What are the common problems when feeding rabbits with feed?
Rabbits are relatively fragile livestock, and problems easily arise when they eat. I believe everyone has often run into some of these problems and had no idea where to start checking. Below, let's go over some common problems when feeding rabbits! Next time you run into these problems, you can check against them to see what is actually going on.
1. Decreased eating efficiency
When feeding rabbits, decreased eating efficiency is generally caused by a drop in appetite, or in plain terms, having no appetite. This is quite common and will happen often; once the rabbit adapts, it will be fine. Common causes include a change of feed, which the rabbit is not used to; the arrival of the estrus period, causing no appetite; spoiled feed with the wrong taste, and so on, all of which can cause a rabbit's appetite to decline somewhat. In addition, if temperature control is not done well and the temperature is too high, or if the forage fed long-term is too little, these situations can also occur. You can check accordingly and then adjust and make changes, and the rabbit will soon eat again.
2. Stopping eating
Stopping eating is a further progression of decreased appetite, indicating that the earlier judgment was wrong and the key point was not grasped. In the early stage, the rabbit's behavior is to ignore food and wander around the cage, and then as the period of not eating grows longer, it becomes emaciated and dies. At this point, you need to figure out whether it is a problem with the food or with the rabbit itself. If it is the rabbit itself, you can check its mouth, belly, and feces for any differences from before. If it is a problem with the food, you can try feeding the food that was used when it was normal before, so as to determine the cause of stopping eating.
3. Abdominal bloating
If a rabbit develops abdominal bloating, in the vast majority of cases its stomach and intestines have a problem. First observe whether its belly is abnormally swollen, then feel with your hand whether there is something relatively hard under its belly, and it is best to compare recent feces with earlier ones. If they have clearly become smaller and harder, then it is basically intestinal obstruction. If it is caused by spoiled food or too much dry feed, then feed some medicine that promotes digestion, then give a little water and wait for it to pass naturally. If it is caused by bacteria, then consider treating it with drugs such as lichangjing, and be sure to feed some medicine for treating inflammation of the rabbit's stomach and intestines. If you do not know how to do this, you can consult a veterinarian to solve it.
4. Diarrhea
There are many causes of diarrhea in rabbits. For example, a sudden change in environment may cause it, daily forage that is too moist can also cause it, and indigestion can cause it too. These are all quite common, and you only need to make appropriate adjustments and give the rabbit a little time, and it can recover on its own. What is serious is diarrhea caused by parasites and pathogens. Besides being highly contagious, these can also put the rabbit's life at risk, such as those caused by coccidiosis, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus, among others. It shows up as the rabbit being unable to control its excretion, and bloody diarrhea may even occur. If it is caused by coccidiosis, the rabbit will also have abnormalities on its body, and you can check places such as its ears.
The above are some common problems when feeding rabbits with feed. A rabbit occasionally not eating when fed is a normal behavior, but if it happens often, then there is definitely a problem. Do not scare yourself over a single occasional instance; observe more before making a judgment.