# Help! Rabbit not eating



## csmeal

Hi...my Rabbit stopped eating his mixed pellet food about two weeks ago. I mean, it was abrupt...he went from eating his whole dish one day to taking one bite and no more the next day. After that, he would only eat his Timothy Hay and lettuce... I took him to the vet and he said he didn't feel any blockages, but told me to give my rabbit pineapple juice or pineapple chunks and some Laxatone (cat laxative for hairballs) for a week and then call to check in. Well, it's a week later and he's no better (he hates pineapple juice so have to force it down him...) and the other day I noticed he's eating less and less of the timothy hay. Now i'm feeding him alfalfa hay and lettuce and that's all he eats. He's losing weight and i'm worried he'll stop eating altogether soon. he is a shorthair dwarf bunny; 5 year old male with no previous problems. He still acts normal every other way..running around, drinking,etc. The only problem (and this may be problem-am calling vet tomorrow to discuss) is that whenever I let him out of his cage to run around, he goes straight to pulling up and eating carpet. so, I haven't been letting him out lately because this could be the root of the problem (even though vet didnt' feel blockage??) He's only eating lettuce and alfalfa and hardly poops at all...when he does his stool is not round like normal, but kindof long and drawn out. I dont' know if this is because he's not eating, or something else. Does anyone know what's wrong and what I should do? Tomorrow i'm probl. taking him back to the vet and telling him to check for carpet blockage to see if that's problem. If that was the case, would he need to have surgery? :-( I'm so worried! Poor little guy only weighs 4 lbs. and losing weight every day! Help!! Sorry post is so long...


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## cocoboda

Hi, I hope your bunny is OK, 
a bunny not eating or not eating normally is something not to be taken lightly, My bun Coco likes to eat carpet sometimes I give her a papaya tablet occasionally ( papaya has an enzyme in it that breaks up carpet fibers and whatever else bunny might decide to munch on  but she always eats her pellets and hay except when the weather is warm she mostly eats veggies and hay and eats little of her pellets. Hope this helps !!


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## crofty

Is your vet experienced with rabbits? Can you go to Rabbits United Forum - Powered by vBulletin and post your question there. There are loads of very experienced rabbit owners and rescues that will be able to help you and quickly put urgent on the top of your post in the rabbit discussion section. A Rabbit not eating is very worrying. Is he pooing?


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## Guest

I was always told you shouldnt feed lettuce??


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## yus99

hope he is alright .


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## cocoboda

clare7577 said:


> I was always told you shouldnt feed lettuce??


Good point, I was assuming she meant green leaf lettuce,
I hope it's green leaf lettuce, iceberg lettuce is very bad for a rabbit


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## cocoboda

Also I would stick with regular high fiber pellet food and NOT the one with the little coloured bits in it as they have too much sugar and that in them,
Please keep us updated on your bun


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## csmeal

Yeah...it is the good lettuce; Green and red Romaine lettuce, butter lettuce, and a little bit of spinach leaves mixed in. don't feed iceberg lettuce.. I actually don't give him green lettuce very often either...it's just that when he stopped eating, I tried to give him lettuce and that's what he'd eat, no matter what. 

So, I went to a different vet Friday and they did a few xrays to see if he had some kind of blockage...nothing to be seen. Now, they referred me to an exotics specialist to do an ultrasound to make sure, but both vets had told me his molar teeth looked a little long, but weren't too bad. I asked if he would stop eating because of this (even if they weren't too bad) and the vet said it was possible. I asked her where I could take him to have them filed down, and she said she wasn't aware that they could even file the molars down. so, at this point, i'm thinking it might be his teeth. He's only eating soft stuff and is pooping normal now, still drinking and peeing, and runs around when let out-in kitchen now, since floor is linoleum ;-) 

Anyway, he's still not eating his pellet food and doesn't eat much of the timothy hay, but is still eating alfalfa and lettuce. 

Talked to exotics vet on phone and she said she specializes in rabbits and can file his teeth down if that's the problem (she's gonna check him out first to make sure is indeed problem). 

My guess at this point is his teeth. He's 5 years old, so i'm sure they're long enough to the point of being uncomfortable. We'll see what the rabbit vet has to say on Tuesday...


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## cocoboda

Glad to hear that it is not blockage, teeth issue is easily fixed by a good rabbit savvy vet , Thanks for the update csmeal


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## crofty

csmeal said:


> Yeah...it is the good lettuce; Green and red Romaine lettuce, butter lettuce, and a little bit of spinach leaves mixed in. don't feed iceberg lettuce.. I actually don't give him green lettuce very often either...it's just that when he stopped eating, I tried to give him lettuce and that's what he'd eat, no matter what.
> 
> So, I went to a different vet Friday and they did a few xrays to see if he had some kind of blockage...nothing to be seen. Now, they referred me to an exotics specialist to do an ultrasound to make sure, but both vets had told me his molar teeth looked a little long, but weren't too bad. I asked if he would stop eating because of this (even if they weren't too bad) and the vet said it was possible. I asked her where I could take him to have them filed down, and she said she wasn't aware that they could even file the molars down. so, at this point, i'm thinking it might be his teeth. He's only eating soft stuff and is pooping normal now, still drinking and peeing, and runs around when let out-in kitchen now, since floor is linoleum ;-)
> 
> Anyway, he's still not eating his pellet food and doesn't eat much of the timothy hay, but is still eating alfalfa and lettuce.
> 
> Talked to exotics vet on phone and she said she specializes in rabbits and can file his teeth down if that's the problem (she's gonna check him out first to make sure is indeed problem).
> 
> My guess at this point is his teeth. He's 5 years old, so i'm sure they're long enough to the point of being uncomfortable. We'll see what the rabbit vet has to say on Tuesday...


Have they mentioned Stasis?

I would def ask on Rabbits United Forum - Powered by vBulletin there are alot of experienced bunny people who deal with bunnies with problems like this all the time. I dont trust alot of vets i think experience and knowing what to ask them to test for is half the battle.

Have a look at these

Rabbit not eating. Update: Unfortunate news  - Rabbits United Forum

poor bunny not eating - Page 2 - Rabbits United Forum


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## 1AnimalLover

Don't worry she/he just needs a change of food for some days also try giving her/him a bit of water especially on hot days.hope i helped.


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## Zippstar

That is exactly like Rory was just before I had to get him put to sleep - he was eating one day, and not the next. Is the bunny showing any signs of listlessness, limpness, head tily, incontinence etc? Rory had e cuniculi and it literally took him over in 2 days flat! I'd advise taking bun to the vet ASAP!


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## Nonnie

This threads almost 2 years old.


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## selkie135

hi there my baby boy does the exact same as yours.. he's a short haired dwarf.. 1 1/2 years old.. and every couple of weeks he goes off his pellets.. all he'll then eat is his hay and lots of fresh fruit.. after a while he goes back to the pellets again as well. he's currently doing it now and will only eat if i hand feed him strips of apple etc?

he is drinking a-lot though so i'm not too worried and we have a small fan to cool down the air temp for him and his missus.

have you tried dipping fruit etc in water? i found that helped get my boy back onto feeding.. and letting him lick small icecubes with fruit inside also helped... turns out he was too hot.

hope that helps.. *hugs* x


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## smartcookie

Hi
I've just read your message about your rabbit not eating has anyone told you you shouldn't give your rabbit lettice it gives them tummy upsets.
Addie.


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## Sweetheart

I hope your bun turned out to be ok, my rabbit Black Jack stoped eating his hay and pellets about a year ago, took him to the vet (she is very rabbit friendly) and she told me I was feeding him to many greens/ veggies and fruits. Its like candy to a kid if you feed them to much on the good stuff they'll stop eating the stuff that is really good for them, like hay.


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