another yard forage ?

[lissapell]

We are discussing using strictly yard forage/garden waste to feed our rabbits. How do we know how much to give them? I understand a lot of it will be trial to see how well they keep condition. But how much per day would you give a rabbit who is eating only fresh green vegetation?

 

[Secuono]

As much as they will eat without becoming fat. It really depends on the rabbit's genetics, what you feed, when you feed, how much room they have to hop about, if they are breeding does or growing kits.

 

[lissapell]

Ok well if you are yard forage feeding how many times a day are you feeding them? Is once a day sufficient? mine are between 4-6 months now. they are in 2x3 cages.

 

[MaggieJ]

Twice a day would be better. Give them more than you think they need at first and then step back to the amount they will clean up between feedings. Leftovers can sometimes mean they found a certain plant unpalatable, so notice what is leftover, not just how much.

Even in late spring when the greens here are lush and plentiful, I still supplement them with free choice alfalfa hay and a small amount of whole grain. They eat the greens first, by preference, but the alfalfa ensures that they get sufficient protein. They need a trace mineral salt block if you are not feeding pellets.

 

[Marinea]

I feed both pellets and greens to mine, and yes, watch WHAT they are leaving. Obviously, if you feed a lot of kale and they don't like kale, they haven't gotten much nutrition that day. I give mine a buffet of three to four items a day and make mental notes if anything gets left. For instance, mine do not like sweet potatoes. If I give blackberry leaves/canes, those get eaten first, no matter what else I give.

And I second the hay and mineral block.

 

[lissapell]

I found a site that says 2cups of green matter a day. Does that sound low?

 

[MaggieJ]

It sounds very low to me, if the greens are the only thing you are feeding. That sounds like a pet rabbit site... Working (breeding) rabbits have different needs than non-breeding pets. It depends, too, on the size of the rabbit.

Even in the wild, rabbits eat more than just greens. They eat grass seeds, windfall fruits and berries, bark from trees and bushes... a much larger variety than we might think. I think you will need to to feed more than just the yard forage/garden waste. How much land do you have? Can you plant a grain patch and an alfalfa patch?

 

[ZRabbits]

I feed both pellets and greens to mine, and yes, watch WHAT they are leaving. Obviously, if you feed a lot of kale and they don't like kale, they haven't gotten much nutrition that day. I give mine a buffet of three to four items a day and make mental notes if anything gets left. For instance, mine do not like sweet potatoes. If I give blackberry leaves/canes, those get eaten first, no matter what else I give.

And I second the hay and mineral block.

I feed my pet rabbits like this as well, both pellets and greens. MaggieJ is right regarding the pet sites stating 2 cups a day of greens, but they also state pellets and hay. So if you are just going for greens, I think that would not be enough to sustain a rabbit. The patches of grain and alfalfa is a good idea. Wish I had enough yard to do both but unfortunately not enough room. So I grow as much of my greens as possible. Both indoor and outdoor.

There are many ways to feed a rabbit, you just have to find the right combinations. And always gradually introduce anything to a rabbit to make sure his/her system accepts it.

Karen

 

[lissapell]

my garden is currently 1/2 an acre. My mom is also bringing me her garden "scraps" from a garden larger than my own. I saved all the apple/pears/peach tree pruning as well. I have planted my back yard in alfalfa. It is currently bahiagrass. I raked up the last cutting but it has poured buckets for the last few days so I dont think turning it to hay is working to well. 2cups just doesn't seem to work for my SF rabbits. I give them about 8 (just roughly measured by a huge handful of weeds/garden scraps/ left over fruit/veggie bits from the kitchen and herbs and they do ok w/ them. There is a little like maybe a large leaf of 2 left when I go back out the next evening. I want to start growing sprouted greens until I can get a good harvest from the alfalfa.
One SF doe wont eat pellets anymore at all. One will eat them if I give them to her but only last, Cujo ignores the pellets, and the NZW doe eats a little green but waits on the pellets. She will for sure be the hardest to convert to natural forage.
The SF doe who wont eat pellets has much softer poos. Is this natural or should I be concerned? I have given her kitchen oatmeal, which she seems to really like, but it doesnt seem to make a difference in the softness. I figured they would be softer than w/ just pellets due to the higher moisture content.

 

[MaggieJ]

peach tree pruning

In general, prunings from drupes (single stoned fruits like peach, plum, cherry) are not a good choice for rabbits. They are not "drop dead toxic" but are of questionable value. I'd give them a miss.

One SF doe wont eat pellets anymore at all. One will eat them if I give them to her but only last, Cujo ignores the pellets, and the NZW doe eats a little green but waits on the pellets. She will for sure be the hardest to convert to natural forage.

Most rabbits, given the choice, generally prefer greens/ alfalfa hay/ grain / pellets in that order. But there are exceptions.

The SF doe who wont eat pellets has much softer poos. Is this natural or should I be concerned?

Softer is okay. If it gets to the point where they are not formed - diarrhea - then it is a matter for concern.