Last 10 days Holland Lop ONLY eats yogurt and bananas - HELP

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jimmywalt

jimmywalt

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For the past 10 days our Holland Lop buck will ONLY eat yogurt and bananas. We got him about 4 weeks ago and don't have any other history on him. He "seemed" to do fine for about the first 1-1/2 weeks, but went down hill since then. He's extremely boney.

I had another thread about a week ago, but I know it's sunk to the bottom and I hope that someone on here can give us some more help.

We have tried parsley, pineapple and pineapple juice, hay, carrots and apple. -In addition we have tried his rabbit pellet food (2 different FRESH kinds of pellet food) and he just won't eat any of that stuff, but he gobbles up the yogurt and banana slices.

In the past couple days I've added dry oatmeal and crushed pellets to the yogurt. It seems that "some" of these extras he may be eating.

What else can we do? The vets around here don't know about rabbits, and charge and arm/leg just to see him. It seems that over the years we have been part of Rabbit Talk, many of the members here are smarter than any vet would be.

Please.......... any other suggestions. It's been like this for the past 10 days.

Thank you.
 
Wow, still! :(

You can see if he will eat wild bird food. I've used that a couple of times when I've run out of pellets and have not been able to get to the feed store.

Maybe see if he'll take pumpkin seeds, which you can find with the nuts. They are a natural wormer, in case that has anything to do with anything.

Have you looked at his teeth? I can't remember if you said so. Yogurt and banana are both super soft foods. Feel the sides of his face and along his jawline and under his chin for anything hot or swollen. Look at his teeth, front and back, and the gums, as well as you can. Will he eat applesauce, though he won't eat apple? How well are you crushing the pellets? You can get them to disintegrate by soaking them in a little water or juice (it takes about 10 minutes, I think). Then you can mix it with something, and it'll be just as soft.

Urine and droppings okay? He had paused giving bunny berries, right? Has he started pooping again?

Make sure he's getting electrolytes in his water, and it might be a good idea to get him a salt lick.

Anything in the Natural Feeding forum might be worth a try.

To be honest, if he were mine, I'd be willing to see if he'd take a little meat at this point. Maybe soft cold cuts. Evidence has been posted several places on the forum that suggests that rabbits are not the strict herbivores everyone thinks they are, and I'd be willing to give it a try to save a bunny.

You can try treating with a wormer, coccidiostat, or antibiotic, but you'll just be throwing stuff at him to see if something sticks (and there's no guarantee that medication won't cause his condition to worsen). It may be called for at this point, though.

It sounds like a vet is the only one who would be able to figure this out for sure, but without a vet that knows rabbits, a vet could do more harm than good. I and many others on here understand about the monetary part, too. But like you, I trust the people here more than I would trust a vet... there are just too few rabbit-savvy vets.
 
With no other symptoms? He won't eat other soft food? Have you tried berries? You can get frozen bags cheap year round and I find blueberry one of the best things to use when flavoring fiber sources like soaked pellets, hay leaves, and beet pulp. If he will eat other soft food like that I would say the problem is in his mouth or throat. The other fruits and veggies take more chewing except pineapple but I've never had an animal like pineapple by itself.

If he doesn't show even a slight texture preference then I'd go with stomach problems. Did you go the route of probiotics beyond the yogurt? It seems disgusting but one of the best ways to get the proper gut bacteria back in an animal like a rabbit is to get some fresh poops from a healthy one and mix it into the food or dissolve and syringe down them. There are various pure extracted products and also miso soup is fermented soybean with more bacteria and digestive benefits than yogurt. If that doesn't work by itself you might want a prebiotic with it. Prebiotics are materials that support beneficial bacteria growth through the digestive tract. You can often get dissolving powders that will help work as fiber. I have acacia powder. Problem is acacia is a gum and when wet it clumps so it's very annoying to mix 100% smooth. Although being flavorless and soft when bitten into it might go down just fine in the yogurt.

To keep some weight on him get an oil supplement. I like to use a liquid horse coat supplement with a variety of oils and/or cold pressed coconut oil. Most of the horse supplements also work for rabbits and guinea pigs when hunting for cheaper items. Such as you can get buckets of straight flaxseed.

Failing all attempts to get more food variety and higher energy foods down him I would then look toward medication. Have you dewormed him? antibiotics? cocci treatment?
 
This may seem like an off-the-wall suggestion, but it's one of those things that can't hurt and might help.

Get some fresh willow twigs or branches and offer him some. In addition, shave the bark (including the inner white bark) into a container and pour on boiling water. Let cool. Offer in addition to the water, electrolytes etc.

Willow bark is a natural analgesic much like aspirin and rabbits usually eat it eagerly. If his lack of appetite is caused by pain, this may help.
 
^^^YES, didn't even think about that!

If you have no access to willow, you can use chewable baby aspirin (low dose aspirin, 81mg I think). You can give up to one whole aspirin twice a day, but it would be good to start with 1/2 one time and see what happens.
 
:(

Sad day today..... We just couldn't stand to see him in this state any longer and had to put him to sleep.

Thank you for trying to help.
 
Sorry to hear that. You can take some consolation in knowing that you tried.

I keep a pro-biotic paste around and whenever I get a rabbit that doesn't seem to be eating right, I give them a couple of doses. I don't use it often, but I've had enough luck with it that I continue to spend the money and keep it on hand.

http://www.probios.com/product-detail-page/?q=88

You can get it at Tractor Supply. I usually order mine online from https://www.valleyvet.com/

(Make sure you get the one for ruminants.)
 
Miss M":3dfea9ld said:
I am so very sorry, Jimmywalt! :cry:

I so wish I had had some clue about something that would really have helped. :(
Click to expand...

Everyone is so great at Rabbit Talk and always gives great suggestions. I honestly believe that the combination of everyone here is better than the best rabbit vet there is!!! You all are great!!!!
 

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