2 Questions - 1 about weight

[TinysMom]

I have two questions to ask. I'mwondering if my buns are on track for their age/size AND I'm wonderingabout how much greens they should be eating. (Tiny wound upeating about 3/4 of a head of romaine lettuce and I'm wondering howmuch is too much).

All 3 buns are 4 months old.

Kyo weighs 2.3 pounds - Tio weighs 2.0 pounds and they are both Netherland dwarfs.

Tiny (Flemish) weighs 9.3 pounds.

Are they about on track?

Peg

 

[pamnock]

Remember that a rabbit on a diet of greens needsto eat a lot of greens to equate the nutrition of the compressed pelletdiet. The HRS site will have plenty of info on their diet.

The 8th edition of Rabbit Production also concurs on the importance of greens/veg in the pet rabbit diet:

Fresh vegetables are important and low in calories. For eachpound of body weight, pet rabbits can be fed 1/4 cup daily of mixedvegetables, such as alfalfa or radish sprouts, carrots and carrot tops,broccoli stems and flowers, mustard or turnip greens, andspinach. High starch vegetables (corn, peas, beans) should beavoided . . .

Leaf crops (lettuces)with a high moisture content and lowfiber can cause diarrhea, so should be fed in limited amounts.Avoid iceburg lettuce.

Avoid seeds, nuts, dried corn and honey (too calorie rich).

Healthy treats include small amounts of fruits (such as banana), raisins or oatmeal.

And of course -- grass hay rocks Avoid legume hays (alfalfa & clover) -- too rich in protein and calcium.

My bunns also love dandelion leaves.

Pam


Sorry -- my brain was total mush this morning -- I fixed the typos

 

[TinysMom]

Thanks Pam. Does their weight seem on target for four months old?

They are also fed pellets...I just couldn't remember how much vegies they could have.

I didn't have the heart to take the last two leaves of the lettuce fromTiny...it was my fault I left it in his reach. However, Iwill have to be more careful - I guess today he gets some oats to helphim NOT have diaherrea!

Peg

 

[pamnock]

The weights seem fine -- although the weightitself isn't really an accurate indicator because of the wide range ofweights within a breed. For example a healthy, mature HollandLop could be 2 lbs. or 4 lbs. A betterindicator is their physical appearance of not being too thin or tooflabby.

Pam

 

[Buck Jones]

It is my understanding, too, that Flemish were supposed to almost have free feed for the first year of their life and more because they grow so much for up to two years. My point is, it might be difficult to overfeed them during this period. If they're hungry, let 'em eat.

Flemish owners would have a better take on the theory, yea or nay?

Buck

P.S. Pam, nice short summary of rabbits dietary and nutritional needs! I'm gonna print that one and drop it in my loose leaf rabbit info binder. Thanks!

 

[pamnock]

If only I couldspell this morning LOL (Not feeling too great and having difficulty focusing).
Pam

 

[cirrustwi]

Buck Jones wrote:

It is my understanding, too, that Flemish were supposed toalmost have free feed for the first year of their life and more becausethey grow so much for up to two years. My point is, it mightbe difficult to overfeed them during this period. If they'rehungry, let 'em eat.

Flemish owners would have a better take on the theory, yea or nay?

Buck

P.S. Pam, nice short summary of rabbits dietary and nutritionalneeds! I'm gonna print that one and drop it in my loose leafrabbit info binder. Thanks!

I honestly don't think you can over feed a growing flemish, really myvet said any growing bunny. I actually tried to watch whatSage ate while he was growing and he is still too thin, so we'reworking on that. Sampson (myflemish)eatsand eats, all he wants. I talked to his breeder (her flemishare all grand champs, so I assume she knows her stuff) and she said togive him as many pellets as he would eat. He also gets 1 tsp.of Calf Manna every day. He would eat tons of that if I wouldlet him. And all the alfalfa hay he wants. He hasthe hay roller ball and his bowls hold about 1 1/4 cup of food, hegenerally finishes both of these in a 24 hr. period. He'llcontinue on this for the first 18 mon or so (please tell me if this iswrong).

He gets veggies every day, as do all my buns. The breeder wasreally adamant that he get NO lettuce, but I haven't stuck tothat. He gets romaine and other baby leaf lettuces in hissalad mix. He also gets some other veggies like: cilantro,parsley, broccoli, collard greens, mustard greens, carrot, carrot tops,parsnips, and whatever else I can fine in my limited grocerystore. He gets a small amount of fruit daily with hisveggies: slice of apple, grape, melon... They generally get 1cup daily, but from what Pam said, they may start getting more.

I give him oats 1 or 2 times a week and canned pumpkin 1 or 2 times a week. He loves both of these too.

I also have a mini rex and a mini rex mix who are still growing (Orionis3 mon and Saphy is 2 mon). They get unlimitedalfalfa hay and pellets. Otherwise they get the same as theothers. This will continue until they are 6 mon.I've started to slowly work in small amounts of timothy hay for Orionbecause I had a lot of trouble switching Daisy.

Jen

P.S. Buck, I love that binder. I just had to get a biggerone! Before you posted about that, I honestly thought I wasthe only "crazy" person who did that. LOL