Rabbit food - Taking precautions

[Lord Trellis]

I have been a bit concerned about having enough rabbit food this Christmas. I know some may say I can buy bulk loads online but with the way the postal service is right now I'll be lucky to get them. I've still got parcels from 3 weeks ago I've still not received. I'm not buying anything online for a good while.

I normally buy from Sainsburys and I don't mind it costing a bit more because if my bunnies are happy then its all good and they love the Sainburys stuff the best. Its those minted pellets although my local pet shop also sells them I tend not to buy from him because his pet food always seems to have mill moths inside and they are a pain to get rid off but is still an option to fall back on.

Sainsburys only put out 3 bags at a time they are only 2kg so I need more because 3 rabbits get through it pretty quickly I'm gonna need about 12 bags maybe extra on top of that to see me into the new year.

There is Wilko but my bunnies wont eat there bunny food plus I think much of there bunny food isn't all that healthy, they do the fruity bunny mix and the veg mix then they sell the plain pellets. I sometimes give them a bit of the fruity and veg mix but in moderation with there pellet food. They also get a bit of fresh veg sometimes. They have plenty of hay. They will not eat the Wilko branded pellets.

I stocked up on hay just after summer so I have plenty of it to last me for a while.

I'm concerned I might not be able to get enough bags of rabbit food from Sainsbury and there is no guarantee the pet shop would have any in stock.

OK scenario 1... Lets say I run out of bunny food and Sainsbury only have one or two bags on there shelf. Can I feed them on alternatives like guinea pig food because they have plenty of that? Wilko don't always have bunny food and when they do its the fruit/veg mix stuff or the pellets they don't eat.

I thought about oatmeal but they might not eat much of it or they could get fat from it from what I have read about feeding rabbits oatmeal.

What would you do?

 

[Shimmer]

Rabbits should be eating mainly grass / hay (at least 80% of their diet). 2kg of pellets would last my 4 outdoor rabbits a month or so. I just checked my inventory - I had 28kg in Jan and still have enough left for a couple of months. It's bought in bulk online and stored in airtight tubs. I would cut right down on the pellets you are feeding them and increase the hay, for the sake of their teeth, guts and your wallet.

 

[Orenoko]

I buy 2kg of Excel minted nuggets and it lasts probably 3 months? They get an egg up a day between 2. It sounds like you're feeding too much if I'm reading this correctly, 12 bags between now and new year means you're feeding 24kg in 3 weeks, which is way too much. You'd be better off spending that money on good quality hay e.g. from timothyhay.co.uk. 20kg of hay lasts a good while, is much better for them and will probably work out cheaper than 24kg of nuggets.

Ebay and other online retailers sell Excel nuggets if those are the ones you use (not sure which ones Sainsbury's sell).

 

[Lord Trellis]

I wonder if the manufacturers have made an error then on there packaging because the bags are not that large. I fill a metal dog bowl up with pellets and its almost empty the next morning. One bag lasts me 3 days between all of them and they always have fresh hay, most of it gets peed on when not eating it.

I think need to find a way to encourage them to eat more hay.

 

[Graciee]

I wonder if the manufacturers have made an error then on there packaging because the bags are not that large. I fill a metal dog bowl up with pellets and its almost empty the next morning. One bag lasts me 3 days between all of them and they always have fresh hay, most of it gets peed on when not eating it.

I think need to find a way to encourage them to eat more hay.

Oh yea that's way too many pellets! A bag lasts us ages, they get about 10 pellets a day each.. I have 4 buns

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[Orenoko]

I wonder if the manufacturers have made an error then on there packaging because the bags are not that large. I fill a metal dog bowl up with pellets and its almost empty the next morning. One bag lasts me 3 days between all of them and they always have fresh hay, most of it gets peed on when not eating it.

I think need to find a way to encourage them to eat more hay.

Yeah this is waaaaaaaaayy too much, a 2kg bag should be lasting weeks not days. Honestly no rabbit needs that many nuggets, just cut them right down, they'll soon eat more hay. When they eat that many nuggets they'll be more prone to dental issues from lack of hay, as well as obesity. They will always go for the nuggets first as they're tasty so they are probably filling up on them and that might be why they don't eat as much hay. Good quality hay (usually not pet shop hay) will do them much better.

 

[Lord Trellis]

I've always feed my bunnies like this even my old ones. Lacey is under weight and had to put her on a diet to get her weight up.

Lucky and Lamp chop are a nice healthy weight. They are always hungry Lucky pretty much rips the bag from my hand because he can't wait until the food hits the bowl. They always have hay. I'll give them less pellets each time rather than cutting back on too fast.

 

[InspectorMorse]

 

[Orenoko]

I've always feed my bunnies like this even my old ones. Lacey is under weight and had to put her on a diet to get her weight up.

Lucky and Lamp chop are a nice healthy weight. They are always hungry Lucky pretty much rips the bag from my hand because he can't wait until the food hits the bowl. They always have hay. I'll give them less pellets each time rather than cutting back on too fast.

Most rabbits will do that because they're greedy! InspectorMorse's picture is a good demonstration of what they should be eating.

 

[Shimmer]

Hay will keep 'fresher' if it's fed in something off the floor, so they are not sitting in it and using it as a toilet at the same time. There are all sorts of racks available, hanging plant baskets, plastic carrier bag dispensers, old magazine racks - all sorts of items that can make good hay racks over a latge tray to catch the bits.

Gradually cut the pellets down over a couple of weeks or so. Mine get a handful each per day. Some people don't feed pellets at all - they are not an essential part of a rabbit's diet. I would also weigh them weekly to make sure they are maintaining a normal weight.

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/articles/free-food-for-rabbits
https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-care-advice/rabbit-diet/

 

[Barn Yard Bunnies]

If worst came to worst, just hay and some veggies and some fruit.

 

[TheBee]

Way too many pellets. We run a rescue and wouldn’t get through 12 bags in that space of time. As someone else said you’re better spending that money on varieties of hays. Also if Lacey is eating that much and underweight I suggest some diagnostics are carried out - bloods etc, as there is something underlying there if that’s the case.

 

[Lord Trellis]

Way too many pellets. We run a rescue and wouldn’t get through 12 bags in that space of time. As someone else said you’re better spending that money on varieties of hays. Also if Lacey is eating that much and underweight I suggest some diagnostics are carried out - bloods etc, as there is something underlying there if that’s the case.

Lacey already went to the vet but something is amiss because she eats like a horse but never puts on good weight and I checked her poo and its normal, she doesn't have worms. The vet said I will need to put her on a diet to get her weight up.She also had blood tests at the vet. If she don't make any improvements after the new year then I'm taking her back to the vet and getting a second opinion. It could be that a change in diet is the only thing she needed I'll just have to wait and see how she goes.

 

[Lord Trellis]

I will give Lamb Chop a bit more pellets than the others because he lives outside and he needs to keep warm. He will always be an outdoor bunny. He is fully accumulated. I've given him a whole bunch of new hay in his sleeping area and in his feeding area. I moved his litter tray on to the floor of the yard so he has a bit more space in his sleeping area. The hay might last longer if he goes to the toilet away from it. Lucky is just getting hay today with a very small amount of pellets like a tiny handful with some veg. I want him to start eating hay because he barely touches it. Its Meadow Hay he liked the other type of hay I used to buy for him better, but I can no longer get it but I'm going to visit some farms after the new year and get some hay bales for them.

I'll be making him a hay rack from wood and wire mesh. I'd really like a cast iron one for the yard but can't find those anywhere.

 

[InspectorMorse]

I will give Lamb Chop a bit more pellets than the others because he lives outside and he needs to keep warm. He will always be an outdoor bunny. He is fully accumulated. I've given him a whole bunch of new hay in his sleeping area and in his feeding area. I moved his litter tray on to the floor of the yard so he has a bit more space in his sleeping area. The hay might last longer if he goes to the toilet away from it. Lucky is just getting hay today with a very small amount of pellets like a tiny handful with some veg. I want him to start eating hay because he barely touches it. Its Meadow Hay he liked the other type of hay I used to buy for him better, but I can no longer get it but I'm going to visit some farms after the new year and get some hay bales for them.

I'll be making him a hay rack from wood and wire mesh. I'd really like a cast iron one for the yard but can't find those anywhere.

Will Lamb Chop be bonded to another Rabbit ? Rabbits are social animals and should be housed in pairs or a group.

Re Lacey, what were the results of the blood test and did the test include PCR testing for EC ?

Has a faecal sample been tested for Coccidia ?

 

[Omi]

Reducing pellets to try to get them to eat more hay is certainly the way to go. The change in diet does need to be done quite slowly though. A bunny who has previously eaten a lot of pellets and minimal or no hay, is unlikely to change suddenly. I would reduce them by a small amount and then each day give them less and less.

What was the special diet that the vet advised you to give to Lamb Chop? If he's losing weight still, it's probably best not to deviate from what the vet advised for him.

ETA I meant Lacey, who has been to the vet, not Lamb Chop. My advice is the same for her. I wouldn't change her diet whilst she is losing weight and I would stick to what the vet has advised as far as her diet is concerned, whatever that is.

 

[Lord Trellis]

I have introduced Lucky and Lamb Chop to each other and there not too bad but with Lamb Chop not currently neutered he will hump Lucky but after a while they seem to get on however Lamb Chop is an outdoor bunny where as Lucky is an indoor bunny so I can;t really leave them together outside over night or 24/7

In January I'm getting Lamb Chop and Lacey booked in to Vets4Pets for neutering.

Lacey's blood test came back normal and her poo was ok. The vet couldn't find anything but he did tell me to bring her back for a follow up so its something that is being monitored. Lucky was throwing a fit this morning because he wanted more pellets lol he took one sniff at the hay and stamped his foot so I just gave him some more pellets, its just something I have to reduce over time.