Do they eat all day?? I need feeding help

[LolaGirl]

I am so new at this bunny thing even though I had a rabbit in the past. I know I wasn't a good rabbit mom back then so I am really trying to be a good rabbit mom now. My Lola just seems to eat all day long. Is this normal? I mean she takes breaks and sleeps but it seems like everytime I look in on her she's eating. I fill her bowl with pellets every morning and night. When I fill it in the morning, its empty by evening so before I go to bed I fill her bowl again and by morning its empty.

I took a small box and cut out squares on each side of the box. I fill the box with hay so she can play with the box while having fun getting the hay out. But it seems like I am filling this box day/night too. I give her fresh veggies daily but I'm sure I'm giving the wrong thing or not giving the right things. I just really have no clue. I printed out the what to feed veggie list and I know I need to be giving her things with Vit. A so my goal this weekend is to get to the store and start buying that sort of thing. I also haven't given her lettus yet. Basically just carrots and cerely and and piece of apple every few days. I guess I just need to get in the right directions because right now I don't think I am. I'm failing as another rabbit mommy.

 

[aurora369]

Hi LolaGirl!

Yes, bunnies are supposed to eat all day long. Lots of hay for all that snacking.

I find myself filling the hay racks at least three times a day. Once in the morning, when I get home from work/school, and in the evening when I go to bed. They all get their pellet rations in the morning, and then salads in the evening.

I got my hay rack from Ikea. I use one of their cutlery holders. I have the largest option on this link:
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/90072648

It holds tons of hay, so you don't have to fill it as often. However, I find that adding new hay provides intrigue for the bunnies. They really enjoy checking out the new hay when I put it in their cage, and I think it encourages them to eat more hay.

We've got lots of dietary information in the library, you should poke around in there.
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12046&forum_id=17

How much pellets are you giving your bun? And how old is she?

--Dawn

 

[ra7751]

Umm....how old is your bunny? If she is under 6 months old, she should have access to pellets and hay all the time. If she is over 6 months old....her diet should be primarily grass hay and limited high quality pellets and greens. Offering excessive pellets to adult rabbits lead to obesity (and usually liver problems) as well as GI and dental issues. Most pellets are fortified with all the vitamins and minerals your rabbit should need. We feed our Flemish (and the two adults weigh well into the upper 20 pound range) about 1/3 cup pellets per day along with limited greens and unlimited hay. And I am just wondering about your concern regardingVitamin A? While it is necessary for proper skin and eye development, it's only one component of a healthy diet.... even a limited amount of fortified pellets will provide ample Vit. A. But some bunny safe foods high in Vit. A are raw carrots, canned pumpkin, spinach, collards, broccoli and kale. Keep in mind that these foods also contain other components that must be taken into consideration and all should be offered in moderation.

One component that is often overlooked by everyone is Vitamin D2 & 3. Again, this is usually in fortified feed. There are only two ways to get Vit. D....supplements or unfiltered sunlight. This is usually seen with Metabolic Bone Disease....and we see it often with wildlife that has been "cared for" by well intentioned but misinformed people. Some signs of MBD are weight loss, fur loss, lethargy and can advance to some severe seizures. Inside animals that have no exposure to sunlight are quite prone to MBD. There are now "solar simulators" (we once called them sun lamps) that are used for salt water reef aquariums, reptiles and human light deficiency treatment that are available that provide artificial UVB rays that help synthesize the development of Vit. D. Many will open the blinds to allow sunlight into the house...but most glass has filters that will remove most of the beneficial spectrums of sunlight.

All the components necessary for a healthy animal are contains in proper diet protocols. If you feed your rabbit a correct diet, he/she will have all the nutrients necessary for a healthy life.

All of our rabbits receive limited high quality pellets.....I already mentioned our Flemish and our smallest, a tiny Polish, gets less than 1/8 cup pellets per day. We also have some rabbits on "no pellet" diets so we do have to monitor exactly what is in their food. They have access to hay at all times. We do feed some alfalfa along with all different types of grass hays. The hay not only keeps their gut in good working order and their weight under control, it also wears the teeth down and it gives them something to do. We offer a "buffet" of hay mixes. It's fun to watch them go after one particular strand of hay. They also receive limited greens...usually Romaine lettuce or Spring Mix (all ourwild rabbits are raised and weaned on Spring Mix), an occassional carrot or apple. No processed treats at all. We rarely have GI or dental issues here.

We also have rescue named Lola....an English Spot and her husbun Eddie. She came in with MBD due to no light and bad food. Both were underweight. Lola had no fur at all and was very weak. All it took was a proper diet and today, she shows no signs of her past difficulties.

Randy

 

[Maureen Las]

:shock2:Wow I didn't knowthat rabbits need Vit D2 and 3 in pellets to replace sunlight;; it makes so much sense that they would need vitamins/sunlight but I never thoughtabout it....
Thanks Randy

 

[kherrmann3]

My guy is odd, he won't eat all of his pellets in one sitting like a lot of rabbits will. He nibbles on his food all day long. He only gets one ounce of food per day, though. For the other times, he is sitting in his litter box, eating hay.

 

[LolaGirl]

WOW thanks for the info!! I need this. I'm going to look around in the libary too thanks for the links.

I definitely need to cut back the pellets. She's getting about 2 cups a day. :shock:

I was told she is about 2-3 years old. I don't know how much she weights yet we don't have a scale at home but I'm taking her to the vets Saturday so I will find out. I'm pretty sure she is over weight as well and I know she didn't get out of her cage much with previous owner. I let her roam free alot during the days when I'm home and a lot in the evenings when I'm home. I'm also working on making her a bigger cage with run so she has way more room when she has to be caged.

 

[aurora369]

It sounds like you are on your way to developing a healthy diet and exercise program for your new bunny.

If your bunny is over weight, then you want to make sure she loses weight gradually. Start cutting down her pellets from 2 cups to a more appropriate amount over a couple of weeks. I feed most of my 3-6 pound bunnies 1/4 cup of pellets each. Through the process of limiting her pellets, she should start eating more hay.

Once she is on a proper diet, her weight should decrease slowly. Extra exercise will also help.

--Dawn

 

[LolaGirl]

Thank you Dawn!! Great name too!!! I'm Dawn too. lol



I posted a few pictures of her to see what you guys think about weight.

I have no clue how much she weights and won't know until Saturday but she's a big girl!!!



I will start cutting back the pellets. She eats a lot of hay but it sounds like she should be eating much more so I will start to gradually cut back the pellets. I guess I feel when her bowl is empty that I have to put more in there but I have to stop thinking like that.

 

[aurora369]

Most of my bunnies have empty bowls for at least 20 hours a day. They finish their pellets with in 4 hours (well all except my girls who have figured out how to ration). They eat about half of the pellets within a half an hour then eat the other half over the next 3 hours or so.

As long as bunnies have hay, they will not starve. The more hay the better. I buy my hay by the 60 pound bale, and my six bunnies will eat about 2 of those in 6 months.

--Dawn