Bunnies Won't Eat New Food!?

Question

I got two new baby bunnies. I'm going to go to Petsmart tommorow to have basic things asked.

Our bunnies absolutely LOVE food- they eat, poop, and repeat. And when I came downstairs today, they were standing on their hind legs (like I taught them the day before), asking for food.

See, my mom got these bunnies from this farm(?) and the person who sold them had given us a big cup of food. They finished this yesterday, so I opened the new bag we had bought from Petsmart. They look exactly the same and from a human's nose they smell the same, too. But the bunnies smelled it and wouldn't eat it! They are only biting my hand. I got one of them to eat one (and with much difficulty), but he wouldn't eat any more.

I think I should have mixed the two foods together, but that didn't really strike me that time.

When I offered one, one of them pushed away my hand with his head and the other keeps on biting me as to see if I'm edible.

Help! I don't know the brand of the old food.

Answer 1

Is there any way to contact the person the bunnies came from, to find out what brand was used?

If the bunnies came from a farm, it was probably standard alfalfa growth feed that can be bought at the local feed and seed store (the place farmers and ranchers go to get animal food).

However, that kind of food really isn't best for pet rabbits. And eventually the bunnies will eat what's available. Whether you can find out what they were eating before and mix it with new food or not, here's what you need to feed them:

Steer clear of all the fancy bunny food with all the extras (cereal bits, seeds, etc). Look for timothy hay-based pellets, not alfalfa. I use Kaytee brand Timothy Complete. Timothy is tasty, and much, much healthier for bunnies than alfalfa.

Pick up a bag of Timothy or Grass hay (again, not alfalfa). Petsmart sells good timothy hay (I think it's Kaytee brand also).

Your bunnies should constantly have hay in their cage to eat. In fact, they will eat more hay than anything else. Then, once a day provide the pellets.

Gradually introduce fresh veggies, one at a time, so they can get used to having them in their diet. Parsley is an excellent one, and cheap. Mine are fond of all sorts of greens (go easy on kale and spinach, too many oxylates and to much calcium to eat very often). For two baby bunnies, a cup of fresh veggies a day is about right, and if they are mini breeds (topping out at around 5 pounds), then a cup to a cup and a half each of fresh veggies each day is good.

So... fresh water and hay at all times, other food once per day. Excellent treats for fun are carrots, apple slices (once per week), and (also once a week) millet sprays (seed sprays usually fed to birds. Bunns love 'em).

Good luck, and enjoy your babies!

Answer 2

How old is it? I don't think bunnies are supposed to have a lot of veggies or lettuce if they are younger than 6+ months. Is it the food she was first introduced to? What she was previously fed? If it's not, you may want to find the brand and introduce the new food with the old food overtime, until the mixture is mostly the new food and she is used to it. I would say you don't have a lot to worry about, because she is eating :) I am sure she is just nervous about a new home.