About Rabbits & Bread & Rice

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

So I was scrolling in the YouTube shorts today, and I came across a rabbit video (I always look at the channel's other videos just incase they need a little tip) and I found two or three of their videos where they are feeding their rabbits bread and rice. This is the second channel that I've came across that does this.

Do NOT feed rabbits bread or rice!
Bread has an unbalanced amount of starch and other nutrients that can lead to bad stomach issues
Rabbits should never have rice, whether it is cooked or not. It is because of the lack of fiber, high starch, and lack of nutrients.

I get it if they don't have a lot of money and don't have very much food, but they really could just go collect grass outside for their rabbits and wash it if needed
Also if they didn't have enough money then why do they have a phone to record with...

Source used for the bread: Can rabbits eat bread? - New Rabbit Owner

Source used for the rice: Can Rabbits Eat Rice? [All That You Need To Know]

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

One of the bags of food that we bought has rice parts in it. I don't have the bag right here but it was probably bran and hull ...

 

[Skai]

I don't know anything about rice but I do know that some people feed small amounts of bread, preferably left out to get hard, to their feeders. It doesn't hurt them and it helps them get to harvest weight faster. If you feed your rabbits wheat, barley or oats then you are feeding them grain, which bread is made of, and some leftover, good whole grain sourdough would probably be beneficial because it is fermented. I wouldn't feed cheap bread because of all the unpronounceable ingredients. There really are few absolutes.

I read the article you mentioned and it appears to say several times not to feed too much bread, one reason is because it would make them fat. A few extra calories might be good for a feeder you want to harvest at three or four months. Bread obviously should not be fed exclusively but a little bread along with lots of hay and whatever else they are fed shouldn't be a problem.

With feed prices heading the direction they are, a little bread might help to offset the price increase and since some people are feeding fewer pellets and more fodder/forage the buns (and or budgets) might be helped by a little bread.

 

[ladysown]

You do realize that there are TONS of ways to feed rabbits right? And as long as a person's rabbits are thriving under the care they receive, who are we to complain and say DON'T do that!

For instance.. in the mouse world (I raise fancy mice) EVERYONE will say you need to find either rat blocks or dog food that has no colouring in it. But that discounts the people who are successfully feeding their mice using other types of feed such as meat bones, mashed potatoes, cereal, pig feed, cattle feed, mixed grains, fresh greens, etc.

My brother fed his rabbits cattle feed and hay, they thrived!

I've read of rabbits in other countries fed a whole variety of feeds I never would have considered as being okay for rabbits, and yet... their rabbits thrive.

So I've learned this.
If what is working for the person, AND it is working for their rabbits, who am I to complain or comment on it? If it isn't working for their rabbits, you'd be able to tell, and if they ask for help, you can then offer them some guidance.

My rabbits get bread and mixed grains quite frequently. They absolutely adore it and I've seen no problems with it OTHER THAN.. if I have a rabbit feeling poorly, plain oats works best, along with hay, with no bread, and no mixture of grains. YET, I know other breeders who if their rabbits get oats, their rabbits can't handle it. So it all depends on the rabbits involved.