Oreo isn't eating his pellets (resolved)

[Racheler]

Hi, I'm new here. Our bunny is a bit over half a year old and suddenly is no longer eating his pellets. We haven't changed brands, it's from the same bag as he has been eating right along. He is to be neutered in a week. He was fighting with his brother Tom who lived with him and we separated them 2 weeks ago which calmed them both down but then Tom got out and escaped to the nearby woods and we haven't been able to find him again which we feel very guilty about and now Oreo is off his feed. He always has fresh hay available and water too but always loves his little bit of pellets each morning and evening, with bits of grass, spinach, lettuce, carrots, banana, apples, and apple branches to chew. I've never had a bun that stopped eating before. Please advise. We have had a few bunnies before over the years, the last 2 were killed 2 years ago by a neighbor's dogs that escaped from her fenced in yard and jumped the 4 foot fence around our bunny run. We've done our best to make our runs dog proof this time and really don't know what to do to help him right now.

 

[jcottonl02]

Hi Racheler- welcome to the site

First off thing I would do is check his teeth. This needs to be done every day. You know rabbits teeth are continually growing, and get grinded down by the grass and hay they eat, and the things they chew.
Sometimes their teeth can overgrow, especially if they stop eating as much hay etc., because nothing is wearing them down. They will then find it hard to eat, and, eventually, if nothing is done, with continue to grow up towards their head and can seriously injure them (but this is a real sign of neglect).

His teeth may just be a little overgrown- have a look- they should meet together quite nicely, the top and bottom incisors. If they look overgrown, pop him down to the vet and get the clipped, and job done.


If they look fine, then is may possibly be his back teeth, which you can't check yourself without the right equipment. In this case, look for signs of drooling, or pain, and take him to the vets to have them check.

Is he eating his veggies and hay with enthusiasm? If he is, and he is not losing weight, and his teeth are fine, then I wouldn't worry too much- maybe he's just off them a little bit, and soon might start being enthusiastic about them again.

How big is the bag of pellets? Is it months and months worth? Is it sealed and airtight? If not, then they might just be getting stale, and you might have a fussy rabbit that wants fresh pellets. Try buying a new (small) bag and feeding him some fresh ones, and see if he gobbles them up.

Jen

 

[Pipp]

Has he stopped eating everything or just pellets? How long ago did he stop? Any signs of diarrhea, constipation, straining to pee, wet muzzle, anything like that? What breed is he?

If he's only six months old, its unlikely to be a dental issue but its possible.

But its more likely he has an underlying issue you're not seeing. He could have been stressed out with the loss of his brother -- they do react badly to things like that -- which lowered his immune system allowing him to come down with an infection or a digestive upset or something.

Have you checked him over very very carefully to make sure he doesn't have any abscessed wounds from the fights?

I think a vet visit is in the cards, and if he isn't eating anything at all, you're going to have to get him in quickly.

ETA: Good post from Jen, thanks.


sas :clover:

 

[tonyshuman]

I agree that the front teeth are a good place to start looking. If he stops eating just one thing from his normal diet, it's usually that the teeth are bothering him or the food item has gone bad. You may want to check the pellet bag for an expiration date. If the front teeth look ok, feel along the jawline, seeing if there is any asymmetry in it from one side to the other. It's hard to check a rabbit's back teeth because they usually won't let you do that. The vet can also check them more closely when they do the neuter while he's under anesthesia.

As for the bunny that escaped, you could get a humane trap and bait it with some food. If he's still alive, he's probably hungry, and will come to the trap. It sounds like it may be best to keep your bunnies inside because of the dogs in your area and the difficulty of keeping your backyard safe for the bunnies. An outside bunny enclosure should have the fence at least 2 feet deep into the ground so they can't dig out, plus have two layers of predator-proof fencing so that the dogs, raccoons, cats, foxes, etc can't get at the bunnies through the wire. For instance, if they're in a hutch off the ground, there should be a fence around the hutch that can keep predators out. Some bunnies can even be scared to death just by seeing a predator, so if you can't keep them out of the backyard, it's best to keep the bunnies in the house, or in a secure shed in the backyard.

 

[jcottonl02]

tonyshuman wrote:

It sounds like it may be best to keep your bunnies inside because of the dogs in your area and the difficulty of keeping your backyard safe for the bunnies. An outside bunny enclosure should have the fence at least 2 feet deep into the ground so they can't dig out, plus have two layers of predator-proof fencing so that the dogs, raccoons, cats, foxes, etc can't get at the bunnies through the wire. For instance, if they're in a hutch off the ground, there should be a fence around the hutch that can keep predators out. Some bunnies can even be scared to death just by seeing a predator, so if you can't keep them out of the backyard, it's best to keep the bunnies in the house, or in a secure shed in the backyard.

I agree with this- either inside the house, or in a secure, bolted, good quality, predator-proof shed, away from damp and harsh wind etc.

 

[Racheler]

Oreo is inside now, calm, no injuries, eating veg, but not eating pellets with enthusiasm like he usually would. Had a couple soft poos but most are normal. He is drinking and interested in everything. I may have the vet check him just to be sure -- teeth look fine to me tho. The pellets are kept cool and in a sealed container but i will buy a small bag of fresh and see if that is it. Thanks for all your help.

 

[tonyshuman]

Keep an eye on that soft stool--diarrhea can go from normal to really serious in younger bunnies, and you said he's just about 6 mo old. If he starts looking limp, tired, or "out of it", he's got some bad stuff going on. The diarrhea can be caused by the wrong bacteria in his GI outcompeting the good bacteria, and these bad bacteria not only lead to dehydration via the diarrhea, but also release toxins into the bloodstream that can make his system shut down. It might have just been a bit of gas or something that's passed through his system, but it could be more serious if the loose stools continue.

 

[Racheler]

Oreo is doing great today! Exploring all over the house, using his litter box, not any mess where it shouldn't be -- this one may actually be housebroken!!!! This is our first that actually enjoys being inside -- our others all sprayed pee and thumped in anger about coming inside!!!! We are so happy! I'm pretty sure it was just the pellets were not fresh any more. All poos nice and proper, all health seeming restored. Thanks so much!

 

[jcottonl02]

Very glad to hear it!!


Jen