Natalie
Warren Scout
I've been told and read in several places on the internet that one eggcup full of nuggets per day is about enough. BUT on the side of the Burgess Excel Nuggets with Mint rabbit food it says for Dutch rabbits weighing 2 - 2.3kg an amount of 50-60g of nuggets per 24 hours, and for English rabbits weighing 2.7-3.6kg an amount of 70-100g per 24 hours.
So I weighed an eggcup full and it came to about 15g which is way below what is stated on the packet.
I had also seen, somewhere else on the internet that older rabbits can be given more nuggets in order to help keep their weight up and as Caramel is 8 and as she demolishes an eggcup full of nuggets in next to no time, I have actually been giving her an eggcup full in the morning and another in the evening. And even that amount is less than it says on the packet (I hope I've read the instructions correctly because it is largely done in pictures).
Certainly Caramel easily gets through the two eggcups full. She weighs about 2.1kg.
She also has access to ample amounts of hay and grass 24/7. And of course plenty of fresh water. And also a small amount of fresh veg, forage and herbs twice a day.
So to be honest I'm tempted to give her more than the two eggcups full. I asked her previous owners how much they gave (they were having difficulties continuing to look after her so we offered to take her on) and was told that they just gave her 'a handful'. It was the granddad who I asked, so I imagine that was a good bit more than even 2 eggcups full.
AND, having been to the vets last week and this week for her eye problem, we took the opportunity to also get her weighed and she was 2.1kg last week, and 2.08kg this week. The vet said the decrease was negligible, and that it could be the difference between whether she had just had a wee or not, but I couldn't help wondering whether I'm just not giving her enough food!
Can anyone please advise.
Many thanks - Natalie
So I weighed an eggcup full and it came to about 15g which is way below what is stated on the packet.
I had also seen, somewhere else on the internet that older rabbits can be given more nuggets in order to help keep their weight up and as Caramel is 8 and as she demolishes an eggcup full of nuggets in next to no time, I have actually been giving her an eggcup full in the morning and another in the evening. And even that amount is less than it says on the packet (I hope I've read the instructions correctly because it is largely done in pictures).
Certainly Caramel easily gets through the two eggcups full. She weighs about 2.1kg.
She also has access to ample amounts of hay and grass 24/7. And of course plenty of fresh water. And also a small amount of fresh veg, forage and herbs twice a day.
So to be honest I'm tempted to give her more than the two eggcups full. I asked her previous owners how much they gave (they were having difficulties continuing to look after her so we offered to take her on) and was told that they just gave her 'a handful'. It was the granddad who I asked, so I imagine that was a good bit more than even 2 eggcups full.
AND, having been to the vets last week and this week for her eye problem, we took the opportunity to also get her weighed and she was 2.1kg last week, and 2.08kg this week. The vet said the decrease was negligible, and that it could be the difference between whether she had just had a wee or not, but I couldn't help wondering whether I'm just not giving her enough food!
Can anyone please advise.
Many thanks - Natalie