I'm interested in getting rabbits ---- Edit: Just caught a dumped Bunny!!!

[Weeg]

Finally got some pics for you guys!
She's still flighty so I only got a few. Notice that the far cardboard roll toy moves in the first and second picture.

Edit: Just re-uploaded the second photo.

 

[Weeg]

Aw he looks so small! My guess is polish rabbit or mini Rex? Some mix maybe? I’m not totally sure though since I breed Mini Lops and that’s the breed I’m used to haha. But that’s awesome you were able to rescue him! I’ll give some setup/cage ideas. This is what I do for all my bunnies, they get lots of space and they are spoiled! View attachment 2863083View attachment 2863084View attachment 2863085View attachment 2863086

Super happy for the little guy! Glad you got to do a little rescue mission for him. It’ll take a while for him to settle in, but eventually he’ll warm up. It might take a few days, or a few weeks, or even a few months. But you’ll get there!

Jsut looking back on this post for my future indoor setup, I think I've decided to go this route. How big are your pens in diameter? I see you have one bun per pen, if I decided to have two, willing they do well together. I want two rabbits since we take weekend trips often to the peninsula in the summer to fish, so it will be good for them to have each other for entertainment. They will always have a care giver checkin in at least twice a day as well.

 

[Weeg]

So far, I do have one concern, she's not eating much of her pellets or greens. I fed her this morning, just pellets, and she hardly ate them. Then tossed some leafy greens in the pen for her to nibble on. She ate those, but I feed more pellets in the evening since she didn't eat much in the morning. I fed herbs, and romance lettuce along with them.
The pellets were on top. She didn't eat much of either. I flipped things so that the veggies are on top, and I still don't believe she ate any.
I did see her out and about eating hay this afternoon, so surly she ate her daily serving right? She kept getting scared back into her box when the dogs came out, or I did.
Should I be concerned about this? I can tell she's drinking, do you think she'll warm up and start eating more often in a few days? Is there anything I can do to make her more comfortable? Should I use a blanket to cover half of the pen so she isn't constantly watching every little movement outside? Or would that scare her more since she can't see whats going on? The pellets are for the horses, do you think they might be to big for her to eat? I did see her nibbling at the pellets a couple times, so know she's at least trying.
Thanks or your help everyone! I've been asking a lot of questions, and I'm so grateful to have everyone here to answer them. Thanks again!

 

[NatJ]

So far, I do have one concern, she's not eating much of her pellets or greens. I fed her this morning, just pellets, and she hardly ate them.

The pellets are for the horses, do you think they might be to big for her to eat? I did see her nibbling at the pellets a couple times, so know she's at least trying.

What kind of pellets are they? Nutrition label and ingredients?

Pellets that are actually meant as a diet for rabbits are mostly hay, with some other ingredients to get the nutritional details right.

Actual hay is good for most of a rabbit's diet. If the pellets are just compressed hay, then she should be fine even if she never eats them.

Rabbits have a rather fussy digestive system, so it is probably good for her to be cautious of each new food, and eat only a little bit at first-- just like when people switch an animal gradually to a new food, some animals will naturally do that for themselves.

Hay is usually fine for a rabbit, but greens can cause diarrhea if the rabbit eats more than it is used to eating. Since she was loose for a while, I have no idea how many greens she was used to eating, or whether she had problems and decided to limit her own amount of greens, or whether she prefers some greens instead of others.

Rabbits are usually more active at night, and eat more then, so I wouldn't worry too much about her eating little during the daytime.

Large pellets are probably not a big problem. Tiny bunnies eat normal rabbit pellets by nibbling the end, and continuing to nibble until they either finish the pellet or drop it and grab another. An adult rabbit can probably do the same with pellets meant for horses.

 

[Weeg]

What kind of pellets are they? Nutrition label and ingredients?

Pellets that are actually meant as a diet for rabbits are mostly hay, with some other ingredients to get the nutritional details right.

Actual hay is good for most of a rabbit's diet. If the pellets are just compressed hay, then she should be fine even if she never eats them.

Rabbits have a rather fussy digestive system, so it is probably good for her to be cautious of each new food, and eat only a little bit at first-- just like when people switch an animal gradually to a new food, some animals will naturally do that for themselves.

Hay is usually fine for a rabbit, but greens can cause diarrhea if the rabbit eats more than it is used to eating. Since she was loose for a while, I have no idea how many greens she was used to eating, or whether she had problems and decided to limit her own amount of greens, or whether she prefers some greens instead of others.

They're Standee Timothy pellets for horses. Its just compressed Timothy hay, no other ingredients. They are high fiber which I like, because she's just eating horse hay right now which isn't made especially for rabbits. Meaning I don't know how much fiber it is, its a local hay and I know its not alfalfa. Were going to town today so I'll be able to get her real hay, and pellets then.
Got it, that makes sense. We baited the trap with Carrot ends, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and a half eaten slug carrot and she ate almost all of it. Since she's still practicing using her litter box, I've been able to get a good look at her stool which looks pretty normal to me.

Rabbits are usually more active at night, and eat more then, so I wouldn't worry too much about her eating little during the daytime.

Large pellets are probably not a big problem. Tiny bunnies eat normal rabbit pellets by nibbling the end, and continuing to nibble until they either finish the pellet or drop it and grab another. An adult rabbit can probably do the same with pellets meant for horses.

Awesome, thank you this is very reassuring. I left her pellets out for the night with the greens, hoping she'd eat more then. I'm going to try to see if I can edit her into our tiny house as well, since the shop is very busy, loud, and stressful. Hoping that if that works, she'll be less stressed out and will settle better. Plus sharing a household makes a friendlier bunny! Thanks everyone!

 

[NatJ]

They're Standee Timothy pellets for horses. Its just compressed Timothy hay, no other ingredients. They are high fiber which I like, because she's just eating horse hay right now which isn't made especially for rabbits. Meaning I don't know how much fiber it is, its a local hay and I know its not alfalfa.

I would expect the horse hay to be fine.

If the pellets are just compressed timothy hay, there should be no reason to limit how much she has, and no reason to insist she eat them at all. Nutritionally, hay is hay, whether it's squished into a pellet or not.

Yes, alfalfa would be different because it has more protein and calcium: good for growing bunnies, good for does that are pregnant or nursing, but not so good for adult rabbits that are not reproducing.

I've been able to get a good look at her stool which looks pretty normal to me.

That's good!

 

[Weeg]

I would expect the horse hay to be fine.

If the pellets are just compressed timothy hay, there should be no reason to limit how much she has, and no reason to insist she eat them at all. Nutritionally, hay is hay, whether it's squished into a pellet or not.

Yes, alfalfa would be different because it has more protein and calcium: good for growing bunnies, good for does that are pregnant or nursing, but not so good for adult rabbits that are not reproducing.


That's good!

Awesome, I'll try to get some real rabbit pellets as well, is Small Pet Select a good brand? I like their Non-GMO option.

 

[Weeg]

Aspen has been having a great morning! She's spent the whole morning out of her box, only running in once or twice and coming right back out. We've been moving boxes around the garage, making. She'll stop chewing and listen to the noises, but doesn't run to hide anymore.
She ate her whole breakfast out of my hand, other than the pellets, and is associating my hands with food. I'm going to work on bunny proofing the house today, and once she's fully litter trained and will allow me to pet her face, I'll bring her inside for further bonding. I'll post pics soon, I have some cute ones!

 

[Kiki]

I'm still learning but if I were you I would be feeding that bunny hay with a tiny bit of adult rabbit pellets...only.

In a few weeks I would offer a tiny bit of fresh green lettuce once a day.
A tiny amount.


I looked at the horse alfalfa pellets at my feed store but I decided they weren't good enough for my rabbit.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rabbit-food-stuff-.1494446/

 

[NatJ]

Awesome, I'll try to get some real rabbit pellets as well, is Small Pet Select a good brand? I like their Non-GMO option.

I have no experience with that brand.

When I raised rabbits, they ate Purina rabbit pellets free-choice, and almost nothing else. But they were mostly breeding does, and bunnies growing for meat, so what was good for them would probably not be right for a rabbit that is not growing or reproducing.

I'm still learning but if I were you I would be feeding that bunny hay with a tiny bit of adult rabbit pellets...only.

In a few weeks I would offer a tiny punt of fresh green lettuce once a day.
A tiny amount.

Why? Greens can cause diarrhea when the rabbit is not used to them-- but this rabbit was running around outside (greens everywhere), and apparently has droppings that are fine now (so no diarrhea).

Is there some other danger to eating plants that have not been dried? After all, hay is just dried grass