Dwarf rabbit

[Chaoster]

We just got a bunny. What is a good brand food to feed her?

 

[Cheryllynn74]

I was using Mazuri for awhile but then could no longer find it so I switched to Oxbow. The important thing is to by food that is made from timothy hay and does not have any weird fillers in it. There is one brand out there (Hartz maybe?) that puts fruit chips and corn and other things. The best thing for a rabbit is just pure food pellets made from timothy hay. Also give your rabbit fresh timothy hay, again don't by the stuff with fillers.

We adopted a rabbit from the animal shelter over 9 years ago and she is still with us. We also feed her fresh greens and carrots twice a day. Sometimes for a treat I will give her an apple slice which she goes crazy for. I limit those and the carrots because I don't want to overload her with sugar. The fresh greens I feed her are a spring mix or romaine. Don't give iceberg as it has no nutritional value.

Also, if this helps, we line her cage with newspaper, then cover it with aspen wood shavings (not cedar or pine as those can lead to breathing problems in both the rabbit and humans) and then we cover the aspen with that paper bedding they have out in several brands. The paper bedding can be expensive, but it absords much better and keeps the cage cleaner. We do the aspen with it to cut down on expense.

Hope I helped. Enjoy your little bunny!

 

[chris31997]

Well, not sure if it was exactly the best thing but..... when my brother was showing them for a school club we feed them cat food The teacher was always impressed with their fur. Not saying it was the best, they were around with us for a long time till the gators, but that is another story

Best advice: check with your vet.

 

[HM]

If your bunny will eat the timothy pellet type food, do it. Ours is terribly picky and we get her a couple different kinds that have all sorts of nuts and seeds and such in it....and she ignores the timothy pellets mostly and eats the extras. We waste so much food. If we were to do it all over again, we would have started her off with the "cheaper" stuff. Don't forget to buy timothy Hay as well. And our bunny prefers to drink out of a dish rather than one of the bottle water feeders (though we keep one in her cage too). And lastly, we keep salt licks available in her cage as well.

 

[wolf29]

Most pelleted foods on the market would provide a balanced diet. You should also feed either pineapple or papaya occasionally to prevent hairball formation. Papaya enzyme tablets are a good choice to use on a daily basis. Most bunnies like them, they are inexpensive and esily obtainable (Walmart, etc would have them). Fresh dark leafy greens (Kale, etc) are also great for bunnies.

 

[t_daniels]

Subscribing, if you don't mind.

We are debating getting a Holland Lop.

 

[gillenkl]

Ours eats 2-3 bowls of romaine/carrots daily and 3 tablespoons of pellets. Water and unlimited timothy hay.

 

[JoiseyMom]

They need to be fed lots of hay. Pellets (not alot) and fresh greens (certain ones). This is an awesome website http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html

it will answer all questions concerning rabbits. Please limit carrots, since that is a treat, and loaded with sugar.

 

[PixiePlanner]

We had a beautiful Rex years ago. We put a whole carrot w/ top in his crate one time to see what he would do and he ate the green top and left the actual carrot. Not even a nibble!

I miss Mr. Pippen (named after Scottie).

 

[gr8tdame]

We had a beautiful Rex years ago. We put a whole carrot w/ top in his crate one time to see what he would do and he ate the green top and left the actual carrot. Not even a nibble!

I miss Mr. Pippen (named after Scottie).

I went to Whole Foods to buy carrots with the tops on. They were organic and. 4x the price of bagged carrots. Our bunny would not even nibble on the tops. His favorite foods are fresh cilantro,kale, bananas, grapes, apple , parsley and Special K . Foods are listed in the order of preference.

 

[Lehuaann]

We feed our bunnies Timothy Hay, pellets, spring mix lettuce (we buy the 1 lb. from SAMs Club), Kale, cilantro, cantaloupe, apples, bananas, blueberries, grapes, and sometimes blueberry Belvita.

Just remember to give them 'very' little fruits/treats/fillers. Too much can mess up their sensitive digestion and cause their cecotropes (poop that look like grapes which they need to eat for nutrients) to become mushy and mash to their rear ends.

If this happens, I do my best to get as much of the cecotrope off their behind and stick it back in their cage so they can eat it. Then I wash their behind under the sink faucet in very lukewarm water gently removing the remaining mashed cecotropes stuck in their hair around colon, no soap. Also, do not be tempted or attempt to cut their hair. Their skin is thin like tissue.

Sorry for the added details...it's just hard for me to not share this when people ask what do rabbits eat. I had one lady who though her rabbit was sick and was ready to shave it's rear end...

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Please, please feed them a good high quality Timothy hay based pellet with none of the extras, that stuff will kill them, and I know from experience. That stuff is just filler and is very dangerous. If you can get Oxbow, use that, it is the BEST, if not, I use Kaytee Timothy Complete.

Carrots should only be given as a treat, Rabbits have a sweet tooth and those should be limited. And, please don't give them human food other than vegetables and limited fruits, no seeds or nuts.

Please don't put them in a cage with wire bottoms, that can cause a nasty infection, I lost my 2 babies to this infection. They can be very easily litter trained (don't use cat litter), even easier than a cat.

Also, as soon as it's old enough, have it spayed or neutered, even if you don't have other rabbits, it will give them a better quality of life, and prevent spraying and marking. Please choose a vet that knows really knows about rabbits, because some will say they "see" rabbits, but that doesn't mean they know what they're doing.

I could go on all day and if you'd like more info, please let me know. Also check out the House Rabbit Society for all the best information on rabbit care www.rabbit.org.

 

[t_daniels]

Fantastic information. Lots I didn't know.

 

[Chaoster]

Thanks for all the great info.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I have four bunnies at home, including the beautiful black and white guy in the picture who is 9 1/2 years old and very healthy!

Here's my best bunny care advice:

- Bunnies need to live indoors. They cannot easily regulate their temperature and can die in cold or hot weather. They don't sweat and can quickly overheat. They are also prone to heart attacks when they are scared. A visit by a dog, racoon or other animal can literally scare them to death. They are also very social and need constant stimulation. Being alone in an outdoor hutch will cause depression and affect their health. They like to be where the people are. They love watching people walk by their pens and especially love it when we stop to chat, pet them, or let them out for exercise.

- Bunnies chew everything. Make sure to bunny-proof their play areas. Be especially careful to hide electrical cords. Also, put books and magazines out of their reach unless you don't mind if bunny shreds them.

- Bunnies primary diet should be hay (alfalfa only until they're 6 months old, then switch to timothy). Alfalfa has a high calcium content that can cause kidney stones. Only young bunnies and nursing mothers should be eating it. Give as much timothy hay as they can eat. They need to chew on those long, fiberous strands to keep their teeth healthy. Their teeth are constantly growing and they need to chew to keep them filed to the right length and keep them healthy. Bunnies whose teeth are allowed to grow too long have to get them cut by a vet (not fun!). We use Oxbox Timothy Hay since our bunnies seem to like it best. We sometimes get Kaytee if the store it out of Oxbow.

- Make sure they have plenty of water. A 4-pound bunny drinks as much in a day as a 20-pound dog. Water bottles are best since they keep the water clean and bunny can't dump it over.

- Pellets should only be given as a treat, and in very small quantities. Our bunnies get about 1/4 of a cup 3 times a week. Our vet told us that pellets were originally created to fatten up meat rabbits. They can be eaten quickly because the fiber is chopped up and they don't require a lot of chewing. They're also sweetened so bunnies will eat a lot of them. They're not made with the bunnies health in mind since meat rabbits aren't meant to live long. Since pellets don't have those long fiberous strands, they do nothing to prevent hair balls. Hay pushes fur right out of their systems before it has a chance to clump up in their stomachs or intestines. We use Oxbox Bunny Basics/T food. The T stands for timothy (no alfalfa pellets for adult bunnies).

- We give our bunnies greens every two or three days. Romaine lettuce and parsley are their favorites. They each get a baby carrot about once a week, as well as an apple slice. Both have a high sugar content so we limit them.

- We also give our bunnies a daily dried papaya treat (the unsweetened kind from the pet store). It can help prevent urinary infections, and the bunnies go crazy for it!

- Bunnies nails need to be trimmed about once a month. They bleed quite a bit if you cut them below the quick, so it's important to read up on the proper technique before doing it. You can also use a quick blood stopper product - it comes in powder or gel form from the pet store.

- Bunnies are neat and clean and like to use only one corner of their cage or pen for their restroom. Put a litterbox in the corner they seem to prefer. We use Critter Country small animal litter and it keeps the odor down. I do not recommend a fluffy litter like Care Fresh. Bunnies just dig it up and it makes a mess. A good pelleted litter is best. Just make sure it's safe for small animals. Cat litter (especially clay and pine) can be deadly for bunnies.

- Bunnies bathe and groom themselves, but they do need to be brushed occasionally to remove loose fur. Ours are currently shedding their summer coats before growing their heavier winter coats. Even indoor bunnies know when the seasons change! Two of my little boys are shedding around their middle sections and they look like they're wearing skirts! I've been brushing them every few days so they don't ingest too much fur when they bathe.

- If a bunny goes a few hours (6 or more) without pooping, isn't eating and seem lethargic, it's an emergency. Sometimes their systems shut down and they go into "stasis." Our older guy has had this condition twice and our 8-year old girl has had it once. A dose of IV fluids and some motility medication usually gets them moving again, unless there's also a more serious condition present. We're always conscious of how everyone is doing, especially the older buns.

I know this was a lot of info, but I think these are important things for a bunny owner to know. Be sure to check out www.rabbit.org. It's the website of the House Rabbit Society. There's a lot of good info about bunny care, diet, etc. Also, for people who haven't yet chosen a bunny, please consider adopting from a shelter. There are tons of nice bunnies who need homes. Most pet stores over-breed their females and the babies are sometimes sold before they should be taken from their moms. They are not generally checked by a vet before you take them home. A shelter bunny will be checked for medical and behavioral issues. Most importantly, they will be spayed or neutered before you take them home (or you have to promise to do it later if the bunny is too young). Neutering males keeps them healthy and cuts down on bad behaviors (nipping, spraying, etc.). Spaying females is vital to their health. Up to 85% of unspayed females will develop uterine cancer by the time they're 4-years old. My sister and I both have 8-year old girls who were spayed when they were young. Both are still going strong!

Feel free to ask if you have additional questons!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I have four bunnies at home, including the beautiful black and white guy in the picture who is 9 1/2 years old and very healthy!

Here's my best bunny care advice:

- Bunnies need to live indoors. They cannot easily regulate their temperature and can die in cold or hot weather. They don't sweat and can quickly overheat. They are also prone to heart attacks when they are scared. A visit by a dog, racoon or other animal can literally scare them to death. They are also very social and need constant stimulation. Being alone in an outdoor hutch will cause depression and affect their health. They like to be where the people are. They love watching people walk by their pens and especially love it when we stop to chat, pet them, or let them out for exercise.

- Bunnies chew everything. Make sure to bunny-proof their play areas. Be especially careful to hide electrical cords. Also, put books and magazines out of their reach unless you don't mind if bunny shreds them.

- Bunnies primary diet should be hay (alfalfa only until they're 6 months old, then switch to timothy). Alfalfa has a high calcium content that can cause kidney stones. Only young bunnies and nursing mothers should be eating it. Give as much timothy hay as they can eat. They need to chew on those long, fiberous strands to keep their teeth healthy. Their teeth are constantly growing and they need to chew to keep them filed to the right length and keep them healthy. Bunnies whose teeth are allowed to grow too long have to get them cut by a vet (not fun!). We use Oxbox Timothy Hay since our bunnies seem to like it best. We sometimes get Kaytee if the store it out of Oxbow.

- Make sure they have plenty of water. A 4-pound bunny drinks as much in a day as a 20-pound dog. Water bottles are best since they keep the water clean and bunny can't dump it over.

- Pellets should only be given as a treat, and in very small quantities. Our bunnies get about 1/4 of a cup 3 times a week. Our vet told us that pellets were originally created to fatten up meat rabbits. They can be eaten quickly because the fiber is chopped up and they don't require a lot of chewing. They're also sweetened so bunnies will eat a lot of them. They're not made with the bunnies health in mind since meat rabbits aren't meant to live long. Since pellets don't have those long fiberous strands, they do nothing to prevent hair balls. Hay pushes fur right out of their systems before it has a chance to clump up in their stomachs or intestines. We use Oxbox Bunny Basics/T food. The T stands for timothy (no alfalfa pellets for adult bunnies).

- We give our bunnies greens every two or three days. Romaine lettuce and parsley are their favorites. They each get a baby carrot about once a week, as well as an apple slice. Both have a high sugar content so we limit them.

- We also give our bunnies a daily dried papaya treat (the unsweetened kind from the pet store). It can help prevent urinary infections, and the bunnies go crazy for it!

- Bunnies nails need to be trimmed about once a month. They bleed quite a bit if you cut them below the quick, so it's important to read up on the proper technique before doing it. You can also use a quick blood stopper product - it comes in powder or gel form from the pet store.

- Bunnies are neat and clean and like to use only one corner of their cage or pen for their restroom. Put a litterbox in the corner they seem to prefer. We use Critter Country small animal litter and it keeps the odor down. I do not recommend a fluffy litter like Care Fresh. Bunnies just dig it up and it makes a mess. A good pelleted litter is best. Just make sure it's safe for small animals. Cat litter (especially clay and pine) can be deadly for bunnies.

- Bunnies bathe and groom themselves, but they do need to be brushed occasionally to remove loose fur. Ours are currently shedding their summer coats before growing their heavier winter coats. Even indoor bunnies know when the seasons change! Two of my little boys are shedding around their middle sections and they look like they're wearing skirts! I've been brushing them every few days so they don't ingest too much fur when they bathe.

- If a bunny goes a few hours (6 or more) without pooping, isn't eating and seem lethargic, it's an emergency. Sometimes their systems shut down and they go into "stasis." Our older guy has had this condition twice and our 8-year old girl has had it once. A dose of IV fluids and some motility medication usually gets them moving again, unless there's also a more serious condition present. We're always conscious of how everyone is doing, especially the older buns.

I know this was a lot of info, but I think these are important things for a bunny owner to know. Be sure to check out www.rabbit.org. It's the website of the House Rabbit Society. There's a lot of good info about bunny care, diet, etc. Also, for people who haven't yet chosen a bunny, please consider adopting from a shelter. There are tons of nice bunnies who need homes. Most pet stores over-breed their females and the babies are sometimes sold before they should be taken from their moms. They are not generally checked by a vet before you take them home. A shelter bunny will be checked for medical and behavioral issues. Most importantly, they will be spayed or neutered before you take them home (or you have to promise to do it later if the bunny is too young). Neutering males keeps them healthy and cuts down on bad behaviors (nipping, spraying, etc.). Spaying females is vital to their health. Up to 85% of unspayed females will develop uterine cancer by the time they're 4-years old. My sister and I both have 8-year old girls who were spayed when they were young. Both are still going strong!

Feel free to ask if you have additional questons!

Have you tried the horse treats for them? They're Probios Horse treats. but their safe for rabbits, too. We got to meet the director of AL Ears in Dec and she gave us a ton of rabbit safe toys and treats, and some were the Probios, Mable loves them, we give her half of one and alternate it with the Papaya tablets, I have found some others she loves as well, giving her a different flavor about every 4 days

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Have you tried the horse treats for them? They're Probios Horse treats. but their safe for rabbits, too. We got to meet the director of AL Ears in Dec and she gave us a ton of rabbit safe toys and treats, and some were the Probios, Mable loves them, we give her half of one and alternate it with the Papaya tablets, I have found some others she loves as well, giving her a different flavor about every 4 days

We did have some horse cookies a few years ago that we bought at BunnyFest (our local yearly festival dedicated to rabbits). They were very hard but good for their teeth. We cut them into pieces and gave them to the bunnies periodically. I'll look into Probios. My guys love their papaya treats!

 

[cornflake]

Someone mentioned the fresh carrots being expensive.

In my local market, most people who buy them and fresh beet bunches, pull off the tops before they put them in a produce bag. Then they stick the greens back in with the carrots or beets - or in the trashcan if there's one put right there for people to put excess greens in.

I met a person once, as I pulled the tops off something, standing there with a bag, waiting.

She was a bunny owner who goes to the market and hangs out by the fresh carrots and stuff and collects a few bunches of tops of things (and the outside leaves of lettuces or cabbages that people pull off) and takes them home for free. She told me other bunny people do the same thing, and go to markets around town to collect tops as people take them off.

She said they prefer people stick them back in with the carrots, and they know that's where to go and she's met other people and they stick them there for collection by the bunny people.

So there' may be a free source for that stuff if your markets are like ours!

 

[Our 2 Princesses]

Someone mentioned the fresh carrots being expensive.

In my local market, most people who buy them and fresh beet bunches, pull off the tops before they put them in a produce bag. Then they stick the greens back in with the carrots or beets - or in the trashcan if there's one put right there for people to put excess greens in.

I met a person once, as I pulled the tops off something, standing there with a bag, waiting.

She was a bunny owner who goes to the market and hangs out by the fresh carrots and stuff and collects a few bunches of tops of things (and the outside leaves of lettuces or cabbages that people pull off) and takes them home for free. She told me other bunny people do the same thing, and go to markets around town to collect tops as people take them off.

She said they prefer people stick them back in with the carrots, and they know that's where to go and she's met other people and they stick them there for collection by the bunny people.

So there' may be a free source for that stuff if your markets are like ours!

That is a great idea! I would have never thought to do that for my 2 babies.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

We did have some horse cookies a few years ago that we bought at BunnyFest (our local yearly festival dedicated to rabbits). They were very hard but good for their teeth. We cut them into pieces and gave them to the bunnies periodically. I'll look into Probios. My guys love their papaya treats!

The Probios is a small rectangle cookie, it's easy to break in half and it aides in digestion. The bag we have will last us a about a year. There are also some little treats from Oxbow, called veggie treats and American Diner (they have a pumpkin pie and a berry), I alternate between the 4 different ones and Mable loves all of them, she grabs it out of your hand and runs with it, she wants it before her fresh veggies.

I have ordered these from Amazon, but I'm going to look at a local store that deals with horses to see if they have them. tractor Supply has some of a different brand, but not sure if they are the same and I'm very careful what I give her.

Someone mentioned the fresh carrots being expensive.

In my local market, most people who buy them and fresh beet bunches, pull off the tops before they put them in a produce bag. Then they stick the greens back in with the carrots or beets - or in the trashcan if there's one put right there for people to put excess greens in.

I met a person once, as I pulled the tops off something, standing there with a bag, waiting.

She was a bunny owner who goes to the market and hangs out by the fresh carrots and stuff and collects a few bunches of tops of things (and the outside leaves of lettuces or cabbages that people pull off) and takes them home for free. She told me other bunny people do the same thing, and go to markets around town to collect tops as people take them off.

She said they prefer people stick them back in with the carrots, and they know that's where to go and she's met other people and they stick them there for collection by the bunny people.

So there' may be a free source for that stuff if your markets are like ours!

I didn't see the post about carrots being expensive, I have never seen an expensve carrot. The tops are actually better for them than the carot themselves.