Types of Oats
- Thread starter Carolyn
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JimD
Well-Known Member
Carolyn wrote:
They all still expect treats or oatswhen I open the storagecabinet in their room. They all run to the fronts of their cages andstick their noses through. If I give them pellets or hay they run overand inspect it, but then they turn to me as if to say "Where's thetreats and oatsies gone, Daddy???"
It's heartbreaking to leave the room with them still sticking their noses out looking for the missing treats!!
~Jim ***the mean ol' treat napper!!***
Only one problem.I'veseen the same improvement with my herd, Jim. I'm glad youtried it and I'm glad it worked as well for you as it did for my littleones.
-Carolyn
They all still expect treats or oatswhen I open the storagecabinet in their room. They all run to the fronts of their cages andstick their noses through. If I give them pellets or hay they run overand inspect it, but then they turn to me as if to say "Where's thetreats and oatsies gone, Daddy???"
It's heartbreaking to leave the room with them still sticking their noses out looking for the missing treats!!
~Jim ***the mean ol' treat napper!!***
Snuggys Mom
Well-Known Member
Oh, no! I hope I never have to takethe oats or veggies away from mine. I can't take the littlebegging faces.
Laura
Laura
Jenniblu
Well-Known Member
Totally echo those sentiments of thanks, Carolynfor posting about the oats and stinky cecotropes. Definiteimprovement in 'air quality' sinceoatsand certainothertreatsare limited.
Hey Jim, have you tried to just give a pinch of oats or greens as atreat? Vash doesn't seem to know thedifferencebetween serving sizes when it comes to treats, so maybe it will workwith your rabbits too?
sinceoatsand certainothertreatsare limited.Hey Jim, have you tried to just give a pinch of oats or greens as atreat? Vash doesn't seem to know thedifferencebetween serving sizes when it comes to treats, so maybe it will workwith your rabbits too?
JimD
Well-Known Member
Jenniblu wrote:
Ya know....I realized that instead of regular Old Fashioned Oats, the last ones I bought were Quick Oats.
They're exactly the same except the Quick Oats are a finer consistancy, so I may have brought this on myself.
Due to the fact that a teaspoon of Quick Oats is more that a teaspoonof Old Fashioned, the buns had been taking in more oatsthanusual!! :?My bad!!!
I may try a pinch once in a while in the future.
~Jim
Totally echo those sentiments of thanks, Carolyn for postingabout the oats and stinky cecotropes. Definite improvement in'air quality'
Hey Jim, have you tried to just give a pinch of oats or greens as atreat? Vash doesn't seem to know thedifferencebetween serving sizes when it comes to treats, so maybe it will workwith your rabbits too?
Ya know....I realized that instead of regular Old Fashioned Oats, the last ones I bought were Quick Oats.
They're exactly the same except the Quick Oats are a finer consistancy, so I may have brought this on myself.
Due to the fact that a teaspoon of Quick Oats is more that a teaspoonof Old Fashioned, the buns had been taking in more oatsthanusual!! :?My bad!!!
I may try a pinch once in a while in the future.
~Jim
JimD
Well-Known Member
JimD wrote:
.......can you say "FRANTIC"......:shock:
If they could, I think the buns would have busted out of their cages,held me down, and taken the rest of the oats from me. My goodness!
~Jim
So I decided to give all the buns just a small pinch of oats.........
.......can you say "FRANTIC"......:shock:
If they could, I think the buns would have busted out of their cages,held me down, and taken the rest of the oats from me. My goodness!
~Jim
KatsMeowTree
Well-Known Member
As far as supplements go I use calf manna, oats(rolled or whole... whichever I can get), Barley (steamed) or Wheat,and Black Oil Sunflower seeds. I use this in a particular mix and theyeach get about 1/4 cup a day. It seems to work pretty well at givingthem a finished coat and good flesh....
Kat
Kat
pamnock
Well-Known Member
When I have a picky eater, I give them the same mix that Kat uses as well as dandelion leaves during the summer.
Pam
Pam
pamnock
Well-Known Member
I only give them a few, and since it's for the few that are not eating their pellets, they need the "energy" foods anyhow.
That mix is also good for getting some flesh on thinner rabbits. But, use sparingly -- they can get fat quick on it!
Pam
That mix is also good for getting some flesh on thinner rabbits. But, use sparingly -- they can get fat quick on it!
Pam
KatsMeowTree
Well-Known Member
Like Pam I will feed that to a picky eatter andsuch. I like to keep it handy all year though I don't particulally feedit all year. I give it to the ones I will be taking to show startingabout a month before it. Sometimes when I have a fussy litter I'll takeout some of the Calf Manna and give it to them. I find if I mix it intothe feed they have no choice but to eat all of it if they want the goodstuff! Lol!
Kat
Kat
KatsMeowTree
Well-Known Member
Pam, Yep they sure do get "chunky" quick on it!That's why I have to watch my mom and brother when they're in there b/cthey'll give it to them just as a treat. I don't give mine very muchand they get it just about every other day. Of course, I cut the amountof pellets down so they are actually getting the same amount of feedbut it's a different value so you've still got to be pretty careful.Lol! It's pretty funny b/c I'm about 8 inches taller than my mother andmy pens are built to my height, so when she wants to give themsomething she really has to sssstttrrrreeeeettttcccchhhh and usually bythat time I've caught her. Hehe
Kat
Kat
Lazyacre
Well-Known Member
RABBIT PRODUCTION pg 389 reports that increasedamounts and size of cecotropes is usually due to excess protein in thediet. They recommend reducing protein level of the pellets fed and/orremoving legume hay (alfalfa). They also mention possibility of itbeing due to excessive carbohydrates in diet. they recommend feedingplain straw for 3 days, to stabilize things in the gut, then remove orreduce high carb foodstuffs, such as carrots and fruit. Oats arerlatively low in both protein and carbohydrates and shouldn't present aproblem. Calf Manna is much higher in both, I believe it's about 25-27%protein, oats are about 9-14%.
I feed a 1 part rolled barley to 2 parts rolled oats to all my rabbits,from 2 weeks old to geriatric. Each gets about 1-2 tbs evry 1-2 days ontop of their pellets, with youngsters getting more to help build theirgrowing bodies. This mix, along with a limited amount of pellets,occasional grass hay and lots of fresh water is all my rabbits get.This EZDae's Oh MY, a Mini Rex buck raised snd shown by me, several ofhis offspring are getting nready to continue in his place:
RABBIT PRODUCTION, pg 388, also makes mention of the increasedpossibility of a Charlie (homozygous English SpottingGeneEnEn) having hereditary loss of gut nerve function. Thiscan causen production of soft, enlarged feces and that there may berecurring bouts of GI Stasis.
I feed a 1 part rolled barley to 2 parts rolled oats to all my rabbits,from 2 weeks old to geriatric. Each gets about 1-2 tbs evry 1-2 days ontop of their pellets, with youngsters getting more to help build theirgrowing bodies. This mix, along with a limited amount of pellets,occasional grass hay and lots of fresh water is all my rabbits get.This EZDae's Oh MY, a Mini Rex buck raised snd shown by me, several ofhis offspring are getting nready to continue in his place:
RABBIT PRODUCTION, pg 388, also makes mention of the increasedpossibility of a Charlie (homozygous English SpottingGeneEnEn) having hereditary loss of gut nerve function. Thiscan causen production of soft, enlarged feces and that there may berecurring bouts of GI Stasis.
Hi Rick,
I had read that about the extra protein. Was thinking ofchanging her feed, but was not very psyched to do so because the feedthat I found that was less in protein lacked in other areas.Kaytee was recommended and I have such an aversion against that feedbecause of it's high sugar content and it lacks in so many other areasas to nutrition. Can you suggest any alternatives?I'm presently using Purina Rabbit Chow Show Formula.
Perhaps it was the extra 9-14% protein in the oats that was causing herto push it over the top. Maybe I was giving her toomuch. Can't recall what the reason was - exactly how the oatsmessed with a rabbit's chemical balance - but when I speak to Kathyagain, I'll be sure to ask her. Whatever the case, it didseem to take care of the problem when I took oats out of themix.
Wasn't sure if I should get a test done on her kidneys or her system tomake sure it's functioning properly. When the cecotropes'form was better, not mushy, and there was quite a reduction in them, Ifigured that I had found the culprit.
-Carolyn
I had read that about the extra protein. Was thinking ofchanging her feed, but was not very psyched to do so because the feedthat I found that was less in protein lacked in other areas.Kaytee was recommended and I have such an aversion against that feedbecause of it's high sugar content and it lacks in so many other areasas to nutrition. Can you suggest any alternatives?I'm presently using Purina Rabbit Chow Show Formula.
Perhaps it was the extra 9-14% protein in the oats that was causing herto push it over the top. Maybe I was giving her toomuch. Can't recall what the reason was - exactly how the oatsmessed with a rabbit's chemical balance - but when I speak to Kathyagain, I'll be sure to ask her. Whatever the case, it didseem to take care of the problem when I took oats out of themix.
Wasn't sure if I should get a test done on her kidneys or her system tomake sure it's functioning properly. When the cecotropes'form was better, not mushy, and there was quite a reduction in them, Ifigured that I had found the culprit.
-Carolyn
FreddysMom
Well-Known Member
Both my buns LOVE oats , but my vet advised methat feeding them everyday with their pellets is a bad idea. She saidthat they fall under the simple sugar catagory and should be consideredas atreat and given sparingly.
Lazyacre
Well-Known Member
When I feed oats the rabbits get less pellets,so the total protein is actually reduced. I reduce the volume ofpellets by the volume of oats fed. I too use Purina Show and the 16%protein should be fine. It may well be that you're feeding a bit toomuch in total feed. My 4# rabbits get about 1/2 cup of pellets and thenthe 1-2 tbs of grain. My 9-10# Satins get about a cup of pellets. Thececotropes aren't necessarily a sign of a problem, just that there'smore for the rabbit to digest than normal. Usually they'll eat all thececotropes directly from the anus, if too much is produced, some getsleft on the floor. More a problem for the caretaker than the rabbit.
Thank you for the input, Rick!
I'd love to be able to give my little ones the oats I still have leftthat Buck Jones left with me. The rabbits love them so much; I reallyhated to see them go to waste.
I'll definitely try your advice and cut back on the pellets the day that they do get oats.
I had always thought the Holland Lop that I had rescued at age 4 wasjust prone to soft cecotropes. Spoke to Buck about it and he noticedthe same thing with his Mini Lop and was going to cut the oats out tosee if it made a difference. Missy, Buck's rabbit, seemed to have ahistory much like Fauna's, my rabbit.
I was quite concerned about her kidney function originally. Now thatyou mention this, I'm hopeful that it is just too much protein. Everyonce in a while it still happens, but it's few and far in between atthis point.
Still will question Kathy about the effect oats may have on theirchemical balance as they age and why, and will keep you posted as tohow it works out with Fauna.
Thanks again!
:sunshine:
-Carolyn
I'd love to be able to give my little ones the oats I still have leftthat Buck Jones left with me. The rabbits love them so much; I reallyhated to see them go to waste.
I'll definitely try your advice and cut back on the pellets the day that they do get oats.
I had always thought the Holland Lop that I had rescued at age 4 wasjust prone to soft cecotropes. Spoke to Buck about it and he noticedthe same thing with his Mini Lop and was going to cut the oats out tosee if it made a difference. Missy, Buck's rabbit, seemed to have ahistory much like Fauna's, my rabbit.
I was quite concerned about her kidney function originally. Now thatyou mention this, I'm hopeful that it is just too much protein. Everyonce in a while it still happens, but it's few and far in between atthis point.
Still will question Kathy about the effect oats may have on theirchemical balance as they age and why, and will keep you posted as tohow it works out with Fauna.
Thanks again!
:sunshine:
-Carolyn
