Diet and Nutrition
My main concern and the one crucial factor to the rabbit's continued health when going to their new home is down to nutrition. I enclose two fantastic leaflets that explain everything. All I need to do is provide you with samples of their normal diet to allow them to settle down and feel at home and so you can see how to feed them and what to buy.
"The Barn Shop" is great or "Frog End Pet Supplies" and "Country Homes and Gardens" and "Pets at Home" etc also sell the recommended feeds.
Recommended Feeding Routine:
- Constant fresh hay and water
- A bottle and bowl of water for choice. In winter a bowl of warm water is good in freezing weather and in summer for easy access when hot
- Readigrass adiib. They can have as much of this as they will eat. It adds variety, interest and high fibre for a healthy diet.
- Morning- plateful of fruit and veg of your choice. As long as it's the same selection to prevent stomach upset and new choices introduced slowly and one at time so it can be seen if it upsets them. They are used to a carrot each daily. I ensure they are used to a wide selection including pear, apple, curly kale, broccoli and greens. Two excellent plants for the digestion and bowels are bramble leaves and shepherds purse. A whole broccoli as example to how much to give is fine per day.
- Evening- They should have 4 ounces of pellets between them. This helps train them to get in the hutch/ shed at night at their own will.
People often say to me that one cup (4 ounces) seems awfully little but I hope the leaflets make you understand and agree. The main reason is because a rabbit is designed to survive on hay and grass, which is oblivious to a lot of people because pet shops are selling so much processed food and sell hay as bedding.
The other good reason is that they will finish the amount so you immediately know if there is something wrong if the food left.
We don't see rabbits in the wild eating pet shop food! It was originally developed for the convenience of breeders to fatten meat rabbits up and put weight on show rabbits and easier and cleaner to store, great for laboratories.
Just like with humans, pet food is processed and animals of all species are becoming obese and lazy. This is because they have food put in front of them and are not having to naturally hunt for it. Rabbits don't know what boring looking food is, it's only us! However, proving they are intelligent, they can develop a sweet tooth just like kids!
Lastly, and most seriously, a rabbit must graze to prevent dental disease and overgrown back teeth which can lead to abscesses. A selection of different grasses and hays to graze on will encourage good eating habits.
