How Often Do You Feed Rabbits? Bunny Feeding Schedules - Perfect Rabbit These feedings are NOT meant to take place of an actual rehabber, but for someone only who may live too far from a rehabber and is faced with a wild mother, killed, for example. During the 2 and 3 months, you can give them large amounts of hay and 2 tablespoons of pellets. 6 weeks-9weeks for Jackrabbits only, continue up to 9 weeks with formula, gradually changing to a dish for the warm formula, replacing the formula after 9 weeks slowly, continue adding more of their natural greens and hay (dandelions, oat hay, timothy hay, Italian parsley, carrot tops, small carrots cut up) and a small water bowl. Search our database of over 14573 posts with up-to-date information from our experts and veterinarians. Itsbettertofeedthemlessthantooverfeedthem. Rabbits are grazing animals, which means that they are designed to eat small meals throughout the day. Test the temperature of the formula right before you feed your kitten. How often should i feed my rabbit. A certian amount of food, or just a Leave babies with the mom. For a wild bunny, you need to get him to a wildlife rehabilitator if he is TRULY orphaned (mom was killed). Continue with Recommended Cookies. Can Rabbits Eat Celery? Rabbits thrive on high-fiber diets rich in grass hays including timothy, brome and orchardgrass hay. For example, for a medium-sized rabbit (2kg), feed a maximum of two full egg cups. He gets salad in the morning, salad at dinnertime (it's the only way he'll let me cook undisturbed! In this post, well take a closer look at how to time your rabbits feedings properly for optimal health. You are reproducing the behavior of the mother rabbit who would lick her young to stimulate them to go to the bathroom and to keep the nest clean. The following feedstuffs are commonly used in rations for rabbits: Rations for dry does, herd bucks and growing young should contain: Rations for pregnant and nursing does should contain: Although protein is an expensive part of the ration, rabbits can be fed higher levels of protein than those required for the type or stage of the rabbit if the ration is adequate in other nutrients. How Much Space Does a Rabbit Need in a Cage? This practice is called coprophagy (ka-prof-a-gee) or cecotrophy and usually takes place when the animal is alone. We suggest small amounts and only one at a time to determine if it agrees with your bunny. I only feed once a day. You can feed your bunnies either one type or a mixture of different grass hays. That will depend mainly on your rabbits individual characteristics such as its age, size and activity level. Instead, opt for healthy options like hay pellets. Try to assess whether the infants seem warm and healthy or cold, thin, and dehydrated. Note this is for DOMESTIC, NOT WILD bunnies. The amount should be one cup of greens for every 2lb of their body weight and can be fed at once or divided into two courses. Whats important is that you maintain a good feeding habit. Everyone has a pretty good answer. He is discovering his world, waiting for mom to return at night when we humans are asleep. 3 cups The House Rabbit Society recommends feeding healthy, non-dieting adult rabbits no more than two tablespoons of high-fiber fruits (think apples, blueberries and plums) per day for every five pounds of body weight. If you notice that your rabbit is drinking more water than they normally do, its a good idea to cut back on its food intake. Add dried grass as needed, and put the young back. If you come across a nest of wildbunnies, and the mother is nowhere to be seen, please DO NOT disturb them. I have been very lucky to be able to turn my passion into my profession, and I am grateful every day that I get to do what I love. Leave the area. They are grazing animals, and to compensate with this, most of their diet is in forms of hay. Google your state and wildlife rehabber or see links above. Cottontails wean and release about 3-4 weeks and jackrabbits much later (9+ weeks). Night or soft feces are much higher in protein and water and lower in fiber than hard feces. Is Fertilizer A Element, Compound, Or Mixture. For more tips and resources, please see the wiki: https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Grooming#Trimming_nails elkwaffle 10 mo. FEED TWICE A DAY ONLY unless baby is low weight, than three times. Feed only twice a day up to these TOTAL amounts. To know whether or not youre feeding your rabbits enough food, try to weigh them regularly and check if they are within the normal weight range based on their breed. FEED TWICE A DAY ONLY for healthy babies, three times if low weight. They will be small, but the longer you keep them, the more agitated and difficult to handle they will become, and the less likely their chances for survival in the wild. A certian amount of food, or just a little 2 or 3 times a day, keep bowl full at all Expert's Assistant chat Customer: how often should i feed my rabbit. The quality of food and their hunger affects their mood rapidly, that is why it is important to feed your bunny on time to prevent any agitation, biting, or nipping. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband and new baby daughter in New Zealand. Ive loved and cared for rabbits since I was 9 years old, and Im here to share my passion for rabbits. They have nutritional value as long as they are supplements to a hay-based diet. 1.5 cups Google your state and wildlife rehabber, call your Humane Society, and also check http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/find-a-wildlife-rehabilitator.html and http://www.owra.org/find-a-wildlife-rehabilitator. In the wild, rabbits are natural grazers, meaning that they eat a lot of hay just like cattle and other livestock. How Many Rabbits Do You Need to Get Started? SOS: Enterobacter ludwigii/Grim, sticky white devil gunk coming from nose. 3-6 weeks: 13-15 cc/ml each feeding (two feedingsagain, may be LESS depending on size of rabbit! The 4-H Name and Emblem have special protections from Congress, protected by code 18 USC 707. The amount of feed required by a rabbit will depend on many factors. Overfeeding will cause bloat and pain and possible death. This is worth mentioning because the diet for a food rabbit and one kept as a pet will differ. Either call or take him to your local rabbit vet, humane society or animal shelter/animal control. You might want to consider growing fresh produce for your rabbit. Rabbits are unique in that they produce two types of fecal material: a hard, dry fecal pellet and a soft or night feces known as cecotropes. She has a huge box full of hay that lasts her about a week. Because he is not a great pellet eater, he has free access to his pellets anytime he wants them. Jackrabbits really enjoy being raised together, whereas cottontails/brush bunnies may fight and do fine alone. The best thing you can do is put the bunny right back where you found him, in the general area, as the mom will only come back at night to call and find him. Vegetables can also contribute greatly to an optimum nutrition plan for your rabbit; leafy greens such as kale, romaine lettuce, parsley, spinach, and cilantro are all excellent choices. You should keep your pet on hay until theyre mature at about 6 months. I believe Lauren Cotto has the best so far. - Can Rabbits Eat Apples? How Many Times a Day Should I Feed My Rabbit and Why? Just make sure you only give your rabbit a small piece of banana, as too much sugar can lead to health problems. This means they like to eat a lot. Hay should form the main part of their diet, as it is rich in essential vitamins and minerals that are vital for good health and digestion. Vegetables offer additional nutrients, while pellet portions can provide balance when fed in moderation. This means they like to eat a lot. Copyright 2022 TheHomesteadingHippy.com. We feed our rabbits with Vitamin Fortified rabbit food, to keep them healthy and happy. It is a potentially life-threatening condition that requires veterinary care. This combination allows them to thrive on balanced nutrition that meets all their bodys requirements. Use a little styptic powder, cornstarch, or baking flour with a moistened cotton swab or cotton ball to the area and apply moderate pressure for 5 to 10 seconds to stop the bleeding. If truly orphaned, use KMR KITTEN powder formula (can also use Meyenberg Regular Goat milk found at Safeway in the milk section or Whole Foods until you canfind theKMR KITTEN formula),and follow thedirections on the can. Following these general rules will help ensure your pet gets the essential nutrients needed for good health and longevity. Fun Facts About Bunny Names, How to Litter Box Train a Rabbit: Simple and Effective Tips, How Long Does a Rabbit Sleep? Please DO NOT raise them if you are not a skilled wildlife rehabber. Since your pet is a herbivore, your rabbit can digest leafy foods relatively quickly. When to feed your rabbit vegetables can vary from day to day, depending on their body weight. If your pet rabbit is not eating the food you left the last time you fed them, you should replace it with a fresh batch. Rabbits can also eat other greens, albeit in limited quantities. They need unlimited amount of hay and water all day, every day, regardless of the rest of their diet. Baby bunnies who have fleas are compromised and should be immediately taken to a wildlife rehabber or humane society, rabbit vet. Google your state and wildlife rehabbers, and also try http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/find-a-wildlife-rehabilitator.html and http://www.owra.org/find-a-wildlife-rehabilitator, The following is a guideline for the daily amount to feed a TRULY orphaned wildbunny (mother was killed, etc.) Answer (1 of 14): TL:DR. Vegetables allowed: Swiss chard, celery, chicory, watercress, lambs lettuce, endive, green beans (without seeds), bell pepper, endives, borage, artichoke, arugula, cucumber, carrot and beet greens, Chinese cabbage, clover, and dandelion . You can offer your rabbit treats, and its a great way to bond and connect with your rabbit, as well as to train it to behave. You can also try here: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/find-a-wildlife-rehabilitator.html and by state here: http://www.owra.org/find-a-wildlife-rehabilitator or http://www.owra.org/find-a-wildlife-rehabilitator. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlzLthTCCI0), pellets at least once per day and grass hay, https://bunnyhorde.com/how-many-times-a-day-should-i-feed-my-rabbit/. Rabbit Feeding Tips - Don't Overfeed Your Bunny! Not only do they taste good, but theyre also packed with vitamins and minerals that are essential for rabbits health. These will satisfy your rabbits sweet tooth without negatively impacting their health. Can Rabbits Eat Grapes? Performance & security by Cloudflare. Broccoli leaves and stems and dark leaf lettuces make more suitable rabbit snacks. What Should Rabbits Eat? Rabbit Diet Plan | RSPCA Each bunny varies. Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Because of this, they usually dont know whether theyve eaten enough food. For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr.msu.edu. Didn't find what you need? You should check your rabbit's feed and water twice a day - first thing in the morning and in the evening. The mom will only come back in the middle of the night to feed her babies. Also, make sure that they eat vegetables and fruits gradually. Feed your rabbits a small amount of good quality pellets or nuggets daily. If this is a smaller rabbit, he will consume much less. Rabbits should eat two times every day. That makes it imperative to have plenty of fresh water available for your rabbit. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Therefore, it can be easier to use a single ration for all stages of rabbit production. The only pellets I can get are quite high in protein, as they are more geared towards meat rabbits so I give them a handful each. They will be in the nest or nest box early in the morning and then again in the evening. Measure 25g (an eggcup-full) of pellets per kg of your rabbit's body weight; for a medium-sized rabbit (2kg) feed a maximum of two full eggcups. I try not to give her so much at one time that it lasts all week, but I do monitor the amount she eats. No need to do this for jackrabbits or if bunnys eyes are open. Only one cecotrope per day for 4-5 days is needed. 4.5 cups FEED TWICE A DAY ONLY unless baby is low weight, than three times. Bunny Feeding Schedules, How Many Pellets Should You Feed Rabbits? Baby rabbits should be fed twice a day as well, or three times daily if they are underweight.