My bunny always seems so hungry. Am I feeding her enough food?

In my experience the most common reason rabbits gain weight is due to over feeding pellets. Rabbits only need about 1/4 cup or less of pellets a day. If you are feeding more than this, I would suggest slowly decreasing the amount over several weeks. Bunnies should always have very slow diet changes to avoid gastrointestinal problems. Thanks for using Pet coach and I hope this was helpful!

You should not be able to feel the whole spine so it sounds to me like the bunny is underweight. She should be on a diet of mainly hay and some rabbit pellets. Occasional fresh fruits and veggies are good too. If she is eating well but still underweight I would recommend having her checked out at the vet. She may have an intestinal parasite or something else causing her to lose weight.

Hello. It sounds like your rabbit may have signs of gastrointestinal stasis, which means the GI tract has slowed down, usually as a result of a rabbit that stops eating. Rabbits will stop eating for a number of reasons - their teeth may be overgrown, their tooth roots may be infected, they could also have any other systemic disease (respiratory, urinary, infection, etc). As you can see, the causes are many and its impossible to say what is the underlying cause for sure without an exam and testing (usually radiographs, blood work, etc). Regardless of the cause, GI stasis is potentially fatal if left untreated. Therefore, I would urge you to get veterinary care ASAP. In the meantime, syringe feed Hobie with a liquid hay diet, ideally Oxbow herbivore critical care if you can get some, or soak the hay pellets in warm water to make a slurry. The best thing to keep the GI tract healthy is fiber and hydration, so hay is the foundation of health. I see in the first picture a pellet mix with maybe some oats, corn, and/or seeds mixed with the pellets. This is not an appropriate diet for rabbits as they are selective feeders and usually pick out the concentrates. These pellet mixes significantly increase the incidence of dental disease and obesity. I recommend a 100% timothy hay pellet, ideally Oxbow brand. Feed 1/4 cup timothy hay pellets, free choice grass hay, and 2 cups fresh greens a day with fresh water available in a bowl and sipper.

It's actually quite normal to feel some bones on a rabbit with a normal body condition, so I would check the body condition using the link below as a guide: https://research.unc.edu/files/2012/11/Body-Condition-Scoring-Rabbit.pdf If she is a body condition of one, then it's best to have Lulu evaluated by a vet, because it's possible that she has a medical condition that is causing her to be thin. If it's in-fact due to a lack of nutrition, then I recommend feeding a diet of free-choice Oxbow pellets, high-quality hay and grass. It will also be good to feed fruits and vegetables about twice a day. When she gets to a more normal body condition, the fruits and vegetables should be no more than 10% of her diet and the diet should be mostly grass and hay. Diet changes with Rabbits should be gradual. Changing the diet too quickly can alter the normal gut flora significantly and cause major problems. If she has a lack of appetite or loose stools at any time, then I recommend taking her to the vet for an evaluation. I hope that helps and Lulu gets better soon.

If she will allow, check her teeth for overgrowth or misalignment. If necessary, you can your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits correct any dental issues. If she is less than 6 months old, offer alfalfa. This may get her to eat higher fiber and healthier diet. Lettuce has very little in the way of nutritional value. You can offer dark, leafy greens and vegetables as well as commercial pellets. Oxbow Critical Care for Herbivores can also be used to supplement her diet. Always have timothy hay, oat hay or similar grasses and fresh water in the cage or hutch at all times. If she stops eating, have her seen immediately by your veterinarian.

Hello, and thank you for your question. It is difficult to tell from your description whether this is a problem with Mildinka's eyesight, or perhaps a neurological issue, or perhaps she is just not interested in the food right away. I would definitely get her checked out at a vet to properly assess her symptoms. Eye problems in young rabbits can be related to a neurological parasite called Encephalozoon cuniculi. Alternatively, she could be dealing with an eye infection, or pain somewhere in her body causing low appetite. It is unfortunately hard to say for sure without a proper exam. In the meantime, I would try to keep her hay and pellets, and water close by so she has easy access to everything. I hope this helps, and that Mildinka gets the help she needs soon!

I think this article will answer most of your nutrition questions. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=18+1803&aid=1638 The only thing you need to limit as a rabbit reaches maturity is the pellets. They should make up less of the diet. She should be eating mostly hay and vegetables. Overfeeding pellets in mature rabbits can lead to obesity and other medical conditions. Hope this helps. After you read the article if you still have questions feel free to post again. Best wishes.