Need to reconsider feeding regime

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ladysown

ladysown

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SO I was mixing 19% bunnyview with 16% shurgain but last couple of weeks they started to scrabble out the shurgain so that's a no go. They won't even eat it by itself. AND the piggies won't eat it and the mice won't eat it either. So despite the shurgain looking good and smelling good to me, it's a no go around here.

SO that leaves me searching to ways to cut the protein levels for my smaller breeds who simply don't need 19% (gives lots of poopy butt to the babies and I'm really not into washing bunny butts).

I've been giving some horse oats.

I can order in pumpkin seed as it has good stuff in it for the bunnies.
I have BOSS.

I really don't want to buy sweet feed as I don't want it going bad as it does it hot outside in the shed and in the winter COLD.

So what do you all suggest I do?

I do give hay/hay cubes but find that the hay is insufficient to cut back on poopy butt and makes the problem of clean cages that much worse.
 
Just so you know, the Bunnyview is actually 19% FIBRE, not protein. If you read the guaranteed analysis, it says 17% protein. I know this because at first, I thought it was 19% protein myself :)

Can't explain the loose stool, but it probably isn't due to the protein content.
 
hmm.... wonder what that is then. cause 17% Isn't bad. I thought it was 19% protein because that's what I was told it was (without actually checking the label myself). :(

hmm.....
 
oats. just good old oats. OR barley. Or wheat. Either is only 12%, and the rabbits like variety, I've been finding. (I'm newish to rabbits, but I've had horses, dogs, chickens, etc. all my life and live with an Agricultural research science guy)

The other thing you could do, is feed a freechoice grass (timothy type) hay which will fill their stomachs without putting on fat. Then fewer pellets. Although if it's only 17%, you may not need to reduce by much.
 
ladysown":1p2mtba5 said:
I thought it was 19% protein because that's what I was told it was
Click to expand...

If it was me who led you astray, I apologize. :oops: I've never encountered a feed that was named with a % other than protein. But as I sit here reading the label (I was making notes on the back in the rabbitry this morning), it definitely says 19% fibre, 17% protein.
 
well, so then I need to do some problem solving with my holland lop kits. Thought I had baby digestive issues worked out with them (I find there's a big genetic component as well). hmmm..... So perhaps I don't need to do a supplement and can just do pellets and the odd grain thing and hay/hay cubes. :)
 
I think the Timothy Hay suggestion was a good one. Timothy is low in protein and high in fibre. Hollands are a high maint. breed. I know. I have them too. I've had some pretty sound kits on oatmeal too. Not cooked. Just feed the flakes. I have no idea or suggesting on why your kits are having trouble. There is a product called "Dri Tail" it may be worth looking into.
 

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