Rabbits are no longer just animals considered "farm" to have an increasing presence in our homes, since its characteristics can make this animal an exceptional companion animal for many families.
The act of welcoming a rabbit into our home implies our responsibility and a firm commitment to cover its physical, mental and social needs, observing when its behavior manifests an anomalyso that it can be treated early and appropriately.
Nutrition is a fundamental pillar for the organism of our pets, that is why in this article on our site we answer the following question: what to do if my rabbit does not eat hay We explain the steps to follow to solve this problem, which can become very serious.
The importance of hay for rabbits
As responsible owners, we must strive to know the pillars of rabbit nutrition, in this way we ensure that our pet receives the essential nutrientsIn the adult stage, the rabbit's diet should consist of feed, fruits, vegetables and fresh hay available in unlimited quantities.
Hay is the food resulting from grass cut, dehydrated and subsequently stored. It is generally a mixture of grasses, clovers, oats, alfalfa, barley and wheat among others. It is an essential food in the diet of rabbits and of great importance for their he alth, as it ensures intestinal mobility, which is so necessary for this species. Rabbits should have fresh hay available throughout the day.
Consumption of hay wears down the incisors and prevents anomalies in the growth of rabbit teeth, it also has a lot of fiber, it helps to the digestive process and prevents alterations in intestinal transit, so it should not surprise us that this food is 75% of the diet of these animals. Therefore, when a rabbit does not want to eat hay, we must give it great importance and try to solve this situation immediately.
Why doesn't a rabbit eat hay?
Lack of hay intake is a serious symptom in rabbits, so if you have noticed that your rabbit is not eating after a few hours, we advise you to go to your emergency vetRemember that, even if you have properly followed the rabbit vaccination schedule, there are certain pathologies that can cause a decrease in appetite and that require immediate veterinary attention, let's see some examples:
- Coccidiosis
- Scabies (in the mouth)
- Malformations in the teeth
- Teeth growth
- Furballs
Even so, your rabbit may have stopped eating hay for other reasons, for example a change from the usual brand, the dryness of the hay, the presence of hairballs in the rabbit's stomach or other digestive problems. In any case, through different veterinary tests, the specialist will determine what is causing your rabbit not to eat hay and will prescribe thetreatment to follow.
What to do if your rabbit won't eat hay?
If no pathological alteration is causing your rabbit's loss of appetite and its subsequent decrease in hay intake, then it is time for you to apply the following tips to restore its feeding, the mainstay of which should consist of good quality hay
Let's see how you can get your rabbit to eat hay again:
- Change the commercial brand of the hay and if you consider it necessary you can choose to purchase flavored hay, since changing its flavor will make it easier for your rabbit to eat it.
- Sometimes the rabbit does not eat hay because it obviously prefers feed and it would be a serious mistake for the owners to increase the amount of feed, on the contrary, reducing the amount of feed will cause your rabbit to eat more hay.
- The rabbit eats the hay when it is fresh, for this reason, it is preferable that you give it frequently but in small quantities, since the hay that the rabbit spreads in its cage hardly returns to be ingested.
- 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.
Remember that before using these tips it is essential to have an initial evaluation by a veterinarian to rule out any underlying cause that could be serious to your he alth of the animal. Now that you know what to do when a rabbit won't eat hay, you may be interested in learning about some recommended fruits and vegetables for rabbits.
