CrazyDaizy Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Our Lop Earred Bunny is aged 7 this year. Is this quite old for a Bunny? We usually give him a "luxury" Rabbit food, but lately he just nibbles a layer off the top and isn't interested in any more. He'll happily munch other things, sweetcorn, carrots etc with no problem, and will go in the garden and eat the grass etc. Maybe we need to try him with another Rabbit Food? What do you suggest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I feed this: http://www.animeddirect.co.uk/oxbow-bunny-basics-t-timothy-hay-rabbit-food-22kg.html I have had rabbits from an early age and i can say this food has saved me money by keeping my bunnies healthy and their teeth even. That could be another thing to check thinking about it, Rabbits will go off the dry food first if their teeth are uneven and causing sores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Leia Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 We have always found this http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/products/rabbit/burgess-excel---adult-rabbit.html to be very good - they also do a GP version, which we use as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 According to my vet rabbits should have a starter of hay, a main course of hay, a pudding of hay and a small amount of rabbit pellets with dried veg as a treat, accompanied by a large carrot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 OOOeeerrrr, Egluntyne, my vet says the same except carrot as a treat as it is bad for their teeth as very sweet. We use excel too so bunny gets all the nutrition and can't pick and choose what he eats. Also this bunny we have in particular likes lots of greens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Mine have ad lib timothy hay, handle of pellets in the morning and a bunch of greens at night. I do think this one isn't food related though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 My remaining bunny gets rabbit royale - he is almost 8. He eats all of it except the hard log shaped pellets. It does look very tasty. And obviously can't be too bad for him or he wouldn't stil be here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 There is some good advice on diet HERE . Muesli style diets are becoming popular but are causing all sorts of problems for rabbits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indispensable Hobbes Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Hay, hay and more hay, water a few pellets. I get my hay from hayforpets online, INGS hay, its amazing they go mad for it. I use Supreme Science Selective and Oxbow Bunny Basics pellets, they both have very high fibre content. Small pieces of carrot occasionally, and if you want to make their bums twitch give them a bit of banana. Here is a list of safe fruits and veg http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/info-sheets/safefoods.htm I go foraging for my buns as well. They love hawthorn branches (not the berries), apple sticks, pear sticks, hazel, raspberry and blackcurrant canes, plantain and yarrow from the park, blackberry leaves, roses (flowers and leaves), dandelions just make sure its all away from traffic, hasnt been sprayed and hasnt been soiled by dogs etc. From the garden they sometimes have rosemary, sorrel, parsley, corriander, sunflower petals.. there are so many things you can grown very easily for bunnys You can dry things in the oven and keep for another day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWAF Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 Hello, I'm new to the forum but saw this and so an intro from me and an answer all in one I'm Ros, a committee member and a trustee of the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund, the UK's biggest charity dedicated to improving the lives of pet rabbits. Our recommendations for feeding rabbits are that they should have as natural diet as possible. This after all is what millions of years of evolution has evolved their gut for. So our guideline on feeding is 80% (ie as much as they will eat) grass and/or hay, 15% greens (this may be foraged wild plants such as dandelions, plantain, common mallow, milk thistle, nettles, brambles etc or dark green cabbage such as spring greens, broccoli, carrot GREENS -not the orange root, too much sugar - and herbs) and no more than 5% good quality pellets, such as Burgess Excel or Supreme Science Selective or Supreme Fibafirst This regime will keep the gut moving along well, produce large, bulky poos, avoid sticky bottoms and keep the teeth in good order too. With so much grass or hay, which takes a lot of eating, rabbits are less likely to become bored. Although of course they should have plenty of toys, room to play and should live in vaccinated, neutered pairs or groups, all of which will also prevent boredom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Hello RWAF - Whilst I fully agree with you, in that keeping rabbits healthy means a lot of hay and hopefully a natural diet, I just wanted to pick your brains a little with regards to diet. Excel is my food of choice, of which the main constituent is grass. The other ingredients are oat bran, wheat, soya beans peas and mint...all of which are natural. The food is 58% fibre, but contains other goodness such as FOS, antioxidants etc. So where a rabbit may naturally be eating all of the above..what is the harm in a rabbit, in such an unnatural situation as we keep them, eating a food especially tailored to them? I think the issue with a lot of pet rabbits (and pets in general) is overfeeding. One of my rabbits self-regulates and even if I gave her a full bag of food, she would only eat her daily ration. I have another who would eat the whole bag in one sitting, feel awful, but still ask for more! I also think that rabbits should have hay ad-lib, and I am lucky that my 4 all eat their hay. But I have had rabbits who didn't, not through a lack of trying, or withholding pellets for a couple of days! They just wouldn't eat it. They also wouldn't eat other variations such as Readigrass, timothy hay etc. All they wanted was their pellets, which I was happy to give (in no larger quantities to make up for their stubborn-ness), since 58% fibre is better than none. Muesli I believe is a different matter, I've seen my fair share of other rabbits on muesli who pick out the nice bits, have it replenished when the colourful ones have gone, and end up with their rear-ends in a mess! I have a bit of a different take to you on the greens front. My rabbits can have their pellets and not get a messy bottom, they can have all the hay they can eat, and yet introducing more than 1 sprout, or a single broccoli floret for example and they suffer the consequences! Any ideas on why that happens, even when they have as much hay as they do? Looking forward to hearing your ideas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
