• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

What do wild buns do in the snow???

bunnylover177

Alpha Buck
We all know that rabbits have to eat bulky food constantly or their digestive systems will 'jam up' so what do the wild ones do when there is no food in the snow? I know badgers just 'go to ground' and wait it out but surely bunnies have to eat, and eat plenty.
 
They are much more efficient than our domestic buns at relying on a totally fibrous diet which allows their caecums to function optimally and means that during a whole day they can get sufficient nutrition from their caecotrophs.
Dr McBride told me that they will often not come up above ground in bad weather and will survive on their caecotrophs and on any grass they have dragged below ground into their burrows (that becomes hay when dried). They will surface for as long as necessary to graze if needed. Buns that live primarily on the surface will be more likely to be seen above ground in bad weather.

Cold weather also means a slower metabolism and thus not eating so much is not a problem if the metabolism is also slowed. The problem occurs when metabolism is normal but eating is less = stasis.
 
My own rabbits have been exhibiting wild-type behaviour by digging up dead plants to eat in our garden. Would think they never got fed :roll:

Helen xx
 
Yesterday saw a whole field full of wild bunnies at lunchtime - first time that the grass has been visible after three weeks of being covered by snow so I think they will come up if necessary. T'was quite a sight, just wished I'd had my camera.
 
They are much more efficient than our domestic buns at relying on a totally fibrous diet which allows their caecums to function optimally and means that during a whole day they can get sufficient nutrition from their caecotrophs.
Dr McBride told me that they will often not come up above ground in bad weather and will survive on their caecotrophs and on any grass they have dragged below ground into their burrows (that becomes hay when dried). They will surface for as long as necessary to graze if needed. Buns that live primarily on the surface will be more likely to be seen above ground in bad weather.

Cold weather also means a slower metabolism and thus not eating so much is not a problem if the metabolism is also slowed. The problem occurs when metabolism is normal but eating is less = stasis.

That's really interesting, thanks for that! I guess there's also the point that we don't know how many wild buns do go into stasis and die because of this - it might be quite a high number :(
 
They'll dig at the snow to reach grass and often there will be sheltered areas where snow has drifted or ground been protected by overhanging trees and the snow isn't deep. They'll also eat twigs/tree bark.
 
Back
Top