Bugs Bunny did n’t do the rabbit macrocosm any favors by perpetuating the stereotype that rabbits spend their days eat carrot and making wisecracks . I ’ve spent more than 20 years with rabbits , and I can attest that I ’ve never heard one make a sarcastic comment , nor do my rabbits devour carrots all 24-hour interval .
So if they ’re not eating carrots , what do rabbits drop their days wipe out ? Are they supposed to eat shot or vegetables or what ? Do n’t worry . Feeding rabbit is as soft as one , two , three , four , five . Let ’s take a face at some tip to get you going .
1.Start With Hay
Do n’t undervalue the importance of hay in your rabbit ’s daily dieting . Hay lean to grade lower than pelleted feed in the minds of many rabbit owners , but hay is very authoritative . Here ’s why : Hay provide your rabbits with a wonderful source of fiber , which help forestall gastrointestinal problems and keeps the gut flora healthy . Rabbits love to chew , and hay provides ample chance for rabbits to put those ( continually growing ) tooth to good use .
Grass hay or alfalfa ? Both type have supporters , and your choice could number down to personal preference and the availability of either in your area . I feed eatage hay to my rabbits because I like to give my rabbits free - choice access to hay — as much as they need — and grass hay lets me do this without fear of the digestive problems that can occur from go through too much rich Medicago sativa hay .
The caliber of the hay is paramount . Choose thebest hay you’re able to find , and avoid hay that is moth-eaten , moldy or overly underweight . Find scented - smell hay with a prissy dark-green coloration , and your rabbits will be delighted .
2.Add Pelleted Feed
rabbit take more than hay , though . Another substantive component of your rabbit ’s day-by-day diet is pellets .
Rabbits require a well - rounded dieting that include appropriate amounts of fiber , protein , vitamins and minerals . A speedy slip to a provender - supply store will give away a wide variety of commercially raise pelleted feeds , and these assistant take the guessing out of providing right canonic nutrition for your rabbits .
Pelleted feed total in many formulas designed to meet the need of dissimilar type of rabbits , and your rabbits ’ case-by-case needs depend on a number of factor , include old age .
The protein cognitive content of pelleted feed varies , so you might find feeds with protein amounts from 12 to 18 percent . For grownup bucks and non - lactating does , a feed with 12 to 16 percent protein is sufficient in most cases , while wet does can gain from a formula that contains as much as 18 percentage protein .
Pay attention to the fiber percentage in the pelleted convention as well . hare profit from a high - roughage diet — which is why hay is so authoritative — so depend for a fibre percentage that is ideally at least 18 percent .
How much pelleted provender should you give each rabbit ? My world-wide rule is 1 ounce of pellets per pound of body weight per day , with the understanding that you might need to align this grant to each private rabbit ’s body experimental condition .
3.Emphasize Water
One of the most significant elements of alimentation rabbits is n’t food at all : It ’s water . Your rabbits need admission to fresh , clear piddle at all times — specially at alimentation time . So whether you provide this water via crock , sports stadium , bottleful or an automatic watering system , double - check at least twice a daytime that your rabbits have fresh water .
Rabbits can be very suspicious of change in water , so if you ’re traveling to show with your rabbit or transporting fresh rabbits home , get along water they ’re accustomed to drinking , or gradually shift to bottled fountain pee before traveling .
4.What About Carrots?
I love what you ’re marvel : “ When are we going to get to the part about carrots ? ”
Here ’s the quite a little : While it ’s commonly fine to feed small amount ofsome fruits and vegetablesto your adult rabbits , view these as treats , and prey them only in moderation .
Along with carrots , your rabbits might enjoy apples , pear or strawberry , but always introduce any food very tardily and in lowly sum to allow your lapin to become accustomed to the change in diet . ( And no lettuce for rabbit ! Their digestive systems do n’t tolerate wampum very well , and iceberg lettuce can stimulate diarrhea . )
For rabbits younger than 6 months , it ’s best to skip over the fruits and veggie because of the increased risk of infection of gastrointestinal derangement . look until your bunnies are old than 6 month before stick in these food into their dieting .
5.Go Green
In summation to fruits and vegetables , you may also provide greens as a treat for your rabbit . Mine are demented about dandelion ( leave of absence and heyday ) , but fresh , bridge player - pick blades of grass are also a playfulness treat . ( Never eat sens snip from the lawnbecause clippings can turn and/or get moldy and digestive upset can fall out . )
put in jet over the course of a few day , starting with small amounts and increasing easy . supply a small portion each day is a better estimation than give your lapin a heavy bunch of dandelion greens once a calendar week .
Two more thing to remark : nullify feeding greens to rabbits younger than 6 month of eld ( for the reasons remark antecedently ) , and plunk only dandelion or grass on your own holding in area that you know to be free of any type of chemical that could be venomous to your cony .
Here ’s a bonus tip when feeding : Rabbits thrive on a predictable schedule . They quickly hear routines and expect to have their meal delivered at the appropriate time . So set a agenda , and do your best to stick to it . Your lapin will give thanks you .
This chronicle in the beginning appeared in the March / April 2019 issue ofHobby Farmsmagazine .
