Feeding Enough?

[MyBabyBunnies]

I have a quick question about feeding my boys pellets. I know I'm supped to be feeding 6/7 oz ofpellets.

My bunnies aremedium rabbits, Spice around 7 lbs and Mocha isabout 6 lbs. I figure out how much to feed them based on their how muchI can feed to keep them slightly on the chubby side in the winter. Ihave managed to figure out that Spice will stay roughly the same weightif I feed him 2 oz of pellets and Mocha will stay roughly the sameweight with just under 2 oz.

Now I'm worried that I'm not feeding them enough! I don't feed themthat much other stuff except the odd treat every few days and freeaccess to timothy hay.

I just want to make sure I'm not underfeeding them and they are not getting what they need.

P.S.- They seem very healthy and active.

 

[pamnock]

When you run your hand over their back, can youeasily feel the spine? Are they wolfing down their food likethey are extremely hungry?

If not, they are most likely receiving adequate rations.

Pam

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

They both eat with gusto!

I can feel Mocha's spine sort ofbut when he lays stretchedout, he has a huge bulge of a stomach! He's fat and I can easily seethat.

Spice is not as fat but still chubby.

 

[Gabby]

When you run your hand over their back,can you easily feel the spine? Are they wolfing down theirfood like they are extremely hungry?

If not, they are most likely receiving adequate rations.

Pam

i have a "fat boy" on a diet.. he has "chicken cutlets under his 'arms'" talk about wolfing food down

never had a bun with cutlets under his arms before.. not sure they willgo away maybe they will stay like some heavy set people whenthey loose weight.. any ideas?

 

[Delphinum]

LOL It's time for the Extreme Makeoverteam to visit Gabby's houseget the bun's'bingowings' off!

Henry eats like he's never been fed before! We're definatelyfeeding him enough, he's just so greedy! At just under 8lbs,we're hardly starving him!! Is it always the males who arelike this? Max hardly touches her food some days, justmunches away on her hay.

 

[Gabby]

Delphinum wrote:

LOL It's time for the Extreme Makeover team tovisit Gabby's houseget the bun's'bingo wings'off!

Henry eats like he's never been fed before! We're definatelyfeeding him enough, he's just so greedy! At just under 8lbs,we're hardly starving him!! Is it always the males who arelike this? Max hardly touches her food some days, justmunches away on her hay.

LMAO.. think they do bunnies LMAO

hardly just the boys.. I have a girl who is the same...sheeats like there is no tomorrow... but i think she is also one thosebuns who is just "gentically chubby" like some people.. she diets anddiets and the weight never comes off... poor dear..

 

[pamnock]

MyBunnyBoys wrote:

I have managed to figure out that Spicewill stay roughly the same weight if I feed him 2 oz of pellets andMocha will stay roughly the same weight with just under 2 oz.

I just went over the post again and realized that they aren't gettingany feed in addition to the 2 oz. of pellets. That would notbe an adequate amount of feed for them to maintain their body weight orto stay warm if they are outside. It's hard to make guesseswithout seeing them, but bloated bellies could be due to a lack ofprotein since they are not getting enough pellets.

It's hard to generalize since each individuals metabolism is different,but they should be getting at least 4 - 5 oz. of pellets.(Smaller breeds generally require an oz. per pound, but that doesn'tapply to larger breeds, which require less per pound). A tunacan holds about 5 oz. of pellets.

In general, the rabbit should clean up their feed in about 1/2 hour when fed once a day.



Pam

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Well they get unlimiited hay, too. But If I give them any more pellets they become way over weight and very fat.

 

[pamnock]

That's fine if they are doing well on thatdiet. Each individual's metabolism is different and some dofine on very little feed.

Pam

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Ok, thanks Pam.

I was getting concerned I was not giving them enough.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

P.S.- Is there still a concern about lack of protein? Their pellets have a minimum of 18% protein.

 

[pamnock]

18% is actually rather high for a pet maintenancediet. It's normally used for high production, growth and woolproduction. 14% is the amount of protein a pet rabbit shouldbe getting. We use a 16% pellet and I top dress with calfmanna (high protein supplement) when needed.

Pam

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

That's the problem. :?I cannot buyanything other than this, Hartz, or Kaytee pellets here. I figured thiswas probably the best but I can't get any other sort of pellets.

I'd order Oxbow or somehting online, but my parents refuse to do that so I'm stuck.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Oxbow pellets have a feeding chart on thebag. The thing is, they skip from 6 mos to a year.:?Bo is in that agegroup but I am just now switching him fromAlfalfa pellets to Timothy. He's been on unlimited pelletsbut now he's 7 mos old and I think I will start measuring themsoon. The Timothy pellets will most likely help him to lose abit of weight but he did need the protein since he's on Timothy hay vs.alfalfa. He can't have alfalfa hay. He's allergicto the dust.

Now, should I give him Alfalfa pellets until he's 1 year since I can'tuse the hay? or should he be grown enough now that he doesn't need theextra protein in the alfalfa based pellets?

Gabby, I noticed the other day that Bo has a little..... uhhh.... Lovehandle right at his backhips when he's sitting.LOL! He's quite a good eater, but he doesn't eat all of whathe gets.

I feed a salad EVERY day.... greens..... around 1 cup or so of reallygood stuff.... romaine, cilantro, and today he got a bit of celeryleaves.

I tried mint on him. He didn't care for it.....

 

[*nepo*]

Bo, I don't think you should give Bo greens every day, at least twice a week.

 

[*nepo*]

Pam is Nepo fat? He weighsalmost 5 lbs (I weighed him a month ago) and he is 9 months old. Heeats 1/4 of a cup of pellets and unlimitedtimothy hay andwater, sometimes he eats half a cup of pellets. Here is apicture:

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Nope. The vet told me daily and theHouse Rabbit Society also recommends daily veggies .... They do show abit more pellets than what Oxbow says but I think that's because youcan feed a bit less of Oxbow because it's high quality and less waste.

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html

 

[Gabby]

Bo B Bunny wrote:

Gabby, I noticed the other day that Bo has a little..... uhhh.... Lovehandle right at his backhips when he's sitting.LOL! He's quite a good eater, but he doesn't eat all of whathe gets.

there are some who have a "dust ruffel" on the butt which doesn't meanthey are fat just the way they are... so do keep that in mind LOLdo we get a picture of his love handle???LOL

i don't generally get involved in diet questions though.....

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Gabby wrote:

Bo B Bunny wrote:

Gabby, I noticed the other day that Bo has a little..... uhhh.... Lovehandle right at his backhips when he's sitting.LOL! He's quite a good eater, but he doesn't eat all of whathe gets.

there are some who have a "dust ruffel" on the butt which doesn't meanthey are fat just the way they are... so do keep that in mind LOLdo we get a picture of his love handle???LOL

i don't generally get involved in diet questions though.....

I'll work on a pic soon. LOL! He's a bitmiffed at me right now. I got the butt in your face a fewtimes today cause I once again came home with the smell of otherbunnies on me! :shock:

 

[Gabby]

Bo B Bunny wrote:

I'll work on a pic soon. LOL! He's a bit miffed atme right now. I got the butt in your face a few times todaycause I once again came home with the smell of other bunnies on me!:shock:

hONESTLY!! HOW COULD YOU??? cheating on bo like that forSHAME!!!!! LOL