Feeding Fiber

[Carolyn]

Don't forget to give your rabbit(s) as much fiber as you can. If theydon't like hay, offer them canned pumpkin. A good rabbit pellet shouldhave at least 18%+ of crude fiber.

Fiber keeps their stomach and digestive system moving and cleaned out.

-Carolyn

 

[babybunnywrigley]

Is it okay to give them canned pumpkin every onceand a while just to make sure their system stays cleaned out?even if everything seems to be fine.

I know that my vet has us give our cats canned pumpkin a few times a week.

How much pumpkin is it okay to get a bunny? If I did give anyto Wrigley I wouln't be giving it to him as much as the cats.They have to have it so often because they're both longhaired and getlots of hairballs.

 

[Carolyn]

Kathy Smith, the woman that wrote Rabbit Health in the 21st Century- 2nd Edition told me when I was going through issues with Tuckerand G.I. Stasis that canned pumpkin is better for them than oats. It ishigher in fiber in the way it's processed.

A good pellet will give them enough of fiber. You need to make surethat your pellets have at least 18%+ crude fiber and if it doesn't, Istrongly suggest you add more fiber to their diet.


-Carolyn

 

[Carolyn]

lanna21974 wrote:

Great Points Carolyn. My bunnies like hay so they get thateveryday. I recently switched pellets. I'm using Petrus show feed(780). The label says crude fiber....min...19%. So, I'm guessing we'regood there. I also give canned pumpkin once a week.

Bossy doesnt eat his hay...he nests with it...so I give him pumpkin twice a week. Silly boy.

Lanna

Kathy did recommend I offer canned pumpkin once a week, just to helpclean them out. Your pellets are definitely good by the sounds of it.

You're right on target, Lanna. :dude:

-Carolyn

 

[Dwarf_Angel04]

Great Points Carolyn!

I have to stick with a good fiber pellets for my rabbits.

Canned pumkin and white show rabbits don't mix LOL!

They also get hay every so often.. normally a handful once a week. Myrabbits just don't seem to go wild over hay. Therefore I don't give itto them every day to prevent soilded hay. :?

 

[babybunnywrigley]

Carolyn wrote:

Kathy Smith, the woman that wrote Rabbit Health in the 21st Century- 2nd Edition told me when I was going through issues with Tuckerand G.I. Stasis that canned pumpkin is better for them than oats. It ishigher in fiber in the way it's processed.

A good pellet will give them enough of fiber. You need to make surethat your pellets have at least 18%+ crude fiber and if it doesn't, Istrongly suggest you add more fiber to their diet.


-Carolyn

Uh oh, I just looked and the food I'm feeding Wrigley only has 14% min.- 18% max. I think I'm going to have to get him some new foodthis weekend. I'm going to be switching him to a timothypellet soon. He will 6 months around March 1st.Will switching to a higher fiber alfalfa and then in a fewweeks switching to a timothy pellet upset his stomach? ShouldI wait until the beginning of March until adding more fiber?

I know that either way it has to be a gradual process...I just don'tknow if it's okay to switch his food twice in 2 weeks :?

What brands of timothy pelletsare the best?

 

[Dwarf_Angel04]

Carolyn wrote:

"Canned pumpkin and white show rabbits don't mix."

*giggles*

Guess they don't, ey???

-Carolyn

Nup LOL! I used it to help bring a rabbit back to par(whichdidn't happen) and he died with a orange tent to his fur surronding themouth. Don't wantorange tented fur around the mouth frommessy eaters!

 

[Spiced77]

there are bunnies that dont like hay?! :shock:

 

[Dwarf_Angel04]

Spiced77 wrote:

there are bunnies that dont like hay?! :shock:

yeah

Mine aren't wild about it and don't each much when given. So they get limited hay to prevent soiled hay.

 

[Carolyn]

Spiced77 wrote:

there are bunnies that dont like hay?! :shock:

Cali won't touch it.

-Carolyn

 

[babybunnywrigley]

Carolyn wrote:

Spiced77 wrote:

there arebunnies that dont like hay?! :shock:

Cali won't touch it.

-Carolyn

Is there a way to make up for the lack of hay in a rabbits diet? I thought it was something that they really needed.

 

[Carolyn]

A good pellet feed should have at least 18%+crude fiber. Pamnock doesn't give her rabbits hay becauseit's messy and believes that a good pellet will provide the fiberneed...although, she does agree that hay is a good way to help scrubtheir system.

-Carolyn

 

[babybunnywrigley]

Carolyn wrote:

Agood pellet feed should have at least 18%+ crude fiber.Pamnock doesn't give her rabbits hay because it's messy and believesthat a good pellet will provide the fiber need...although, she doesagree that hay is a good way to help scrub their system.

-Carolyn

ohhh okay, thanks! It definitely is really messy

 

[Elf Mommy]

Elf gets unlimited Timothy hay. Sometimes sheeats it all, sometimes it just sits there. I change it out when Ichange her litter box, even if she hasn't eaten it all.

 

[Stephanie]

We go through a lot of hay, but then again, we do have three rabbits.

It's a fun nightly ritual for us to fill the hay rack up. All threecome over to eat hay out of the bin we store it in. We fill it (veryfull mind you) before going to bed at night. Sometimes we have to fillit during the day, depending on how much they eat.

It is a personal thing I think, depending on how much the rabbit(s) eat.

 

[Carolyn]

:energizerbunny:

 

[lucylocket]

i no it might sound daft but can you feed your rabbit dry weeetabix or all bran mixed in their food

varna xxxx

 

[juicyjuicee]

I feed Charlie Purina rabbit chow with extra fiber. It has a min of 21% fiber and a max of 24% fiber. Does that sound okay?

 

[Kricket]

Hello, Carolyn HAPPY FRIDAY!!

I think I've asked this before, but how often can I give my buns cannedpumpkin? Everyday? How much?

Thanks! Hugs! Krick

 

[naturestee]

juicyjuicee wrote:

I feed Charlie Purina rabbit chow with extra fiber. It has amin of 21% fiber and a max of 24% fiber. Does that sound okay?

That sounds pretty good. Better than most pellets.