What do kiwis feed growing bunnies?

Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

whiskylollipop

Laura the Bunsnuggler
Joined
May 19, 2013
Messages
1,432
Reaction score
519
Location
Auckland, NZ
It's frustratingly hard to find quality pet feed for rabbits in New Zilnd. There's Oxbow, but only the adult timothy kind. The only high-protein types I could find with alfalfa/lucerne are low-fibre, fattening, and full of corn, seeds and molasses.

I have two young buns and I'm not sure what best to feed them! Are there any of my countrymen or women out there with leads to share?

:bunnyheart
 
Is bagged Oxbow brand bagged alfalfa available there? If not I was reading that the "Botanical blend" is a mix of grasses and some alfalfa. I have been in communication with Dr K regarding my young bun eating the adult pellets. (He was 9 weeks old at the time) He really didn't seem the believe it would be a problem for him but suggested adding fresh veggies soon. If you go to the Oxbow website and click on ask the vet you can email in your questions.
 
If you can give alfalfa or Lucerne hay, feeding the timothy pellets should be fine. Most breeders, at least in the US, give alfalfa pellets and timothy or grass hay and their rabbits seem to do fine. As long as they get some alfalfa, they should be fine.
 
I'm not sure where in New Zealand you are located, but looking on the oxbow website they have one vet listing for stockists. Where do you buy your oxbow from? I've found that some of the clinics I've visited here don't keep it in stock but they can order in several oxbow products for you if requested. If you can't get the oxbow pellets for younger bunnies, I would do as the others suggested and try buying some lucerne hay from a feed store :)
 
Thanks guys. I have been feeding them the adult Oxbow in large quantities, but they can't gain weight and are just really thin. I'm thinking I need a higher protein percentage pellet. The vet listing is where I get the adult Oxbow from, it's the only place in NZ you can get it, and they said they wouldn't stock Oxbow Young Rabbit due to relatively low demand. Told me to just go get pet store lucerne pellets that have protein percentages as high as their junk content. *shakes fist*

Lucerne hay is sold by the bale in feed stores, but I'm in a city apartment and wouldn't really have the means to store a whole or even half bale. :(
 
Can't believe the feed stores don't sell their hay in bags as well as bales, seems like bad business to me.
 
it's bad business for feed stores to carry product they can't sell before expiry date. :)

Feed the adult pellets. Realize that kits go through a lanky stage. As long as they are growing, and are active happy buns, they will most likely be just fine.

You can carefully start them on greens and what not REGARDLESS of how old they are as long as you are SMART about it. So not a handful...but do a leaf. Feed it with hay. Then do two leaves for while and such like. Just research what are edible rabbit plants in New Zealand and feed your buns.
 
Hi Whiskylollipop,

What other brands of rabbit feed have you tried? Country Harvest and NRM rabbit pellets are good-quality lucerne-based pellets and widely available in the NI. In the SI, Westons pellets are the most available brand. These brands are the ones most commonly used and favoured by show rabbit breeders and good for building condition. They come in 10kg and 25kg bags and are stocked in rural supply stores like Farmlands, RD1, Wilson & Kettle and specialist animal/stock feed outlets.

Another good option is Mainlands "Barnyard" rabbit pellets which are available in 10kg bags at Countdown supermarkets.

10kg bags will feed your rabbits for a good period of time, yet not so long that they will go stale before finishing the bag. It's best to keep pellets in an airtight sealable plastic or metal container - a 20L plastic bucket or container with lid is a good size for 10kg of pellets.

A large (240L) wheelie bin is the perfect size for containing conventional bales of hay :)

Hope this helps
Deborah
 
Hi guys, thanks for all the help. Hay in bags is available in stores for meadow hay and ryegrass hay, which I use, I'm not sure why lucerne isn't available in the same way! I decided to get a bag of NRM lucerne pellets and I'm gonna feed them that along with the Oxbow, hopefully my bunnies won't be picky about being fed both pellet brands.

Cheers!
 
Whiskey - the feed stores might let you take your own container and pick up any loose leaves of alfalfa that fall off the squeeze. Just ask the manager/ owner. Make sure there isn't lots of dirt mixed in. Find out when they get their hay replenished if they are a good hay dealer they will clean under their pallets before the hay is put down. (They throw it all away) You could also buy a bale and take it to a local horse rescue, while you are there dropping it off cut it open and take a few flakes off for yourself. They won't mind!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top