feeding a rabbit how much and what kind ?

[Bunnylady]

I have raised hundreds, if not thousands of rabbits (give me a break, I've lost count in the 30+ years) on a mainly pellets, hay, and water diet. They live outdoors, in cages with wire floors. That may be boring for them, but they sure look healthy. Most of my breeders outlive their reproductively useful years; many of my bucks have lived to 10+ years. Not very efficient, keeping dead weight around, but that's me; I have sometimes given certain rabbits away because they had such wonderful personalities I felt they deserved a home where they could get more attention than I can give them. The breeds I have worked with have been almost exclusively pet breeds, so you can't say "oh, well, you can treat commercial rabbits like that, they are different than pets."

The feed companies are out to make a buck, sure, but they couldn't do it for long by ripping all their customers off. They have done the research; they know what it takes to not only raise fryers, but keep breeding animals and show animals in good condition long term (which takes a lot more specific nutrition than a neutered pet). The feed companies also kowtow to their market; if you want hay-based, non-GMO, for example, you can find it.

If it makes you happy to go through more effort to make your rabbit's meals than you do for your own, go ahead, I'm certainly not going to stop you. But I am tired of reading "you have to do this, and you mustn't do that, or you are an awful person and your rabbit will die horribly and young." Rabbit care doesn't have to be complicated; you can meet a rabbit's basic needs pretty simply. If you go beyond that in the interest of "quality of life," that's up to you, but a person shouldn't be guilted for not letting a pet rule their life.

 

[cassie]

I'm not saying everyone has to do it.
I'm saying that what The House Rabbit Society and many other people say.
Check out Happy Tails, Lennon The Bunny, Skinnypigs1, 101Rabbits and more on youtube.

Anyone can say anything. I really question how much hard evidence groups like this have to back up their claims. Opinion doesn't count. Just because something sounds right or seems logical does not meant that it is also true.

 

[Happy Novogens]

If it makes you happy to go through more effort to make your rabbit's meals than you do for your own, go ahead, I'm certainly not going to stop you. But I am tired of reading "you have to do this, and you mustn't do that, or you are an awful person and your rabbit will die horribly and young." Rabbit care doesn't have to be complicated; you can meet a rabbit's basic needs pretty simply. If you go beyond that in the interest of "quality of life," that's up to you, but a person shouldn't be guilted for not letting a pet rule their life.

I haven't seen anyone on this thread trying to guilt anyone. Quite the contrary. I see people explaining some of the different views that exist on rabbit care while acknowledging there are just that -- different views. Certainly no one saying "you have to do this, and you mustn't do that, or you are an awful person and your rabbit will die horribly and young."

Granted, there are "rabbit snobs" that can be found among meet breeders, show breeders, pet breeders, and those in the fixed, indoor, rescue rabbit crowd. I'm not seeing that on this thread.

The meet breeder on this thread fed exclusively pellets, yet you said you also fed hay. The meet breeder might say you went overboard by offering hay. I feed pellets, hay, and fresh greens, so you may say I go overboard by offering greens. Different views.

I do not believe that offering greens in addition to pellets and hay means I put more effort into my rabbit's meals than my own -- and I don't put a whole lot of effort into my own!

I enjoy having indoor rabbits that become family pets as much as any dog. They are litter trained and free roam in my home (with my dogs). They don't "rule my life." Unfortunately though, using a phrase like "letting a pet rule their life," comes awfully close to "guilting" someone for having a different preference for how they care for their rabbits.

 

[cassie]

I haven't seen anyone on this thread trying to guilt anyone. Quite the contrary. I see people explaining some of the different views that exist on rabbit care while acknowledging there are just that -- different views. Certainly no one saying "you have to do this, and you mustn't do that, or you are an awful person and your rabbit will die horribly and young."

Granted, there are "rabbit snobs" that can be found among meet breeders, show breeders, pet breeders, and those in the fixed, indoor, rescue rabbit crowd. I'm not seeing that on this thread.

The meet breeder on this thread fed exclusively pellets, yet you said you also fed hay. The meet breeder might say you went overboard by offering hay. I feed pellets, hay, and fresh greens, so you may say I go overboard by offering greens. Different views.

I do not believe that offering greens in addition to pellets and hay means I put more effort into my rabbit's meals than my own -- and I don't put a whole lot of effort into my own!

I enjoy having indoor rabbits that become family pets as much as any dog. They are litter trained and free roam in my home (with my dogs). They don't "rule my life." Unfortunately though, using a phrase like "letting a pet rule their life," comes awfully close to "guilting" someone for having a different preference for how they care for their rabbits.

Methinks you are taking offense when none was intended.

 

[Happy Novogens]

Methinks you are taking offense when none was intended.

I believe this comment should be directed to bunnylady. She is the one offended: " But I am tired of reading "you have to do this, and you mustn't do that, or you are an awful person and your rabbit will die horribly and young." Rabbit care doesn't have to be complicated; you can meet a rabbit's basic needs pretty simply. If you go beyond that in the interest of "quality of life," that's up to you, but a person shouldn't be guilted for not letting a pet rule their life"

I was merely pointing out that no one was trying to guilt her.

 

[chickenmama109]

Thanks everyone but I like to feed my rabbit greens she loves them I know everyone feeds there rabbits a way that others don't but that's fine feed your rabbit what you think is best after all it's your rabbit thanks for all the info I really appreciate it thanks

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thanks everyone but I like to feed my rabbit greens she loves them and she also loves having hay all the time and then also pellets thanks for y'all help

As you have seen there is lots of ways to feed your bunny. Find what works best for you and your bunny.

 

[Bunnylady]

*sigh* What offends me, is how one can go way out into the realm of oriental hyperbole, and still, someone will take it seriously, or even personally.

Certainly no one saying "you have to do this, and you mustn't do that, or you are an awful person and your rabbit will die horribly and young."

No, but they are heading in that direction:

. Rabbits should get 1 cup of veggies(packed) per two pounds of weight. It's really good for them, and should be provided everyday, according to HouseRabbitmsoceity.

(You realize that means something commercial sized or larger should be getting enough veg to fill a shoebox? That's a lot to get through in one day; how many feedings would one have to do to make sure it doesn't get wilted before the rabbit can get to it?)

Meat rabbits are commonly fed a pellet only diet. It grows them quick and the rabbits are culled young. Longevity is not a concern.

Pet rabbits are fed for longevity and long-term health.

Longevity and long-term health are (one would hope) the concerns of any animal keeper, whether the animals are kept as pets or breeding stock (well, okay, we can make exceptions for things like certain pig, turkey and chicken breeds). If a person gets to the point where they don't care about the animal's welfare, maybe animal care isn't something they should be doing.

In the original post, the creator of this thread was concerned that her rabbit wasn't tucking into her veg. People reassured her that the veg wasn't totally necessary, that if the rabbit is eating pellets and hay, her nutritional needs are being met. Then here comes that post, with that dreadful word SHOULD (emphasis mine). What is the OP to do? Remove all other food, and force the rabbit to eat the veg or starve? Believe it or not, I have seen such suggestions (though not on this thread . . . yet). And, since the veg represents such a large part of the rabbit's diet, how does one know whether they are feeding a balanced diet? Oh, right; I've seen a post on a certain website that says to give them one serving from this list, and two servings from this list, and so on, per day, and rotate the choices each day and I'm like, "really??! Who has the time, and space in the family fridge for all that?" (If you do, more power to you; I don't). Especially if you have more than one rabbit, and you'd better have more than one, or your poor, neglected bunny will die of sheer loneliness.

You don't have to see many rabbit threads before you see 'em; the folks whose posts basically say, "my way is the right way, and if you can't do it my way, you really shouldn't have a rabbit at all." Often, the worst offenders in this regard seem to be house bunny aficionados, whether they are formally affiliated with the House Rabbit Society or not (some, I suspect, are bunny-owner-wanna-be's, that haven't ever had the opportunity to try what they so passionately espouse).

Some people seem to feel that all pelleted feeds are the creation of the devil, some just dump their bile on the alfalfa-based ones, or the possibly GMO ones, or whatever. Frankly, what rabbits eat in the wild is a kind of moot point; these are domestic animals that are have spent countless generations being grown in sizes and shapes and colors that are poorly suited to life in the wild, even if they knew what they can and can't eat out there. Just how bad they can be at that was brought home to me quite a few years ago, when someone left a cage door open and a Harlequin youngster fell out and disappeared. In spite of all the predators we have here, she was on the lam for a month or more before we caught her and returned her to domestication. She was significantly smaller than her littermates - like, maybe, two thirds of their size. Now, just because she didn't keep pace with her well-fed siblings isn't necessarily a bad thing, but she was stunted; she never got even close to adult weight for her breed. I see wild rabbits around here all the time, so clearly they are managing to find what they need, but my domestic rabbit was just surviving, not thriving, on that "natural" diet.

In the horse world, there's a saying, "if you ask four horsemen, you'll get five opinions." @thewolf1039 - the take-home message of my rather winding rant is this: if you look around enough, you'll get lots of opinions on what is involved in looking after your pet. Somewhere, in all of that, you need to find a path that makes sense to you. Most opinions are valid from a certain point of view; the ones I'd be wary of are the ones that seem to say, "do it my way or else." And when you come across the ones that seem to say, "these people don't want you to know the truth, they are just out to fool you, but I'm not," run. Run like a scared rabbit from them!

 

[chickenmama109]

Thanks yes everyone has there ways of feeding and it's nice to see every ones way of feeding there rabbits if you don't want to give your rabbits veggies that's fine it's your rabbit feed them what you think is best for them I like to feed mine veggies cuz she enjoys them it's one of her favs parts of her day and I like to give her hay all the time it's no trouble at all I think how ever you feed your rabbit has long has there healthy and they lived a good life then that's all that matters thanks every one I really appreciate your help and info

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

*sigh* What offends me, is how one can go way out into the realm of oriental hyperbole, and still, someone will take it seriously, or even personally.





No, but they are heading in that direction:



(You realize that means something commercial sized or larger should be getting enough veg to fill a shoebox? That's a lot to get through in one day; how many feedings would one have to do to make sure it doesn't get wilted before the rabbit can get to it?)



Longevity and long-term health are (one would hope) the concerns of any animal keeper, whether the animals are kept as pets or breeding stock (well, okay, we can make exceptions for things like certain pig, turkey and chicken breeds). If a person gets to the point where they don't care about the animal's welfare, maybe animal care isn't something they should be doing.

In the original post, the creator of this thread was concerned that her rabbit wasn't tucking into her veg. People reassured her that the veg wasn't totally necessary, that if the rabbit is eating pellets and hay, her nutritional needs are being met. Then here comes that post, with that dreadful word SHOULD (emphasis mine). What is the OP to do? Remove all other food, and force the rabbit to eat the veg or starve? Believe it or not, I have seen such suggestions (though not on this thread . . . yet). And, since the veg represents such a large part of the rabbit's diet, how does one know whether they are feeding a balanced diet? Oh, right; I've seen a post on a certain website that says to give them one serving from this list, and two servings from this list, and so on, per day, and rotate the choices each day and I'm like, "really??! Who has the time, and space in the family fridge for all that?" (If you do, more power to you; I don't). Especially if you have more than one rabbit, and you'd better have more than one, or your poor, neglected bunny will die of sheer loneliness.

You don't have to see many rabbit threads before you see 'em; the folks whose posts basically say, "my way is the right way, and if you can't do it my way, you really shouldn't have a rabbit at all." Often, the worst offenders in this regard seem to be house bunny aficionados, whether they are formally affiliated with the House Rabbit Society or not (some, I suspect, are bunny-owner-wanna-be's, that haven't ever had the opportunity to try what they so passionately espouse).

Some people seem to feel that all pelleted feeds are the creation of the devil, some just dump their bile on the alfalfa-based ones, or the possibly GMO ones, or whatever. Frankly, what rabbits eat in the wild is a kind of moot point; these are domestic animals that are have spent countless generations being grown in sizes and shapes and colors that are poorly suited to life in the wild, even if they knew what they can and can't eat out there. Just how bad they can be at that was brought home to me quite a few years ago, when someone left a cage door open and a Harlequin youngster fell out and disappeared. In spite of all the predators we have here, she was on the lam for a month or more before we caught her and returned her to domestication. She was significantly smaller than her littermates - like, maybe, two thirds of their size. Now, just because she didn't keep pace with her well-fed siblings isn't necessarily a bad thing, but she was stunted; she never got even close to adult weight for her breed. I see wild rabbits around here all the time, so clearly they are managing to find what they need, but my domestic rabbit was just surviving, not thriving, on that "natural" diet.

In the horse world, there's a saying, "if you ask four horsemen, you'll get five opinions." @thewolf1039 - the take-home message of my rather winding rant is this: if you look around enough, you'll get lots of opinions on what is involved in looking after your pet. Somewhere, in all of that, you need to find a path that makes sense to you. Most opinions are valid from a certain point of view; the ones I'd be wary of are the ones that seem to say, "do it my way or else." And when you come across the ones that seem to say, "these people don't want you to know the truth, they are just out to fool you, but I'm not," run. Run like a scared rabbit from them!

I'm going off of what I do and read. I'm not saying you HAVE TO, I'm just saying you should.