People love to eat. Many of our friends live life as if they were born to eat. Rabbits are the same way. A bunny’s favorite hobby is eating. It will eat anything that comes in the way as long as it is edible.
Sometimes, bunnies try to munch on things that are not edible, which can be harmful to the rabbit. As a pet owner, you are responsible for protecting your rabbit from eating harmful substances.
Bunny-proofing your house is the best way to do so. Manage your rabbit’s diet as much as possible and provide fresh and suitable food like hay, greens, and fruits. As food-loving animals, you must wonder if rabbits know when to stop eating.
Rabbits can feel full, but if they see food in front of them, they will not refrain from eating. A bunny stops eating if something is wrong with them or during rest time. You should be concerned if your pet rabbit has decreased its eating habits.
Bunnies are complex and snobbish animals. There is a chance your rabbit is not eating a food element just because it does not like the smell of it. However, it is best to avoid assuming this and ignore the change in your rabbit’s diet.
There can be possibilities that your bunny is suffering from physical or emotional distress that needs instant attention. Keep scrolling to learn more about your rabbit’s ability to stop eating.
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Rabbits Are Prone To Overeating
As mentioned earlier, rabbits will not stop eating any food placed in front of them, even if they have eaten entirely. Rabbits do have the capability of feeling full, but their desire for eating does not let them stop from munching.
The constant eating desire of rabbits can cause them harm as overeating can bring physical discomforts and diseases to your precious furry friend. In the wild, rabbits can pick and choose from various edible items.
Wild bunnies have the intelligence to pick the items that will suit them the most and enhance their health. However, that is not the case with domesticated rabbits.
Pet rabbits only have unlimited access to some food. They will only eat what their pet owners will provide. There is a high chance your bunny will have access to a low-fiber diet compared to the wilderness. This harsh reality can cause obesity, GI stasis, and other painful digestive issues for your rabbit.
Due to the rabbit’s overeating habits, it is best to provide it with healthy and high-fiber food so it does not have to face any difficulty health-wise.
How Can Overeating Harm Your Bunny Rabbit?
Overeating is a harmful activity for any living being. Our bodies can only digest enough food to provide energy and nutrients. Excessive food and nutrients turn into unwanted fat and damage our organs. Rabbits are fragile animals, and the slightest disruption in their optimal diet can cause a spiraling effect on their health.
A rabbit that overeats can experience many diseases, disorders, and emotional turmoil. Most of these health issues will be visible and easy to catch, but some might require extra attention. Here are a few issues you can look out for in your rabbit regarding overeating:
Obesity
Obesity is the most common health issue that occurs in rabbits that overeat. An obese bunny can attract more health problems. When your rabbit overeats, it gains weight, which reduces its physical activity.
A rabbit has a fragile spine and bones, which do not have the strength to lift the weight of your precious chubby bunny. Reduced physical activity can further increase your rabbit’s weight and cause heart issues.
Furthermore, a chubby rabbit lacks the power and motivation to groom itself. As the bunny would have an increased surface area, the cleaning process will be a tedious thing for your pet.
In addition, a cubby rabbit will have difficulty reaching its backside to eat the essential cecotropes to maintain health. All these further deteriorate your rabbit’s health.
Dental Decay
Rabbits use their food to trim their ever-growing teeth. If your bunny is overeating, it will mean extra trimming of its teeth. Overeating can cause dental issues for your rabbit.
Furthermore, pet rabbits have access to high-sugar content in vegetables and fruits.
When your rabbit overeats, it is taking in plenty of sugar, which can cause it to experience tooth decay. Rabbits need to eat solid foods. If your rabbit does not chew on food due to teeth issues, it will lose its health.
Heart Trouble
Overeating can put your rabbit’s tiny heart into overdrive. A rabbit’s heart beats faster and harder than most animals to keep up with the animal’s level of constant physical activity.
When a rabbit overeats, it strains its heart to pump the sugar and cholesterol-filled blood to provide the bunny with oxygenated blood as it zooms and plays around. Due to the increased harmful elements in the blood, the rabbit can have heart failure or atherosclerosis.
GI Stasis
Bunnies need a balanced diet for the proper functioning of their digestive tract. If a rabbit’s diet changes, your precious furry friend’s gut flora will experience a bacterial imbalance.
With an imbalance in the gut bacteria, your rabbit can suffer from gastrointestinal stasis, meaning digestion blockage. When the food accumulates in your poor bunny’s body, it can be fatal for the animal.
UTI
When a rabbit overeats, it means it is taking calcium content in its food. Rabbits do not need a high aunt of calcium as it can harm them. If your rabbit is overeating calcium content, it will suffer from urinary tract infections and kidney issues.
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The Nightmare of Your Bunny Not Eating
If your rabbit stops eating, it should raise the alarm in your mind. Rabbits are grazing animals and love to eat at all times. Your precious furry friend will stop eating if it is in physical discomfort or pain.
A rabbit’s pain is mostly not visible until it is too late or when you are at the vet. However, you must be aware of your rabbit’s usual behavior as a pet owner. So, here are a few things to note if your rabbit stops eating:
Ileus
Ileus is a disorder where a rabbit’s intestinal contractions cease to happen. It can be fatal for your rabbit as the animal will not be able to defecate. If the rabbit does not defecate, it will not eat. Here are some signs of ileus to look for in your rabbit:
- Overgrown teeth: You can check these by gently opening your rabbit’s mouth.
- Tumors or abscesses: Gently caress your rabbit’s skin to look for lumps and bumps.
- Runny eyes and nose: Look for wet eyes and nose in your rabbit. The front paws of your rabbit will also be wet due to the constant wiping of a runny face.
Loss Of Appetite
Your bunny should primarily be eating whenever you see it. If your rabbit has stopped eating as much as it usually does, something is not okay with your poor furry friend. Here is what a lack of appetite looks like in a rabbit:
- Small or less fecal pellets.
- Fecal matter is soft, runny, or sticky.
- The animal will decline its favorite treat.
- Your rabbit will lose weight in less time.
- The bunny will not have enough energy for physical activities.
- Lower thirst in your bunny.
- Bruxism.
A healthy rabbit’s biggest asset is its level of hunger. Bunnies should constantly be grazing on hay or healthy veggies to maintain their usual physical activities and health. If your rabbit stops eating, that is when you need to worry about your precious furry friend.
What To Do If Your Rabbit Stops Eating?
A rabbit’s lack of appetite is the primary source of stress for a pet owner. When your pet rabbit gets sick, it makes you panic.
However, there are plenty of things you can try to make your pet feel better and eat again. Once you find the source or try new things for your rabbit’s food, your bunny will surely come around and start eating again. Here is what you can do:
- Feed your bunny a puree of mixed vegetables to kick-start its intestinal process. With the lack of appetite, your rabbit will have a gas build-up in its gut, which will cause it intense pain.
- After force-feeding your poor bunny rabbit, massage its abdomen to promote gut movement.
- Ensure that your rabbit drinks more water than usual to ease defecation and to keep your furry baby hydrated during this painful ordeal.
- If your rabbit begins eating on its own, give it food with high water content, like lettuce and celery. It will promote your rabbit’s gut health and ease its digestion.
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Final Word
A rabbit is a huge responsibility, and raising one requires deep research. The poor animal will look to you for everything it needs. If you keep your precious furry friend well-fed with loads of hay, veggies, and fruits as a treat, you and your pet will have to face fewer stressful events.
