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Should I Increase my buns pellet amount

Mervinius

Mama Doe
Hello. Pip is over her stasis crisis from last weekend. Now the buns are back to fighting over their food. It's certainly worse with pellets and has only been happening since we moved house in Sept.

I thought it was due to having more freedom, but after keeping them in their pen for a week. Pip got bad stasis, so I'm wary of trying this again in case this stress made her so unwell. :-( so I'm trying to think of other ideas.

So this house is much larger and there is staircase for them to run up and down. I'm wondering if, because they are more active they need more pellets?

They currently get between them 30g a day (15g each) spread into 3 portions.
They have unlimited hay and then get dried forage in the evening.

They aren't losing weight though, so not sure if increasing their pellets would help. It's not like they are starving because they have hay to eat.

We've tried scattering their pellets and it sometimes works, but not much.
 
I wouldn't increase pellets if they are correct weight and not losing weight. Main part of rabbit diet is hay and forage
 
I agree with Lisa and Jane, and if they are fighting over pellets and the treat ball doesn’t work I’d be more inclined to cut them out and try fibafirst sticks, you could always crumble them into their hay if necessary.
 
I did try a treat ball recently, but Pip got annoyed cos she couldn't work it out and Archie got all the food. This created much grunting on a pips behalf. Hahaha.

We may have come across a solution last night. We were trying to think what else we've being doing differently in this house. We had stopped giving them their pellets in a bowl. Not for any particular reason, it just kind of happened.

So they had their supper last night in a big bowl and there was no grunting or lunging or bucking bronco moves.
They just had breakfast in a bowl, there was 1 grunt from one of them as I was getting it ready. But not other issue once the bowl was down.

Hopefully this will weirdly solve it. (My buns are so strange)

Also does anyone know where I can find s list of forage and what has a high calcium level. There's lots of veg lists, I know I've seen one, but can't find it anywhere.

Ps. I won't up their pellets don't worry. Thanks everyone x
 
yes, I have to feed mine in a bowl also. Luna, being blind, can't find the pellet half as quickly as Orion. so when we scatter feed, Orion probably gets about 90% of it! while its not as enriching for them, I find it far better for my circumstance as I can monitor them and how much they're eating, and then they don't fight either as Luna has some food aggression from her past. all in all I find it a lot better for me personally.

we tried a treat ball here but like Pip, Luna couldn't suss it out and would get rather upset resulting in fights!!

can't help with the forage and calcium tho :(
 
Oh that's interesting. I don't think Pip has any sight issues, hut you never know.

Just gave them dinner and there was only 1 grunt to get us to hurry up. Haha. No fighting between them though. fingers crossed the food bowl with sort this issue
 
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