Too much lettuce??

[heylaitsshelby]

Ok so I have a pretty young rex rabbit that I got about a week ago who I absolutly LOVE and I want to make sure he has the best nutrition possible (within reason). I've been reading a lot about what I should feed him and what I have read says that he should have 1) Unlimited hay, 2) unlimted lettuce/assorted veggies, and 3) limited pellets. For the most part I follow these guidlines and also throw in a few peices of bannana every now and then for a treat. I haven't gotten him hay yet because I just havent been able to get to the store and also my parents are making me buy everything because the bunny was my idea, and for a 15 yr old, hay is pretty expensive. ANYWAYS my main question is the fact that he eats A LOT of lettuce like, I will put a cup in his cage and he will eat the entire thing within minutes. I have been restricting his lettuce because I don't want him to overeat and I'm not sure if this is normal? I just don't want him to get overweight because I was actually looking into showing him because of his cool markings. Any advice for a new rabbit owner? :? I also let him out of his cage as much as possible to get in exercise but I can't let him out too much because like I said I'm 15 and I have a lot of activities going on. I just want to make sure he's healthy and happy!
BTW I think he's about 2-3 months old or maybe older I wasn't the one who got him ( my mom surprised me with him) so I wasn't there to learn everything about him.

 

[Blue eyes]

Whoa! The recommended diet of a baby bunny is not the same as an adult. No veggies at all until at least 12 weeks of age (some say wait til 6 months of age).

Please get hay ASAP!! It is THE most important part of any rabbit's diet. It is what keeps his gut healthy and moving. He can also be free-fed juvenile pellets until he's 6 months old.

The veggies get introduced later, and then only one at a time, checking after each intro for any changes in his droppings. Gradually you work up to 2-4 cups per day (not unlimited).

No banana yet either. Wait for fruits til after he's old enough for and has been regularly eating his greens. Later, when you do give banana, it should only be an inch slice per day at most.

In the meantime, you might also want to take a look through the library section of this forum.

 

[whitelop]

Its normal for them to dive right into the greens. What kind of lettuce are you feeding him? And hay is VERY important for digestion and tooth grinding. You need to get him hay ASAP. Even if you just got to a walmart and get him a small bag of hay, any hay is better than no hay.
The pellets are what you have to watch out for in the weight gain department.
How is his poop? Is it solid and round?

I must have completely read over how old he is! haha. Wow, he shouldn't be getting lettuce yet!

 

[Blue eyes]

Hey, I just saw we are neighbors!!

I bought my hay at the Stock Shop in Glendale (not far from where they have the Glendale Glitters display at Christmas times). I bought a full bale, but they also sell half bales. This would be way cheaper for you. I bought timothy since my bunnies are older. I can't remember if they have alfalfa hay, but you could call them.

My FULL bale cost $24 and will last me a year. (I have 2 rabbits)

 

[sugarbunnies]

I'm making a mistake then! My 4 mo old is sharing veggies with my 1 yr old (is this bad?)! Sorry to derail the thread!

 

[Blue eyes]

sugarbunnies wrote:

I'm making a mistake then! My 4 mo old is sharing veggies with my 1 yr old (is this bad?)! Sorry to derail the thread!

At 4 mos, he should be ok. Just check to see that his poos are normal - round and dry, not mushy (other than his cecotropes). If you've been feeding him greens and he is doing normal poos, then no need to stop. He's 16 weeks, so is over the 12 week mark.

 

[heylaitsshelby]

Ahhh! I feel like such a bad parent!! He may be older than 2-3 months I'm really just not sure but he's about the size of 3/4ths of a loaf of bread if that helps? I will try and convice my mom to get the hay for me and for today he will just have to stick with the hay that comes in the pellets. He actually might be 4 months and his poos are looking normal? I'm so confused i just want him to be healthy!

 

[heylaitsshelby]

The stock shop is where my mom got him. (I had actually dragged her there about a month ago and begged her for one of them because they were just so darn cute). I will try to stop by there asap it just hard because I can't get a job because I'm 15 and baby sitting money only goes so far. I already spent a fortune on his cage so I will have to get my mom to get hay for me.

 

[agnesthelion]

heylaitsshelby wrote:

Ahhh! I feel like such a bad parent!! He may be older than 2-3 months I'm really just not sure but he's about the size of 3/4ths of a loaf of bread if that helps? I will try and convice my mom to get the hay for me and for today he will just have to stick with the hay that comes in the pellets. He actually might be 4 months and his poos are looking normal? I'm so confused i just want him to be healthy!

Don't feel like a bad parent. We all make mistakes and you are learning about rabbits

The veggies should be okay but it's not unlimited amounts. Also don't feed iceberg or any white, crunchy lettuces. They should be dark and leafy like romaine.

For the hay, yes see if your mom can help you. The bale for $24 is most economical but also at my local feed store I can get a huge bag for $5 so whatever you can afford to at least start giving him hay because it really is the most important part of a rabbits diet.

Welcome! And postnpics of you new baby if you want. I have a mini Rex named Archie. He is quite the character. Totally silly and a clown

 

[Blue eyes]

heylaitsshelby wrote:

The stock shop is where my mom got him. (I had actually dragged her there about a month ago and begged her for one of them because they were just so darn cute). I will try to stop by there asap it just hard because I can't get a job because I'm 15 and baby sitting money only goes so far. I already spent a fortune on his cage so I will have to get my mom to get hay for me.

That'll be great if your mom can pick some up today -- the sooner the better.
If they don't have alfalfa, then just get timothy. It's the whole strands of hay bunnies need (pellets don't count as "hay").

Since you are new to bunnies, I might as well as ask about pellets too. The pellets should be plain and have no add-ins like dried fruit or seeds, etc. The plain ones are healthiest while the others are the equivalent of bunny junk food. For a growing rabbit, you can use a juvenile pellet that is alfalfa-based. After 6 months, transition slowly to a timothy-based pellet. Oxbow Essentials is one good brand. I believe Zupreem is too - if you follow the criteria mentioned. Some here like an online-only food called Sherwood Forest.

Whenever a switch is made with pellets, it should be done slowly over the course of a week or so. Just mix the old with the new in decreasing quantities.

Looking forward to seeing photos of your new baby!

 

[heylaitsshelby]

The pellets I use are completely plain except for some timothy and alpha hay add ins. I would never give him seeds and stuff like that because it's just commmon sense, bunnies eat leaves and grass in the wild. I will posts pics of him soon because he is just too cute to keep to myself. All my friends are dying to see him!! I was thinking of naming him echo because of the really cool soundwave patterns on his back. :biggrin:

 

[agnesthelion]

Oooh I like the name Echo!!

 

[heylaitsshelby]

I have a baby sitting job this week so if my mom absolutly refuses to get me some (which she probably wont) I will be able to get a pretty big bag. I have money set aside for a car but if I absolutly need to I will dip into that :rollseyes but I just want him to be healthy because he is the most sweetest happiest bunny I have ever met!!

 

[heylaitsshelby]

My mom keeps making fun of me because I haven't named him yet but it's so hard! I can't decide between Edie, echo, smoochie, thumper (kinda sterotpyical but he makes really loud thumping noises at 5 am if I don't feed him EXACTLY AT 5 am) and Nibbles.

 

[Imbrium]

I like Echo, it's cute and unique

buying hay by the bale is definitely the way to go with how much they eat.