What to feed pet baby bunnies

Baby rabbits will start to nibble on hay after a few weeks and then should be moved to a diet full of hay after they are weaned from their mother’s milk. The type of hay they eat is important. 

Alfalfa hay is ideal hay for baby bunnies as it is richer in calcium (which helps their bones grow strong) and protein which gives them the energy they need to grow up healthily. Alfalfa hay also tastes good to a baby bunny. This is also its downfall. As your bunny gets bigger and enters adulthood, everything that makes alfalfa hay good for them as a baby is bad for them as an adult. Too much calcium will cause bladder issues and too much protein will make them overweight. This creates additional health issues for rabbits. 

Timothy hay and Meadow hay or another adult type of hay have less calcium and protein, so is much healthier for your bunny. Learn all about all the different hay types for your bunny. The trick is to move your young rabbit over to Timothy Hay without them missing Alfalfa hay too much. To do this takes time but is essential. Start the process slowly by adding more Timothy Hay and taking out some Alfalfa, over a few months complete the process until there is no alfalfa hay being given to your bunny at all.

Dry pellets for your baby rabbit

Should I feed unlimited pellets?

In short, no. A baby rabbit will love eating pellets and giving them an unending supply will create problems with their diet. A quality hay diet like the Timothy Hay created by The Little Hay Co. mixed with alfalfa hay whilst they are young is the best for your rabbit, with pellets added for extra nutrients. A baby rabbit will usually only have an egg cup full of pellets when young, with this only increasing a little as they get bigger. Moving a rabbit onto hay as soon as possible is more natural and will help with their teeth health. Hay naturally wears down their teeth to a manageable and healthy size.

Changing dry food/pellets

You should swap out your pellets daily, so they always have a fresh supply. You will probably find most young bunnies eat all the pellets they are offered anyway, but if any are leftover, swap them out with new fresh ones.

Fresh fruits and vegetables for baby rabbits

When can a baby rabbit have fresh foods?

Around 3-months is a good time to introduce fresh foods to your rabbit. Ideally, you should introduce fresh food to a rabbit one at a time. This will allow you the chance to see which ones they like most and if any affect their digestive system in negative ways.

Which fresh fruits and vegetables are suitable for a baby rabbit?

Leafy greens are an excellent fresh food to give a baby rabbit. Carrot tops, dandelion leaves, kale, spinach, spring greens, herbs like parsley or basil, watercress, broccoli greens and cilantro can be offered to baby rabbits in moderation.

Can baby rabbits eat grapes, apples, bananas?

Giving a baby rabbit fruit is a little trickier. Fresh fruit often contains too much sugar for a baby rabbit, so should only be offered as a treat once a week. These treats for rabbits include apple (without seeds), banana, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries, cherries (no seeds), melon, grapes, orange and nectarine.

At what age can rabbits eat grass?

Baby rabbits can usually eat grass after about 8-weeks. They’ll probably pick at grass or hay whilst still feeding on their Mother's milk and will transition across to hay completely at around 8-weeks. Fresh grass is not always practical for a bunny owner, hay (which is dried grass) is usually the main diet of all rabbits.

Should I give meat to a baby rabbit?

No. Rabbits are herbivores and do not ever eat meat.

Can baby rabbits drink water?

Baby rabbits are getting milk from their mother, but at around 3-4 weeks old, they will start to drink small amounts of water too. As they grow and their diet changes, so will their water intake. Hay is dry, so a rabbit eating hay will want more water than a rabbit eating fresh leafy greens. But all animals need fresh water to survive, so it should be a plentiful resource to your bunny.

How often should I feed a baby bunny?

As you should have picked up your bunny after it has weaned from its mother and not before 8-weeks old, your bunny will already be eating hay and pellets and fresh greens. A ball about the same size as your bunny is the right amount of hay each day. The fresh food should be limited and slowly added over time.

If your baby rabbit is refusing to eat?

A rabbit’s digestive system needs to work constantly to avoid health problems, so any interruption in eating habits needs addressing quickly. If your rabbit is eating a small amount, they may be bored, so you can try to tempt them with leafy greens and remove the pellets. If they are still not interested in any food, you should get them checked by your nearest specialist.

Transitioning into adult rabbits

Rabbits grow fast to help them survive in the wild. The period a rabbit is a baby is short. After 3-weeks a wild rabbit will leave the nest, fend for itself and return at night. A baby rabbit should stay with its mother for 8-weeks to get all the protection her milk offers at this critical life stage.

The transition into adulthood is quick, after 6-8 months they will be eating a quality Timothy Hay, begging for treats and still starring in your latest Instagram posts.

How to feed rabbits at home

Proper feeding of rabbits requires balanced mixtures containing a certain norm of the necessary products and having a high nutritional value. Without observing this condition, it is impossible to achieve good growth and strong immunity in animals. By adjusting the diet of rabbits, you can improve the quality of meat and fur, increase the survival of offspring and maximize the potential of the breed.

• What can rabbits eat?
• Benefits of specialty feeds
• Benefits of compound feed produced by MEGAMIX
• Feeding rates and rations
• Self-preparation of feed
• Nuances of feeding rabbits depending on the season
• What should not be fed to rabbits?

What can be fed to rabbits?

The metabolism of rodents is so intense that they need to constantly eat for the proper functioning of all body systems. If the rabbit for some reason stops eating, then during the day there is a malfunction in the digestive tract. This entails serious consequences for health, up to and including death.

Compound feed for rabbits is complete and concentrated. The first one provides all the needs of animals in calories and nutrients. The second is used as a supplement to the main diet. Young rabbits reach a commercial weight of 3.5–4.5 kg, provided that they are properly fed, at the age of 4–5 months, and an adult female brings 30 or more cubs per year. If the diet is balanced and meets the needs of the breed, the rabbit is capable of the next reproductive cycle as early as 3-5 days after birth.

Livestock specialists have repeatedly researched the best way to feed rabbits. The diet of meat and decorative animals should include the following products:

Cereals (concentrated feed) have the highest nutritional value. They contain a large amount of protein and a minimum of water. Oats are considered the best grain, as they are well absorbed, have a positive effect on intestinal motility and reproductive functions, and do not contribute to obesity. It is used in the form of whole or crushed grains. Rye, barley and wheat are offered to rabbits in the form of crushed, mixed with other feeds.

It should be remembered that you can not give a lot of wheat, and it is better to remove the shell from barley. These grains are difficult to digest, often leading to bloating. Many farmers recommend pre-treatment of grain products: soaking, sprouting, steaming or yeasting. Sprouting allows you to increase the amount of vitamins and increase protein digestibility. Yeasting improves the digestibility of fiber, but feeding animals with such grains for more than 5 days in a row is undesirable, as it can provoke fermentation in the intestines.

Green foods form the basis of the rabbit diet from spring to late autumn. This type of food includes: vegetable tops; fodder cabbage; wild herbs; seeded cereals and legumes. Nettle, wormwood, dandelion, couch grass, plantain, quinoa are considered the most suitable wild plants. Freshly cut greens are recommended to be slightly dried and dried in the sun. The tops of fodder and sugar beets, carrots, turnips, rutabaga, Jerusalem artichokes are also suitable as green fodder. Sugar and fodder beet tops are not recommended for young animals. It has laxative properties, therefore, along with it, animals are advised to give plant foods that have a fixing effect. For these purposes, yarrow, comfrey, branches and leaves of oak and alder are suitable. In the mass of green fodder beet tops should not be more than 30%.

The aerial part of legumes, legumes and cereals is rich in vitamins and minerals, and also contains a large amount of proteins. However, experienced rabbit breeders advise using the above plants in a mixture with other feeds, since herbs alone will not be able to provide good nutrition and can lead to bloating in animals.

The diet of rabbits should be approximately 25% roughage. These include: hay, straw, tree branches. The optimal harvesting time is in spring and summer. Such food is very important, as it creates a feeling of satiety and contains fiber necessary for the normal functioning of the digestive tract.

The main share of roughage is hay. Harvest it using the same herbs as for green fodder. Legume hay has much more plant protein than grain hay, so it is more nutritious. Haylage is under-dried hay pressed into briquettes. Rabbits eat it with gusto, and also love clean straw if it's well dried.

Juicy food (vegetables)

• Potato: high in fast digesting starch. It is recommended to give in boiled form;
• Carrots contain C and B vitamins vital for breeders, pregnant/nursing females and growing rabbits. It is the main source of carotene in winter. The daily norm for an adult animal is up to half a kilogram. Young rabbits are started on portions weighing 20–30 g.
• Cabbage contains many minerals, vitamins C and E. Helps to improve the quality of the skin and fur. Introduced into the diet of animals gradually, used both raw and boiled.
• Zucchini helps to better digest other foods. They are given fresh.
• Pumpkin improves coat quality and has a positive effect on milk production in lactating rabbits. It has a good effect on digestion and weight gain in animals. Offered to rabbits both raw and boiled.
• Feed and sugar beet improves metabolism and blood quality, improves immunity. Use raw or boiled, no more than 150–200 g for young animals and 250–300 g for adults per day. Excess beets can lead to diarrhea in animals. Table varieties are strictly prohibited.
• The diet of rabbits also includes melons, watermelons, turnips, Jerusalem artichokes, and radishes. However, their nutritional value is not very high.

Processed products of legumes and oilseeds (meal, cake of soybeans, peas, beans, sunflower, hemp, flax) are sources of fatty acids necessary for the body, including essential ones.

The composition of feed mixtures necessarily introduce products of animal origin: meat and bone or fish meal. Meat and bone contains about 40% protein and 14% fat, while fish contains about 45% protein and 7% fat. Flour is mixed into wet food in small portions - 5–10 g per individual.

Also, table salt must be present in the diet of rabbits. The rabbit needs 0.5–1 gram per day. For adults, the rate is increased by 1.5–2 times. When fattening animals, the daily amount of salt is 2-3 grams per individual.

Benefits of specialty foods

Complete nutrient mixtures can be prepared independently, but this is a very time-consuming work. To produce a quality product for feeding rabbits, you need:

• crushers, crushing components to the desired size;
• stocks of various grain crops;
• meat and bone and fish meal;
• protein-vitamin-mineral complexes;
• cake.

It is important to check the quality of incoming raw materials to minimize the risk of mortality. In the process of preparing mixtures for feeding rabbits, it is necessary to know exactly how much and what components are required, and at home or in a small enterprise it is difficult to achieve proportions. Because of this, there is a possibility of an excess of some nutrients and a deficiency of others, which can lead to improper formation of rabbits and young animals.

For the storage of compound feed, it is necessary to maintain normal ventilation in the room, a humidity level of not more than 75% and a temperature of up to 25 ° C. It is desirable to place bags on lattice racks or pallets. For small farms and medium-sized farms, buying ready-made feed can be more profitable than own production. The higher cost of the product is offset by guaranteed quality and time savings.

Benefits of compound feed produced by MEGAMIX

Our compound feeds for rabbits are presented in correctly formulated complete mixtures, which contain all the necessary nutrients:

Feed is produced in the form of granules and packaged in convenient packages: standard bags of 25 and 40 kg or big bags for large customers. The composition of the mixtures contains only valuable components that improve productivity, strengthen the immune system, positively affect the quality of the fur and the resulting meat, increase the growth and activity of rabbits.

Thanks to our own science-intensive production, we create recipes that best meet the needs of a particular breed of animal. The quality of incoming raw materials and the final product is carefully checked against more than 280 indicators in our analytical center, accredited to the international standard. Our requirements for commercially available compound feed for rabbits are stricter than GOSTs. All products undergo mandatory certification.

The company closely cooperates with VolGAU. The effectiveness and safety of all feeds are tested in a research center. Due to this, we are able to quickly navigate the needs of customers, clearly analyze each request and select the most profitable option for the customer. Our production facilities are designed to produce up to 180 tons of products annually.

We work not only in the central regions of Russia (Moscow and nearby regions), but also organize delivery to the cities of the Urals, Western Siberia, the North Caucasus, Crimea through an extensive network of dealerships.

Feed mixtures from MEGAMIX are effective for breeding rabbits at home, on medium-sized farms or large complexes. Using them, you will provide the animals with all the necessary trace elements, vitamins and mineral supplements, get a high average daily weight gain and reduce the risk of livestock infection.

Norms and diet

For agricultural breeds (meat and fur)

In summer, one rabbit needs 40-50 grams of concentrated and roughage plus a pound of green. During preparation for mating, the amount of food increases: green for 600 grams, concentrated and coarse - 70-80 grams. For a pregnant female, you will need 550–700 grams of greenery and 70–90 grams concentrated and coarse. A lactating female needs at least a kilogram of greens per day and up to 150 grams of roughage.

In winter, the basis of the diet is succulent food (150–200 grams) plus hay (120–150 grams). The amount of rough and concentrated feed remains the same. During preparation for mating 150-200 grams of juicy, 90-100 grams of concentrated and coarse and 150-200 grams of hay. A pregnant rabbit needs 200-250 grams of juicy, 100-130 grams of coarse and 150-200 grams of hay. A lactating female will need 300-350 grams of juicy, 140-160 concentrated and coarse and 200-250 grams of hay.

Fattening of meat breeds usually occurs in autumn and winter. When fattening, the amount of concentrated feed, bran and root crops (especially boiled potatoes) is gradually increased.

In ornamental breeds, digestion works worse than in agricultural ones. They can be given the following foods.

• Hay is the main feed for ornamental breeds. It should be clean and dry and should be replaced as needed.
• Grass - it can be added to the diet in summer. It is desirable to collect grass away from roads and other sources of pollution.
• Granulated food - 2 tablespoons per day.
• Vegetables and fruits - can be given little by little, in small pieces and only washed and fresh. Radishes, parsley, carrots are good. It is better to exclude beets and cabbage in order to avoid stomach problems.

A complete balanced diet for rabbits, of course, should include the main vitamins:

• A - has a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous and reproductive systems in wards, improves their general physical condition;
• B1 - responsible for the metabolism of carbohydrates in the body, normalizes the activity of the cardiovascular system, indirectly improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• B2 - improves the condition of the skin and fur, optimizes the general physical condition of animals;
• B5 - normalizes the digestive system;
• B6 - is responsible for the absorption of proteins and simple proteins, as well as for the enzymatic balance in the body;
• B12 - promotes the absorption of proteins, is extremely important for the health of newborn rabbits;
• C - strengthens the immune system and normalizes the digestive tract;
• D - necessary for the proper development of the eared musculoskeletal system, promotes better absorption of minerals;
• E - is responsible for the development of the muscular system of pets. Stabilizes the work of the heart and reproductive system;
• K is an essential vitamin for rabbit breeding.

Self-feed preparation

The mash is a delicacy for rabbits. The most popular recipe includes:

• boiled potatoes;
• carrots;
• oats;
• germinated wheat;
• table salt;
• bran;
• chopped hay.

The mixer is prepared using a blender or other chopper. To enrich it with biologically active substances, concentrated feed additives are added to it.

Hay is harvested using the same herbs as for green fodder. It is important to mow the plants before they bloom. The resulting raw material is dried on the street, and then allowed to lie down for some time in a well-ventilated place under a canopy (without direct sunlight).

Silage ingredients are crushed to fragments no larger than 1 cm in length. The resulting mass is placed in a sealed barrel and covered with a layer of sawdust 5 cm thick. The resulting substrate is compacted until juice appears and pressed down with a wooden circle, on which a load is placed on top. In the process of silage maturation, the barrels are stored in a moderately warm place, and then removed to a cool room.

Nuances of feeding rabbits depending on the season

The summer diet of animals should consist of cereals by 30-40%, and in winter and with intensive fattening - by 50-70%. In the summer, green food predominates in the diet of rabbits, but with the onset of cold weather, juicy food - silage and vegetables - become the main part of the menu. The owners who grow vegetables and melons on their plots give the animals various root crops, cabbage, zucchini and pumpkins. Such food contains many vitamins, but little fiber and protein; in lactating rabbits, it contributes to more intense lactation.

When planning the volume of the product harvested for the winter, farmers proceed from the calculation: 40 kg of hay for a rabbit; 10–15 kg per head of potential offspring. If there is not enough hay for all the livestock, then first of all it should be fed to females and lactating females, young animals. For adult males during the dormant period (if mating is not planned), the above product can be replaced with pea, lentil, oat or millet straw. You can’t feed it for a long time, because there are very few nutrients in the straw.

Branch fodder becomes a good help in winter. Timely harvested young twigs of trees contain quite a lot of vitamins. In addition, rabbits that have a constant opportunity to eat such food are much less likely to express a desire to gnaw on cages. Branches of only certain tree species are suitable for harvesting: willow, willow, maple, linden, acacia, mountain ash, poplar, aspen, ash, oak, alder. The content of nutrients in tree shoots is highest in the first month of summer.

Vitamin supplements are administered most often at the end of winter - in early spring, when there is a shortage of green and succulent fodder. To fill the need for vitamins A and D, animals are given special concentrated preparations or fish oil is added to food. At the same time, the amount of fish oil required by rabbits is calculated depending on their physiological state.

What should not be fed to rabbits?

It is better to refrain from adding birch branches to the diet, as they can lead to kidney disease. The same can be said about the branches of cherries, sweet cherries and plums. They contain hydrocyanic acid, which is quite dangerous for the body of animals. Branches of wild rosemary, buckthorn, bird cherry, apricot and elderberry are strictly forbidden to give to rabbits.

Even beneficial plants in excess can harm rabbits. From freshly cut grass, they have bloating of the intestines. Therefore, before feeding rabbits, it must be dried in direct sunlight. As a rule, an excess of cabbage leads to intestinal upset. It is also not recommended to give dirty vegetables to rabbits. This negatively affects the work of the digestive tract.

Rabbits should not be fed plants with a high concentration of toxins:

• hemlock;
• mustard;
• colza;
• digitalis;
• dope;
• we milk;
• Colchicum.

Buttercup caught in the feed mixture causes serious poisoning. Thrust is also dangerous. This flower is able to paralyze the muscles of the animal. Among the harmful herbs is aconite. Rabbits develop severe salivation, convulsions, and a slow pulse. Aconite poisoning leads to the death of the animal. From the marsh marigold in rabbits, the work of the kidneys is disrupted.

For the most part, the rate of weight gain and the taste of meat depend on proper nutrition. If you follow all the recommendations for feeding rabbits, you can quickly get large carcasses with good fur at the exit and significantly increase the livestock when breeding decorative breeds.

How to feed a decorative rabbit at home

If you have a decorative rabbit living at home, then it must be provided with suitable conditions. Each owner should know how to feed a decorative rabbit, and what food will harm him.

The quality and quantity of food matters a lot. With the right diet, a pet can please you for up to 10 years.

What should be included in the diet of a decorative rabbit

The diet of a rabbit directly depends on the structure of the digestive tract. In lagomorphs, the stomach consists of two chambers in which food is fermented and digested. The intestine is long, there is a voluminous caecum, in which food also roams. There is a lot of microflora in the gastrointestinal tract, which is very important for ongoing digestion.

In this regard, rabbits should always have access to food. Hunger is also contraindicated due to the fact that a new portion of food moves the old one. If this does not happen, then rotting of food and excessive fermentation will begin. The rabbit will experience extreme pain from bloating and may even die.

In the animal's cage, there must always be solid twigs, hay and tree bark. A rabbit needs to gnaw constantly to prevent diseases of the oral cavity, since their teeth grow throughout their lives, lengthening by about 3 mm every week.

The rest of the food is replenished twice a day. It may seem that the pet is constantly hungry and chews something all the time. This is due to the fact that plant food is quickly digested and the animal again needs to replenish its energy reserves.

Every day, the diet should include:

• Branches of trees and bushes or bark
• Fresh or dried herb
• Vegetables and herbs
• Ready mixed feed

Do not forget that your eared pet should always have clean drinking water. So that it does not become contaminated with hay, food and feces, use special drip drinkers for rodents with a ball.

Now more about each component of the diet.

Prepared feed

Ready-made feeds for decorative rabbits, which are available in pet stores, simplify the composition of the diet. But before buying, you should familiarize yourself with the composition. Economy pet food is like fast food for humans. They cause problems with the internal organs, lead to overweight and significantly shorten the life of the pet. Therefore, it is recommended to buy a more expensive but quality product that will benefit your rabbit. For example, blends from Versele-Laga are considered good.

When buying expensive feeds, you should carefully study the composition and decide whether it is suitable. It is necessary that the mixture consists of at least a fifth of the crude fiber. This is the fiber that herbivores so desperately need. But proteins and fats should not be too much, as their excess harms the rabbit. Various vitamins and minerals will help.

The diet of a rabbit cannot consist only of ready-made feed mixtures. Your pet should definitely get more branches, hay and vegetables.

Rabbit roughage

Roughage is the basis of the rabbit's diet throughout the year.

Hay

Good quality fresh hay should always be available.

Hay with mold, wet, with an unpleasant odor is not suitable. Also, do not use for drying grass cut by a lawn mower and collected near highways.

The following types of hay may be included in the rabbit's diet:

• Meadow grass
• Legumes
• From cereals
• Forbs

Twigs and bark

Rabbits love to gnaw on twigs and bark and willingly eat:

• Apple tree
• Aspen
• Cherry
• Lipu
• Poplar
• Raspberry
• Willow
• Rowan
• Acacia
• Oak
• Ivu
• Ash
• Maple
• Pine
• Christmas tree
• Juniper

It is better to dry the branches beforehand, they can also be prepared for the winter.

Succulents

Rabbits are not picky eaters, but you can change the ingredients on the menu about once a week.

Greenery

In the warm season, in order to provide your little eared pet with fiber and vitamins, it is worth including greens in the diet. Here is a list of herbs that will suit a decorative rabbit:

• Plantain. This herb is rich in nutrients, so its excess will lead to obesity. On the other hand, it saturates animals well and is rich in vitamins.
• Nettle. This herb is given after getting rid of the flowers. Useful both fresh and in the form of hay. Fresh nettles are best treated with hot water, then finely chopped and mixed with ready-made mixtures. One of the best herbs for rabbits.
• Dandelions are also good to add to food, the only question is how much to give the animal. Per day, they can account for no more than one third of the total green mass.
• Clover and other similar meadow grasses. It is better to dry them a little if self-preparation is carried out. An excess of such food leads to the fact that the pet's stomach swells. Therefore, the amount of clover should be limited.
• Lucerne deserves a special mention. A very nutritious herb.

You can also treat your rabbit to herbs such as basil, cilantro, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, and lettuce leaves such as arugula and watercress.

If you are harvesting grass and hay for your pet on your own, then try to pluck the grass away from the roads, and even better outside the city.

Vegetables and fruits

Vegetables and fruits for rabbits are a pleasant addition to the diet, although they cannot serve as its basis. Animals kept at home will benefit from the tops of garden plants. For example, the green parts of peas, beans, beet tops or carrots can be a pleasant addition to the diet. But, if we talk about vegetables and fruits, then only one thing can be said here - everything is good in moderation.

Fruits are usually given 2-4 times a week, as an excess of such high-carb foods leads to bloating. And you should not give the rabbit something very tasty too often, otherwise he gets used to such food and refuses the simpler one.

The diet of your eared pet may include the fruits of our middle band.

Vegetables in moderation can be given daily.

Foods suitable for feeding rabbits include:

Decorative rabbits are not the most picky animals. But their diet must be composed wisely and with care. Only then will he help the eared baby live a long and healthy life. If you are having difficulty formulating a diet for your rabbit, or if he has any diseases, then you can get advice on feeding from our rodent veterinarians.

• Carrot
• Brussels sprouts
• Bell pepper
• Zucchini
• Pumpkin
• Turnip
• Beetroot
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Cucumber

All fruits and vegetables must be given fresh and not cooked.

Do's and Don'ts for Ornamental Rabbits

Rabbits are herbivores.

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