I feed what works for me. I do not feed apples and carrots because of the high sugar content. I have seen too many diabetic rescues and when you ask the owner what they fed the rabbit they always say "carrots and apples, isn't that what they are supposed to be fed?" I am NOT saying you are wrong, like I said; I feed what works for me and my rabbits.
Again, every rabbit is different. I have bred my rabbits to be able to eat a wide range of things, including maple branches, apple branches, pear branches, radishes, and small amounts of turnips, turnip greens, and mustard greens. The corn I give mine is always cracked, and is certified pesticide and herbicide free. I think that the pesticides and herbicides is what causes most of the digestive problems, and thus I do not recommend feeding any produce that has been bought from a store. I do not give pregnant or nursing does corn, due to the high phosphorous content. Phosphorous binds with calcium making it unavailable to the body and skeletal system, a horrible thing for the growing babies.
I also raise meat rabbits only, not pets. Smaller breeds do need boxes to sleep in or get warm in, larger breeds usually only need a windbreak (I use feed bags on the outside of their cages, but I would love to have a barn).
I always suggest to find out what the previous owner was doing with the rabbits, how they were housed, how they were fed, etc. If I cannot find the information (usually with rescues) I feed them a pellet and rolled oatmeal diet for at least two weeks and keep them in quarantine for a minimum of one month. I always provide fresh hay (try to get first cutting if possible, more fiber) to all of my rabbits from day one. The hay is the first thing I've noticed kits eating, and the second is their moms oatmeal treats. I've never lost a kit due to diet. I've lost one kit at three days old due to the mother squishing it by accident, but no others. I've been breeding for five years, but my father and grandfather have raised meat rabbits since the 1940's. I have changed some of the procedures that they used to do, just because of what is available in todays world. One of the major things I've changed is I provide a board for the heavier breeds that I have to sit on to keep their hocks from getting sores on them. I also use a beeswax and tea tree oil mixture on any sores or cuts that they get. I've never had any infections since I started doing this, and I also have a lower instance of ear mites (they hate the tea tree oil vapors).
What I do works for my rabbits, but may not work for every rabbit. There are many factors for what will work for your rabbits, including, but not limited to - previous experiences/foods, environment, temperature, genetics, age, breed, weight, number of litters, as well as many others.
I do recommend that if you want to introduce greens, do so gradually and only introduce one at a time. Don't give a single rabbit a bucket full of greens and expect them to be ok with it. Sure they will suck it down, but that many greens when they aren't accustomed to them will make them very sick and possibly kill them. When I started out giving greens to my rabbits, I would pick one leaf for each rabbit per day. I have one rabbit that cannot have alfalfa hay at any time and who cannot have apples or mustard greens. I knew about the alfalfa from her previous owners, but I have discovered the other two things on my own. I also give plain dry oatmeal any time I introduce a new food. Oatmeal helps their digestive tract to stay normal with new foods.
The main thing to remember, rabbits need more fiber than most other critters, that's why I always have hay available. Pellets contain hay, but it has been soaked and ground up and extruded into the pellet shape, plus pellets are mostly alfalfa. Around here they are anyway.
Sorry to kind of go off on a tangent, I just want others to know that there is no set in stone "you have to do it my way" way of raising rabbits. Find something that works for you, and do it! I give advice based upon my rabbits because they are the ones I have experience with. I am continually doing research on rabbits (as well as the other species of animals I care for).
Hope this helps,
Emily in NC
Also, check out the Homesteading Today forum (
www.homesteadingtoday.com). They have a section entitled "Raising Rabbits for Profit" but we cover all aspects of rabbit ownership, including pet ownership, breeding, kits, natural diets, food recalls, and venues to sell rabbits. The "Profit" in the title is most often the joy of raising them or the joy of being able to care for them, not actual monetary gain.
not sure why. but anyway. There are 2 older does that have been breed once already. so there are only 4, 6 month old does. 2 of these are NEw Zeand/cinchila cross(?) any heard of those? Anyway. Im up and running know.
. Rabbits are not expensive, cages, feeders etc. are, and there are always "good does" for sell. My advice is to limit yourself, let these have a couple litters before you buy more. Enjoy!
