I'm having a nightmare with Junior - any thoughts please?

woodwench wrote:My buns all had a s.p. eating time ... generally in the evenings. If Junior also as a s.p. time watch him and see what he does. See if he eats some and leaves some. Clawed used to have s.p. issues, she would eat two out of every three she produced, the other was left for me to dispose of (or tread on with bare toes in the morning!). I asked my vet why she had suddenly started doing this and we had a good long, analytical talk about it.

Now you must remember I had Clawed back in the 1990's and rabbit medicine and dietary issues were very much in their infancy and things like "good rabbit vets" were still to appear. But my vet was a good vet and did right by my buns. Vaccination for myxi was only just taking off ... RHD didn't exist.  
Non breeder pelleted foods were just becoming popular and that was what I had weaned Clawed onto. What my vet said was that, in his opinion, the best diet for a rabbit was a natural one... anything they would eat in the wild. That is what their digestive system is geared for and eating soft pellets enables them to get all the goodness they need from their natural food. Feeding manufactured foods like museli was bad in any number of ways (which we all know) but also, he believed, pellets could be problematical in that the manufacturers all set out to provide an all round food that provides all that the bun requires.... In other words they get all the nutrein without having the eat s.p's. But the s.p's will continue to be produced and because they are geared to eat them the buns do so but with reduced enthusiasm.
I was advised to get Clawed and my other buns onto as natural a diet as possible with plenty of hay.
I trusted my vet and what we had talked had about made sense. I got Clawed and the others onto as near a wild rabbit diet as I could and it did work. There was hardly ever a leftover s.p..
I'm not saying he was right but it made sense and it did help Clawed.

As for Junior stiffening up. That could also be right. Lil Loll you will recall had arthritis in both hips. He would still race around and binky to amazing heights during the early days but it did affect his ability to bend forward into the position required to take a pellet and after taking one or two he would leave any others after an abortive attempt to reach for them.

iiisecondcreep wrote:Sounds like Philip!  He is underweight but very active and always looking for food - he has NO shortage of appetite! He is on hay only with maybe half a dozen 1cm long bits of science selective and one 1" long bit of fibre first. Anymore and we are guaranteed uneaten caecals. If we collect forage for MJ then Philip will get one or 2 small leaves but thats it, he once had a small amount of dried forage and it gave him diarrhea. We also keep his bum clipped because he's pretty fluffy and sometimes the uneaten caecals stick to his fur.

We did have them for a short time on hay only (we cut out burgess excel and then introduced science selective) which seemed to help. We tried Pro-C as well but found like you it didn't work long term.

He seen my own vet and he's also been at the **** vet and they've not found any problems. They're obviously aware he's underweight but as long as he's maintaining his current weight they're happy - they've said they'd prefer he was underweight that constantly having a mucky bum.

Hopefully you find something that works for Junior.

KatieB wrote:I had this issue with Daisyb, and from time to time he still doesnt eat them.... There didnt seem to be any reason for it, I think if he is healthy in every other way hun you shouldnt worry too much.  

In all seriousness.... could it be banana? (although daisy doesnt like it and I still have the issue)

c.bolduan wrote:Just catching up
Bunny not eating c's ehh?
First I would reduce pellets
What part of tummy makes him flinch?
I could sent you healthy cookies if you pm me your address.
Try infacol just in case?
Keep me posted ...

jolovesbunnies wrote:Any news please love?

Hugs
JO xx

c.bolduan wrote:Update please!

Thumper2001 wrote:

c.bolduan wrote:Just catching up
Bunny not eating c's ehh?
First I would reduce pellets
What part of tummy makes him flinch?
I could sent you healthy cookies if you pm me your address.
Try infacol just in case?
Keep me posted ...

Another vote for pellets possibly being the issue! Hmm...

The tummy flinching was just when we were at the vet that day He hasn't grumbled at me poking about since.

Are you sure about sending cookies? Don't want to be a pain!

Thumper2001 wrote:
He told me to stop worrying about this. Junior has gotten into a lazy habit and has decided he prefers fresh food to "recycled" food. I asked about him losing nutrients and he told me if he was a wild rabbit he would worry but Junior is getting everything he needs from his pellets, hay and limited fruit/veg/herbs.

Thumper2001 wrote:Sorry, Claudia! I completely forgot about this! Do you still want me to send addres? If not don't worry about it

As mentioned in another thread I had Junior to the vet about his dodgy eye. While I was there I brought this up with the vet again. The vet we usually see.

He told me to stop worrying about this. Junior has gotten into a lazy habit and has decided he prefers fresh food to "recycled" food. I asked about him losing nutrients and he told me if he was a wild rabbit he would worry but Junior is getting everything he needs from his pellets, hay and limited fruit/veg/herbs.

I trust this vet. He's the one I always want when we go there. But I was surprised to hear this come out of his mouth.

He pretty much told me to just manage it. The problem might resolve itself, it might not.


I don't know what I'm asking. I'm just putting it out there I guess


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