what do i do about my bunnys hay

[chickenmama109]

hi i just got a six week old rabbit and they have been feeding corral hay i think thanks what it was called and i dont know if i could get that kind of hay so if i get alittle of that hay and start giving alfalfa will she be ok on alfalfa they told me not to feed that kind of hay

 

[Tale of Tails Rabbitry]

Are you feeding her pellets also?

 

[cassie]

Why would they tell you not to feed alfalfa? I know any number of breeders that offer alfalfa to their rabbits. I have also known people, myself included, who raised fine healthy rabbits on rabbit pellets alone without any offering hay at all.

 

[cassie]

What I was trying to say is that while hay may be beneficial for any number of reasons, unlike high quality rabbit pellets it is not absolutely essential. Hay for rabbits, like hay for goats, needs to be of very good quality. It should be fine stemmed, leafy, and free of dust and mold. If I ever decide to raise rabbits again, I would give them hay. When I raised them years ago, I didn't feed hay and the rabbits did just fine without it.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Alfalfa hay will be fine, especially for a young, growing rabbit since it has higher levels of calcium than other hays. My rabbits never seemed to like alfalfa as much as timothy hay, but they would still eat it. If you want to feed your rabbits hay, I see no problem with the alfalfa. Do make sure that your rabbit is getting pellets too, though. Those are the most important.

 

[Percheron chick]

hi i just got a six week old rabbit and they have been feeding corral hay i think thanks what it was called and i dont know if i could get that kind of hay so if i get alittle of that hay and start giving alfalfa will she be ok on alfalfa they told me not to feed that kind of hay

. More than likely you mean Coastal. Coastal Bermuda grass hay is typically a high fiber, moderate protein forage that is an excellent maintenance hay for horses. I will defer to rabbit people but I would not think it would be nutrient dense enough for a kit and alfalfa would be a better choice. I would never raise a foal on straight Coastal.

 

[chickenmama109]

Ok thanks yes I am feeding pellets I will get some alfalfa

 

[chickenmama109]

How do I give alfalfa with out her stomach getting upset

 

[Kessel23]

If a rabbit's diet is switched to fast it may result in diarrhea and other minor illnesses, make sure to slowly introduce her to the new food. Just start with a small amount of the new food mixed in with the old food.

 

[chickenmama109]

Thanks here is a pic of her in her hutch her name is Bella