Forage and Pellets over Winter, and general amount advice!

[keletkezes]

Lopsy's currently devouring about 25g of pellets per day (I'm currently changing from Pets at Home to Burgess Excel for better fibre content), spread through a variety of stuffed tubes and things to keep him stimulated: he likes digging at his tubes >D. He was weighed at the vets in the Cage of Shame at 4.5kg, and feels neither over nor underweight according to the RWAF body condition chart. He's a half-dwarf lop, other half probably being English-ish. 25g equates to the scoop I use: an old, well-washed and previously used for flour Vanish pink scoop. It's about the same size as an eggcup, probably holds more to be honest. I weighed it out of interest the other day

He also gets through whatever the OH brings home for him: he's guerilla-gardening his path to and from work, and brings home what he chops off at the end of the day provided it's bunny-safe. This is supplemented with stuff from the garden. So he's probably going through about a cup to two cups of forage and browse each day (depending on whether he eats the twigs or not, how much leaf-stuff there is, etc.), but it's hard to quantify beyond 'x-branches-worth'. OH says he always looks hungry, but he's soft and a sucker for small things with big eyes/whiny voices. Lopsy's a very cupboard-loving rabbit >D

He has hay on-hand, mostly strewn everywhere from tube-related excitement but also in a hanger and in his hutch, and is on grass 24/7. He does nibble at grass and hay all the time, between leaves and twigs and whatnot.

So, I have a few questions:

1.) Am I feeding him enough pellets? Given he's getting 4-5 different types of greens each day (mostly wild plants), I've been assuming it's enough at the moment, but I don't really know.

2.) When the forage quality and quantity drops off in winter, should I up his pellet feed at all?

3.) Are we feeding him too much forage? His poo is quite dark, but consistency etc. is fine.

4.) He drinks different amounts every day, has never been consistent and wees different amounts depending on his drinking. It doesn't seem to correlate with what we feed him. Is that OK?

 

[Tamsin]

It sounds fine. He's a reasonably sized rabbit so I think 25g is probably about right if he's maintaining a good weight on that. If you find he loses condition after the food swap you could add a little more.

Fresh forage and fresh grass will mean darker poop - that's normal.

You could consider drying some forage now to feed over winter

The best way to judge food amounts is how his body condition is, it's tough to precise for an individual as their weight, amount of exercise, energy levels, neuter, indoor v. out etc. all impact what they need. You might need to up slightly over winter, particularly if he's outside.

You could also consider a bit of readigrass once the grass is a bit rubbish mid winter. Scamp loves that. He's gets very miffed each year when the grass stops growing enough to cut a daily ration.

 

[keletkezes]

I should probably pot up some grass: I've got loads of seed left from this year's spring reseed and some flat trays I can set it on, and plenty of spare windowsills! I've also got a tin of grass at work (it came from some training I attended: no, I don't know why either!).

I've started drying dandelions (before I mowed last: no sense in wasting them!) and hawthorn. How should I store them once they're crispy from the airing cupboard? I don't want to leave them in there because I'll need it for washing at some point! Also, the more I take out, the more I can put in for drying

We've got things that will keep their leaves over winter (strawberries, brambles) but the rest I'm going to try and get some drying done before they drop/go bad.

 

[Tamsin]

Paper bag or a cardboard box is good once they are dry

Grass should grow fine on the window sills over winter, much faster than it will outside!

 

[keletkezes]

Great! I've got a big cardboard box ready! Thankyou!

 

[keletkezes]

I think I am going to have to up his pellets! He's a bit bonier today than yesterday, and noticeably so since the weekend: spine's much more pronounced than it should be according to the bunny condition picture. The forage has dropped off and I've been supplementing with veg, but it doesn't seem to be enough I think I'll regulate the pellets with how much forage/veg he gets for now, as we're likely to get him more forage at the weekends!