New to this

[nevets]

Hi my name is Steve from Montreal and my wife and I bought our first rabbit and its a mini lop mixed with a Holland lop named Banshee, well Thats what the breeder said. She said the parent were between 3 and 4 pounds. She gave us a paper with all the info on the rabbit and its history.

We bought it at a pet shop and it was only there for about 3 hours they said. They just received a bunch and we walked in while they were putting up the prices. Anyways id like for you ppl clarify some things for me because the internet is so misleading.

What exactly can't I give him to eat. I was thinking in summer to feed some things that grow in my garden like kale, bell peppers, lettuce, strawberries, pears, apples ect...

And if any one knows how much weight should a Holland loop bunny be putting on per week or month. I just want to make sure he's putting on healthy weight at a good rate. I have more questions but I'll start off with these cause this post is way too long...sorry

 

[Devi]

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/showthread.php?t=49434 <Rabbit safe food list. I can't help you with the weight.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Feed fruit in tiny amounts only, they are too sugary for rabbits. He should also have unlimited fresh horse-quality hay and plain rabbit pellets (do not get the colourful pet store kind with seeds and junk in it).

Weight-wise, he should not be so fat that you can barely feel his ribs and spine, or so thin that they feel sharp and detailed under his skin. Just run your fingers over his back every so often, ideally you should be able to feel his bones under a movable layer of flesh, like how your knuckles feel on the back of an open hand.

 

[nevets]

Ok Thanx. I give him half of one of those small carrots. Those that are the size of a pinky, Thats it for now. I bought a bag of pellets that the pet shop gets from the breeder. They told me to use the hole bag and when its done I can change if I want. As for the weight I was worried because we got him and he was barley a month old. He was born on february 13th and we got him on march 11th, I know he was way to young and was worried he might be under weight cause I felt his bones but from what u said whiskylollipop I think hes fine, plus hes eating much better now.

 

[woahlookitsme]

Oh my goodness young is an understatement for how old your bunny is. At 3 weeks the mom is barely weaning her babies! I don't take away my babies until 8-12 weeks of age. Your bunny needs tons of hay at all time. Watch your bunnies stools very closely for any runny poo or jelly like stool. If there is jelly like material in the stool the bunny needs to go to a vet asap. This can be a sign of mucoid enteritis and is almost 100% fatal to rabbits of 3-6 weeks of age. I may be overreacting but being barely 3 weeks of age is borderline abuse. 4 weeks is the youngest I have ever heard of selling and that is illegal in some states. Do not give any extra things to your baby right now unless he absolutely won't eat. You might even want to look at keeping critical care on hand in case of emergencies.

Is there any way to report the breeder or the petshop? I am a breeder as well but would definitely dial someone and report those people.

For weight guidelines here is another thread about Holland weights at 8-9wks of age
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/showthread.php?t=8548

 

[nevets]

I know hes young and so were all the other bunnies there. They just received them that day. The pet shop gave me a "certificate" from the breeder that has the birthday, pictures of the parents and weight it also said that he was vaccinated and de wormed. I asked who the breeder was and pet shops here in Montreal never say cause they don't want us to go strait to them. I said that he was to young but the girl said they always get at a month old and their always fine. I don't care cause I know hes in a better place and will get treated very well here

 

[nevets]

The one thing I'm concerned about is that I never see him nibbling on anything. I have a branch mat that you can bend in any shape and he never nibbles on it. I don't want his teeth to over grow, but I checked them and they look ok for now

 

[Watermelons]

Is he eating hay?

 

[nevets]

Yes. I give him fresh in the morning and after work

 

[Watermelons]

Then he doesn't really need to "nibble" on anything.
Good quality firm hay helps keep teeth in check (the light fluffy more grassy parts don't do that great of a job but that's what they usually like most)
If your rabbits going to develop teeth problems and is eating proper hay well ( should be unlimited) then its likely more genetics related.

 

[nevets]

Ok Thats good cause I was getting worried. One last thing then I should be done.
I read up on feeding on different sites and they all contradict each other.

Alfalfa is good for bunnies but not for mature rabbits.. if so how much

Bunnies diets should be 50/50 pellets and hay, others say one egg cup to 1/4 cup per pound or as much pellets as they can eat until 3 month of age
There are more but to much to right these are the ones I'm concerned about

 

[Watermelons]

If your baby rabbit is eating alfalfa based pellets the hay can be grass hay (timothy, oat orchard botanicle meadow etc...) or a mix of alfalfa and grass hay. If they are eating a timothy based pellet with low protein youll want mostly alfalf hay.
Unlimited pellets for babies. (within reason....) Unlimited hay.
This is up until their 6 months.
Once their adults so older then 6 months.
Typically 1/4cup pellets per 5lbs body weight. Ideally timothy based low protein.
And unlimited grass type hay.

 

[Nucky]

Is there any way to report the breeder or the petshop? I am a breeder as well but would definitely dial someone and report those people.

I'm also from Montreal and this is par for the course in this city. Puppy mills galore in the surrounding areas, animal abuse, unwanted pets and high euthanasia rates at the pounds. It's a mindset. Quebec has been labeled the best place in North America to be an animal abuser. And to top it all off, the average puppy only lives with their owner a year before being giving up to a pound, abandoned on a highway or sold or exchanged for a guitar or video game on Kijiji.

In fact, I adopted a rabbit who needed a home on kijiji recently. I am his 3rd owner and he is not even 2 years old. I refused to buy from a breeder around here.

 

[Nucky]

I asked who the breeder was and pet shops here in Montreal never say cause they don't want us to go strait to them.

And they don't want you see the conditions in which they are raised, which is probably pitiful. I'm not blaming you at all by the way, but I have a big problem with pet stores that sell pets. Most of the animals they buy from come from terrible living situations.

That being said, I hope you enjoy your bunny as much as I am! I have never owned one before and he and I are getting used to each other and he has LOTS of personality!

 

[nevets]

Its sad but true..one of many problems in this bad province. I know hes gonna have a good home just like all my other pets. A rabbit is interesting its a mix of a cat and dog oh and also a poop machine

 

[Nucky]

A rabbit is interesting its a mix of a cat and dog oh and also a poop machine

Lol!