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Help! My rabbit is...
None of the information on this page is intended to replace veterinary care. This is only intended to supplement your veterinarian's advice.
- My rabbit stopped eating
- My rabbit has diarrhea
- My rabbit leaves mushy poops everywhere
- How long before I see changes?
My rabbit stopped eating, what do I do?
There are many reasons for a rabbit to stop eating. This can signal an emergency and you should get your rabbit to a veterinarian as soon as possible. If you have any questions about why your rabbit has stopped eating, or if your bunny appears to be in pain, contact your veterinarian immediately. A bunny who stops eating can die very quickly. More detailed information is available at http://fig.cox.miami.edu/Faculty/Dana/ileus.html.
Occasionally, a bunny will stop eating due to a minor case of gas. Pediatric phazyme and gentle tummy massage may resolve the problem. If bunny is still not eating in a few hours, then a trip to the vet as soon as possible is definitely in order.
Sometimes a decreased appetite can be tracked to stress. In these cases, the bunny may not eat as much as normal, or may only pick at their food. Different things stress different rabbits, but some common stressors include (but aren't limited to):
- temperature changes
- changes in the physical environment
- new people or animals in the house
- a new house or new "things"
- environmental stress
It is critical that rabbits under stress continue to eat, to prevent more serious problems such as gas or stasis. Short term, bunny can be tempted with fresh foods and hay. When I have moved my bunnies cross country, the first couple weeks in a new house they were fed alfalfa hay. Alfalfa is very tasty, and the fiber level is high enough that the gut continues to work. Fresh food and herbs provide water as well as nutrients and fiber. If the lack lack of appetite continues, or bunny will eat nothing then it is imperative that they get to a vet.
One other common cause for decrease appetite, or increased pickiness about food, is tooth problems. In some rabbits, the molar teeth wear into points. These points can make eating painful. Typical symptoms of tooth problems include bunnies who eat one type of food but refuse another (veggies but no pellets, or pellets with no hay). Molar spurs need to be trimmed or filed by an experienced veterinarian.
Rabbits who have just returned from surgery often do not show any interest in food when they first come home. Try offering herbs or grated carrots to get bunny nibbling. If there is no interest in food by the next day then contact your veterinarian.
My rabbit has diarrhea, what do I do?
True diarrhea in rabbits is relatively rare. If your rabbit has diarrhea, then call your vet immediately. Diarrhea can be quickly fatal.
Occasionally, the diarrhea reported is not true diarrhea, but rather excess cecal pellets. Excess cecals can be caused by a number of things, including a diet too high in protein, too high in calories or too low in fiber. Reducing the number of pellets and high calorie food in the diet, often helps decrease the number of runny poops left around. Some rabbits benefit from a decrease in the amount of fresh veggies in their diet.
My rabbit leaves mushy poops everywhere, how can I stop it?
Cecal pellets are usually the sign of a rabbit receiving too rich a diet with too little fiber. The typical solution is to decrease the amount of pellets in the diet, sometimes even removing them completely, and providing lots of green leafy vegetables and grass hay. A bunny who is obese may have problems bending to eat their cecals, as well as not being interested in eating them.
How long should I try one thing before I should see changes?
Depending on what change you're trying to achieve. If you are trying to bring a bunny back from a stasis episode, it can take a couple of weeks before their appetite is normal. For a bunny leaving excess cecal pellets everywhere, it can take up to three months for the gut to adjust to a new diet and for the symptoms to disappear completely. As hard as it can be, you need to be patient.