Rabbits appear to be in a hunger strike!

[Blu]

OUr two rabbits seem to have eaten very little fro about 5 days. They look ok, but they just sit glumly in thier bed. They have drunk water, but have eaten no pellets at all. They might have eaten some hay, and I thnk they eat their straw (barley straw) as well as hay. I can't see any evidence of illness.

On a nice sunny day they did venture out into their run, but otherwise they show no interest in doing anything.

Are they ill? What should i do?

Glad the vet seemed happy with them - a bit strange the teeth were not looked at though.

Are they producing normal amounts of poo? If so then they are getting sufficient going through most likely. If not then it is a concern and the vet will need to see them again sooner rather than later and please insist their teeth are looked at.

Didn't mean to panic you previously but rabbits are so dependant upon food continuously moving through to keep the bacterial population healthy that even a short period of not eating properly can make a rabbit seriously ill. For this reason whenever a rabbit needs an anaesthetic they are not starved for a few hours like most other animals would be.

Let us know how they are getting on.

if their back teeth grow too long it would cause absceses that would be noticeable.

maybe they got spooked by a fox or something, i have a netherland dwarf female that sometimes seems nervy

haven't read entire thread so sorry if this has been suggested.
my rabbit did the same, and he had a mouth abcess and had to have a tooth removed.

they should have their mouths xrayed, a full abcess on a rabbit it horrible to treat.

Is it ok if they eat hay but leave thier pellets?

I gave them a small branch from our plum tree the other day - they have gnawed and chewed that and eaten the leaves - that is one things they do like. I don't think they have abcesses or anything that is causing them pain.

Blu, the thing to look out for (if it's teeth trouble) is little bits of food dropping out when they chew.

But I never see them chewing anything.

They are still off thier pellets, and not venturing from thier bed.

I'll have to take them back to the vet tomorrow.

I have googled some parasite rabbits get, but they haven't been in contact with any other rabbits.

If they are selectively feeding their teeth really need looking at. Abscesses are one problem as mentioned, but more commonly they can get spurs on their back teeth from uneven wear. In these cases certain foods can be harder to chew for them so they get left. There is also the possibility that their tongues or cheeks can get cut from the sharp spurs causing ulcers that you would not know about necessarily.
Are they back on the pellet food that they have eaten ok in the past or is it the new one still. Worth changing back perhaps if necessary. Assuming that they are being offered foods they have always eaten ok then IMO the vet really needs to get a look in their mouths. Perhaps you should get a different vet to see them? Is there a senior vet in the practice. If the original vet didn't look in the mouth you should ask for someone to check them without charging you a consult fee for doing so as it was not done on the first visit.

check their ears and bums

This morning they are out and about, nibbling straw and hay (why do they eat straw instead of hay? ) and the odd bit of dandelion, but still not pellets. Have checked ears and bums - they look ok. They are being lively and perky today, at least.

I think I have worked out what they do. On damp and windy days they just stay in their bed eating the hay and straw that is in there as bedding, but not budging.

Have gven them pellets from a new bag of their usual sort...

Hmmm. Possible cause.

Doing some gardening this morning, we have discovered a tiny fox cub living in the gap between the back of their shed and the fence.

Big dilemma - DP and DS planning to buy dog food for it and look after it - I am planning to get the council to come and do for it

I think it might have jumped or slipped down into our garden and not be able to get out - I have seen young foxes (older than this one) really struggling to find a way back over the fence.

Should I
a)try and catch it and put it back on the rooves behind our wall where they all seem to live? (in creepers on top of lock-up garages)
b) make a hole in the fence, chase it through into neighbouring gardens and then block hole back up
c) call the council or RSPCA
d) let DS and DP put food out for it? (I imagine it is drinking from our pond)

It is a v young cub, still v fluffy.

Do not try and catch it or you will get bitten for your trouble big time if you do manage to get hold of it. If the parents are not obviously about the best plan is to call the RSPCA out as they will need to get it fostered properly. It sounds like it may still be dependant upon its mother for milk at this time and feeding it with dog food may not be sufficient.

do you think the fox spooked them into not eating? d

Well, the fox has scarpered somewhere, hopefully back to it's mother.

I have throroughly cleaned the rabbit shed out so that I can ascertain what new droppings are like, given them fresh food - and they are out in their run now, looking pretty fit and perky, nibbling on some dandeliion leaves and hay. But they have not touched a single pellet, or even nosed about in them.

I will take them to the vet on Monday to get their teeth checked.

blu - did you ever find out what was the matter with them, my 2 rabbits are doing the same thing!