Sweet Potato treats :/?

[Nibbler]

Yesterday I decided to buy Nibs some treats to help the transition. I picked up dried sweet potato treats from All Living Things and a bad of crunchy stick treats. Nibs was fine yesterday. Today I'm worried. Nibs has been hiding on and off or just sleeping by the water bottle. I made a salad of kale and banana which went over really Well. However Nibby doesn't really seem interested in hay or pellets at the moment. He (she?) Has picked at the food bowl but nothing really "substantial ". I don't know if It's the stress of being given a new home or what. But I was also reading that sweet potatoes are toxic to rabbits, I've read the same amount of information stating that they aren't, etc. Someone. Please help me out here?

 

[princessfional]

Hi there!

Sweet potato isn't "poisonous" bunnies, but they are high in starch and makes it hard for the bunny to digest. Especially when introducing new food into a rabbits diet, you need to ease it to them slowly, by increasing their intake daily. Foods that have high sugar contents though, are not great for rabbits, so they should only be given in moderation.

You can check out this site for more information about rabbit diets before you buy any more food! https://www.naturalrabbitfood.com/can-rabbits-eat-potatoes-potato-peels-sweet-potatoes/

Another good site to read is found on the House Rabbit Society pages, which you can find here: http://rabbit.org/suggested-vegetables-and-fruits-for-a-rabbit-diet/

Most likely, your bunny just need to poop out the undigested stuff and should be better! It also helps to know the sex of the rabbit as males are lazier than females at times, and tend to just lie around for long periods of nap time, from what I've noticed.

Make sure you're checking the poop - ie. if it comes out hard balls (normal) or soft cecotropes (in excess is odd because they usually eat the soft stuff to redigest it). Certain foods affect different bunnies in a different manner. I personally try not to give too much fruit to my bunny because he gets very lethargic after the initial excitement and he no longer wants to exercise or do anything.

If in a few days Nibs still doesn't have interest in the hay or pellets (which is crazy because my bunny loves pellets!) then you can try new and innovative ways of enticing him. Perhaps mixing a little bit of banana or apple in the hay, or putting the hay in a toilet paper roll, or even spraying apple juice on the hay will work!

 

[Azerane]

How long has it been since Nibs has eaten and pooped? Try to hold off on the sweet stuff like banana, if he has a bit of a digestive imbalance, you don't want to push it further by adding too much sugar. I would try to encourage him to eat hay. Even if you have to hand feed it to him strand by strand, trying 10 strands before he'll take one The fiber in the hay will be the best thing for him right now.

 

[Nibbler]

I think my he is a she lol. Thanks a lot guys! That really put my mind at ease! I think she just had to poop and had a bit of an upset tummy. This morning her bowl was empty and she was excited for food again, she even took a couple of pellets from my hand. I'm going to return those sweet potato treats and see what else I can find for her. Also do you know anything about possible weepy eye or allergies in bunnies? I noticed Nibsy had gun in both eyes yesterday, I got it with a wet q tip. This morning only one eye had it and it was still wet:/

 

[princessfional]

Sorry, not sure! Try creeping other Health forum posts!

 

[bellaterra214]

If you are giving your rabbit anything new, make sure you start out slowly. Their precious little tummies are super sensitive and their are many things they like, but can't have. All sugars should be given in moderation.

All those seed, nut, grain, yogurt drops and dried fruit treats they sell at the pet store are not good for your rabbit. I would highly recommend staying away from all of it. Where in the wild would a rabbit find yogurt? Dried fruits are high in sugar and its better to give them the real thing. Mine love some steamed sweet potato once a month or so. It's like bunny crack. They start circling as soon as they smell it in the steaming process. Bunny sharks circling slowly until mommy decides to cool enough for them to eat.

For treats, I share what I'm eating and I get some time in with my rabbits. Like this afternoon, I sat on the floor with my pear and shared it with them. It's quite funny watching them drool as they eat.

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

Yesterday I decided to buy Nibs some treats to help the transition. I picked up dried sweet potato treats from All Living Things and a bad of crunchy stick treats. Nibs was fine yesterday. Today I'm worried. Nibs has been hiding on and off or just sleeping by the water bottle. I made a salad of kale and banana which went over really Well. However Nibby doesn't really seem interested in hay or pellets at the moment. He (she?) Has picked at the food bowl but nothing really "substantial ". I don't know if It's the stress of being given a new home or what. But I was also reading that sweet potatoes are toxic to rabbits, I've read the same amount of information stating that they aren't, etc. Someone. Please help me out here?

---here is a link I hope you will take a hard look at http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html and http://www.bunnybunch.org/rabbitcare.html sincerely james waller :heartbeat::happybunny::flowerskiss:

 

[Nibbler]

Nibs does have dental problems, through no fault of my own (apparently the kid we rescued her from didn't know anything about rabbits). She had a Wellness check up a week ago that confirms it. The vet put her on baytril and metacam to ease the possible pain. He doesn't want to operate on her because anesthesia shortens their life span (I watched my hamster develope a head tilt and for two days later from it). Vet said to keep up with the hay and give her the best quality life we can...even if it means life long use of medicine.

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

Nibs does have dental problems, through no fault of my own (apparently the kid we rescued her from didn't know anything about rabbits). She had a Wellness check up a week ago that confirms it. The vet put her on baytril and metacam to ease the possible pain. He doesn't want to operate on her because anesthesia shortens their life span (I watched my hamster develope a head tilt and for two days later from it). Vet said to keep up with the hay and give her the best quality life we can...even if it means life long use of medicine.

--yes,unfortunetly-some vets donothing--and like myself-short of cash,-have resigned to taking on the responsibilities--only to a point.!!--a radiograph is required,(facial-x-ray)-thorough exam,then-anesthetic-(shot/gas)-and then the grinding starts to correct the overbit,etc,etc,--no I do not perform this deed I merely watch intently...grasses are the main staple which keep the teeth ground down as best possible,,--there is a mixture for syringe feeding called -(oxbow)-critical care-(with probotics )-the pellets are not a replacement for the grasses,-but can be used with the understanding that the teeth constantly growing-1-3 mm-week--and being a stress animal rabbits will hide there problems as best they can even with mounting medical problems--ie.-gitract invasion by overwhelming bad bacteria--poops get smaller and smaller--I believe I won,t go on-but I give you and nibbler my love,--sincerely james waller :happybunny::bunnydance:ink iris.s.must give probiotics with any antibiotics,-I use a powder from a local farm supply store