Rabbit FeedingGood quality hay and fresh grass (not grass cuttings) are essential to keeping a rabbit healthy.
They also need a small amount of good quality dried food. I use Science Selective and Burgess Excel is also a very good dried food. These two types of dried food are compound pellets and help stop selective feeding. Rabbits are notorious for picking out the best bits and leaving the rest, therefore missing out on the vitamins and minerals needed.
Plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, this should all help to keep a rabbit fit and healthy. This diet also encourages tooth wear, helping the fight against tooth problems.
Rabbits are natural grazers usually feeding in the morning, late afternoon and evening and can spend up to 4 hours a day eating. There constant grazing habits helps keep their digestive systems going, once a rabbit's digestive system slows down or stops it can cause a serious problem if not treated straight away.
I always feed my rabbits in the morning to make sure they are all eating. You'll know if your rabbit is under the weather if they show no interest in the food and seem quiet and lethargic. If this happens I always syringe feed mine some liquid food such as Science Recover (which you can get from your vet) or some apple baby food or pureed pears. This sometimes kick-starts the rabbit into eating again or at least tide you over until you can get veterinary treatment. If you leave the rabbit with nothing then this can sometimes result in a blockage in the stomach / abdomen when feeding is reintroduced. This is because the digestive system could have shut down so always encourage your rabbit to eat something.
You can also hang carrots up and hide food inside tubes so the rabbit has to work at getting it, this will also help keep them entertained and fit. | |
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