I've tried really hard to get them to eat hay - but they have very little. I do give them willow branches to nibble and Science Supreme (a bowl between them in the morning). They are both very lively so I think this must be OK. I do worry that they may get problems with their teeth as they eat so little hay, but they seem OK up to now. Rosie is 3 and Jack 2 yrs old.
-
Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
treats.........
- Thread starter bunnylove
- Start date
It depends how much veg they are used to and what veggies they are having! Mine have always been used to veggies so if I give slightly more than usual it's fine and I get happy buns 
I don't think there is a specific amount of veg you should give your bun everyday (correct me if I'm wrong!), it just depends on the individual. My bunnies also get grass and other garden bits and bobs everyday as well as they spend a few hours running round the garden. So on days when I know they have eaten lots of garden stuff they don't always get as much veg. I'm lucky with my buns as they seem to have tums that don't get upset!
How many buns do you have and how old are they?
Nicola
I don't think there is a specific amount of veg you should give your bun everyday (correct me if I'm wrong!), it just depends on the individual. My bunnies also get grass and other garden bits and bobs everyday as well as they spend a few hours running round the garden. So on days when I know they have eaten lots of garden stuff they don't always get as much veg. I'm lucky with my buns as they seem to have tums that don't get upset!
How many buns do you have and how old are they?
Nicola
nicolar said:It depends how much veg they are used to and what veggies they are having! Mine have always been used to veggies so if I give slightly more than usual it's fine and I get happy buns
I don't think there is a specific amount of veg you should give your bun everyday (correct me if I'm wrong!), it just depends on the individual. My bunnies also get grass and other garden bits and bobs everyday as well as they spend a few hours running round the garden. So on days when I know they have eaten lots of garden stuff they don't always get as much veg. I'm lucky with my buns as they seem to have tums that don't get upset!
How many buns do you have and how old are they?
hi there i have 9 buns, one i have had a year and she seems alright on veg. one that is 6 months (a rescue) and he does seem to have a lot of soft poos so i tend not to give him veg alot because he seems to have a doggy digestive system. and a four month bunny that i want to start on veg and 6 8 week old babies that are too young for veg...
Nicola
Wow lots of buns then! With the 6 month old one, what else does he eat? I only ask because Excel made my youngest rabbit have more soft poos and cutting down the amount of dry food has helped with that. Also if they get too much pellet/mix food they produce excess caecotrophs which they then don't eat. Is it excess caecotrophs or diarrhea your 6 month old has? Does he eat lots of hay?
Nicola
Nicola
nicolar said:
hi he was dumped outside a petshop where i buy my supplies with four 3 weeks old babies, so i took him on because he was very neglected pasta twist shaped nails, and very quite, well because we did not know what was being feed i just put him on burgess excel like my others but allways suffered for to much ceaecotrophs whixh he rarely eats, very messy!!!
he does not eat hay and i have managed to get him to eat small amounts a ready grass but that is it, so i tend not to give much veg and if i do i give very small pieces, i would love to give more because he seems to love it but i am not sure what to do for the best and the vets in not brill round here. so if you have any sugestions i would love to hear them, he has been on burguess with me since september!!!!
thanks bunnylove xx
nicolar said:
hi he was dumped outside a petshop where i buy my supplies with four 3 weeks old babies, so i took him on because he was very neglected pasta twist shaped nails, and very quite, well because we did not know what was being feed i just put him on burgess excel like my others but allways suffered for to much ceaecotrophs whixh he rarely eats, very messy!!!
he does not eat hay and i have managed to get him to eat small amounts a ready grass but that is it, so i tend not to give much veg and if i do i give very small pieces, i would love to give more because he seems to love it but i am not sure what to do for the best and the vets in not brill round here. so if you have any sugestions i would love to hear them, he has been on burguess with me since september!!!!
thanks bunnylove xx
Ah he was very lucky to have been found by you then How much excel are you feeding him? How big is he? If I feed my bun over by even 10g I always know about it! Same with my foster bun. It's hard to get them to eat hay when they just turn their noses up! I would try sort out the excess caecotrophs first before introducing the veggies, one thing at a time A change in dry food may help if reducing the amount doesn't Supreme Science is also meant to be very good. Does he eat much grass?
Nicola
How much excel are you feeding him? How big is he? If I feed my bun over by even 10g I always know about it! Same with my foster bun. It's hard to get them to eat hay when they just turn their noses up! I would try sort out the excess caecotrophs first before introducing the veggies, one thing at a time A change in dry food may help if reducing the amount doesn't Supreme Science is also meant to be very good. Does he eat much grass?Nicola
i must admit i feed ad lib but not excessively....he is a n/dwalf and doent eat hay no matter how i tart it up. he has started to eat ready grass but not masses, do you think i should change his dried food, he donts seem to eat masses of burgess either.nicolar said:Ah he was very lucky to have been found by you then
Nicola
I would start weighing out his food to start with, no need to change as yet as it may be the amounts upsetting his tum, not the food. It says on the packet to feed 3% of bodyweight. I expect this will be about 35 - 40 grams per day depending on how much he weighs. If you try this and the excess caecotrophs don't get better I would think about changing the food.
Have you had his teeth checked? They are prone to teeth problems because of their small size, it may be that is uncomfortable/painful for him to eat hay.
Just a few suggestions
Nicola
Have you had his teeth checked? They are prone to teeth problems because of their small size, it may be that is uncomfortable/painful for him to eat hay.
Just a few suggestions
Nicola
nicolar said:I would start weighing out his food to start with, no need to change as yet as it may be the amounts upsetting his tum, not the food. It says on the packet to feed 3% of bodyweight. I expect this will be about 35 - 40 grams per day depending on how much he weighs. If you try this and the excess caecotrophs don't get better I would think about changing the food.
Have you had his teeth checked? They are prone to teeth problems because of their small size, it may be that is uncomfortable/painful for him to eat hay.
Just a few suggestions
Nicola
teeth are fine got them check out when i had him neutered, as i said he dont seem to eat masses of burgess but 40 grams per day, he will starve!!! with the fact he dont fill up on hay... it seems cruel..... ut will try it.
He won't starve It might also convince him that filling up on hay is the best bet!! Rabbits aren't silly, they won't starve themselves! My bun who doesn't eat a lot of hay gets 3% of her body weight, I promise you she doesn't starve! It might be the only way to get rid of his excess caecotrophs .... or switch him to a food where he doesn't have excess. By having less to eat he will more than likely eat his caecotrophs too Much better for him than eating too much dry food, as dry food also tends to put weight on.
Glad his teeth are ok
Nicola
It might also convince him that filling up on hay is the best bet!! Rabbits aren't silly, they won't starve themselves! My bun who doesn't eat a lot of hay gets 3% of her body weight, I promise you she doesn't starve! It might be the only way to get rid of his excess caecotrophs .... or switch him to a food where he doesn't have excess. By having less to eat he will more than likely eat his caecotrophs too Much better for him than eating too much dry food, as dry food also tends to put weight on.Glad his teeth are ok
Nicola
Have you got any scales or anything you can weigh them on? I'm not 100% sure what a Netherland Dwarf should weigh but it isn't much! I think your best bet is def to weigh them, if you haven't got anything at home perhaps you could use the vet's scales or they may have a weight for him from when he was neutered if it wasn't that long ago? I think the average amount of Excel for a bun is 50g but obv weighing them will mean you can be more exact
taylor v 109
Mama Doe
I think its just best to stick to whot they were raised on, thensay about 14 wks begin adding very smal amounts of veggies until they are used to them and of course stop if they get the runs. val
