How much should a young bun be eating?

[ape.soldi]

I have a bunny that is about 2 months old. I feel like she eats way more than she should but I'm unsure. She is given a full bowl of food (standard small animal size) a day and a big handful of hay. She will eat it all before the day is over and then will start eating her poop like she is still hungry. I feel bad so I just put more food in whenever I see it's empty. I have a 3 year old bunny that never ate that much as a baby maybe a bowl every two days. Is she just growing and needs the nutrients or is she over indulging?

 

[HototMama]

baby buns need to always have food available to them because they are still growing. as she gets older she will eat less.

 

[bellaterra214]

She should be provide unlimited hay and pellets until 6 months. Also provide her with alfalfa if you can find it in your area.

 

[majorv]

There is a caveat to feeding unlimited pellets to youngsters and that is if they are gaining too much weight, ie - getting fat, then there's nothing wrong with cutting back some on the pellets. Some breeds have a slower metabolism and gain weight easier than others.

Are you sure the 'poop' she's eating isn't cecotropes?

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Rabbits really should have food available all the time as they need to keep eating to keep the GI tract moving. Even if you don't want to give more pellets, at least give more hay. You could divide the pellets into 2 feeding a day (or more if you want). If you are worried about her gaining too much weight, give timothy hay and only a bit of alfalfa (like a good handful a day). Timothy doesn't really cause them to gain weight like alfalfa does, but still helps with the gut and helps keep the teeth in good condition.

Each rabbit is different and breed doens't play a huge role. Some will just eat whatever you give them, while others are more picky or eat slower. Feeding guidelines are usually based on the average rabbit, but may need to be altered for each individual. You also need to take into account the purpose of the rabbit, a neutered pet doesn't need the same calories as a breeding rabbit. Even a more active rabbit may need more than a more sedentary rabbit.