My rabbit has been really hungry lately, why?

Question

We got her at a pet store december 23rd 2007. The people there didn't tell us much, only that she was ten weeks old and she was a girl. Lately she has been hungry all the time. When we open fridge she there waiting for food and when we give it to her she snatches it out of our hands like she's been starving. We feed her a lot of romaine lettuce, carrots, fresh grass, and a few granny smith apples. A few weeks ago she was really aggressive, biting and scratching, but now she is really calm and relaxed. Why is she acting this way, and is it too late to get her spayed?

Answer 1

I have 7 rabbits and its never to late to get them fixed. which would proubly be in her best interest to do because some times older rabbits get really aggressive from not being fixed you should not supply a rabbit with an unlimited supply of food or they will keep wanting more on average a big breed rabbit should be fed a cup and a half and a medium small rabbit should be fed a cup the only thing you should give an unlimited supply of is water and timothy hey and try to feed her the same time every day so she isn't starved. for vitamins you should go to your local pet store and ask them what they have and only give your rabbits veggies or fruit 2 times a week maybe 3  

Answer 2

What else are you feeding her besides fruits and veggies? She needs pellets and unlimited Timothy hay (since she is almost 1 year) daily as well. If she does not get these things she may indeed be seeking out more nutrition. But also be careful since rabbits are notorious beggars, so she may not actually be hungry (be careful you don't overfeed her).

How much you feed her should be somewhat in proportion to her body size. There are many different rabbit breeds, and while yours may not be a purebred, you can probably easily determine if she is of a smaller, medium, or larger rabbit variety, which would help you decide how much she should weigh, and therefore how much she should be fed. Check out http://rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html... to determine how much to feed her (make sure you weigh her first and determine if she is in good condition or overweight). With good conditioned rabbits you should be able to run your hands down her body and not feel any protruding bones; you will notice her ribs and hips but not get caught on them. She should also not look like her sides extend past her body frame (she should not have sides like a horse, they should be fairly even with the rest of her body).

The aggression is probably because she hit maturity, aka she is a bunny teenager. This happens around 4-6 months usually. Most vets consider bunnies too old to be spayed at over 6 years, so you have plenty of time to go out and spay her (the sooner the better, though). http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/spay-... will give you a general overview on spaying and the site can also help you find a good rabbit savvy vet in your area. If you need further help finding a vet, contact your local animal shelter/rescue that has rabbits and ask them who they have fix all their rabbits, as that vet will have had lots of experience.

Spaying your rabbit will help her live a longer, healthier life with your. You can also better litter train her, have a calmer, less aggressive bunny, and get her another bunny friend to keep her company. Good luck!

Answer 3

rabbits get very hungry when they have just have bunnies

Answer 4

It is never too late to spay an animal. If a rabbit shows any signs of aggression, this should be your first priority as the behavior may escalate.

Rabbits oftentimes covet food. It is normal behavior to grab and run (it is a natural instinct). Although as I tell anyone, if you have any doubts, call a vet. They will be happy to offer advice over the phone.

Also, rabbits are grazing animals, so be sure to provide unlimited quantities of timothy hay at all times. not only will this help with boredom and hunger, but it is very healthy for their gi tract and teeth.

Answer 5

She might be going into heat. She seems to be a bit old to being having it for the first time... but she might be acting out because of her repression of it. Non neutered rabbits can become aggressive later on in years if it is left unchecked. (Not violent though... just something we like to call "Bunny Madness")



I would check her out with a Vet either way. She might have something else going on other than "Heat" Her food supply might not be giving her what her body needs any more. She might need more vitamins or just a better supply of food.

Then there is always the most obvious reason. THE BUNNY HAS BEEN SPOILED! Muahaha!  If she has gotten away with bad behavior before, what going to stop her now? This could be a simple control issue.

I would start at the Vet then go from there.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

is it possible she's pregnant? probably not if you keep her inside... lol I don't really know about bunnies... I don't think it's ever too late to get an animal fixed. take her to the vet either way to find out about her hunger.