Best oats for rabbits...?

Barton's Big Bunnies · Jan 18, 2013

I was wondering what oats are the best for rabbits?

Also, what other food/veggies do you offer to help add some weight to your bunnies. I have some English lops that are on the thin side.

I feed Manna Pro Select (Gro, Pro, & some Calf Manna as treat occassionally) & I offer veggies: parsley, green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, celery occassionally, carrots occassionally, tomatoes occassionally, & apples occassionally.

Thank you in advance for your time.

caroline · Jan 19, 2013

I feed whole oats to my nursing mommas,also BOSS[black oil sunflower seeds] I think those two things would be more likely to "put on weight" than any veggies. You could also feed just "kitchen oatmeal" also called rolled oats. Don't give too much to start. A few TBSP at first and then you can give more after a week or so if they don't get soft poop.

Barton's Big Bunnies · Jan 19, 2013

How much BOSS do you feed at a time?
And by "kitchen oatmeal" or rolled oats - does that mean I can use the Quaker quick oats?

AmysMacdog · Jan 19, 2013

The info. I've seen is to use the "old fashioned oats b/c they are bigger and easier to eat.

Mine love it!

Dood · Jan 19, 2013

does that mean I can use the Quaker quick oats

not the ones in the single serving size, and doulbe check the ingredients on the bag, there should only be one - oats

I get horse oats (my rabbits like to eat the husks as well, I guess it's a tasty fiber) or groats which is slightly ground whole oats, depending on what the feed store has. Oatmeal is just groats that are steamed and crushed flat, but to make it taste better companies may add salt, sugar or milk products and we dont want our rabbits to get these.

If you are feeding a grass hay, you could give them alfalfa hay instead to help gain weight but I have found that adding grains like oats, barley and BOSS to her ration is the quickest way to beef up a lean doe.

I have heard that sprouted grains (AKA fodder) can also help picky eaters gain weigh.

Mickey328 · Jan 19, 2013

You don't want the "quick" oats...those are overly processed and have lost much of the nutrition you want for your buns. Our feed store sells just plain rolled oats, which the rabbits seem to love. Rolled oats have simply been run through rollers, which flattens them some and removes the husks. We've only had ours a week, but are in the process of switching them from pellets to grains and they seem to be really enjoying it. As we move that way, we'll have to add alfalfa and a salt/mineral block to their diet.

cudaman68 · Jan 19, 2013

I also feed whole oats and BOSS and mix it 3 parts oats to 1 part BOSS and feed that in a separate container (clean cat food can) and feed about table spoon full morning and then again at night. Keep a eye on them if they start getting to chubby cut them back all my rabbit love this mix. They also get pellets and hay.