If you have a rabbit, you should know that hay is the main food in its diet . But what if, suddenly, you realize that your rabbit does not eat hay? Should you worry? In this Petlifey Post we will try to answer these questions.
Causes why a rabbit does not eat hay
There are certain diseases that can cause decreased appetite and require immediate veterinary attention, these are some examples:
- Coccidiosis
- Scabies (in the mouth)
- Malformations in teeth
- Tooth growth
- Hair balls
- Other digestive problems
Your rabbit may have stopped consuming hay for other reasons, for example due to a change in the usual brand, its dryness …
Why is hay so important in a bunny’s diet?
It is very important that hay is present in the diet of adult rabbits. The amount must be unlimited.
It is an essential food in the diet of rabbits and of great importance for their health , as it ensures intestinal mobility. Rabbits should have fresh hay available throughout the day.
The consumption of hay wears down the incisors and prevents abnormalities in the growth of the rabbit’s teeth , in addition, it has a lot of fiber, helps the digestive process and prevents intestinal transit alterations.
If your rabbit does not eat hay, you should give it great importance trying to solve this situation immediately.
What can I do to get my rabbit to eat hay?
If after a veterinary check-up you find that your bunny is in good health, try the following tips:
- Change the brand of hay, you can choose to buy a flavoured hay (carrot, dandelion …), since modifying the flavour of it will make it easier for your rabbit to eat it.
- Sometimes the rabbit does not eat hay because it obviously prefers the feed and it would be a very serious mistake to increase the amount of it, on the contrary, reducing the amount of feed will help your rabbit eat more hay.
- The rabbit eats hay when it is fresh, for this reason, it is preferable that you give it frequently but in small quantities.
- You can buy hay in blocks or in the form of feed, in this way, it will be much easier for your rabbit to end up ingesting the necessary amount.
My rabbit does not eat and is quiet
If your rabbit does not eat hay, but also does not think and is also very quiet, pay attention! because it is a sign that something is wrong. As we said, rabbits are lagomorphs and by nature they eat constantly. In this way, if you observe that your rabbit does not eat, and is also still, you should take it to a veterinarian specialized in exotic animals.
At first Tambor did not want to eat hay and it helped us a lot to motivate them to eat while it played. Our trick was to take an empty roll of toilet paper and fill it with hay. While it played little by little it was eating.
