# What do you feed your buns?



## GinaB (18 February 2013)

I usually feed Excel (although currently one I picked up on Asda as I knew I wouldn't be getting to a pet shop anytime soon.

However, Daltry is losing condition again and I think its due to the food I'm going to start them on the Science Selective one. Is this the best idea? Vet can find no physical cause for weight loss. A previous bun could only eat SS as well as he couldn't seem to digest any others.


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## catxx (18 February 2013)

I feed SS and have no problems with it. Remember they only need a handful once a day! We've had a spate of morbidly obese rabbits coming into the rescue due to the owners overfeeding the ol'pellets! 

I feed the regular SS pellets. I tried to switch mine onto the timothy-based Senior pellets, they loved it but their guts didn't and one went into stasis, they both have sensitive guts so I've decided that if it ain't broke...!

They get literally a handful of pellets in the evening though, that's it. In the morning they get their bowl of veg (usually spring greens, flat leaf parsley and mint) and the rest of the time it's hay hay and more hay.

Remember any pellet change has to be done SLOWLY or you get a rabbit with an upset gut = expensive vets bills.


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## GinaB (18 February 2013)

Mine get an egg cup each, once a day and adlib hay. Don't worry I've done food changes in the past  just want the wee man carrying a bit more weight!


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## Montyforever (18 February 2013)

Some pets at home rabbit nuggets, ad-lib hay and a excel hay/feed cube thing every few days. He gets the odd bit of fruit/veg too


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## webble (18 February 2013)

Morning - spring greens (around a leaf per bun) and hay around a carrier bag full per two buns

Tea time - wagg pellets 1 handfull per two buns and more hay

Night time - more hay


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## heebiejeebies (18 February 2013)

Mine get adlib hay and fresh grass and two cups of fruit/veg per day. I don't feed dry food, dry mix food for rabbits was 'invented' to fatten rabbits up for eating them, although I'm sure it's much healthier now than it used to be they wouldn't get it in the wild so they don't need it.


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## catxx (19 February 2013)

Richie said:



			Timothy Hay is really good for rabbits.
It's high fibre and low energy - ideal for a healthy and happy bunny.

Many people feed their buns too many treats (carrots, fruit etc). 
If your rabbit's poo is runny it attracts flies and increases the chances of the deadly flystrike.

Here are things to avoid and things which are good for rabbits.
		
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Good advice. Although, while Timothy Hay is indeed a good hay, it's mostly imported over here and just way too expensive. Mine get Meadow Hay instead and do just fine on that! The bag of Meadow Hay I buy is about £7, the similar size bag of Timothy Hay is £30!! No brainer there. In the US it's cheaper and more readily available, which is why it's on a pedestal on most websites if they're US based! 

Also, runny poop is usually uneaten cecals, excess amounts of these indicate a gut upset and if this happens cut a rabbit's diet back to literally 24/7 hay and water for a few days to let their gut settle down. For rabbits with healthy guts you should NEVER see the mushy poos and cecals will be eaten straight from the point of exit (eww!).


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## It's Me Megan (19 February 2013)

Everyone gets half an egg cup of pellets a day. 

Plus dark green veg, ad lib timothy hay & dried 'readi-grass'

Very occasionally they will get a small slice of carrot if they have been good or it's their birthday


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## Enfys (21 February 2013)

I am a dreadful rabbit owner, I am blowed if I am going to pay extortionate retail prices for rabbit food  I don't buy anything for them, they get whatever is in the house vegetable wise, otherwise they get alfa cubes, oats, sunflower seeds and corn, and sometimes a handful of bird seed, all of I have by the 50lb sackful anyway.

They get excellent meadow hay, high % timothy, cut from our own field. I also sell this to several retail outlets. 

In summer they get grass, leaves, herbage and whatever else I pick for them. 

I don't buy treats they get twigs and branches to chew on. 

My hay costs me $1.50 to produce a 50lb bale. I sell 10lb bags @ $10.

I pay $30 for a 600lb oat straw round bale, I sell a feed sack full for $5.

50lbs oats = $11
50lbs BOSS = $30
50lbs alfa cubes = $11
50lbs cracked corn = $11


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## catxx (21 February 2013)

Enfys said:



			I am a dreadful rabbit owner, I am blowed if I am going to pay extortionate retail prices for rabbit food  I don't buy anything for them, they get whatever is in the house vegetable wise, otherwise they get alfa cubes, oats, sunflower seeds and corn, and sometimes a handful of bird seed, all of I have by the 50lb sackful anyway.

They get excellent meadow hay, high % timothy, cut from our own field. I also sell this to several retail outlets. 

In summer they get grass, leaves, herbage and whatever else I pick for them. 

I don't buy treats they get twigs and branches to chew on. 

My hay costs me $1.50 to produce a 50lb bale. I sell 10lb bags @ $10.

I pay $30 for a 600lb oat straw round bale, I sell a feed sack full for $5.

50lbs oats = $11
50lbs BOSS = $30
50lbs alfa cubes = $11
50lbs cracked corn = $11
		
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Hate to be the bearer of bad news but rabbits are not birds. Their guts cannot fully digest sunflower seeds and corn, in fact these can cause serious gut blockages. Oats should only be fed in small quanitites to underweight rabbits, otherwise it causes obesity.

If the "alfa cubes" are alfafa, alfafa can only be fed to juvenile rabbits as its high in calcium, in adults it can cause bladder sludge, bladder stones and kidney stones.

While there's nothing wrong with not feeding them pellets, there's a lot wrong with feeding them bird seed!

The hay sounds great however and there's also nothing wrong with foraged food like twigs and leaves as long as they're truly bunny safe. Mine love Hazel.


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## Enfys (21 February 2013)

catxx said:



			Hate to be the bearer of bad news but rabbits are not birds. Their guts cannot fully digest sunflower seeds and corn, in fact these can cause serious gut blockages. Oats should only be fed in small quanitites to underweight rabbits, otherwise it causes obesity.  Well, I would love to know why all those thngs are in packaged rabbit food then  

If the "alfa cubes" are alfafa, alfafa can only be fed to juvenile rabbits as its high in calcium, in adults it can cause bladder sludge, bladder stones and kidney stones.

While there's nothing wrong with not feeding them pellets, there's a lot wrong with feeding them bird seed!  There you go then

The hay sounds great however and there's also nothing wrong with foraged food like twigs and leaves as long as they're truly bunny safe. If the cottontails and jackrabbits eat it then I don't reckon it will kill them.Mine love Hazel.
		
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 Thankyou for the advice, I shall adjust their diet accordingly

Hay it is then,  I am still not paying stupid prices for meat rabbits. The last lot are going on the weekend anyway


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## catxx (21 February 2013)

Enfys said:



Thankyou for the advice, I shall adjust their diet accordingly

Hay it is then,  I am still not paying stupid prices for meat rabbits. The last lot are going on the weekend anyway 

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A rabbit's diet needs to be at least 80% grass hay, everything else is a supplement.

The pellets my two get (and they only get literally a handful once a day) is:
_"Alfalfa meal, soybean hulls, wheat, wheatfeed, flaked peas, linseed, beet pulp, soybeanmeal, soya oil, monocalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate."_
I tried to switch them onto the Timothy hay based version and they went into stasis  sensitive tums on my two.

Meat rabbits still have the same welfare needs as a pet rabbit.


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## Enfys (21 February 2013)

catxx said:



			A rabbit's diet needs to be at least 80% grass hay, everything else is a supplement.

The pellets my two get (and they only get literally a handful once a day) is:
_"Alfalfa meal, soybean hulls, wheat, wheatfeed, flaked peas, linseed, beet pulp, soybeanmeal, soya oil, monocalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate."_
I tried to switch them onto the Timothy hay based version and they went into stasis  sensitive tums on my two.

Meat rabbits still have the same welfare needs as a pet rabbit.
		
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As I said, Thankyou for your advice. Much appreciated. 
You are obviously very passionate abut your rabbits


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## catxx (22 February 2013)

Enfys said:



			As I said, Thankyou for your advice. Much appreciated. 
You are obviously very passionate abut your rabbits 

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I am ! Proper diet and proper housing are two bugbears of mine.


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## moodymare_1993 (3 March 2013)

I've owned rabbits and ginea pigs  since I was 6, mine get a 2x small bowl full of excel pellets every night with hay (2 rabbit sisters) and before you shoot me down. there not spayed and have lived together all their lives 6 years. Some people can say this is way too much but in all my years of owning rabbits all my rabbits have all been incredibly healthily living long happy lives (my dwarf was 10 years old to the amazement of everyone lol they have Even been photographed for the vets I use for their condition as they Are really healthy. They go out every day on grass, and get veg as and when I have veg for dinner, but their main diet is pellets without fail every night and hay 99% of the time at night too. I know pellets are classed as supplements but our rabbits have never ever had diet problems, weight problems. However I must also add that they are extremely active rabbits and are always running, digging, so don't get fat from the pellets. Our rabbits are 100% happy with their food routine  will have to see if I have any pictures


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## piebaldsparkle (3 March 2013)

Excel pellets
Constant supply of hay
Dish of Just Grass (stolen from the horses as I refuse to for the rabbit size bags @ X times the price).
Green Veggies

I use unmollased oat straw chaff (again stolen from the horses) in their hutch as it is warm, absorbent, dust free and doesn't stick like shavings and wood pellets in their litter trays.


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## Highlands (6 March 2013)

Fussy bun! Rusell Rabbit occasionally weetabix just dry and he is super old (10 ish)


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## jellybean55 (12 March 2013)

I feed my two mini lops Excel pellets, however I think I give them too much going by this thread - I did think that before but they absolutely love them and if I try to cut it down I feel guilty! 

They get a bowl in the morning and a bowl at night, plus plenty of hay but I think they are filling up on the pellets as they waste a lot of the hay.  They also get to run and graze on the lawn every day. I might try and cut down the pellets and hopefully they will eat more hay instead. Occasionally they get a carrot and in the summer, tons of dandelions


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## catxx (12 March 2013)

jellybean55 said:



			I feed my two mini lops Excel pellets, however I think I give them too much going by this thread - I did think that before but they absolutely love them and if I try to cut it down I feel guilty! 

They get a bowl in the morning and a bowl at night, plus plenty of hay but I think they are filling up on the pellets as they waste a lot of the hay.  They also get to run and graze on the lawn every day. I might try and cut down the pellets and hopefully they will eat more hay instead. Occasionally they get a carrot and in the summer, tons of dandelions
		
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spoilt little bunnies! yep that's too much for adult bunnies. they should literally just need a handful each once a day. either morning or evening will do. that should up their hay intake!


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## jellybean55 (12 March 2013)

rightyoh, diet for them starting tomorrow then! eek, they're not going to like me


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