Rabbits not eating

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RabbitGirl321

RabbitGirl321

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We recently moved the rabbits all too a new area around a week ago and several will hardly eat now. Mainly my 2 harlequin bucks. They both don't really act any different to me, the son of the other one even acts better then before, constantly wanting me to pay attention to him, and he will still eat a little food but not nearly as much as before, I'm not sure if he's even eating the amount my polish do a day. His father I don't even hardly see nibbling at his food, I can't ever tell if he's eaten anything or not, though I do think he's maybe eaten a small amount of his hay. Do you think it's just from having moved them, or could there be something wrong? I' really starting to get worried, they don't feel thin or anything but they ate a ton before and now to not even eat as much as the polish... Is there anything I could maybe try giving them to see if they'll eat? I tried pumpkin today, along with a little bit of oxygen, the son seems to have eaten most of that but the father I don't think has touched it. :( Thanks!

This was my third time trying to post this... the site didn't want to load every time I finished typing this out and went to post it. x.x
 
Some rabbits have difficulty adjusting to their home being changed. Have you changed locations of any rabbits that were in cages next to him? If there is a particular rabbit he likes that you moved away from him, this can be a cause for the stress response and lack of appetite. Otherwise he just may not feel safe in the new area.

Keep in mind that a rabbit shouldn't go more than 24 hours without food. If he isn't eating or hardly eating, you need to get him eating even if you have to syringe feed, or he could develop GI stasis.
 
I would also check and make sure they are drinking water, sometimes if they don't eat they might not drink and if they aren't drinking they can't really digest food and it becomes a down hill spiral. If you do think they are not drinking try giving them bowls of water with some fresh juice in it to entice them into drinking.
 
He was on the bottom cage before and not really next to other rabbits, the were all above him as I try not to use the bottom cages, they're just more of a pain. He does seem to be drinking still at least, and I got him too eat a little bit a carrot and one of his yogurt treats today. Been thinking I'm going to have to syringe feed him, his son at least seems to have started eating better after the pumpkin I gave him yesterday.
 
It was the only thing I could get him to eat, figured a yogurt treat was better then nothing at all if he'd eat it.

I got him to eat a couple pieces of hay by hand feeding it to him, not sure why he'd eat it if I held it for him rather then eat it out of the bowl but he did. My mom suggested trying to give him some of the wheat grass she'd been growing in the house all winter for her geese, so we cut some of that and tried giving it too him and he ate it up quickly, so we gave him a little more of it since he's actually eating that really well.
 
Oh good he's eating the hay. I have one rabbit that is more prone to GI stress. During those times, he also will eat the hay if I hand feed him while he may refuse it otherwise.
 
Got up this morning and went to check on the rabbit's, Blake (The one who won't hardly eat) still hasn't really touched his food, tried giving him more wheat grass but now he won't even eat that, tried giving him some other grass I went out and picked and when handfed he'd eat a little bit of that. However his son, Marcus, has an empty food bowl this morning! Thank goodness, now if I can just get Blake eating. Do you think if we could get some pineapple juice if that would be good to put in his water or something? Thanks!
 
If he is uncomfortable, he won't eat. Have you tried giving him some simethicone? That is my go-to when my Mocha starts to show signs of not eating. Usually a few doses and he's back to normal.
 
I honestly never even thought about it, not sure if we even have any but I will look and see if we do, thanks!
 
Gas pain isn't his problem so simethicone isn't likely to do anything to help. He hasn't been eating and has developed slow gut motility and likely a blockage by this point. When a rabbit hasn't been eating or hasn't been eating sufficient amounts for more than 24 hours, it is to the point of a vet emergency.

If he hasn't been eating well and you haven't been supplementing the lack of food by syringe feeding to ensure he is getting enough food, then this will cause a gut slowdown and a blockage can develop. You need a vet to rule out a complete blockage and/or bloat, then you need gut motility meds, pain meds, possibly sub q fluids if he is also dehydrated, and you will need to start syringe feeding him food and water several times a day til he starts eating again on his own. The vet should give you Oxbow critical care(if you don't have any), to mix up and syringe feed him. You can't just wait for him to eat on his own. As he continues to not eat each day, his slow gut motility and possibly blockage, as well as dehydration, will just continue to cause him to decline. A few bits of food each day isn't sufficient. He is slowly starving and you need to intervene now or he will starve to death. He needs food, fluids, and electrolytes.

To reduce stress, I would also suggest changing his set up to one as similar to what he had before. So if he was in a bottom cage, put him back in one. If he had any particular rabbits near him before, then put them near him. Reducing stress will also help him in his recovery.
 
We don't have a vet around us, we barely have a vet around us for the animals most people have (dogs, cats) because the few vets around us all suck and to top it off have crazy high prices, all but 1 vet we've known forever, he's cheap and does a great job, but he's no use in this case as he's a dog/cat vet only. Taking him to a vet isn't an option I'm afraid. That's why I came to here, hoping somebody could help. I've been doing that best I can at getting him to eat, and he seems to still be drinking. I've not been able to find my syringe, going into town tomorrow morning though to get some things.
 
If you can get some critical care from a pet store to syringe feed him that would be good. If you can't maybe you could grind up some pellets and mix with apple or banana and water to make a mush that will go through a syringe. Syringe some fluids into him first to make sure he is hydrated, his gut can't digest food if it is dehydrated. After he has had some fluid then do some food.
 
Guys! He seems too be getting better! Not getting my hopes up too much yet, but he's actually eating the wheat grass without me hand feeding it, and I got him to eat a little bit of hay, yesterday and most of today he wouldn't eat hay or anything, even if handfed, but the wheat grass, and he didn't even really want to eat the wheat grass very well, but now he is eating those 2 things better! I think he's acting a little more perky tonight as well. I had pretty much lost all hope, but starting to think maybe it's not too late after all... fingers crossed he makes it threw this! And thanks everybody for your help. :)
 
Hey everybody! Just a last update, it looks like Blake is going to be fine! He's going potty fine again, drinking well, and this morning when I went out there he'd even eaten most of his food! He even became a dad again this morning, my doe had 7 babies. It's been a great morning. <3 Thank you all again for your help!
 
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