How do I start out feeding this bunny?

[gentle giants]

Ok, I got this rabbit, Buster, onFriday night (check out my new blog for his story!)http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=36281&forum_id=6

Anyway, he has been living on really bad feed, no hay, and no greens for his whole life, three years. Can I immediatly start in with the unlimited hay like I do my others, or should it be gradual? I have already switched him to my pellets, no way wasI going to give him one more day on the stuff he had been getting. I have given him a couple of dandelions, too, but no more than that because I know he isn't used to getting greens. Introducing greens, grass, clover, etc should probably be gradual too, right? I gave him a papya tablet today, too.

 

[polly]

generally unlimited hay is the way to go or how we would do it over here and wean him onto your pellets after he is happy with that I would go for weaning in the greens

 

[Marietta]

Polly's right.

With hay the gradual introduction does not apply, so you can give him tons of it right away. This shall also regulate his GI in no time. With pellets, you should go gradually, but, I understand how you feel about the crap he's been fed up to now. So, just watch his poops for a while, to see if his system has adjusted well to the new pellets. With greens, yes, you must also go gradually, not only in quantities but in variation of veggies too, i.e. one veggie at a time, feed him a tiny quantity initially, then gradually feed more, for a period of about a week. If you see it's okay, no runny poops, etc., you then try a second veggie for the same period of time, etc. etc.

Marietta

Edited to ask: how are his teeth after 3 years without hay? He must be lucky not to be suffering from malocclusion. Are his teeth longer than normal?

 

[gentle giants]

He is producing more cecals than he is eating, probably because the feed I use has more protein than the one he was on. That is what causes that, right? I haven't been able to get a very good look at his teeth yet, I am going to try again when I do his eye ointment tonight.

 

[Marietta]

gentle giants wrote:

He is producing more cecals than he is eating, probably because the feed I use has more protein than the one he was on. That is what causes that, right? I haven't been able to get a very good look at his teeth yet, I am going to try again when I do his eye ointment tonight.

Sorry for the late reply, I just don't get notifications in my mail anymore... Yes, the high protein can cause the production of more fecals, no worries there, now that he's having a healthy diet, his organism will balance.

Marietta