8 weeks old bunny: What to feed?

[haven711]

Hi, all! I'm new to this form, but this is my second bunny. I didn't know well, so I didn't feed my first bunny right. This time I don't want to make same mistake again. He's 8 weeks old now. We got him from a local breeder and also got some pellets from the breeder too. Yesterday, I read a lot of threads about pellets, but I couldn't find solid answers, so I'm posting thisto confirm. If you know any good threads, please feel free to post here. I'll check them out. My concern is he's so young, so I want to help him growing up healthy.

These are my questions:

- I read young bunnies needs protein and calcium, so Alfalfa based pellets are recommended. Is that true? If so, which brand is most popular and common?

- Oxbox Bunny Basic T looked like a most popular pellet in this forum.I went to Petsmart yesterday to check it out, but didn't get it becuase it was Timothy based pellet and said 'For Adult Bunnies.' Is it okay to feed this to my bunny?

- I'm giving him a small portion of pellets that we got from the breeder and Timothy hay for now. Is that okay? I know bunnies should have unlimited hay, but I was wondering how much pellets to give and if Timothy hay is okay for him right now.

- How should I change his diet as he gets old?

- I was thinking about buyingpellets from the breeder since he's been raising bunnies for years. He's a nice guy, so I think I should be able to buy some from him.

I listened to a local vet when I had my first bunny, but I've learned that many things thathe told me were NOT right. Anyway, please help this new member. Thanks!!!

P.S.: I'll post pics and info to the Introduction forum soon.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Young rabbits should have unlimited alfalfa pellets. They need the extra nutrients to grow properly. I would still measure out the amount you give so you know if he is not eating. Give 1/2 cup at a time and give more when he is done. If he is eating more than that, then give more at once, but still measure. If you are unsure if he is eating, you can pour what is left into the measuring cup and see if he has eaten.

Brand can make a difference, but there are many good brands. Many people do like Oxbow, so if you want to use that it is fine. Get the alfalfa based Oxbow fro him now and you can switch to the timothy when he is an adult.

You can give timothy hay for now, but you should also give alfalfa hay. I would give both so it is easier to wean him off the alfalfa later.

When changing the diet, you need to do it slowly. Start with 25% new and 75% old pellets for 4-7 days, then do a 50/50 mix and finish with 75% new and 25% old, then the rabbit will be on 100% new. Some rabbits take the change better than others, so you can go a bit faster, but others need more time to adjust. I would do the mix on a daily basis so you know how much of each pellet he is getting.

If you do decide to give veggies, I would wait a bit for him to settle in and get used to the new pellets. Some people can introduce veggies at 8-10 weeks, but most people say to wait until 3-4 months. You do need to do it slowly and one veggie at a time.

 

[haven711]

Thanks for your reply. I did more research reading the threads and googled and basically your post sums up everything. I decided to get Oxbow 15/23 pellets. Luckily, one of the local pet stores carries 5lb & 10lb bags. I really appreciate for your time posting this. This is a great forum and I'd love to be a part of it.

I feel terrible not feeding my first bunny right. I still think he passed away early at the age of five because I didn't take care of him right. I'll try my best to take of this bunny right. Again, thanks!!

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Korr_and_Sophie wrote:

Young rabbits should have unlimited alfalfa pellets. They need the extra nutrients to grow properly.

This is a widely suggested plan, so I'm in no way saying you're wrong but just wanted to add another perspective too.

One thing that many breeders struggle with is weanling enteritis, which is basically a digestive upset caused by the weaning process. Weaning is a stressful time for a young rabbit's system as they are transitioning to brand new, very nutrient-rich foods, moved away from their mother, and often moved into brand new environments with their new families.

Because of this, I do not free feed rabbits of any age, with the exception of does nursing litters.

Even at a young age, I prefer to limit pellets to 1/2 cup per 5lbs. body weight (just a straight 1/2 cup for anything under 5 lbs., which most breeds are at 8 weeks). This tends to be plenty of pellets for a young rabbit, in fact most of them will not even finish off this amount. And then I supplement with a couple pinches of oats and unlimited hay. The hay gives the rabbit something to munch on during the day and is excellent for the digestive health of your bunny.

As previously mentioned though, many people do feed unlimited pellets from about 8 weeks to 6 months of age, while the rabbit is still growing. So it is best for you to observe your own rabbit and see what works best for you. There are exceptions to every general rule- some rabbits may need more than my reccommended amount to stay healthy and conditioned- some rabbits may barely eat any pellets and stay healthy and conditioned. I've had experience with both. But just wanted to throw that out there for your consideration.

Good luck with your new bunny!

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Double post.:halo

 

[haven711]

These are the problem I have now with my bunny Haven:

- I gave him a half cup, and it's not enough. He's always hungry. He's almost 10 weeks now.

- I bought Oxbow 15/23 pellets and he hates it. He doesn't even touch it. I had to buy Alfalfa based pellet from a local pet store quick. Brand name is Sunthing and he likes it, but I don't want to feed this to Haven. I fed this brand to my previous bunny, he got sick and died.

- He wouldn't eat hay. We gave him Oxbow botanical hayand he doesn't eat. I think this is why he's always hungry because he eats pellet only.

Basically, he doesn't eat any Oxbow product. I'm frustrated, so I'll buy Kaytee Alfalfa hay today and try it. I'm trying to meet the breeder whom I got Haven from and get some pellets from him. He said he's beenfeeding Blue Bonnet rabbit feed for years with no problem. He add a little of oats and seeds in there as well.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

What breed is Haven? I said to feed about 1/2 cup per 5 lbs., but didn't specify- I usually estimate based on expected adult weight. So I raise Holland Lops, which mature to about 4 lbs. Therefore, I give them 1/2 cup per day as babies because that is what their expected adult weight recommends. If you're feeding a young French Lop, you're going to want to be feeding much more. I apologize for not clarifying that the first time, but if your rabbit is expected to be a large breed, he will need more food per day.

As far as pellets, what brands are available to you? My favorite pellets are brands like Purina which are only available in 25 lb. bags or more, as far as I know. So if the pet store brands of food are not working for you, maybe you can buy pellets from the breeder that the bunny is from. That way, he can stay on a good pellet but you won't need to buy huge bags at a time.

On eating hay- this is a learned behavior. I feed my rabbits hay daily and I find that hay consumption is often reflected between mother and babies. I have one mother who eats more hay than pellets and her babies do the same. I have another mother who is not as much a fan of hay, neither are her babies. I have bought rabbits from breeders before who never fed hay and those rabbits nibble hay sometimes but mostly prefer pellets. So it might be the cass that your bunny was not raised as a hay-eater. Always offer a little ball of hay to him so that it's there if he wants it. But if he leaves it, that is ok too. As he gets older, you could begin to introduce fresh veggies which is another source of fiber that maybe he would prefer more.

 

[Purple Mountain Rabbitry]

I feed rangen feeds to all my animals for grains/pellets and it works great. it gives them plenty of nutrients proteins etc. I have gotten many compliments on my rabbits and this feed. many champions of allkinds of animals, horses, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, cattle, fish, etc.Then for hay I feed regular alfalfa hay. if you look on CL or something like that you can find alfalfa hay anywhere from $5-$10 for asquare bale that will last you forever as long as you keep it dry, my rabbits tend to like this better than the stuff from the pet store. I also give themsome vegies and fruits off and on.

I would ask the breeder though what he fed and try and find that

hope this helps.

crystal

 

[elrohwen]

One thing to remember is that it is very hard on a bunny's tummy, especially a young bunny, to switch out pellets quickly. For any pellet switch you should do it very gradually over the course of a month. So for the first week, feed 3/4 of the old pellets (the one the breeder was feeding) and 1/4 of the new pellets (the Oxbow 15/23 that you prefer to feed). The next week you can feed 50/50. Many rabbits will balk at a quick switch like that and many will have tummy upsets. Go slowly and I bet he'll make the change easier and will gladly eat the new pellets. Right now, he knows that he just has to turn his nose up at the new pellets and you'll give him something else. Too many changes can end up hurting his tummy and causing more problems.

I agree that eating hay is a learned behavior. Keep giving it to him, and try mixing a few varieties together. Try allowing his pellets to run dry for a few hours so that he starts looking around for other things to eat. Like Julie, I'm not 100% convinced about the free feeding of baby rabbits - I think it's perfectly fine to feed him a few times a day and have a few hours in between where he doesn't have any pellets and needs to look to hay to fill his tummy. As long as he's eating 1/2c or more per day in total, he'll be getting the nutrition he needs.

 

[haven711]

Thanks for kind replies. Things have been improving since I posted. Haven is a Holland Lop and about 10 weeks old. I just gave him Oxbow pellets without mixing with old ones and he finally got into it. He loves it now. I've been watching his droppings and they look okay. It's been 5 days, so I think we switched pellets on him with no problem. Yes, I've learned giving him 1/2 cup of pellets is very important. Now, he's eating hays when pellets run out. He's eating Oxbow alfalfa, oats and botanical hays, so I can tell he's getting good nutritions from all different sources. I went to a local Seed & Feed store, picked up some sunflower and oat seeds and throw them a little bit in his pellets as a snack. He loves them too. Based on my experience, mixing pellets didn't work well for me. He only ate what he liked and left Oxbow pellets.

Anyway, he's like a eating machine. He constantly eats and poops. I can tell he's one healthy bunny.

I'm thinking about taking him out for a walk with harness on. Is it too early for 10 weeks old baby bunny? When is a good time to start?

 

[elrohwen]

Some people do give seeds as a supplement, but I would recommend against them for a pet bunny - they are high in fat and there are better treats for your bunny like fresh fruits and veggies.

Also, there are mixed opinions on harnesses. Some use them successfully, but I'm in the camp that they should never be used - it is too easy for a bunny to spook and break their back during a panic attack. If you want to take your bunny outside, it's much safer to set up a pen and let him run around inside the pen while you watch him.

 

[haven711]

He's 5 months and 7 days old now. He's been eating Alfalfa hay plus othe types of hay and of course Oxbow Alfalfa pellets. He used to eat a lot of pellets, but somehow slowed down lately, so he doesn't eat that much. Now, I'd like to ask that how I should start feeding vegetables. When should I introduce him Timothy pellets? Is this about time?

When we got him

Most Recent Pics

 

[Nancy McClelland]

What a handsome little bunny. We used to wean them off alfalfa at six months and blend timothy pellets in for a couple of weeks till it was just timothy only. Vegetables was fairly easy. Small amounts twice a day at first and gradually increase the amount till you hit the amount threshold for their weight. A tiny bit of fruit is alright as well as carrot, but you have to watch the amount of sugar or else they get runny. Ours like Cilantro, dandelion, parsley, Italian parsley, Romaine lettuce and we give them a tiny piece of carrot in the morning and a tiny bit of apple at night.

 

[maxysmummy]

what a gorgeous bun!

we never free fed our rabbits, otherwise they would just eat pellets like crazy and not eat any hay. so we limited their pellet intake and free-fed their hay.