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feeding larger breeds

K

kate

Warren Scout
What is the best amount to feed larger breeds of rabbits?

Recently Jack has been getting through his dry food as soon as I give him it and I was wondering if I should be feeding him more? He has got quite a bit bigger recently and now often begs for food.

He gets 2/3rds of a bowlfull of dry food a day, plus unlimited timothy hay and dry grass. Most days he also gets fresh vegetables, depending what we have in the house.

I think he is a cross breed (definitely part lionhead- he has a mane and a fringe). He weighs just over 4kg, and is about the size of a cat if not bigger. He is about a year and a half old- do you think he still has more growing to do?

Thanks,
Kate and Jack
 
Hiya

He shouldn't have much more growing to do if any, as most are done by the time they get to 1 year. Do you feed him pelleted food? I think it is about 3% of bodyweight but I normally give much less and make them eat hay as this should be 80% of their diet anyway!!!

3% is 120g for your bun, sounds like a lot. I would prob give 80-90g a day so long as getting plenty of exercise and eating lots of hay. I think the recommended amount is 50g for a medium sized bunny. Weigh how much you are giving him now and see how much it is. If it is about the same amount I'd stick with it and give him LOTS of hay to munch on so he fills himself up! :) If he looks skinny or anything add a bit more. As long as poos are OK and not runny then you are feeding the right amount :)

Nicola
 
Yep, I'd agree with Nicola :)

One thing to add, have you tried giving him his food using a treat ball or other toys? That helps make it take longer to eat so keeps them occupied longer. Treatballs, hiding his food under things, mixing some into a pile of hay etc.

Tam
 
Yep forgot about that Tamsin!! :D

Treat balls are brill idea, I use them for all mine, especially Princess who is a greedy madam and would eat food all day long if she could!! I split her food into two and give it to her in her treat ball, in morning and afternoon. I use Pringles tubes too, cos when they are empty, u can make holes in them and put food in so bun has to figure out how to get food out!! :)

Hope that keeps him entertained for a bit longer!

Nicola
 
Zeus is a very big bunny and it supposed to be on a hay only diet while he is on penicillin. He did very well on it for a week with no noticeable weight loss, then I introduced some pellets and a bit of veg again. I bought a Russel Rabbit treat ball - quite reasonable from Tesco's and all he gets is one of the bowls inside filled level once every other day and he has to share with Athena. That way hay is the main component and he gets veggies on the day he doesn't get pellets.

He begs for more and follows me round but I am being resolute as my vet was quite adament it is good for larger buns to be on the slim side because extra weight puts more pressure on their hearts and joints and can exaggerate the problems that often develop in the larger breeds.


Caz
 
Thanks!
The store didn't have any treat balls in stock so I tried hiding his food in the hay in his basket, which has been keeping him occupied for longer than usual, and he's having fun digging to find his food :D. It seems to be encouraging him to fill up on more hay as well.

Thanks also for the guidelines on feeding amounts: I have been feeding him about 115g of pelleted food a day, so I won't be giving him more than that - I don't want him to get fat!
 
Tamsin said:
Yep, I'd agree with Nicola :)

One thing to add, have you tried giving him his food using a treat ball or other toys? That helps make it take longer to eat so keeps them occupied longer. Treatballs, hiding his food under things, mixing some into a pile of hay etc.

Tam
Click to expand...

Tamsin
I took your advice for Oscar as we thought he was eating too much (He has such an appetite), so we went and bought him a treat ball :p

Now whenever we give him the ball he sniffs it,realises theres food in it and then picks it up and puts it in his bowl :lol: :lol: :lol: .

I think He is trying to tell me summat **PUT THE FOOD IN THE BLOODY BOWL** :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
I'm glad Jack is having fun foraging for his food. Its great he's eating more hay too, I'll have to remember that the next time someone asks about getting bunnies to eat more hay :D

Oscar, sounds like a clever bun :lol: Has he managed to work out how to get any food out yet? My bun Gypsy its brilliant at it and goes may throwing it around, her partner Alfie isn't quite so clever and doesn't seem to have got the idea yet. I think he might slowly be catching on after watching her as I saw him poke it the other day.

Tam
 
Now whenever we give him the ball he sniffs it,realises theres food in it and then picks it up and puts it in his bowl :lol: :lol: :lol: .

I think He is trying to tell me summat **PUT THE FOOD IN THE BLOODY BOWL** :lol: :lol: :lol:[/quote]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Funny little Oscar!!! I tried the treat ball but Darcy never got hte hang of it, bless him! Just kept sniffing forlornly at his bowl and looking up at me!! :roll: He loves getting treats out of hte bounceback bunny tho :)
 
Cosmos and Violet love their treat ball I think Violet has sussed how to use it:

1: Recline in favourite cardboard box and let hubby wear himself out by running round and tipping up treat ball
cosmostreat.jpg


2: Let him have one mouthfull so he is distracted
cosmostreat2.jpg


3: Nip round back and scoff up all food hubby has kindly shaken out for you!
cosmostreat3.jpg


:lol: ;) Caz
 
I'd been wondering about this myself lately Kate, Blueberry is a french lop and they are supposed to still be growing until they are 18m, she's always looking for food and empties her bowl as quick as that!

I feed rabbit royale I give her less than the recommended amount though as she gets a sticky bum if she has that much and she is a very good hay eater!
I've got a bounce back bunny, but will try a treat ball or hiding it in the hay.

On the rabbit rehome site it recommends readigrass for large breeds as it has more protien. I guess larger breeds do have different dietry requirements, anyone know where I can get any info on this?
 
Maaike_Butter said:
oh, Caz, I've been looking for flooring like that for my girls everywhere! Where did you get it and what on earth is it called?!?!
Click to expand...

Just an offcut of lino from the stuff we had in the bathroom!

Caz
 
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