Rabbit doesn't seem to be eating right.

[AmberandHolland]

My year old Holland Lop hasn't been eating right for the last day and a half. He has hardly touched any of his food. Yesterday he seemed to eat all this favorite snack and some hay. Today, I woke up and it appears he hasn't touched anything I gave him before I went to bed last night. He has been drinking normally and going to the bathroom. I did notice his poop is smaller than usual though. I checked his ears and they're not hot or an abnormal temperature. He's still jumping around the cage and coming to me when I open it. He was out the other day playing and everything seemed fine. He is however, shedding badly. I believe he's malting right now. I brush him every night and the next day his fur is back to being a mess right when I get up to start the day. Could that be leading to the lack of appetite perhaps? Thank you, everyone!

 

[AmberandHolland]

Update: Hi, everyone! Just a quick update. I took my bunny out of the cage earlier and gave him a belly rub. I refreshed his water and right away he went and got a nice drink. He sat for a bit and I gave him some love. Afterwards, he went right over to his food and began eating. He's eating while I type this! I'll be monitoring him throughout the day making sure he is continuing to eat, drink and potty normally. He'll also be getting a good brushing as well since he's still shedding a lot today.

If anyone has any other suggestions it would be much appreciated! Thank you! :brownbunny

 

[PaGal]

If you gave him a belly rub and then he seemed to be a bit better, meaning eating more than he was and drinking more then he may be gassy. Gas is painful for buns and can cause them to stop eating. If they stop eating or eat less it can lead to GI stasis. You can try giving your bun infant gas drops/ simethicone. Belly rubs can help if it is gas but should not be done if there is any bloating. Also having the bun run around can help.

What exactly are you feeding your bun? Have you fed your bun anything new to him before this started?

I would definitely keep a very close eye on him. Having a bun stop eating can be a critical situation.

 

[JBun]

I'm glad he's started eating again. It sounds like he is experiencing a gut slowdown or the beginnings of GI stasis. that's what those small poops indicate is happening. GI stasis has several causes, but this can also happen when they are going through a molt and are ingesting a lot of fur. I would suggest keeping him well brushed(hard to do in a molt, I know) and increasing his hay consumption. To accomplish this you may have to reduce pellets and treats for a few weeks. The fiber in hay is what helps keep the gut moving contents through and prevent a blockage. If he is stall having problems after this, there may be something more going on and it might be a good idea to get him checked by your vet. If he stops eating for more than 12 hours or his condition worsens, get him to a vet right away.

Here's some info on stasis in rabbits.
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=484#.UZ8FPbx7LTo.twitter
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

 

[tonyshuman]

When I start to notice smallish changes like this I try to treat at home with simethicone, pain meds if I have them, and probiotics. It sounds like the massage helped with some gas.