BunnyMom2
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And is Timothy grass the best or Timothy hay the best for bunnies?
Pellet problem!
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Wishyouwerehere
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Hi, I have 2 bunnies, an 8 yr old and a rescue about 4 1/2 years old. Per my veterinarian at 1 yr old you can definitely stop feeding her unlimited pellets. I feed mine as follows and everytime I go to the vet they tell me their weight is very consistent and gratefully they are in good health. This has been my go to diet for Bonnie and Freddie always..
Unlimited Timothy grass hay 24/7 (hay forever lol)
A little less than 1/4 cup of adult pellets per day for each
About 2 cups Spring mix or baby lettuces in the morning around 8 am and again about 2 cups at 8 pm
Water 24/7
Hope this helps you.
Elle
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The Bunny Room
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Our veterinarian advised against pellets and strictly encouraged hay and a small amount of rabbit safe salad mix and rabbit safe veggies with the inclusion of bunny safe sticks daily. Introduce bunny safe veggies very cautiously. One of my rabbits has a sensitive stomach and I have to be careful. I still give my rabbits a handful of pellets daily, as a treat. Mizuri Brand but I am going to switch to a better probiotic supporting formula … 6oz for each 12 pound rabbit. I am also switching to higher quality hay to reduce dust, I am going to try Orchard Grass.
With the hay, be sure it is not brown and watch out for dirt and weeds. We use a hay from the feed store because we have 4 large rabbits but it is very dusty and I found that when I order higher quality hay on-line, it is much nicer quality.
It can be expensive and so, you need to do the best you can. The hay is better than pellets for their chewing and digestion but if your rabbit loves pellets (all of mine love pellets) maybe cut back to a small amount daily. It is tempting to buy a big bale or a large bag of pellets but freshness and quality is important too. Still, with that being said, the rabbit virus that is going around dies after 3 months on hay (from what I understand) so, if the hay is contaminated by wild rabbits with the virus, the wait might be a trade off.
Back to nutrition; I only heard of one person whose rabbit became malnourished on a hay only diet. So, quality hay is central to good health. Maybe try making gradual adjustments to a primarily hay diet now that your rabbit is 5 months old. Make all food changes and introductions very gradually.
I give my rabbits, organic Romane lettuce, curly parsley, carrot tops daily with other added rabbit safe veggies in smaller amounts. My 12 pound rabbits get a large handful each of salad. When their poo looks iffy, I drop back to hay only for a few days. They are super healthy and we have no problems with digestive issues after 3 years since their adoption. The breed matters too. May California rabbits are super hearty poopers and the Flemish Giant/ New Zealand mix are strong too but George has always been more sensitive than the three girls but he is also a piggy and sometimes eat more salad than he should.
If you can grow a potted will tree, they live the sticks and leaves and willow helps with relieving pain as they get older.
Good luck!
The Bunny Room
Active Member
Keep asking around about the hay. I read that Alfalfa hay is primary until 7 months
i did a google search that suggested Alfalfa Hay until 7 months … so, keep asking around! I adopted my rabbits at about six months and they were on Timothy Hay but whatever you do, make all changes gradually! Good luck!
BunnyMom2
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Thank you everyone for the informations.
MYVOLE
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hi i think you can try offering different types of hay or mixing hay with other foods to make it more appealing. You can also try offering hay in different formats, such as hay cubes or pellets, to see if your rabbit prefers a different texture. If you're still having trouble getting your rabbit to eat hay, consult with a veterinarian or rabbit nutritionist for further advice.
Going pellet-free is generally not recommended, though can be done with extreme research.
This article is written with quotes from some well-respected rabbit experts...
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Pellet-free_diet
BunnyMom2
Well-Known Member
thank you.
