strange gut noises. Stress of any kind can lead to gas or gi slowdown. Some probiotics wouldn't hurt either. Since it seems that Dudley is concerned for Benjamin, and may even not be the alpha bunny since he groomed Benjamin, it could be more stressful on Dudley than you think.