New bunny mummy needs advice

Hi all, this is my first post and I could do with some advice please. I bought home my first bunny last week a 14 week old mini lop called Bruce. I have always had guinea pigs in the past and fed unlimited nuggets and unlimited hay for them. When I got bruce he was on muesli and I bought nuggets and am mixing them gradually till he is off the muesli. I gave him a huge bowl of food and loads of hay but he doesn't really seem interested in the hay and just eats the food. So my question is should I limit his food so he eats more hay or just let him eat what he wants? Thanks for reading.

brucesmama said:

Hi all, this is my first post and I could do with some advice please. I bought home my first bunny last week a 14 week old mini lop called Bruce. I have always had guinea pigs in the past and fed unlimited nuggets and unlimited hay for them. When I got bruce he was on muesli and I bought nuggets and am mixing them gradually till he is off the muesli. I gave him a huge bowl of food and loads of hay but he doesn't really seem interested in the hay and just eats the food. So my question is should I limit his food so he eats more hay or just let him eat what he wants? Thanks for reading.

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Hello

A rabbit's diet should consist of at least 80% hay, pellets forming only 5% of the diet and the remaining 15% being made up of fresh forage/dried forage/fresh herbs and a small amount of green leafy Veg.

A growing Rabbit may need slightly more pellet feed, but certainly not more than an eggcupful twice a day. A fully grown Rabbit only needs an eggcupful a day.

The optimum diet for a healthy adult Rabbit is one which closely resembles the diet of a wild Rabbit. Wild Rabbits constantly eat foods low in nutrients but high in fibre. They never eat anything of such highly concentrated nutritional value as Rabbit pellets.

These links may be informative to take a look at

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/leaflet_pdfs/Feeding130807.pdf

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/leaflet_pdfs/going_green_oct_06.pdf

There is a wide variety of hays available now. The Hay Experts provide a good selection and they are a great Company

https://www.thehayexperts.co.uk/edibles/hay-grasses.html

Thanks for replying, I thought he should be eating more hay so I asked the vet and they said give him loads of veg and nuggets and don't worry if he isn't bothered with the hay!That's why I wanted to check on here, so if I limit his food he should eat more hay?!

Hay helps to wear teeth down which is VERY important for them. Strange that your vet said that ...

If you limit his food he certainly should eat more hay. I give my lot hay, hand picked grass and forage (the last two had to be gradually introduced). They love brambles. The whole thing. The thorns dont seem to bother them at all.

brucesmama said:

Thanks for replying, I thought he should be eating more hay so I asked the vet and they said give him loads of veg and nuggets and don't worry if he isn't bothered with the hay!That's why I wanted to check on here, so if I limit his food he should eat more hay?!

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:shock:

I would suggest that you try to find a Vet who is a lot more Rabbit savvy. I would certainly not trust a Vet who made such comments !

Thanks for the quick replies guys, i shall definitely limit his food and hopefully he will start and eat more hay.My guinea pigs have a little ready grass every day, maybe he might like that!

brucesmama said:

Thanks for the quick replies guys, i shall definitely limit his food and hopefully he will start and eat more hay.My guinea pigs have a little ready grass every day, maybe he might like that!

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Both hay and readigrass and really good for digestion and wearing teeth down. So is fresh grass, which is some areas is springing back up again, thank goodness!

Don't limit his pellets too much for a while, but certainly keep an eye on his fibre intake.

Good luck xx


.. and welcome to the Forum :wave: