I have trouble keeping my rabbits in condition

[Kati's Holland Lops]

Help I want to enter them I'm the state fair
And I have trouble keepin them in condition ( weight wise) how can I improve their weight???

 

[**SRonchi1]

I use a sprinkle of oats and a sprinkle of lucerne chaff mixed with meadow chaff for my disabled bunny as a little extra besides her pellets to keep her weight & nutrition up. Depending on the age and circumstance of you buns I would maybe just add some whole grain oats- un-refined to there diet for abit of conditioning and not worry about Lucerne if over 9months. How come you find it hard to keep condition on them?

 

[Azerane]

What food and how much of it do they get fed on a daily basis?

 

[JBun]

I'm assuming you mean in condition for showing, and not just being a healthy weight for a pet. I'm going to go ahead and move this to the rabbitry and showroom as that will more likely get you some responses from breeders/showers that have experience with this.

 

[woahlookitsme]

I second azeranes question. What is the protein, fat, and fiber content of their food? Timothy or alfalfa based? and how much/how often do they get fed.

 

[Kati's Holland Lops]

I second azeranes question. What is the protein, fat, and fiber content of their food? Timothy or alfalfa based? and how much/how often do they get fed.

All I remember is that it had 16% protein, and u feed them 2 cups a day

 

[Kati's Holland Lops]

All I remember is that it had 16% protein, and u feed them 2 cups a day

*i feed

 

[Azerane]

You need to know the fibre content since that's very important, do they also get hay?

 

[Kati's Holland Lops]

You need to know the fibre content since that's very important, do they also get hay?

Yes lots it is hay that we get shipped in a big box ( high quality) timathy

 

[**SRonchi1]

This is a tricky one as most of the time you are trying to get fat off a pet bun.

Do you guys have a problem with worms over there? Here is Nz we don't but that maybe why they arnt putting on condition otherwise you just need to feed them more & maybe add some oats or anything else someone can recommend!

Oats work wonders for me & don't disturb my bunnies sensitive digestive tract although don't feed to many as they can get excess cecotropes.

 

[Bville]

Help I want to enter them I'm the state fair
And I have trouble keepin them in condition ( weight wise) how can I improve their weight???

Are you talking about putting weight on or taking weight off? Two cups of pellets sounds like a lot.

 

[Kati's Holland Lops]

Loosing weight and it is more like 1 1/2 cups

 

[Bville]

1-1/2 still sounds like a lot. I give my 3 lb rabbits 1/3 cup and my almost 6 lb rabbit a little more than 1/2 cup and I have read that some people only give 1/4 cup per day.

How old are the rabbits? I think if they are young you can free feed pellets, but once they stop growing you should really limit them (and since yours are overweight you need to do that now).

Do you feed them anything else like greens or treats? Are they getting unlimited hay?

 

[Kati's Holland Lops]

1-1/2 still sounds like a lot. I give my 3 lb rabbits 1/3 cup and my almost 6 lb rabbit a little more than 1/2 cup and I have read that some people only give 1/4 cup per day.

How old are the rabbits? I think if they are young you can free feed pellets, but once they stop growing you should really limit them (and since yours are overweight you need to do that now).

Do you feed them anything else like greens or treats? Are they getting unlimited hay?

Iidk what I was thinking I only feed them 1/2 a cup every day, I'm bad at measurements , I added the oats like some one else suggested an. Btw they are underweight

 

[Bville]

Iidk what I was thinking I only feed them 1/2 a cup every day, I'm bad at measurements , I added the oats like some one else suggested an. Btw they are underweight

Sorry I misunderstood. I thought you meant they were overweight.

 

[**SRonchi1]

I would add the oats, like a sprinkle, but in a separate bowl as mine tend to dig out the pellets to get to the oats. I would also maybe up the amount of pellets you feed to 1 cup? Are your rabbits a little stressed? That can be a reason for not eating.

 

[woahlookitsme]

If you're going to give oats for weight gain I highly recommend using rolled oats (we buy the Quaker oat can found at the grocery store). This kind of oat is the most readily digestible. We give whole oats to rabbits who need to loose weight. Increasing their food is always an option. Do they readily eat their food or are they just picky? If they readily eat it then definitely increase the amount they get fed. If they are picky adding things like rolled oats and Cheerios may entice them to eat

 

[RabbitGirl101]

Loosing weight and it is more like 1 1/2 cups

Iidk what I was thinking I only feed them 1/2 a cup every day, I'm bad at measurements , I added the oats like some one else suggested an. Btw they are underweight

I'm confused in one post you said you are trying to get them to lose weight and in another post you said they are underweight???:dunno
For overweight rabbits:
I believe you have holland lops. For show hollands 1/2 a cup is plenty. I feed just the 1/2 cup of plain pellets and timothy hay daily to my rabbits. You can also give them minerals in their water and supplements on the side to help improve condition, you should be able to purchase this from your local rabbit vendor at an ARBA show.

Underweight rabbits: I always have a measuring cup when I feed my rabbits. Are you 100% sure you are giving them 1/2 cup a day? You can increase the food amount if needed. Have these rabbits been heavier or ever in good condition? I know some rabbits genetically have bad condition where you can feel more spine, pin bones, and ribs. I have one rabbit that genetically has bad condition, she is used as only a showmanship rabbit. Condition is how to flesh is on the rabbit (thats how I take it at least) You want to make sure the diet is consistent and they are being fed at similar times. You can add supplements to their feed and to the water. This should help them. You can feed Calf manna (purchase at local feed store) and feed a teaspoon to them to help them gain some more weight. You can also used rolled oats to help aid in gaining weight. For pellets make sure you pellet has at least 16% protein, around 18% fiber, less than 3% fat and under .5% calcium. Because your rabbits are show rabbits and they are unaltered they have different feeding requirements so they need to be fed a diet to suit their needs. If the rabbits don't seem to be gaining condition but they are gaining weight it may be better to pet them out and look into getting rabbits with good condition. This happened to me with my lionheads.

 

[Kati's Holland Lops]

I'm confused in one post you said you are trying to get them to lose weight and in another post you said they are underweight???:dunno

For overweight rabbits:

I believe you have holland lops. For show hollands 1/2 a cup is plenty. I feed just the 1/2 cup of plain pellets and timothy hay daily to my rabbits. You can also give them minerals in their water and supplements on the side to help improve condition, you should be able to purchase this from your local rabbit vendor at an ARBA show.



Underweight rabbits: I always have a measuring cup when I feed my rabbits. Are you 100% sure you are giving them 1/2 cup a day? You can increase the food amount if needed. Have these rabbits been heavier or ever in good condition? I know some rabbits genetically have bad condition where you can feel more spine, pin bones, and ribs. I have one rabbit that genetically has bad condition, she is used as only a showmanship rabbit. Condition is how to flesh is on the rabbit (thats how I take it at least) You want to make sure the diet is consistent and they are being fed at similar times. You can add supplements to their feed and to the water. This should help them. You can feed Calf manna (purchase at local feed store) and feed a teaspoon to them to help them gain some more weight. You can also used rolled oats to help aid in gaining weight. For pellets make sure you pellet has at least 16% protein, around 18% fiber, less than 3% fat and under .5% calcium. Because your rabbits are show rabbits and they are unaltered they have different feeding requirements so they need to be fed a diet to suit their needs. If the rabbits don't seem to be gaining condition but they are gaining weight it may be better to pet them out and look into getting rabbits with good condition. This happened to me with my lionheads.

I know that they are capable of maintaining a good weight because when we got then they were of excellent weight but after a month or so of us having them they dropped some weight and now their boney I have added the oats, what do you mean by rolled oats and they can eat Cheerios?

 

[**SRonchi1]

Take them to the vet for a check up. If your feeding them enough then there has to be another reason for weight loss- Do they get any veggies? Have any had runny poo? Are the healthy otherwise? Clean eyes, nose etc. My personal preference is the whole grain unrefined Organic oats that are rolled. Natural fibre & no nasties.