Questions...

[CatLover03]

Hello everyone! I've been gone a while...and now I'm back. ;) Can rabbits get arthritis? My rabbit is 8 years old, and he can no longer hop...he waddles. Also...He doesn't eat carrots or anything like that. He eats paper, and salted corn chips. Funny little bunny, isn't he? (Oddly enough, he's old, and his name is Baby) ;)

[Karen]

Change his diet! If he's not eating pellets, give him greens - parsley, dandelion greens, etc, see http://rabbit.org for a good list. On a diet of paper (no nutrition whatsoever) and salted corn chips (fattening and not enough vitamins), you might waddle, too. Has he been to a vet?

[CatLover03]

He eats pellets, and some alfalfa. He's just weird. He's in good health, the vet said so. He's just old...I suppose.

[Dogz]

Did you vet say anything about arthritis? Maybe you should ask the vet. Like Karen said, change your bunnies diet. Good luck, and keep us updated.

[Rottieluver45]

Definatley change his diet! I don`t think paper and Salt chips are very good for him. Try alot of different veggies, Instead of the paper and salt chips there has to be something healthy he likes!

[CatLover03]

Every time I buy him new food, he either spills it out of his food dish, or doesn't eat it. I'll just stick to pellets and see what the vet says.

[Dogz]

Try all of the veggies you can, there ought to be one that your bunny likes.

[Rottieluver45]

Originally posted by CatLover03
Every time I buy him new food, he either spills it out of his food dish, or doesn't eat it. I'll just stick to pellets and see what the vet says.

Thelmer does the spill thing. She has to, I dunno why, but EVERY time she does it. The food dish might be too big for him and his mouth can`t reach inside the bowl so he dumps it over.

Just try lettuce, even if you already have. Try...apples!

[CatLover03]

I tried lettuce once, and he didn't like it. Apples? I don't know. All I know is that he likes his pellets, and a special food with seeds in it. One more question...can rabbits shrink as they get older? Baby was big when he was around 5 and now it seems like he shrank. (P.S. if you have a rabbit try putting an old shirt over him, and tell him to come to you. Baby loves that game.) :)

[Rottieluver45]

Originally posted by CatLover03
I tried lettuce once, and he didn't like it. Apples? I don't know. All I know is that he likes his pellets, and a special food with seeds in it. One more question...can rabbits shrink as they get older? Baby was big when he was around 5 and now it seems like he shrank. (P.S. if you have a rabbit try putting an old shirt over him, and tell him to come to you. Baby loves that game.) :)

Just try apples! Once. PLEASE!! Thelmer loves apples so maybe your bunny might like them!

[CathyBogart]

My last bunny was a dwarf who lived to be eleven, and I must say that he did slow down a lot in the last year or so. I'm not certain, but it seems reasonable to me that a bunny could get arthritis.

Perhaps he would enjoy a blanket with a heat pad underneath it to relax on for a bit? My arthritic dog seems to enjoy getting his bad joint all nice and warm.

As for shrinking...I don't think they actually SHRINK, but my older bunnies all seemed to get a little bit thinner and just...have less presence I suppose. They were still their wonderful selves, they were just more interested in sleeping in a lap than in playing or exploring.

[CatLover03]

I agree with that. Baby doesn't want to play much anymore. But they are still a very fun pet to have. :)

[cutie_chica]

AJ did that for a while, But He just one day started hoping again lol :) And Spilling food, AJ did that all the time, He just liked eating food on the floor :p Try your bunny to eat carrots and some apples... :) No more salt chip and paper lol :) Keep us updated on it though, Good Luck!!