Rolled Oats

[RaspberrySwirl]

When the ordealwith Tucker went down last week I decided to add a few things toSebastian'sdiet. Carolyn told me she gives Tucker and Fauna rolledoats.

I started giving them to Sebastian andyou'd think I was giving him theworld!

I sprinkle them on top of his pellets,maybe a tablespoon or two, and he nearly pushes me out of the way tobury his head in thebowl! He doesn't do that atall with pellets. He doesn't even care much about pellets at all. Infact, he kind of picks the oats out and then eats the pellets throughthe day as a lastresort!

Raspberry

 

[Lissa]

Wait until he gets really picky like Lenci andstarts demanding something better than oats! This morning shewas begging like crazy and I gave her some oats, then the ungratefuldiva decides throw a tantrum. A papaya tablet shut herup. She's got me trained.

 

[Carolyn]

Same happens in my house with the oats, Raspberry. The pellets are definitely secondary in their food bowls.



-Carolyn

 

[Lissa]

My buns like saltine crackers too.

 

[RaspberrySwirl]

I've givenSebastian nibbles of my multi-grain crackers and he thought that waspretty darn tasty!

 

[AnnaS]

How much of it should I give to the bunny?
And do they gain weight from it?

 

[bunsforlife]

hmmm... maybe I should get some rolled oats for my buns. As if they arent spoiled enough already

 

[RaspberrySwirl]

Carolyn told me tosprinkle some on top of the pellets. I add probably a tablespoon or twoevery day or two. I use the off brand. Not quick cook, just plain oldoats like you make cookies with. I suppose they can get fat fromanything that's given too much. From what I understand the oats are areally good source of fiber and help keep their systems moving. That iskey in avoiding the hairball problem. I imagine it's really good forbunnies that might not eat as much hay as they should also. But that'sjust a guess. :?

RaspberrySwirl

 

[bunsforlife]

Hehe, Guinevere prefers to eat hay over pellets anyway... but they both would rather have cheerios

Gir however, eats anything and everything. I hear him rightnow munching on pellets. Besides, the tube oats come in is afavorite toy on this end

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Be careful adding oats because your bunny maybecome so spoiled that they refuse to eat the pellets. Mocha went offhis food in the Spring because he was so picky and only wanted theoats. He gave me a heart attack so now they get oats 2 times a month atthe most.

 

[StickyBird]

Heh, oats are Umbra'sfavorite thing in the world. He even will take them overbananas! If he doesn't want to eat oats, then something isseriously wrong (like when he had GI stasis!). I used to givethem to him when I felt like it, but then he would beg for them andrefuse to eat his pellets. That was not going to work, so nowI only feed them to him when he's being particularly good (like beingfriendly to my brother or my Dad), and when he does something he'ssupposed to (like get in his cage when I ask him). It worksquite well for a training treat. At least with Umbra itdoes.

--Melissa and Umbra

 

[Lissa]

MyBunnyBoys wrote:

Be careful adding oats because your bunny may become sospoiled that they refuse to eat the pellets.

You mean like my bunnies?

 

[Dwarf_Angel04]

Oats are like candy to rabbits LOL! In my barn atfeeding time I go through and give each pellets. After all thats done Istand back and watch to see who is eating and who isn't. There are afew that just sit there looking at me as if I didn't please themenough. So I try to sneak those rabbits oats by quietly opening the jarI keep them in. Some how every rabbit ends up at the front of theircage pounding on the doors wanting their oats too. Spoiled littlebuggers I tell you! Majority of the rabbits in my barn like apples waswell. So the same process happens with that, however apples are a oncea month thing. Parsely is another thing on their top 5 list. Mini- nonfrosted shreaded wheat are a favorite too. I guess the only treats merabbits get are oats, parsely, apples and shreaded wheat they have tobe one their top 5 list.

Watch out tho, off brand oats are fine as a matter of fact I use them.But don't use quick oats because after a spand of feeding them theycould absorb water in the rabbit. So use the Old Fashion Oats.

~*~Amanda~*~

 

[pamnock]

Dwarf_Angel04 wrote:

Watch out tho, off brand oats are fine as a matter of fact I use them.But don't use quick oats because after a spand of feeding them theycould absorb water in the rabbit. So use the Old Fashion Oats.

Just a myth



Pam

 

[Dwarf_Angel04]

LOL well I'moneabsorbed intothat myth then! I did get quick oats one time and the rabbitsdidn't seem to like it because it was finer. *shrug*

~*~Amanda~*~

 

[Sarah]

My guys would kill for oats. At bedtime all I have to do is shake the can and they come running.

One time the can was sitting on the floor, and the lid was apparentlynot on all the way. We watched Mella take the lid off with her littlemouth, set it aside, tip over the can and stick her head in it. Westopped her at that point. She worked so hard, and it was too cute tostop her before she succeded

 

[Loppy Earred Mom]

I give my Stitch Timothy Hay but she doesn't seem to care for it much maybe I am gonna switch Hay to another brand

 

[Buck Jones]

AnnaS wrote:

How much of it should I give to the bunny?
And do they gain weight from it?

I just sprinkle a bit on top their pellets each morning. I amled to believe that oats do not add fat to the bunny's body, but addssolid flesh and muscle, as in conditioning them. I guess anyfood, in excess, could lead to fat, however.

Buck

 

[pamnock]

Here's an excellent article on rabbit digestionand diet. The article discourages feeding oats to pet rabbitsas the high carbs can lead to GI problems. Because rolledoats are processed, they lack the nutrition and fiber of wholeoats. Just wanted to point this out as something to keep inmind, as I dorecommend the HRS diet for house bunnies andwant owners to be able to take into consideration as much informationas possible so they can make educated decisions relating to the careand feeding of their animals.

Conversely: I *do* feed rolled oats and we have found noincreased incidence of GI problems in our rabbits that were fed rolledoats. Some of our Dwarf Hotots held excellent condition of adiet that primarily consisted of rolled oats (they ate very little oftheir pellets).



Pam

 

[pamnock]

http://www.mahouserabbit.org/dietguide.shtml