Feeding of rabbits

[swink]

Just want to know any info on how often do you feed a pet rabbit? We just got one for my daughter and want to know the propoer feeding techniques and how often

Thanks

Steve:

[Scooby4]

I always kept a small crock pot of alfalfa pellets available in the cage and let the rabbit eat on it's own schedule. Fill the bowl about half way for smaller sized rabbits. Avoid moisture or putting it under the water bottle. Change out the old food if not eaten within 24 hours.
You can let the rabbit have some baby carrots or lettuce to snack on. A salt lick maybe a good thing to have in the cage but also avoid moisture areas with it. Salt is a vital part of an animals diet.
I gave my rabbits fresh clover and grasses occassionally. If possible, I let them get outside and on the ground. They really liked to eat fresh grass. Avoid areas that may have been chemically treated or recently fertilized.
What kind of Rabbit by the way? There are several kinds. When I was a kid I raised 5 different kind. It was a great experience and a good one for a child. I think rabbits are easier to care for than gerbils or hamsters! Much easier to find if lost
Good Luck!!!

[Pawsitive Thinking]

I'm sure I read somewhere that rabbits shouldn't be given lettuce as its a diuretic (makes them wee a lot!). My Duncan has a small bowl of rabbit mix, although there are pellets available for fussy eaters, and a small amount of veg every morning. During the summer months I cut down on the veg as he is in his run eating grass all day. Fresh drinking water twice a day in hot weather

I would recommend neutering a male rabbit as they can be vicious. Duncan is very docile now he has been "done"

[bunnyloveruk]

Brody's mom, just wanna say that not all male rabbits are vicious. i have 3 males and none of them have been "done" and they are very friendly, always wanting a stroke.

[puggywuggles41893]

I have always kept a bowl of pellets available for my rabbit. When she was younger She would eat more, but now that she is old she barely eats anything.

[Karen]

Miss Hoppy has rejected pellets since the day we brought her home. She does not consider them food. She lives on greens - not lettuce, at least not iceberg lettuce, as that isn't nutritious enough for a bunny. But she gets parsley, dandelion greens, mustard greens, chicory, basil and dill - she's really into dill right now - and other greens from a list I found 8 years ago on http://rabbit.org. She generally has a carrot she's working on as well, ane sometimes a seed treat - but those are treats. Oh - and HAY!!!!! If it's a baby bunny, Alfalfa hay, but once it's fullgrown, switch to timothy hay, as Alfala has too much calcium for an adult bunny, and can cause problems.

Her hay is available all the time, and there's always a paper plate of greens on the kitchen floor. She "free feeds" and when she decides the food isn't food any more, rarely, but it does happen - she'll dump it off the plate and push the empty plate toward the refrigerator!

I hope I've helped!

[Daisylover]

I agree with Karen, timothy hay should always be available to an adult rabbit. A rabbits' gut must move all the time and the hay insures that that happens. Gut stasis, when the gut slows down or stops completely, if the poos get really small, if the bunny stops eating and drinking, if the bunny doesn't move and stays hunched up in a corner is a danger sign......You have a VERY ill rabbit that needs emergency care by a rabbit specialist vet, NOT a dog/cat vet. Hay is fiber and keeps the gut moving and a rabbit should have access to hay all of the time. I cannot emphasize enough how important hay is in rabbit diet.

Bunny specialist vets then recommend dark green veggies, some of them should be limited...see nutrition in www.rabbit.org

As "desert" or a special treat..bunnies can have up to 2 tablespoons of pellets per 5 lbs of bunny. Pellets were developed to be an easy feed and to put weight on meat rabbits. Pellets are high in calcium and can cause bladder stones after awhile. Pellets can also cause the gut to slow down as described above. As one vet said, do wild rabbits eat pellets? No, they are not a natural food and should be discouraged...and rabbits get along just fine without them in their diet.

Since rabbits have become so popular as pets, scientists and rabbit lovers have, the last 15-20 years, conducted a lot of research on rabbit dietary, social and medical needs. Information on rabbit care has changed dramatically and with this updated information, rabbits now have longer life spans and we now know what it takes to give a bunny a long and healthy life. Unfortunately there is still a lot of bad info circulating on rabbit care...people who haven't bothered to look at the new info, or who just don't want to be bothered because "that's the way grandpa did it". Avoid these people and check the web for rabbit care info. Good luck!

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Brody's mom, just wanna say that not all male rabbits are vicious. i have 3 males and none of them have been "done" and they are very friendly, always wanting a stroke.

Good point - I guess it really depends on the character of the bunny involved. Any piccies?

[Bunny_Luver]

Well i have a bunny and i ussually just fill up his food dish and he eats whenever he wants......usually morning and night but if u dont wanna do that give him 3 tsb for breakfast and 3 for supper

[dab_20]

I have 6 rabbits. you shoulden't feed them alfalfa, unless it is an occasional treat. your bun will get over weight, as it is too high in calories and too high in calcium. feed them timothy hay DAILY to keep their digestive system working properly. never feed them iceberg lettuce, only romaine lettuce. baby carrots, clovers, dandelines, and sometimes apples are very good nutrition. enjoy your new baby, and good luck.

[dab_20]

oh yah! and of course- pellets