Question on diets for babies

[bunny34422]

I know there's lots of conflicting info out there on diet & care for rabbits, just wondering what your opinion is...

I'm in a few Facebook rabbit groups and people always say unlimited alfalfa hay, unlimited alfalfa pellets for babies until 6 months. However, I was also told that if they're on alfalfa pellets, it's okay to have them on timothy hay as 1) it's harder to transition them anyways and 2) they're getting the extra calcium from the pellets already so no need for alfalfa hay too. What are your thoughts on this? Does anyone actually feed unlimited alfalfa pellets for babies? I have never been able to because my rabbit would definitely eat less hay if I did unlimited pellets.. so how much should he be getting until 6 months?

He's been on timothy hay ever since I got him at 3 months because that's what he was eating with the previous owner and I was told it's okay to keep him on timothy. Though I do give him alfalfa hay often. Am I doing this wrong, should he have been on only alfalfa hay this entire time? He's approaching 6 months so I guess there's not much I can change at this point, but I just feel a little bad now after seeing everyone else say unlimited alfalfa everything

 

[Madelyn L.]

There should have been a mix of alfalfa and Timothy hay. This makes it easier to transition. But if you fed him just Timothy hay with alfalfa pellets, that is fine too. From what you said, you seem to be doing everything perfectly fine

 

[JBun]

I don't know who started this whole 'babies have to have alfalfa hay' thing, but I would really like to have words with them. It's one of the things I find so annoying because feeding alfalfa hay in addition to alfalfa based pellets, is unnecessary and often creates all sorts of issues. Which we then on here, have to address with the owners that encounter these problems. Like an extremely picky bunny that won't want to transition to grass hay very easily, or excess cecals from too rich of a diet, being left uneaten. So no, I would not suggest feeding alfalfa hay in addition to good quality alfalfa based pellets. A good quality grass hay is fine and preferred, in my opinion and from my experience.

Feeding unlimited pellets only works if the rabbit self regulates, which doesn't always happen. When it doesn't, I would limit pellets to an amount so that the rabbit is eating at least a pile of grass hay the size of it's body, per day. How I did it with my baby buns is I fed enough pellets to last 8-9 hours then let them eat hay until I fed pellets again, which was every 12 hours. That gave them enough time to eat the amount of hay needed for good gut motility and healthy looking poop. I found that anything less than this and I would have issues with mushy poop.

 

[SableSteel]

I have been breeding for many years, have never feed my baby rabbits alfalfa hay in addition to alfalfa pellets. I just give alfalfa based pellets and if I give hay, it's a grass hay. Between the hundreds of rabbits I have bred I have never had a young rabbit, between 1 month and 6 month, develop digestive or growth issues on this diet. They already get all the nutrients they need from alfalfa pellets. At this age the hay is there mostly for the fiber, to keep the gut moving as they transition to adult food, so you'd be better off going with a grass hay like timothy. All alfalfa hay might do is add unnecessary calcium and turn your rabbit into a picky hay eater.

Also, my feeding schedule varies from rabbit to rabbit. Most rabbits get transitioned an adult portion of pellets (in my case, 1/3 cup) around 3 months. Only if they are on the smaller side do I keep free feeding until they've reasonably caught up. That usually stops around 4-5 months at max. A six month old rabbit can easily turn obese if given free choice of pellets.

 

[bunny34422]

Thank you all! That definitely clears some things up and makes me feel a lot better about how I've been feeding. I sometimes use alfalfa as a hay topper, but like you all said I didn't want him to be obsessed with it... so he's been on mostly timothy hay ever since I got him and doing great.

Seems like so many owners are recommending alfalfa hay + pellets and I'm just wondering how they do it! Thanks again for your help

 

[Preitler]

As a side note, if you want to get them to butcher weight asap lots of protein can speed things up, although not all rabbits can convert protein to meat with the same efficiency, at some point more doesn't make much sense.
In my opinion, just because it's observable, the fastest achievable growth rate isn't the most healthy, and food that is too rich more often causes problems than one that is too lean.
"Babys needs Alfalfa!" is just one of those things people read and repeat.

 

[CamelNewt528962]

I feed my little baby unlimited Timothy hay, 1/2 a celery stick in the morning, half a food bowl of pellets at dinner time.