As a general rule if your bunny stops driving water it is a sign of a deeper problem. Could be 1) Stress 2) Illness 3) Digestive Problems 4) Cold 5) Heat 6) Age several things you can do to encourage are 1) Easy access 2) Clean Water 3) Use Eyedropper to drip water into bunnies mouth 4) Warm the water 5) Use Oxbow 6) Add pineapple juice and crushed bananas.
How to get a Rabbit to Drink Water
How to get a Rabbit to Drink Water – There is nothing quite as distressing as seeing your pet rabbit refuse to drink. While it’s possible for mammals to live quite some time without food, the same is not true for water. Without adequate dehydration, rabbits can quickly succumb to dehydration, which can lead to kidney damage and a host of other health problems. It can even lead to death.
So, that leaves the problem of how to get a rabbit to drink water.
First, be sure you are providing easy access to your rabbit’s water source.
Second, be sure the water is fresh and clean; any bad smells or particulates may discourage rabbits from drinking.
Third, you can slowly drip water into a rabbit’s mouth using an eyedropper or small syringe if the rabbit is too weak to drink on its own.
See Amazons Educational Resources on Training Rabbits
How you handle your rabbit’s refusal to drink water will depend greatly on why she isn’t drinking in the first place. What works for a stubborn rabbit may not be wise to use on a very sick rabbit, for example. Let’s explore how to get a rabbit to drink water in greater detail.
Why do Rabbits Need so Much Water?
Rabbits drink an incredible amount of water compared to their body weight. There are a few reasons for this, and each is vital to your rabbit’s health.
Digestion:
The rabbit digestive process is fairly complex. Because of their incredibly fast metabolism and reliance on fibrous vegetation for nutrition, they require a lot of water to survive.
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Healthy water consumption aids in the digestion of tough plant fibers, helping them pass quickly through the gut. The moist, soft cecotropes are the first type of excrement for rabbit digestion. You may see your bunny eating these; don’t be alarmed! This is perfectly natural. In fact, that’s the whole point of cecotropes.
All that fibrous plant matter is hard to digest, so rabbits drink lots of water to push the food through the gut quickly, creating soft cecotropes. They consume the damp cecotropes to digest it all again, absorbing the water and nutrients the second time through. This produces the dryer, normal rabbit pellets you’ll see at the bottom of the cage.
Without proper water consumption, cecotropes cannot form properly. They’ll be too dry or may not come at all. That means your rabbit can’t digest her food properly either.
Urine and Kidney Health:
Kidneys filter toxins from the body. To do so, they require a lot of water. Without proper water consumption, rabbit kidneys won’t have enough blood. This can lead to a toxin buildup that can cause kidney failure in a short amount of time.
Circulation and Overall Health:
Water is the main component of blood, tissues, and mucus production for rabbits. Without enough water, tissues begin to dry out, slowing blood circulation. It can even cause cell shrinkage and cell death.
Why did my Rabbit Stop Drinking?
Rabbits stop drinking for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s okay to leave them alone to sort it on their own. However, it doesn’t take long for a rabbit to become dehydrated, which can lead to a host of other health issues. In as little as 24 hours, a rabbit who stops drinking can enter a state of ileus, which is a life-threatening condition.
Figuring out why your rabbit isn’t drinking is the key to getting him to drink again. Here’s a list of things to check for so you can help your rabbit get rehydrated quickly.
Digestive Issues
Many rabbits will stop eating and drinking if they are suffering gastrointestinal upset. This can be caused by moldy hay or food pellets, contaminated water, viruses, bacteria, or parasites. Some rabbits get upset tummies during mating season, during pregnancy, or while nursing their kits.
Stress
A stressed rabbit is less likely to eat or drink normally. This is a natural instinct, so it can be hard to train out. Scared or stressed bunnies will be on high alert, never relaxing, always watching or hiding. If your rabbit is behaving this way, it’s imperative that you figure out what is scaring her.
She may be frightened of predators she can see out the window or over the fence. She might be afraid of the neighbor’s barking dog, a loud television set, or a loud motorcycle in the neighborhood. It’s possible she’s become frightened of a simple jacket hanging in the corner.
Heat or cold intolerance
A hot rabbit may be too weak from overheating or reaching his water bottle. A cold rabbit may not wish to leave her warm bedding to get to the water across the cage. Be sure your rabbit’s environment is providing the right temperature.
Age factors
Very young rabbits may not understand how to use a water bottle. If this is the case, provide a shallow dish of water below the water bottle spout. This lets the baby rabbit get water, but also learn to trust the water spout, too.
An older rabbit may not have the strength or energy to work a water bottle. If this is the case, provide an easier, smaller water bottle. If this still doesn’t work, switch to an open, tip-proof dish.
How to make a Rabbit Drink?
Once you have figured out why your rabbit isn’t drinking, you can try one of these techniques to get them back on track. Remember to use a method suitable to your rabbit’s needs. The wrong method could make the problem worse.
Improve Access to Water:
If your rabbit is having trouble reaching the water due to illness, injury, temperature issues, or a crowded cage, just move the water closer. Keeping the water near your rabbit’s favorite resting spot is a great way to encourage him to drink more.
The Water Bowl is Better or Water Bottle is Better?
Rabbits generally drink more water from a bowl. However, whether you use a water bowl or a water bottle really depends on your rabbit’s preferences. You may want to offer both a water bowl and a water bottle.
Water Bowl
Some rabbits love to toss things, including their water bowl. Use a sturdy ceramic or metal crock bowl that your rabbit will have difficulty picking up. Avoid plastic as it can be tossed and chewed.
Water Bottle
Rabbits can learn to use a water bottle with coaxing. Smear a small bit of banana onto the sipper to encourage your rabbit to drink. Wipe the uneaten bits of banana off to avoid rotting.
If the enclosure is rather large or it’s shared with many other rabbits, try adding another water source or two. By providing multiple places to get water, you’re encouraging more water consumption, no matter where your rabbit happens to be resting.
Replace the Water
Replace the water every few hours. Rabbits are quite sensitive to stale water. Usually, as soon as you will replace the old water your rabbit starts drinking water. Water becomes contaminated with dust or dirt. So it’s very dangerous for the health of your rabbit.
Make sure the Water is Clean:
Like humans, some rabbits are just picky. If the water isn’t perfectly clean and fresh, a picky rabbit may not drink. Try scrubbing the dish or water bottle with rabbit-safe cleansers and then refilling with cold, filtered tap water.
Even if the water looks and smells fresh to you, there might be something in there that your rabbit can smell. If your rabbit still won’t drink after cleaning the bottle, have your water tested. Even fluoride in city water can be a turnoff to some rabbits.
Warm the Water:
A common issue for young rabbits is the aversion to cold water. They’re used to mom’s warm milk, so suddenly switching to ice-cold water is a bit of a shock. If this is the case with your baby bunny, try warming the water first.
Warmer water is also good for older rabbits. They have a much more delicate digestive tract. Coldwater can be uncomfortable on an older bunny’s tummy.
By putting ½ tsp of Oxbow:
Put ½ tsp of oxbow critical care in the bowl of water. It’s safe to give frequently and tends to encourage a lot more drinking.
By putting L-Civit:
Put 0.3ml L-Civit in a bowl of water. Sometimes effective.
By putting 1 cap full of Pocari/Sports Drink/Gatorade
Put I cap full of pocari / Sports Drink / Gatorade in a bowl of water. Encourage a lot of drinking water. Don’t use the technique too often or your rabbit can get addicted and will stop drinking unflavored water.
By putting Basil Leaves:
10-15 basil leaves and puts them in a bowl of water. As you can see, they will finish two bowls of water in about 10 minutes.
By adding Pineapple Juice and Crushed Banana:
For emergencies(like GI) and your rabbits needs to drink more, add pineapple juice or crushed banana to the water.
Serve Leafy Greens:
If your bunny is still eating fine but refusing to drink water, you can use this to your advantage. Increasing the number of leafy greens will help increase your rabbit’s water intake. Choose veggies with high water content. Also, wash the vegetables and leaves them wet to sneak some more water into your bunny.
Sit with Your Bunny:
Sometimes, the reason for a rabbit, not drinking isn’t clear. If you are not sure what’s going on, you can try sitting with your bunny and offering sips of water from a shallow bowl. Often, this extra attention and soft praise from you is all it takes to get a rabbit to start drinking again.
This is also a good opportunity to listen to your bunny’s breathing and see how they’re moving. If you hear a rattle, your bunny may be getting an upper respiratory infection, which is enough reason for some buns to stop drinking. If your rabbit seems to be moving stiffly or not much at all, she could be in pain, this is another common reason for a rabbit to stop drinking.
Use an Eyedropper
For very sick, young, elderly, or lethargic bunnies, you may need to intervene. Using an eyedropper or small syringe might be the best way to get some liquid into your bunny.
Hold your rabbit in your lap. Drop a single drop of warm water onto her lips and see if she’ll lick it off. If she will continue this method, speaking softly and praising her.
If she won’t lick the water off her lips, you can insert the eyedropper or syringe tip into the side of her mouth and administer a single drop. Do not pour a lot in all at once or she may breathe the water in.
If she still won’t swallow a drop at a time, it’s time to head to the vet.
What Happens if my Rabbit Won’t Drink Water?
If your rabbit won’t drink water, despite your best efforts, there is something wrong that requires immediate vet attention.
Dehydration is a serious condition on its own. However, a rabbit can quickly enter ileus, which is gastrointestinal stasis. Without proper water or food, a rabbit’s gut can basically stop working altogether. This leads to death.
If your rabbit hasn’t had a drink or defecated for 12 hours, this is a possible emergency. Get to the vet right away.
If you can get your bunny to the vet quickly, they will likely administer IV fluids after a quick examination. IV fluids usually begin working quickly, but don’t be alarmed if your bunny takes some time to respond. She is properly exhausted from fighting whatever caused her problem in the first place. In the capable hands of your vet team, she should start to feel better soon.
Conclusion -How to Get a Rabbit to Drink Water
A few hours without a drink isn’t cause for alarm, but it’s certainly worth trying to get your bunny to take a sip. The longer he goes without water, the more likely he’ll get a more serious problem such as dehydration, dry stools, or ileus. Pay attention to your bunny’s habits so you can spot problems before they become life-threatening.