Pet rabbit diets

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jimthejimjim

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Pet rabbit diets
« on: May 27, 2011, 15:44 »
I am taking over the care of my Mums pet rabbit as she has lost interest a bit and my little boy loves the rabbit.
I love having pets so it's not a chore or hassle to me taking on the commitments that come with pet ownership.

Currently the rabbit is fed on mainly pellets I think. I want to make sure I care for the rabbit as best I can and I was wondering what other people feed their rabbits and what their feeding routines are.
He currently has a two storey hutch (if that makes sense) so I think it is a good sized home and I am planning on letting him have time out in my yard for exercise every day.

Many thanks for your help.
Please be patient! Learner gardener - allow plenty of room when passing!

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Mulberry1990

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Re: Pet rabbit diets
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2011, 15:49 »
We got our rabbits from the RSPCA and they recommended Burgess Excel to us to feed them all on, it contains everything the bunnies need and they can't be picky about which bits they eat like they can with traditional mixed rabbit food.
We also give them a handful of the traditional mixed rabbit food as a treat every so often as well as carrots and other greenery.
We fill their bowls up at night when we put them to bed and just leave the food with them all the time. They graze on it throughout the day and just take a bit when they feel like it.

In the hutch have you thought about bedding for him? We've found that by giving them two cat litter trays one upstairs and one downstairs filled with hemcore they keep their hutch very clean as they learn to use the cat litter trays like cats do. Then we just have to empty the litter trays every couple of days and give the floor in the hutch a quick seep.

Good luck with your new bunny =)
4 Dogs: Stanley, Oscar, Borris and Scraps, 8 chickens: Prada, Mulberry, Alessi, Apple, Dior, Bobbi, Eve and Fendi, 2 Guinea Pigs: Rupert and Milo, 3 Rabbits: Louis, Daisy and Charlie 2 Fish: Sandy and Pebbles, 6 Quail

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maxyboo

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Re: Pet rabbit diets
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2011, 18:58 »
Yep Burgess excel pellets are usually recommended for the reasons Mulberry states. I mix it with a cheaper bunny brunch but I have several more rabbits and Burgess excel is quite expensive. Introduce new foods slowly though as their digestive systems are very complex and sensitive to change.  Keep him on his current grub and add small amounts of new food over the next few days, gradually increasing the amount if there are no problems.
Fresh hay is the most important part of their diet though and should always be available.
If you live somewhere rural you may be able to get free food by going "rabbit grubbing". I don't buy food this time of year. I collect dandelions, plantain, hogweed etc from the hedgerows nearby. You need to know what you are picking though and that it isn't sprayed or polluted by passing traffic.
It is very easy to overfeed bunnies so be mindful of weight gain and good luck.
« Last Edit: May 27, 2011, 20:11 by maxyboo »

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jimthejimjim

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Re: Pet rabbit diets
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2011, 06:35 »
Thanks for the advice  :D

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SnooziSuzi

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Re: Pet rabbit diets
« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2011, 08:52 »
take a look at the RSPCA pages on rabbits; there's a lot of good information on there for you to help you keep him happy :)

http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/pets/rabbits

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Gandan57

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Re: Pet rabbit diets
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2011, 09:09 »
As the RSPCA state, grass and/or hay are essential and should be available at all times.

Fresh grass should be obtainable for most of the year depending on your location and the bonus is it`s free.
I`m left handed, what`s your excuse?

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SnooziSuzi

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Re: Pet rabbit diets
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2011, 10:42 »
I gave into the kids a couple of years ago and we took on an English Old Spot rabbit who was an 'adoptee' from Pets at Home. 

The store told me that he was up for adoption because he fought with the owners other rabbits and that he'd never be able to live with another rabbit. 

We got him home, set up his hutch and a small run area (about 5 feet by 3 feet) that we could move around the garden onto fresh grass.

It soon became clear that he was lonely but the store had told us he couldn't be introduced to other rabbits because of his history but we read up and found out how to introduce rabbits to each other. 

We followed the advice and after having him neuterred we set up a separate run next to Shaun where he and Sally, another adoptee rabbit, could see each other but not actually touch.  They were supposed to be like this for up to 3 weeks whilst they got used to each other, and the sign that they had accepted each other was that they would lie alongside each other in their own runs with the fencing separating them... they did this from day 1!

After a few days it was clear that they were happy together so increased the run size to accommodate both of them (by this time they had 1/3 of the 15 metres by 10 metres grassed garden) and soon after that they ended up with the entire garden!!!

Clearly, the family that had Shaun first didn't introduce him properly to the other rabbits and so a stranger had just been thrown into an established group and it caused horrible tension.  Sally was also from Pets at Home and I think that she had been neglected and very likely chased around the garden by a previous families young child or other pet because she is so nervous and can't be picked up.

They are, however, the happiest bunnies I have ever seen and I'm so pleased we were able to give them such a good life together  :happy:
« Last Edit: May 28, 2011, 10:43 by SnooziSuzi »



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