Honestly, I know the recommended amount of pellets is an eggcup (once, or twice daily depending on who you speak to) but I have found it almost impossible to maintain a healthy weight on a rabbit on this amount. The only bun of mine it worked for was Autumnleaf, who was a mini lop anyway and rather prone to getting fat. I actually wish the RWAF would change this 'blanket guide' advice, because I think if everyone just fed this amount, there would be a lot of severely emaciated rabbits about.
The calculator is obviously just a guide, but amount of pellets fed depends on a wide variety of factors - first and foremost the brand of pellet, life stage, breed, sex, neutured vs unneutured, health status, amount of exercise, indoor or outdoor rabbit, and regardless of the former the average temperature the rabbit lives in will have a massive impact. I'm in Scotland and although I like the house nice and cosy, if I fed any of my buns here (currently or rabbits who've now passed on) only an eggcup of pellets twice a day I'd have the SSPCA at my door! And my bun is inside as was Bea. However back in England I had outdoor buns and maintained them on less than I do here on indoor buns, so I really do think temperature has a big impact.
Bea was started on Excel Junior, and obviously moved up as she aged, but she was on well more than 60g per day at 3kg, much to my dismay. I actually spoke to the vet regarding that (I was asking about higher energy pellets that I would need to feed less of), because she was on the lean side even with all those pellets, plus veggies/forage, grass and she was a superb hay eater. I put this down to being a 'giant' breed, her lifestage, unspayed and that English Lops being better at losing heat, so I imagine they need more energy to maintain temperature. She was 4kg when she passed. It constantly being pushed pellets are bad, if I had reduced it (she was probably on close to 100g at the end) it would have compromised her welfare.
30g of pellets is about what I fed Oscar anyway and he's just ideal condition IMO. I imagine this will change once he reaches about 1yr old, and is castrated. I would need to up his pellets in winter though, as another poster pointed out, even though he's indoors.
I also find I'm feeding a bit over the quoted amount of veg/forage which I'm fine with.
It's all very interesting - I do wish I could maintain my buns on less pellets though! :roll: :lol: X
Oooh edited to add: Those who are feeding very small amounts of pellets, can you be sure the rabbits are receiving all their nutritional requirements for everything? Obviously it's not just calories to worry about but all the vitamins and minerals. Pellets are of course very concentrated, but I know it only has so much/per kilo and wondered if this tallies up with the nutritional requirements of the buns. Veg will help fill the gap, but how much? I love a good food discussion
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