Feeding question

[thatkiidsean]

Hey guys,

Long time since I last posted! I hope you are all doing well. I have a question I was reading about feeding Einstein lately. As i was browsing around I came across something interesting. I read that while a bun is less than 1 year old you should be feeding him unlimited[U pellets and unlimited hay. I found that on a few articles as well as on the back of my Oxbow pellets. Currently I feed Einstein 1/4 cup of Oxbow Essentials Young Rabbit Food, unlimited supply of hay and greens in the evening. Should I start feeding him unlimited pellets ?:juggle:juggle

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

If he is growing well, then you don't need to give unlimited pellets. You could give a bit more than you are giving now, but it might not be needed. For smaller breeds, it is usually recommended to limit pellets around 6 months old anyway.
It sounds like you are giving a good diet, so you probably don't need to change anything right now. As long as he is growing well, that is good. Giving too many pellets can make a rabbit eat less hay which would not be good.

 

[Aki]

I think it depends on the rabbit. I fed unlimited pellets to Aki for a long time because she was not eating very much. She is now 5 years old and I think I still could do it as she really knows how much she needs. She is the only rabbit I have ever got who really chews her pellets ^^. On the other hand, I stopped the unlimited thing pretty quickly with Pandora and Tybalt as they would just eat all the time. It is a lot easier (except health condition, of course) to make a rabbit gain weight than to make them lose some so I am cautious with the unlimited thing. If your rabbit is not too thin and growing at a normal rate, don't change anything.

 

[thatkiidsean]

Thank you everyone! what should be the weight of a lionhead? Mine is about 2.88lbs

 

[Blue eyes]

The general recommendation is to feed limited pellets starting at 6-7 months of age. That is also the age to switch from the juvenile pellets to the adult pellets. The potential problem with feeding too many pellets is that it can discourage hay eating.

The 1/4 cup recommendation is for rabbit 5-7 lbs. But the following article from the House Rabbit Society goes in to greater detail. Part of that detail explains that for those very small breeds, that too limited of a diet can be detrimental. Here is a quote from that article, but I suggest you read the whole article on the link below.

"There is evidence that small breeds (under 2 lbs) may require a diet higher in energy and lower in fiber than the larger breeds (Cheeke 1987, 324). Several foster homes have experienced digestive problems in rabbits under 4 lbs who were put on severely restricted diets."

http://rabbit.org/natural-nutrition-part-ii-pellets-and-veggies-2/

 

[thatkiidsean]

I find out that Einstein eats his pellets throughout the day instead of eating it all at once. What is the recommended dose for a 3lbs rabbit?

 

[mightyscotto]

I would probably make sure your rabbit has more hay than pellets. Hay helps to file down those front teeth more and prevent dental problems. I wish my little Trixie would eat more hay. None of my other rabbits would shy away from hay