My bunny only eats lettuce and won't touch hay. What can I do?

Thank you for your question about Oreo. When rabbits begin having preferences for different food items intermittently, it is often a sign of dental disease. I would recommend having Oreo seen by a veterinarian who is familiar with rabbits. They can perform a thorough examination, including an oral exam. It isn’t enough to just look at the front teeth, as often the issues are further back in the mouth. This area can only be seen with specialized tools that your veterinarian will have. Depending on what they find, they may recommend diagnostic testing to confirm or rule out dental disease. From there, they will also recommend treatments to pursue, which may include trimming the teeth. I hope that gives you a place to start, and that Oreo feels better very soon.

Hay is extremely important in a rabbit's diet so if she is not eating hay, it is a problem. The most common reason is that there is a dental issue. I suggest you have her examined by your vet and be sure they check her teeth. The other possibility is that the quality of the hay has changed, is moldy or is poor in general. You can try a different type to see she likes it better. Oxbow, in my opinion, is the best hay so if you are not using it, I suggest you try it. ( https://www.amazon.in/s?k=oxbow+timothy+hay&crid=FOG31C395JKV&sprefix=oxbow%2Caps%2C389&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_6_5 )

A rabbit that will not eat should be considered a veterinary emergency. Anorexia in rabbits can slow down or stop the gut which can lead to a dangerous build-up of bacteria and gas. This can be deadly. It is critical to have Thumper examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits to get him eating as soon as possible and to diagnose the reason for his loss of appetite. Keep timothy hay and water available at all times. You can soak some pellets in an unflavored electrolyte replacement beverage to make a mash which may make eating easier also.

Your bunny was probably just used to eating the lettuce and is adjusting to his new diet. You did the right thing by offering him only the pellets and hay. This is what is most beneficial to him. Since his stools are normal I would not worry at this point. If he stops passing stools, stops eating, or if you suspect he is losing weight, then you should take him to the veterinarian to be checked out. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

You can feed your rabbit rabbit pellets, fresh greens, green veggies, carrots and a slice of apple or Tomato here and there for a treat. You can also feed cucumber. Always have good quality hay in his cage anyway, best is to go to a farmer near you or a horse stable and ask if you can buy a slice or small bale of hay (should not cost more than $10, but will last a long time). The commercial hay you can buy in the pet store is often old and dusty and I would not eat it either.....

You can provide pelleted feeds to rabbits that are refusing hay. However, this is not ideal and may result in some dental problems for your rabbit in the future. I would encourage you to look elsewhere for other types of hay. Based on your location, I do not know how feasible it is for you to seek out farms that might sell appropriate mixes of hay for Mecca. You may be able to find some in northern Westchester county or Putnam. If this isn't an option, you should continue to look into all the different brands of hay available. They are all slightly different. Remember, you can not feed tons of Alfalfa hay though even if Mecca ends up taking a liking to it. It will result in significant nutritional issues and should only be given as a small portion of his regular diet. Timothy hay is the true staple food. Hope this helps.

Pellets can predispose a rabbit to obesity. They may not provide the amount of fiber needed to maintain a healthy gut. You don't need to feed just produce. Ellie should be fed as much timothy hay, oat hay or similar grasses as she wants to eat. These grasses are relatively inexpensive. You can feed alfalfa until she is about 7 months old then discontinue feeding it. Supplement the diet with a cup or two of fresh, dark, leafy greens and vegetables daily. Up to 1/4 cup of commercial pellets can be offered daily.