The Bunny Chat Thread - For Bunny Owners

[Skye'sDucks]

Bugs is weak. I feel his spine it's really pointy. I fees him a mix of carrots apples cucumber corn husk new grass sprouting in our garden and I'm growing wheat grass for him too. Wht can i do to make him healthier I cant find many leafy greens except spinach here they are hard to find. People don't buy them.

Just keep making sure he is getting hay or grass (I can't quite remember what you said you are able to feed him) and making sure he's getting whatever kind of roughage you can grow or find for him. It may take time for him to put on weight. Pellets too would be a good way to get weight on him; they offer a lot of good nutrients for rabbits too, although I would feed in moderation. For pets they don't need many. Both my rabbits together get half a cup a day.

I also believe some grains in small amounts are okay for rabbits, although I'm uncertain what would put weight on him. I'd ask around on here or do some research. For a pet, I'd keep away from grains as general food unless you are using them for treats or specific purposes like trying to put on weight.

How big is he? Another thing is to either get used to how heavy he feels, or if you are able weigh him. That way you can gauge his weight too. You can still just feel bones like their spine and leg bones when they are a healthy weight, but not overly much.

I hope he puts weight on soon!

 

[A Peacock called Penelope]

Do you have pellets for him?

I couldn't find any

 

[A Peacock called Penelope]

Can you order food from Amazon?

I think not

 

[A Peacock called Penelope]

Just keep making sure he is getting hay or grass (I can't quite remember what you said you are able to feed him) and making sure he's getting whatever kind of roughage you can grow or find for him. It may take time for him to put on weight. Pellets too would be a good way to get weight on him; they offer a lot of good nutrients for rabbits too, although I would feed in moderation. For pets they don't need many. Both my rabbits together get half a cup a day.

I also believe some grains in small amounts are okay for rabbits, although I'm uncertain what would put weight on him. I'd ask around on here or do some research. For a pet, I'd keep away from grains as general food unless you are using them for treats or specific purposes like trying to put on weight.

How big is he? Another thing is to either get used to how heavy he feels, or if you are able weigh him. That way you can gauge his weight too. You can still just feel bones like their spine and leg bones when they are a healthy weight, but not overly much.

I hope he puts weight on soon!

I'm positive he's underweight. Fed him more than usual today.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Hey, it sounds like you need to throw conventional rabbit raising wisdom out for a bit. In US/UK it's rare to have an underweight rabbit because most people feed pellets but clearly you do have an underweight rabbit and no pellets anyhow. All our conventional western wisdom on it is based on cheap freely available calories though corn and soy, which aren't great. But you have an underweight rabbit which means you need to get more good calories into him. This mean a bit more sugar and a lot more protein and complex starches - things that conventional (see - western) pet rabbit wisdom says to avoid.

The absolute best thing you could feed him would be alfalfa. Clover is also a good choice here, both are best in dry hay form.
You could consider feeding sweet potato (vines, leaves and tubers), carrots (tops and roots), papaya, green beans, berries (raspberry, blackberry, esp), sunflower seeds, oats, soy beans, corn, etc. As always, make diet changes slowly and aim to keep sugar low when possible and fiber high.

Sugar can upset GI but fed is best. Just try to keep your fiber count high.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

https://www.pfma.org.uk/_assets/docs/pet-size-o-meter/pet-size-o-meter-rabbit.pdf

These should help you assess his condition. He does sound thin to me.

 

[A Peacock called Penelope]

Hey, it sounds like you need to throw conventional rabbit raising wisdom out for a bit. In US/UK it's rare to have an underweight rabbit because most people feed pellets but clearly you do have an underweight rabbit and no pellets anyhow. All our conventional western wisdom on it is based on cheap freely available calories though corn and soy, which aren't great. But you have an underweight rabbit which means you need to get more good calories into him. This mean a bit more sugar and a lot more protein and complex starches - things that conventional (see - western) pet rabbit wisdom says to avoid.

The absolute best thing you could feed him would be alfalfa. Clover is also a good choice here, both are best in dry hay form.
You could consider feeding sweet potato (vines, leaves and tubers), carrots (tops and roots), papaya, green beans, berries (raspberry, blackberry, esp), sunflower seeds, oats, soy beans, corn, etc. As always, make diet changes slowly and aim to keep sugar low when possible and fiber high.

Sugar can upset GI but fed is best. Just try to keep your fiber count high.

Thank you!

 

[A Peacock called Penelope]

https://www.pfma.org.uk/_assets/docs/pet-size-o-meter/pet-size-o-meter-rabbit.pdf

These should help you assess his condition. He does sound thin to me.

Um he seems very thin to me.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Then I would definitely start trying to get more calories in. In my house, that would mean more pellets but if I didn't have those I would probably use around a gallon jug of loosely packed alfalfa/clover hay, 1/4c oats, a tbsp sunflower seeds, a tbsp cracked corn, and a small carrot every day to start. This is in addition to whatever their regular food is.

 

[Compost King]

Its hard to help someone out in Pakistan when so few of us here know what life in Pakistan or even her part of Pakistan is like. I spent time over seas in the military and while I couldn't raise animals I always had some sort of a garden included a Guerrilla fruit orchard I started (never saw any fruit but the people living in Shanties along the river did after I left). Stores are so much different, mail order is so much different. Even in heavily populated areas it can be very hard to find specific things we take for granted in West. I am not even sure what grows in naturally in Pakistan, or what you can easily grow and harvest to feed a rabbit. Grass comes up naturally where I live but if it didn't I know where to get grass seed in the west but not in Pakistan.
I am going to study life in Pakistan because its a great opportunity to learn about a different culture which is one of my favorite things to do in the world. What type of markets do they have in Pakistan, what are the different cultural differences in different regions of pakistan? Do people farm rabbits in Pakistan? where do farmers get their feed in Pakistan? so much I do not know about Pakistan.