My Rabbit Has Stopped Eating Its Hay: Causes and What to Do
11 min readHas your rabbit stopped eating its hay? First, check whether it is still eating anything else and still producing droppings. If it has stopped eating altogether, is passing fewer droppings or sits hunched and listless, this is an emergency: call a vet straight away, without waiting until the next day. If it is still eating but simply turning its nose up at its hay, the cause usually lies in its diet or in the hay itself, and there are simple solutions.
Written by the Haynest team. This article draws on recommendations from vets and animal welfare organisations.
A rabbit that has stopped eating altogether: a veterinary emergency
A rabbit's digestive tract is designed to work non-stop. When it slows down or stops, this is called gut stasis (GI stasis). The PDSA, a UK veterinary charity, explains that it can both cause and result from a loss of appetite: a vicious circle that can be fatal without prompt treatment.
How long should you wait before calling? Not at all. Vets at VCA Animal Hospitals point out that a rabbit that isn't eating can go from feeling slightly off to a life-threatening condition within a few hours. The PDSA advises contacting your vet immediately, and the Rabbit Welfare Association (RWAF) warns that waiting until the next day may be too late.
Warning signs to look out for
- it refuses everything: hay, greens, pellets;
- its droppings are smaller or fewer, or have stopped altogether;
- it sits hunched, seems listless or hides;
- it grinds its teeth, a sign of pain;
- its belly looks bloated;
- it drools or has a wet chin.
Just one of these signs is reason enough to call. In the evening or at the weekend, contact the out-of-hours emergency vet, ideally a rabbit-savvy (exotic-pet) vet.
Sign, severity, what to do: the summary table
If you're torn between two rows, always go with the more serious one.
| What you notice | Severity | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Not eating anything (no hay, greens or pellets) | Emergency | Vet straight away, even at night or at the weekend |
| Droppings much smaller, fewer or absent | Emergency | Vet straight away |
| Hunched and listless, bloated belly, teeth grinding | Emergency | Vet straight away |
| Eating less than usual, drooling, picking through its food | Serious | Call the vet without delay (possible dental pain) |
| Eating less and drinking noticeably more than usual | Serious | Call the vet without delay |
| Uneaten caecotrophs, left in the cage or stuck to its bottom | Deal with promptly | Clean gently, book a vet appointment, review the diet |
| Eating pellets and greens, normal droppings, but ignoring its hay | Not urgent, but needs fixing | Adjust the diet and the hay, have its teeth checked, check droppings every day |
While you wait for the vet: what to do and the mistakes to avoid
Do
- Phone now and describe exactly what you are seeing.
- Note the time of its last meal and of the last droppings you saw: these details help the vet.
- Keep it somewhere calm, with fresh hay and water available.
Don't
- Wait until the next day “to see if it passes”.
- Give it medication to get the gut moving without an examination first: if the intestine is blocked, this can cause a fatal rupture, the RWAF warns.
- Try a home remedy such as pineapple juice: it doesn't help, and its sugar can make things worse.
- Force-feed it with a syringe without your vet's go-ahead: the PDSA advises against any home care without veterinary advice.
My rabbit won't eat its hay but eats everything else: the common causes
A rabbit that has stopped eating hay but is still eating its pellets and greens, with normal droppings, is not in immediate danger. But neglecting hay, which should make up 80 to 90% of its diet, puts it at risk of dental and digestive problems in the long run.
Too many pellets or treats
A rabbit that has filled up on pellets has no appetite left for its hay. VCA vets list too much carbohydrate (pellets, treats, carrots, fruit) combined with too little fibre among the causes of digestive problems. Rule of thumb: about 25 g of pellets per kilo of body weight per day for an adult, or roughly one egg cup per kilo, according to the RSPCA.
Dusty, damp or stale hay
Rabbits have a keen sense of smell. Hay that is yellowed, dusty, smells musty or has got damp won't tempt them. The RSPCA recommends good-quality hay that smells pleasant and is free of dust.
Switching hay too suddenly
Changing food overnight stresses a rabbit and can even put it off its food altogether, the PDSA points out.
Dental pain
A rabbit's teeth grow continuously. An overgrown tooth or a dental spur makes chewing uncomfortable. And since hay is the food that takes the most chewing, it makes sense that it is the first thing to be refused. Drooling, a wet chin, weight loss or picking through food all warrant a vet visit.
A rabbit has 28 teeth, which keep growing throughout its life: about 1 cm a month, according to VCA vets. It is the long, silica-rich fibres of hay, chewed with a side-to-side motion, that wear down its molars; no other food does this, the RWAF points out, and pellets wear them down poorly (MSD Veterinary Manual). When wear is insufficient, spurs form on the outer edge of the upper molars, on the cheek side, and on the inner edge of the lower ones, on the tongue side (RWAF): every mouthful of hay becomes painful.
Stress
A change of home, loud music, the arrival of a new pet: the PDSA lists these events, trivial to us, among the common causes of a drop in appetite.
Heat
VCA vets note that rabbits often stop eating when they are too hot. In summer, serve hay during the cooler hours, in the shade, with fresh water always available.
How the hay is served
The RSPCA suggests a hay rack or a hanging basket to keep hay clean, a forage box to encourage rummaging, and hay next to or above the litter tray, which prompts some rabbits to eat more of it.
What can you do to get your rabbit eating hay again?
- Have its teeth checked. For a rabbit that is reluctant to eat hay, the RSPCA recommends having a vet check that no health problem is to blame.
- Gradually cut back on pellets and treats. Work your way back down to about 25 g of pellets per kilo per day. For treats, stick to the guidelines in our guide: 1 to 2 apple or carrot chips a few times a week, a small pinch of Floral Mix.
- Serve fresh hay every day. Replace it daily even if some is left, in several small portions. Rule of thumb: a volume of hay roughly the size of its body each day, unlimited, day and night.
- Switch hay gradually. Mix the old and the new, increasing the share of the new hay each day, over about a week.
- Vary the hays and how you serve them. Alternate two hays with different textures, for example our Provençal meadow hay and our Premium Crau Hay, and set out hay in several spots around its space.
- Offer a tastier hay. A really green, fragrant hay rich in plant species, such as our Premium Crau Hay, is more appealing to fussy rabbits.
- Make it forage. Hide a few dried dandelion leaves or a pinch of Floral Mix in the middle of a handful of hay, or stuff a plain, unprinted cardboard tube: as it rummages, it eats hay.
Harvested in Provence, with around twenty plant species in every bale and an aroma that often wins fussy rabbits back to their hay rack.
Your best indicator is its droppings. As long as they stay plentiful, well formed and their usual size, you have time to adjust the diet gradually. If they decrease or its appetite drops, don't wait: call the vet.
Rabbit droppings: what do they look like when all is well?
A quick look at the litter tray each morning is enough to tell whether your rabbit is eating enough hay. Here are the benchmarks from the RWAF and the House Rabbit Society, drawn to scale: the green bar measures 1 cm.
Pellets, caecotrophs, thirst: other situations
My rabbit has stopped eating its pellets
If you've just cut back its ration and it is eating more hay, that's exactly the goal. On the other hand, a rabbit that suddenly refuses pellets it used to love is eating less than usual: in that case, the PDSA advises calling the vet immediately. If it is also refusing hay and greens, it's an emergency.
My rabbit has stopped eating and is drinking a lot
According to the RWAF, a rabbit that drinks more than usual may be in pain or very stressed. VCA vets also point out that dental or kidney disease often reduces appetite. Unusual thirst combined with a loss of appetite is not normal: call the vet without delay. Conversely, a rabbit that drinks too little is also at risk, because its digestive tract needs to be well hydrated.
My rabbit has stopped eating its caecotrophs
Caecotrophs are softer, moister droppings that a rabbit eats directly as they come out of its anus: they are part of its normal digestion. If it leaves them in the cage or stuck to its bottom, the RWAF lists several possible causes:
- too many pellets, which make it produce more caecotrophs than it can eat;
- a diet too high in sugar or starch;
- being overweight, which stops it reaching its bottom;
- arthritis or back pain.
The RSPCA points out that this puts the rabbit at risk of digestive problems and flystrike (flies lay their eggs on soiled fur). Gently clean the area, talk to your vet and review the diet: for these rabbits, the RWAF advises no more than 15 g of pellets per kilo per day, with unlimited hay.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a rabbit go without eating?
As short a time as possible. According to VCA vets, its condition can become serious within a few hours. As soon as you notice it has stopped eating, call a vet, without waiting until the next day.
My rabbit eats its pellets but not its hay: is that serious?
Not immediately, if its droppings are normal, but do correct its diet: fewer pellets, fresh and tasty hay, and a dental check.
Can I syringe-feed it while waiting for the vet?
Not without your vet's go-ahead. Call them first: only the vet can rule out an intestinal blockage and tell you whether to feed your rabbit, how, and with what.
Which hay should I give a fussy rabbit?
A green, fragrant, low-dust and varied hay. Hays rich in leaves and plant species, such as our Premium Crau Hay, often win over the fussiest eaters.
In short
Not eating anything or no more droppings: vet immediately, no home remedies. Only ignoring its hay: fewer pellets and treats, fresh and tasty hay, a gradual transition and a dental check. Its droppings remain your best guide.
To choose the right hay for your rabbit, also read our guide Which hay is best for your rabbit?
Hand-sorted, sun-dried and shipped from our farm within 24 working hours.
Sources consulted
- PDSA — Reduced Appetite in a Rabbit
- VCA Animal Hospitals — Gastrointestinal Stasis in Rabbits
- Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund — Rabbit Gut Slowdown: Emergency Signs & Treatment
- RSPCA — What do rabbits eat? Rabbit diet advice
- Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund — Why Rabbits Get Dirty Bottoms & How to Fix It
- Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund — Why Fresh Water is Essential for Rabbit Health
- Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund — Digestion
- House Rabbit Society — The Mystery of Rabbit Poop
- Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund — Rabbit Dental Problems
- MSD Veterinary Manual — Dental Care of Rabbits
- VCA Animal Hospitals — Dental Disease in Rabbits
Photos: Haynest, except the skull (see its caption). Droppings illustrations: Haynest, based on descriptions by the RWAF and the House Rabbit Society.
This article is for information only and does not replace a vet's advice. If you have any doubts about your rabbit's health, consult a professional, ideally a rabbit-savvy (exotic-pet) vet.
