Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Rabbits > eating habits changing

eating habits changing

22 10:37:23

Question
Hi, I have a 2 year-old fixed male rabbit whose eating habits changed within the last month or so.  Until recently, he has eaten all his food with no problem.
 
He is given between 1/2 & 1 cup of pellets, unlimited hay & a cup or so of fresh veggies daily.  Lately, if I give him pellets or veggies at the same time as I give him hay, he will not eat the hay, but instead pulls it into the cage from the hay rack and urinates on it, then pushes it out of the cage.  If I give him the hay when he has no other food, he will eat it.

I thought maybe there was something wrong with the hay, but that doesn't appear to be the problem as I've tried using hay from a different store as well as a different brand of hay and he still does the same thing.

I've thought that it may be just that his preferences have changed and he likes the pellets and veggies better, but am unsure why he would dispose of the hay as he does if that's the case.

I don't think he's sick, as he is still acting normally & still eating and drinking, and since he will still eat the hay if it's all he is given at the time.  Mostly I'm just curious about why he's doing this.

Any ideas?

Answer
It sounds as though when he is full, he sees the hay as more of something to be tossed around rather than eaten. I don't think it's a concerning behavior, it sounds a lot like what toddlers do with their food when they're full - they toss it! For whatever reason, he has determined that peeing on the hay and pushing it out of the cage is an interesting thing to do to pass the time. He's innovated a new activity.

And in the end, sometimes bunnies are just...strange ;-)