| Feeding
There are four components that
are essential to providing a proper diet for your bun:
water, pellets, hay, and treats.
Water
Fresh, clean water must be available to your pet at all
times. You can use a "lick-it" type water
bottle or a valve system but there must be clean water
available whenever the rabbit desires it. Bottles should
be cleaned frequently to prevent bacterial or fungal
overgrowth on the bottles.
Using crocks to provide water
is problematic as they are easily spilled and some rabbits
develop fungal infections from chronically wet dewlaps.
Pellets
There are many commercial pelleted rabbit foods
available. Look for pellets which are low in calcium and
fat yet provide a full nutritional spectrum. We
recommend Purina,
Oxbow, or Mazuri.
Keep pellet crocks clean and dry as wet pellets (some buns
like to urinate in their pellets...oftentimes as a message to
their owners) can become infected by dangerous bacteria.
This is another reason to clean cages often as some buns,
especially those who have been neglected by owners, will hoard
food by hiding it in their hay, bedding, or litter. Be
wary of providing free access to pellets as some buns
(especially males) will get rather obese rather quickly.
Hay
Rabbits need lots of fiber to keep their gut motile.
Hay provides that fiber. Hay also provides your bun with
a means of wearing down their teeth and working off a little
stress. Provide hay freely to your buns for food and
bedding. Hay from local farmers or feed and seed stores
is usually as good as the expensive bagged hay found in pet
stores. If you buy hay from a farmer be sure to ask
about milkweed pods. If the field had milkweed pods, do
not feed it to your buns as the alkaloid in the pods is toxic.
Treats
Rabbits need occasional treats (as we all do) and the
following, offered sparingly, will spice up their diet.
If you feed to many treats you will be dealing with an obese
rabbit and bunny diarrhea. Carefully
clean all produce. Carrots
(with the tops), apple slices (no seeds), raisins, roasted
peanuts, kale, dandelion leaves, raspberry or blackberry
leaves, oak leaves, pine cones, craisins, pine nuts, and
turnip greens are among the culinary delights you can offer
your rabbits. The key is moderation.
Most buns love
papaya and pineapple and these treats (along with plenty of
hay) help to prevent gut stasis problems.
Buns go nuts
for bananas, but the high fat content make them a problematic
treat. Avoid avocado, breads, chocolate, french fries, caffeine,
alcohol, or sugary treats. Rabbits must get exercise or
even the leanest diets can lead to obesity and liver problems.
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