Bucks off feed...need advice

[rabbithappy]

I have a little problem & need some advice/ideas. For the past couple weeks, both my bucks have had very poor appetites. Both are also molting & it has been very hot here. I have tried everything I can think of & still have the problem. Here is what I've done so far. I have given Petromalt for 3 days straight, thinking it was a furball, since they are shedding, fed grass hay, picked & fed tender grass & clover ( a handful a day ). They picked up a little bit, but now are worse than ever. It has been terribly hot here, but they have been in an air conditioned building since Friday night. For the past couple days, they've only eaten about 1/4 cup of pellets, & didn't even finish the handful of grass I put in their bowls. I did think of apple cider vinegar in their water last night & added that, but its too early to tell if it will make any difference. Today I ordered water soluble vitamins for them from Bass. Until it gets here, is there anything else I can do to get them to eat?

[rabbithappy]

On the feed, I meant to say 1/4 cup per buck per day is all they've been eating. Since they are eating so little, I'm giving them the 18% ( Manna Gro ) that I feed to nursing moms & growing kits. Figured it would pack more punch per bite.

[SFM in KY]

You might try adding a handful of rolled oats or regular (not quick) oatmeal to their pellets, sometimes that appeals to them. My rabbits are off feed too, with the heat, and the ones that are molting the most seem to be the most miserable.

[MaggieJ]

How do they seem apart from their appetites? Are they perky and bright eyed? Listless? How is their body language? If they act fine, it is quite likely just a combination of heat and moulting. Either of those can make rabbits feel a bit "off" and bucks seem to feel these things more than does.

Edited to add: Are they drinking normally? If they have bottles you may want to add a crock to encourage them to drink more.

[arachyd]

Definitely try oats. Mine consider oats a real treat and they don't care if it's whole or quick oats or anything in-between. You could also try giving them some frozen melon or really just about any frozen fruit or vegetable that rabbits would normally eat. Freezing it helps them cool down. My rabbits have been enjoying bits of chilled melon and pear this week.

[rabbithappy]

George, acts fine. Just drinking less than usual & hardly eating. Tommy, however, has me even more worried.Yesterday, he hardly drank a thing. Much of the time he will be laying on his side, eyes half open, perfectly still. So still, I thought he was dead. When I go in the cage to check him out, he gets up, so i guess thats just the way he likes to sleep. I will try the oats. The frozen melon is a good idea. It would get fluids into them as well as nutrition. Even though they are cooler now that they are in the air conditioned building, I'm sure they will still enjoy it. I remember reading about that in the past on this board, but had forgotten about it. Thanks for the reminder & to everyone that responded.

[Ceres Hil]

if its over 80 put a frozen or very cold soda btl into the cage. they may be overheating. I would take a syringe and put some water into their mouths too.

[MaggieJ]

To me, not drinking is more worrisome than not eating. Try a crock if they are using bottles... sometimes they will take more that way. You could also try offering half-strength tea, either black tea or chamomile. Most rabbits like the taste and the novelty may get them drinking more. Be sure they also have access to plain water as well. Dandelions and plantain (Plantago major, the lawn weed, not the banana thing) might be more tempting to them than plain grass and both are packed with nutrients.

[jil101ca]

Personally, I don't worry about bucks who are moulting. They are miserable and pouting (sp?), like most males when not feeling well (no offence guys ) Wannabe is moulting and doing the same thing, not eating, drinking very little, sitting there all pouting and grumpy looking. I brush him and he gets even grumpier although he leans into the brush lol

[rabbithappy]

Well, it seems that George is a bit better this morning. I had found some Nutri Cal that was left over from when I raised puppies & mixed that in with the grass & clover. It is supposed to supply vitamins, etc & stimulate appetite. He ate all of the grass & clover, a little hay & a bit more of his pellets. There was also finally alot more pee & poop in his pan this morning, which was a relief to me. As for Tommy, he hasn't eaten more, but finally drank more, which makes me happy. Tomorrow my order should arrive. Yesterday, I called Bass back & added some Doc's Rabbit Enhancer to the order of vtamins. I did this as I was on a web site & saw the ingredients. It has probiotics, acidophylis ( sp? ) & lots of other good sounding things in it that should help alot. Meanwhile, I am thankful that they are no longer outside in this terrible heat.

[MaggieJ]

Glad to hear your boys are doing better! They sure can scare you sometimes, can't they?

[rabbithappy]

Ok, another update. I was thrilled tonight to see that Tommy ate almost ALL of his pellets!!! George is eating more too. I really think it may have been the adding ACV that did the trick. HURRAY for whatever it was that did it!!!