Coat supplements?

[naturestee]

I'm putting this in the Rabbitry instead of Nutrition right now because show breeders probably have more experience with this. I've been having trouble with Fey and Sprite's fur quality. It was awful when I got them due to poor nutrition, then got much better with a healthy diet of veggies, hay, and limited Oxbow pellets. They are sensitive to alfalfa or too much pellets, I suspect that protein is the main problem.

It seems like their fur is getting more rough again, especially Sprite's. They are healthy, active, and were tested for intestinal parasites when I first rescued them. I have always had problems keeping their weights up because they can't eat much pellets. They feel a bit bony but are very muscular. They are very active and do lots of Bunny 500s and binkies. Their twice-daily veggies take about 15 minutes to eat but they gobble them up quickly and are obviously full afterwards as it takes an hour or so to finish the pellets they get at the same time. I don't want to give them much more as I don't want the veggies sitting out and wilting.

Mocha, Loki, and Oberon are all doing fabulous on the same diet but with more pellets.

So the question is, what would be a good supplement? I give them the occasional rolled oats as a treat. I have black oil sunflower seeds for my bird feeder, but they still have the hulls on. Would those be good? What about flax seeds, can they have those? I know the fatty acids in them are great for fur and skin- my cats' food has sunflower and flax oil in it and Eve seems to need it or she gets dandruff. People on Etherbun seem to be panicked about the mechanical damage seeds may cause, which seems silly to me. Is this a real concern?

Or would I be better off feeding a small amount of something like Doc's Rabbit Enhancer?

BTW, Fey and Sprite are sisters and dwarf hotots. They have sensitive GI tracts, probably due to megacolon which is common in their breed.

 

[pamnock]

naturestee wrote:

BTW, Fey and Sprite are sisters and dwarf hotots. They have sensitive GI tracts, probably due to megacolon which is common in their breed.

Age could be an issue as well as the genetic predisposition to GI problems. They simply may not be absorbing nutrients as well. If this is the case, try a very tiny amount of Nutri Cal a day - it's very easy to metabolize and has omega 3 fatty acids as well as vitamin E (beneficial to the GI system).

People have fed rabbits whole oats for many years without problems, so the "seed" issue appears to be a myth. I prefer steam rolled oats because there is less waste.

Yes -- too much protein can be the cause of poor coat condition.



Pam

 

[naturestee]

They aren't very old though, they're only about 3 years old. I do have Nutri-Cal but I hesitate to use it with them because they seriously hate it. And since Sprite doesn't like to be touched it would be difficult to give it to her.

They actually have a very low protein diet. The pellets are 14% protein, 25-29% fiber, 1/8 cup a day each. Grass hay, and the majority of the veggies are low protein. They get the occasional bit of pea leaves or Black Medic (same genus as alfalfa) but not much at a time.

 

[gentle giants]

My Ben is three, and he is already having issues keeping wieght on. Hos coat is off, too, but that's because he is going into molt. I have been ginving him extra pellets, and it seems to have helped, he is gaining some back now. And of course, the heat/humidity here has been ferocious the last two weeks, so that's not helping.

 

[naturestee]

Hmm... Look what I found on Carrot Cafe:
http://www.carrotcafe.com/f/pellets.html

For rabbits who cannot tolerate pellets, I recommend two or three different kinds, including small amount of alfalfa. This will provide a better balance of minerals than a single hay variety. I recommend a minimum of 5, and ideally 8, different veggies a day. [sup]1[/sup] Sunflower seeds and peanuts (one or two a week) are sources of vitamin E and some of the essential fatty acids. Flax seed or flax oil is a good source of one of the other fatty acids and can be fed as well. The amounts should be small, one or two peanuts or sunflower seeds or a 1/4 teaspoon of flax seeds a week.

This at least gives me some guidelines. The recommendations I've seen on breeder websites usually say to give a larger amount daily, but they are also mainly for rabbits that are growing or breeding, not for spayed adults.

 

[naturestee]

Hey GG, this is a bit off topic but isn't Ben the one with heart problems? Because the Omega fatty acids are supposed to be good for the heart which is why a lot of people take fish oil pills, etc. Does your pellet brand have anything like sunflowers or flax in it? They are good non-fish sources.

 

[clarzoo]

I use whole black oil sunflower seeds (shell on) before show season with no problem. They love them, too. There is a supplement called Doc's Rabbit Enhancer that a lot of breeders and show people swear by.

I also make a supplement mix that I give my rabbits it's oats (rolled, like the ones in the quaker oats can), black oil sunflower seeds- probably in a 70/30 mix. Then I pour some wheat germ oil or flax seed oil over the oats and seeds, put a lid on the container and shake, shake, shake until everything is just coated evenly- there shouldn't be any oil dripping off of it.

The rabbits go gaga over it and boy does it put a shine on their coats- it also really makes my does and bucks want to breed, lol! The one thing about the oils is they are rich in vitamin E and A so you do want to be careful not to overdo it. Maybe offer it just a few times a week?

If you are just wanting to bump up protein- you can add Calf Manna. It is pelleted, smells like licorice, and mixed into regular pellets usually encourages rabbits to eat more. Just keep a careful eye on their poop whenever you bump up protein.

I hope some of those ideas helped.

Oh- my oldest guy, Styme is almost 10. The last two years I've really had a hard time keeping weight on him, especially in the summer heat. He gets extra goodies :biggrin2:

 

[RAL Rabbitry]

A few black oil sunflower seeds a day work wonders on a rough coat.

I have a mini rex buck that I liked alot when he was young but as he

started to mature I didn't like the way he was rough over the topline

and he wasn't a big eater. I started supplementing him with rolled oats

and a few sunflower seeds a day and he just went to his first show

last weekend. It was a large double show and he took BOSV castor

in both shows with tough competition. The oats and sunflower seeds

filled him out and one of the comments he got was excellent flesh condition.

The oats put on good flesh and not fat.

Roger

 

[pamnock]

Try wiping a very small amount of Nutri Cal on their paws so they'll lick it off.

Pam

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

Calf-Mana, if not fed right or the rabbit just wants to eat that and nothing else, could burn your rabbits stomach.

I use sunflower seeds (when I have time). With 40 rabbits currently, it is hard to stick to a system of mixing stuff. I use Blue Seal 16% protein and have not had a problem. I have noticed that one doe (who genetically has a coarser coat) will become soft right before she goes into molt.

Sharon

 

[pamnock]

I've never heard of excess protein "burning" the stomach, however, excess protein does cause duress to the kidneys and in some cases can cause kidney failure (especially in rabbits that are old or have pre-existing health problems).

Milk or protein pellets such as calf manna should not be used to stimulte the appetite. Vitamin B shots or any food rich in vitamin B (dark green leafy veggies, dandelion leavesor Nutri Cal) are far better choices because it is not wise to stress the kidneys of an ill rabbit. Especially in the cases of GI stasis where the rabbit is not taking in enough liquids for the kidneys to properly filter out waste.

Calf manna should only be used as a supplement for high production animals, fast growing large breeds or wool producing breeds. It should not be used as a supplement for pet rabbits unless they have no other protein source. (Correct levels of protein can easily be obtained from other grains).



Pam

 

[clarzoo]

Thanks Pam, for clearing up the mis-information on Calf-Manna. A checkered breeder advised me to use it on my Checkered Giants if needed- but I didn't think to consider that the suggestion might not be good for all breeds and situations. I certainly don't use it for my Fuzzy Lops- and haven't tried it yet with my Checkereds.