Basic feeding questions

[doggie0506]

I'm new to owning a rabbit so I have a few basic nutrition questions. What is the best pellets/brand of pellets? What veggies should I be feeding? And how much? Any comment is helpful

 

[Happi Bun]

The answers to your questions will differ depending on the rabbit's age.

How old is your new bun?

 

[doggie0506]

we dont really know, Cinibun was found as a stray and we took her in we think she is fully grown

 

[SweetSassy]

I use Oxbow pellets. If she older than 6 months then she needs timothy pellets.
*go by directions on bagfor how much to give. Goes by weight.


Veggies- Dark leafy greens. Romaine, Kale, mustard greens, dandelion greens, parsley, cilantro, collard greens.



No fruit. Even though some people give fruit in small quantity, fruit is not good for bunnies. No craisins.

 

[Happi Bun]

Alrighty, since she is most likely full grown I would start her on a good Timothy based pellet. I'm not sure what brands you have available in Canada, but Oxbow is definitely one of the best. You will want to feed 1/4 to 1/2 cup pellets per 6 lbs. body weight daily.

Look for the nutritional content of pellets on the bag, it should have the following:

• Fiber: Minimum 18% (the higher the better)
• Fat: 2.5% or less
• Protein: 16% or less
• Calcium: 1% or less

She will need to have Timothy hay available at all times, this is the most important part of a rabbit's diet and most overlooked. Start introducing vegetables slowly (one at a time), look for dark leafy green's. Here isSuggested Vegetables by the House Rabbit Society. Fruits should be fed only as a treat and in very limited amounts. The occasional thin slice of Banana or Strawberry top with a bit of red still attached are greatly enjoyed at my house.

 

[jewell]

I noticed that a poster said no fruit. I would agree, but sometimes husbands don't know the rules! I freaked when I saw my husband peel a banana and give it to Chip (our mini-rex). My husband had been giving him bananas for quite some time and I just didn't know about it. Chip inhaled it like it was the best thing in the world!!

 

[SweetSassy]

Bunnies love banana's. I use to give Sassyfruit until the vet told methat he hadrabbits die from eating a apple. Too sugary. I wouldn't chance my bunnies life now.



Ask your hubby, no more bananas. LOl.

 

[ra7751]

The vast majority of an adult domesic rabbit's diet should be grass hay. It is best to offer a buffet of grass hays...timothy, orchard grass, brome, oat, etc....and you can offer different cuts. Hay does three major things. First and most important, it maintains a healthy gut.....low protein, high fiber. The hay is the roughage required to regulate GI transit time. It is the pressure that keeps thing moving happily along. Hay is also the primary way the teeth are kept to a proper length....assuming proper dental occlusion. Long strand hay is best. It is not how hard something is but how chewy it is. And by feeding a buffet of hays, you promote a more natural foraging type behavior and it gives them something to do. Hay should be availabe at all times. And contrary to popular belief, some alfalfa hay is good for them. Many people believe that alfalfa contains too much calcium (and there can always be too much of even a good thing) but rabbits have bones and teeth and need some calcium....and Vitamin D and Phosphorus to aid in absorbing of that calcium. My primary concern with using too much alfalfa is weight gain.

Pellet amounts, compositions and brand vary wildly. We use pellets only to maintain body conditioning. We have a pair of bonded Flemish Giants....they get about 1/3 cup pellets per day to share. We have some smaller breeds and some that have weight issues on hay only (along with appropriate supplements). Many aruge that only timothy based pellets should be used. If fed properly, the amount of pellets should be so small that it should not matter how the pellet is based. Brands of pellets are a matter of personal and bunny choice. Many people consider Oxbow to be the best....I do not share that sentiment at all. Some are huge fans of American Pet Diner pellets. I have not used them but the other products I have purchased from APD have been very high quality. And some regional farms also offer a "house" brand of pellet.

We do offer limited greens.....romaine lettuce, parsley, cilantro, Spring Mix, dandelions and carrot tops are a few. A small piece of fruit every now and then won't hurt....note "small". We have offered banana, strawberry, peach and orange to name a few. The key is small portions.

Always keep in mind....low protein (meaning limited high quality pellets) and high fiber (unliminted grass hay) is the rule. Offer veggies and fruits in small amounts....and only one at a time. Make any changes in the diet over a period of several days. Good luck.

Randy

 

[Bunnymom,K]

I make sure my rabbits always have grass hay available. I feed my rabbits Purina Show Formula rabbit pellets. On average they get 1/2 to 1 cup a day.

I feed dandelions as treats year round- we dry and freeze them in the summer so that we have them in the winter. My rabbits also get fresh alfalfa and grass during the summer in limited amounts. Carrots and other veggies are given sparingly.

 

[Flick]

Video showing rabbit safe vegetables.

http://www.youtube.com/user/FastUpOnRabbitCare

 

[Pipp]

I like the Martin's Less Active Timothy pellets you can get in Canada. I also buy an inexpensive Co-op alfalfa pellet from a feed store. Some get just the Martins, some the co-op and some a mix depending on their weight, activity levels, etc. They all get very few pellets, though, because I give them a huge variety of veggies (thanks to friendly produce stores giving me their pre-compost leftovers) and they get three different types of grass hay.

And bunnies can definitely have fruit, just in small amounts. You really do have to watch their weight. Rabbits should be fairly slim and sleek to be healthy, fat rabbits are prone to problems like fatty liver disease, 'poopy butt' etc.

Welcome to the forum! :wave2 Love to see other Canadians here. Sorry I missed this post earlier.


sas :bunnydance: