Hay

[Username]

I just bought my very first 2 rabbits, Alfred and Squishorz, and I've been wondering about hay. We used to own a horse and we still have a bale of Bermuda Grass left over, and I hear bunnies like hay, I was wondering if THIS type of hay is okay or not and how much to give them at a time? I was also wondering what the better most inexpensive beddings are aswell as which ones to avoid, and what the best food is(price doesn't matter on food, I'd rather have the best of the best there). How often can I give my bunnies things like lettuce, carrots and other veggies? I have more questions but I'll ask after these ones are answered. ^^ Thank you in advance!

 

[Username]

Sorry guys, I just noticed the feeding Q&A and I read through the rabbit menu, but I don't see anything about Bermuda grass..

 

[Maureen Las]

bermuda grass is fine as long as it is fresh, has been kept dry, absolutely has no mold , looks and smells good

You can give unlimited hay and in time may want to vary the types as they all have different textures ..good to wear the teeth down.

You don't need bedding if you have a litter box


Never never use pine shaving or cedar shavngs. The oil interacts with the urine create toxic odor and eventually effects the liver.

You can put kiln baked pine in a litterbox like feline pine, horse bedding sold at farm stores(if kilnbaked pellets) aspen litter is fine, yesterday news, carefresh (s long as the bun doesn't eat it)
I will post links on food and veggies because there is just too much info to type. Alfalfa pellets if your bun is (under a year ) alfalfa hay if the bun is under 6 months for growth with other types of hay

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12084&forum_id=17
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12046&forum_id=17

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12160&forum_id=17

 

[tonyshuman]

My guys don't like bermuda grass but some bunnies do. A variety of hay is good. You can also use just hay in the litterbox (maybe newspaper underneath) if you like--which may be cheapest if you have a good hay source. I use wood stove pellets.

 

[Username]

Thanks guys, For now I'm using carefresh bedding because it's what I've got but when it's gone I'll be switching to some kind of pellets. The Carefresh bedding has given my ratties rhesperitory problems and I don't want it to happen to my bunnies either.

I also didn't know it wasn't a good idea to give them lettuce when they're under 6 months? I don't know how old they are, I'll have to ask the woman that was selling them at the feed store tomorrow. I gave mine some lettuce yesterday and thismorning but I think it was a good thing because they weren't drinking out of their drippy-bottle at all between the time they got home and when I got up thismorning, so I gave them a bowl of fresh water and they drank it up and I've decided to keep a bowl out for them instead until I can get a bigger bottle which gives more water at a time. The lettuce seems to have kept some water in their system atleast, they ate it up FAST, and after reading that it could cause them to have diarrhea when they're too young I checked their cage and it's all solid healthy poo's.

Do you mean leave a litterbox in their cage? I could do that, but not for them to roam around the house to. We have 3 dogs, 2 of which would be okay with them but not the other, plus there's a cat which doesn't even like the dogs so I don't want any accidents. Instead I let them out 3 times a day to roam around my room for exercise and I hold them a LOT! Squishy seems okay with being held and all, she's real calm. Alfred is abit scared still, though. It's only been a day he'll warm up. ^^;

Here is my Alfie:

 

[slavetoabunny]

Aww, Alfie's adorable :inlove:. Carefresh bedding is safe for rabbits. I've used it for years with no problems whatsoever.

 

[tonyshuman]

Carefresh itself is good but expensive--I got an off-brand from Meijer in Michigan and it was ok but very dusty, so I could see how it could cause problems...

 

[Username]

Slave, that's what I thought, I thought it was safe for all pets.. but have you noticed when you dump it into the cage to spread it about, all of the dust that flies up? Every time I do it even I have to turn away from it.. it's horrible! I'm worried about using it at all because even when the dust settles it's still in there and they'll stirr it up themselves. I trust it is safe to an extent, but I wouldn't use it any longer than I have to personally so I'll just switch sometime. ^^; and ty, alfie appreciates it!

 

[Maureen Las]

Username wrote:

Slave, that's what I thought, I thought it was safe for all pets.. but have you noticed when you dump it into the cage to spread it about, all of the dust that flies up? Every time I do it even I have to turn away from it.. it's horrible! I'm worried about using it at all because even when the dust settles it's still in there and they'll stirr it up themselves. I trust it is safe to an extent, but I wouldn't use it any longer than I have to personally so I'll just switch sometime. ^^; and ty, alfie appreciates it!

Why don't you try feline pine or yesterdays news?
My buns ate carefrsh and had digestive issues that I couldn"t

figure out until one day I watched them both in the same box just eating away.

 

[trailsend]

Your bunny is beautiful! We feed Timothy hay here. We also have Alfalfa. We have a lot of farm animals so we go through a ton. We free feed our rabbits hay.

I've read through this thread but I'm tired and my eyes are blurring so I apologize if I am repeating someone. You know to only feed leafy greens and Romaine lettuce - not iceberg? If their poops were fine that is the telltale sign - always watch the poops!

Good luck!

 

[Username]

Ahh thanks you guys! I ran out of my carefresh bedding so now I'm stumped again. Is it okay to line the bottom of their cage with hay as long as I change it every day so it doesn't become moldy? Or are they just as fine without bedding until I can manage to find some more? Wood chips are expensive here I couldn't possibly get them as often as I'd need to.. and how do I train buns to use the litter box? Mine keep eating their litter instead of pooing in it. lol!

 

[missyscove]

I'm not sure what kind of cage you have but if it has a solid bottom, you shouldn't need bedding at all outside the litterbox. Put the box where they're peeing and wipe up any pees outside the box and put them in there.
If they're eating the litter, that's not a good sign. Try switching to a different litter.

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Username wrote:

Is it okay to line the bottom of their cage with hay as long as I change it

I leave my cage bottom bare. Try putting a layer of newspaper inyour litter box, and some hay on top. I find wood pellets is the cheapest to use.

 

[Username]

Pet_Bunny wrote:

Username wrote:

Is it okay to line the bottom of their cage with hay as long as I change it

I leave my cage bottom bare. Try putting a layer of newspaper inyour litter box, and some hay on top. I find wood pellets is the cheapest to use.

Well it's a solid cage bottom so I may do that.. we just have all tile floors in our house and it gets pretty chilly at night this time of year, but I suppose all that furr accounts for that. ;p

If nothing else I suppose I could also shred up old newspapers for the lining of their cage, that would be less messy for me.



Wood pellets here are expensive.. one of my housemates works at our closest and best feed store and he told me so. He also said they're for horses, though.. where do you get yours and how much are they?

 

[Username]

Oh, I just noticed you live in Canada.. that would make a difference.

Can anyone in America answer that question? "Where do you get yours[wood pellets] and how much are they?"

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Username wrote:

Can anyone in America answer that question? "Where do you get yours[wood pellets] and how much are they?"

Check with Undergunfire. She lives in Arizona.

 

[tonyshuman]

I get my wood pellets at a pet food store that carries stuff for everything from fish to farm animals. I think they're used pretty commonly for rabbits (?). I have heard you can get them at hardware stores too--just make sure they don't have any additives. It can be hard to find them because there was a shortage due to the rising popularity of pellet stoves for heating. Look at a feed store or pet store that carries horse stuff first, then Tractor Supply or similar, and then a hardware store. I pay about $5 for 40lbs. Equine pine I believe is the same thing, although it's more expensive. I want to say $8 for 30lbs? I don't know though.

 

[Username]

tonyshuman wrote:

I get my wood pellets at a pet food store that carries stuff for everything from fish to farm animals. I think they're used pretty commonly for rabbits (?). I have heard you can get them at hardware stores too--just make sure they don't have any additives. It can be hard to find them because there was a shortage due to the rising popularity of pellet stoves for heating. Look at a feed store or pet store that carries horse stuff first, then Tractor Supply or similar, and then a hardware store. I pay about $5 for 40lbs. Equine pine I believe is the same thing, although it's more expensive. I want to say $8 for 30lbs? I don't know though.

That was helpful, thanks. I'll look for pellets today.

 

[Hazel-Mom]

Hi Username, (funny name BTW )
You can use the wood pellets for the horses, many here do. They are often cheaper than the stove pellets even. You can get them from a feed store, if you have those where you live, or any store that carries farm supplies.
I have seen quotes of around $5 per 40 pound bag.
Also, if your bunnies seem to tolerate the lettuce, it's ok to keep feeding it. I know many people say not to feed greens under 6 months, but personally, I think that's much too long to wait. I started mine on greens as soon as I got them. One was only 3 weeks (but born in the wild, so used to greens already, through her mom), the other was 2 months old. The HRS site (http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html ) says to start introducing greens at 12 weeks. It is fruit that is not introduced untill 6-7 months old.
As long as you start out very gradually, and keep an eye on how they tolerate the greens, you should be ok.
Once your bunnies are used to greens, you can feed them as much as they will eat. Hazel gets at least 2 baskets full per day, often 3. (but, then again, that is the main part of her diet. She eats mainly greens, some "hay", and few pellets, which are mainly "treats"). Again the HRS site says to feed "minimum" 2 cups greens per 6 pounds body weight. They don't give a maximum.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Be aware, currently there is a shortage of wood pellets. Since the housing market is failing, there are fewer homes being built, and less wood being used.

I had to put my name on a waiting list for mine.