so much has changed

when i was growing up it was so set in how you looked after rabbits... shavings on the base of the hutch, straw for bedding, a little hay to eat, rabbit food consisting of loads of different stuff and carrots and lettuce were the veggies to give.

Things have changed now so much since we have learned more about whats best for rabbits, but peoples general knowledge is still stuck in that time, im amazed at how much more there is now to learn and had to do quite a lot of catching up, but there are so many people ive met who still think its ok to house rabbits and guineas together, and to give the rabbits a load of lettuce to eat

anyone else find this?
sorry, just a random post but i was thinking about it all whilst sitting in with Diego this morning.

out of interest can i ask also why carrots arent so good for rabbits? Diego adores carrots more than anything else but im learning he shouldnt have many

Carrots are high in sugar but my buns have them regularly and aren't overweight or anything?

louise and Gus said:

Carrots are high in sugar but my buns have them regularly and aren't overweight or anything?

Click to expand...

im the same, my buns often get carrots, some people recommend they get one or two chunks a week, bcus of their high natural sugar, but if you dont have an overweight bun i wouldnt see it as a probem.

none of my bunnies are overweight, domino is very fluffy so he looks a bit chunky but none of them r fat, so i do give them carrots as they love them. however when i have a overweight holiday boarder, i do give them very little carrot.

so iguess it depends on the weight of your bun x

thanks, that makes sense
Diego is most def not overweight

Yeah I guess so...I never give mine any kind of manufactured treats which I think are far worse than carrots and they do love carrot...especially the ones my friend grows in her garden

I guess in delicate buns the sugar could upset the gut but I have never had any problems

yeah same here. I must admit mine get carrots two or three times a week and no bun is overweight here either. Same as SJ says if you had a bun on a diet I wouldn't give them, otherwise it doesntt seem to adversely affect my buns. :?

:wave: Just want to echo what others have said. Mine get small amounts of the more sugary foods - apple, carrot, banana, raisins etc and they're fine.

Just to add to the original comment, when I told people I was arranging a special friend for Matilda I was surprised how many thought I should let them have a litter first!

I can't believe people still think its better for animals to have babies before neutering - no wonder there are so many unwanted pets about!

A lot of what people know comes from incorrect information given from early on, reading books/cartoons/childrens programmes. People still think birds live in nests! :lol:

my rabbits love carrots minnie is like bugs bunny eating them things are more complocated like evrything now

its bad for their teeth aswell

and I guess theoretically the high calorie content would mean they werent so hungry for their hay so could have knock on effects - but I'd imagine you'd have to be feeding an awful lot of carrot for that to happen.

Coco's favorite he loves his carrots he has them everyday,hes not a happy bunny if i run out,he will leave his cabbage and hay in favour of the carrot,
his teeth look nice strong and white to me,

My nanan was telling me, when she was a little girl, she had a bunny, they kept it in their green house, with a window removed, and everyday they used to go into the fields and find Dandilions for him to eat, and instead of pellets, he got Muesli Mix.
Jack

Mine love carrots too. I only give half an inch and not every day, every 2 days. They aren't over weight. I don't give them lettuce at all. But then enjoy other greens.

carrots and all sweet foods are recomended to be limited because bad bacteria in the rabbits guts like sugar more than the good bacteria. too much sugar can affect the balance & lead to things like mucoid entiritis. Also because it is higher in cals it might make a bun eat less hay and put on weight. It's not a case of no carrots....just a little bit of what you fancy!

One thing I wish is Pippin was fatter, being the right weight has meant she has gone really underweight in a few days, may try her on more carrots when she gets back :lol:

What is more annoying is that when you tell people that 'thinking has changed' on certain topics related to animal care, then they laugh and say 'oh has it now, well our animals were all fine...therefore there was nothing wrong with our way'. The same applies to most animals, we have found out so much more about their requirements and what keeps them healthy and happy, as you say...so much has changed. Another example is tortoises who used to be given a bit of lettuce and tomato each day...and left to their own devices. Through observing, researching and testing tortoise health it is now known that the best way to care for them is entirely different (an entirely weed based diet is the right way to feed).

People THINK the animals were fine being kept in the 'old ways' but in reality it wasn't fine because although it kept the animal alive it wasn't allowing it optimum health and life span.