how to get your pet to eat more hay
Category title
Write a short description of this category
Category title
Write a short description of this category
Hay/grass should be the primary source of food for a healthy rabbit so if you have a 'fussy' rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla.
Follow these tips to encourage them to eat more.
And no matter how cute their little faces are, please don't be tempted to feed them more veg, pellets or treats and this can lead to a whole host of health complications such as GI Stasis, obesity & more!
why won't my rabbit eat hay?
This is one of the most common issues we hear with small animals like rabbits, guinea pigs & chinchillas, that rely on high fibre hay intake to be able to function!
In particular, more & more rabbit owners face this battle everyday.
Lets take a look at the the reasons why your rabbit won't eat the hay you've lovingly purchased - having spent your precious time perusing the shelves, deciphering the different types of hay, gasping at the cost of a bag of hay but thinking, 'awe, it will be worth the price to see them eat it all up & enjoy it'.
Off you scuttle home, anticipation of a cute smoochy face excited to see you with their new hay,
you pop it into their hay rack.......
they take a sniff....
a tiny nibble......
and stomp off throwing a bunny tantrum in the opposite direction declaring their zero intention of ever entering the vicinity of the hay rack ever again because shame on you human for failing to provide me with proper sustenance.........
Yes, and I think a lot of bunny owners can verify, these little tiny furballs have more sass and attitude than a reality TV star at the show reunion, when they are not happy with their food!
So let's figure out the cause to help us find a solution:
Are they in pain or discomfort?
Rabbits hide pain incredibly well as they are prey animals and are pre-programmed to not show weakness to avoid being 'picked off' by a predator. One of the first signs of illness is loss of interest in eating and you need to act quickly to minimise the impact on their tiny digestive system as it can shut down quickly unless they regularly eat high fibre hay or grass.
Could their teeth have overgrown and cause discomfort and inability to break down food?
Is the hay poor quality? Dusty, damp, mouldy etc?
Do they not like the taste & consistency of the hay?
Are they having diffulties with the other rabbits they share with?
