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Sites with what to and what NOT to feed your rabbit abound on the internet. They do. Some say feed this, don't feed that and sometimes those sites disagree.
The thing to remember with ALL of them is there is truth to all of it.
For instance the above pyramid:
Hay IS good for rabbits. It is. The long fibres are a gut stabilizer and a boon to digestion. It is. No point disputing that fact. But the question that causes division among rabbit people is this. Does it HAVE to be fed and if so, does it HAVE to be fed all the time, as much as bunny wants? ...... mm.. NO. It does not have to be fed and if fed, it does not have to be unlimited. It really doesn't.
1. There are plenty of rabbit raisers who NEVER EVER give their rabbits hay. They get pellets and that's it. And you know what? That's okay.
2. There are more than one rabbit raiser who gives hay oh.. once maybe twice a week. And... their rabbits thrive.
3. there are still others who give alternative forms of hay .. like hay cubes.
4. some who give straw instead of hay (t'is cheaper you know).
5. and then there are those who do the unlimited, every day hay.
Then of course the above chart asserts that alfalfa hay should only be fed in small quantities if ever. This kinda leaves out the people that choose to feed a pellet free diet and realize that alfalfa hay is high in protein and therefore a good source of protein and fibre. AND.. their rabbits thrive.
Going up the list we see carrots, radishes, lettuces, cabbages and such like. Tell me something.. .. have you EVER seen a rabbit go to your garden and dig up your radishes, beets or carrots? Have you? What do they tend to eat? They tend (based on the wild buns I've seen around) go for grass, dandelions, lettuces of all varieties, baby tomato plants, radish greens, mustard greens and such like. Radishes... NEVER seen a rabbit eat one. Beets and carrots... yup.. have seen domesticated rabbits eat them... and also develop tummy troubles since they have lots of sugars in them.. and thus are not so good for bunny tummies.
Pellets... oh my ... what a hugely divisive topic this can be. ALL across the board.
Limited, restricted, free fed, unlimited, none at all.. there are as many ways to feed pellets as there are rabbit raisers. Seriously, there are. So who is right, who is wrong? IS anyone wrong or right? No.
When it comes right down to it... it really DOES NOT MATTER how you feed your rabbits. Load them up on greens, limit their pellets, feed or don't feed hay.. I DON'T care.
You know what really matters... THE RABBIT.
If your rabbit is THRIVING under your care, truly thriving then feed it the way you are feeding it.
BUT if your rabbit is getting gut stasis, is too thin or too fat, no energy (or conversely TOO much energy). then tweak the diet. Change it. Don't say but I Have to do it this way cause thus and such told me I have to. Well.. is thus and such YOUR particular rabbit? NO? Well then don't do what everyone else tells you to do. Do your own research, play around with your bunny diet in a careful controlled manner, and do what is best for YOUR rabbit.
Think clearly and carefully about your rabbit and your rabbits needs.
A rabbit who suffers from gut stasis tends to need less greens and more regular pellets and hay. OR perhaps a grain based diet with alfalfa hay. It's okay to change to that.
A rabbit with too much energy needs to have something to do and you need to play around with the diet to see if it is reacting to something in the diet.
A rabbit that is too thin or too fat needs protein levels adjusted in the feed it is getting.
so THINK please, people, be willing to think outside the box and care for your rabbits in a way that is healthy for them.
A diet that takes in the basic needs and dietary restrictions that rabbits have.
My personal recommendation is this
Feed a basic diet of measured pellets.
Then to that diet add some variations.
one day hay, another day some grains, another day some greens, perhaps a day with no treats, or an apple/rose/willow branch. Switch it up.
WHY? Because rabbits will lock onto a routine. And then when they are sick... if they aren't used to getting different things it is harder to help them get better. If your rabbit is used to getting hay, then when on meds and in need of a gut stabilizer the hay will not be a foreign thing to get used.
If he gets gut stasis and you simply need him to eat something to keep the gut moving, variety gives you options.
It also means that if you run out of things.. .such as no pellets, hay or greens...you have the option of saying here.... have some grain and the rabbit won't freak out on you. Tis a good thing that eh?
Keep your rabbit healthy. Keep the diet varied. And take proper care of your bunnies. PLEASE.
I've rescued one too many bunny raised on celery and carrots that was in HORRID shape...and what do they say... but bunny won't eat anything else... or the rabbit society says lots of veggies is good and they didn't want to eat pellets or hay anymore.
Frustrates and saddens me to see bunnies NOT well cared for.
So please... feed and care for your bunnies well okay? Thanks.
The thing to remember with ALL of them is there is truth to all of it.
For instance the above pyramid:
Hay IS good for rabbits. It is. The long fibres are a gut stabilizer and a boon to digestion. It is. No point disputing that fact. But the question that causes division among rabbit people is this. Does it HAVE to be fed and if so, does it HAVE to be fed all the time, as much as bunny wants? ...... mm.. NO. It does not have to be fed and if fed, it does not have to be unlimited. It really doesn't.
1. There are plenty of rabbit raisers who NEVER EVER give their rabbits hay. They get pellets and that's it. And you know what? That's okay.
2. There are more than one rabbit raiser who gives hay oh.. once maybe twice a week. And... their rabbits thrive.
3. there are still others who give alternative forms of hay .. like hay cubes.
4. some who give straw instead of hay (t'is cheaper you know).
5. and then there are those who do the unlimited, every day hay.
Then of course the above chart asserts that alfalfa hay should only be fed in small quantities if ever. This kinda leaves out the people that choose to feed a pellet free diet and realize that alfalfa hay is high in protein and therefore a good source of protein and fibre. AND.. their rabbits thrive.
Going up the list we see carrots, radishes, lettuces, cabbages and such like. Tell me something.. .. have you EVER seen a rabbit go to your garden and dig up your radishes, beets or carrots? Have you? What do they tend to eat? They tend (based on the wild buns I've seen around) go for grass, dandelions, lettuces of all varieties, baby tomato plants, radish greens, mustard greens and such like. Radishes... NEVER seen a rabbit eat one. Beets and carrots... yup.. have seen domesticated rabbits eat them... and also develop tummy troubles since they have lots of sugars in them.. and thus are not so good for bunny tummies.
Pellets... oh my ... what a hugely divisive topic this can be. ALL across the board.
Limited, restricted, free fed, unlimited, none at all.. there are as many ways to feed pellets as there are rabbit raisers. Seriously, there are. So who is right, who is wrong? IS anyone wrong or right? No.
When it comes right down to it... it really DOES NOT MATTER how you feed your rabbits. Load them up on greens, limit their pellets, feed or don't feed hay.. I DON'T care.
You know what really matters... THE RABBIT.
If your rabbit is THRIVING under your care, truly thriving then feed it the way you are feeding it.
BUT if your rabbit is getting gut stasis, is too thin or too fat, no energy (or conversely TOO much energy). then tweak the diet. Change it. Don't say but I Have to do it this way cause thus and such told me I have to. Well.. is thus and such YOUR particular rabbit? NO? Well then don't do what everyone else tells you to do. Do your own research, play around with your bunny diet in a careful controlled manner, and do what is best for YOUR rabbit.
Think clearly and carefully about your rabbit and your rabbits needs.
A rabbit who suffers from gut stasis tends to need less greens and more regular pellets and hay. OR perhaps a grain based diet with alfalfa hay. It's okay to change to that.
A rabbit with too much energy needs to have something to do and you need to play around with the diet to see if it is reacting to something in the diet.
A rabbit that is too thin or too fat needs protein levels adjusted in the feed it is getting.
so THINK please, people, be willing to think outside the box and care for your rabbits in a way that is healthy for them.
A diet that takes in the basic needs and dietary restrictions that rabbits have.
My personal recommendation is this
Feed a basic diet of measured pellets.
Then to that diet add some variations.
one day hay, another day some grains, another day some greens, perhaps a day with no treats, or an apple/rose/willow branch. Switch it up.
WHY? Because rabbits will lock onto a routine. And then when they are sick... if they aren't used to getting different things it is harder to help them get better. If your rabbit is used to getting hay, then when on meds and in need of a gut stabilizer the hay will not be a foreign thing to get used.
If he gets gut stasis and you simply need him to eat something to keep the gut moving, variety gives you options.
It also means that if you run out of things.. .such as no pellets, hay or greens...you have the option of saying here.... have some grain and the rabbit won't freak out on you. Tis a good thing that eh?
Keep your rabbit healthy. Keep the diet varied. And take proper care of your bunnies. PLEASE.
I've rescued one too many bunny raised on celery and carrots that was in HORRID shape...and what do they say... but bunny won't eat anything else... or the rabbit society says lots of veggies is good and they didn't want to eat pellets or hay anymore.
Frustrates and saddens me to see bunnies NOT well cared for.
So please... feed and care for your bunnies well okay? Thanks.
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