I will be getting two more bunnys at some point to keep in my colony. They'll most probably be of a larger breed than the two I have. I can't keep 2 colonies (can make separate cages but that's a last resort if they fight)
I've contacted a breeder of new zeeland red... now, Swedish pelt is bred to more or less thrive ion natural forage and not get too big but instead go cheap on food. While I'm under the impression that NZR are bred to eat a lot pellets and grow fast. Do you start seeing where I'm going?
I'm afraid that giving them as much pellets as the nzr are supposed to get will make the sp fat, and not giving them enough will get nzr sick.
What happens to the nzr if they get limited pellets but free choice hay? Will they get super skinny or will they just grow more slowly? (kits that is) ATM I give a handful of pellets to the girls each.. I have small hands, maybe half a dl. A tad more perhaps. They also get handfed either oats or sunflowerseeds once a day (one day ouats, one day seeds). I'm not sure if this is the perfect amount, but it seems good this far. I'll increase soonish due to pregnancy.
How have you solved any similiar issue?
I'm thinking of having two feeding stations and simply make sure they pick the right ones. Like I atm make sure both does come out too feed so one of them won't eat it all. I have a hope that once they're at the right bowl they'll finish it and that they eat somewhat at the same pace, so there won't be anybunny going to check the others feeding station after finishing.
Is this something I need to be concerned about at all? Or will all breeds be fine with hay as a base food and about the same amount of pellets? The hay does have a good nutritional value - for horses at least. I could feed them a little extra of the barley/sunflowerseeds/oats as I'm handfeeding that anyway, just to increase energy intake. They all eat that down in seconds :lol: (or start handfeeding and leave some/the rest on the ground while handfeeding the others)
I don't mind if they take a bit longer to grow out due to eating mainy forage rather than pellets/grain, but I don't want them to be sick or malnourished.
I've contacted a breeder of new zeeland red... now, Swedish pelt is bred to more or less thrive ion natural forage and not get too big but instead go cheap on food. While I'm under the impression that NZR are bred to eat a lot pellets and grow fast. Do you start seeing where I'm going?
I'm afraid that giving them as much pellets as the nzr are supposed to get will make the sp fat, and not giving them enough will get nzr sick.
What happens to the nzr if they get limited pellets but free choice hay? Will they get super skinny or will they just grow more slowly? (kits that is) ATM I give a handful of pellets to the girls each.. I have small hands, maybe half a dl. A tad more perhaps. They also get handfed either oats or sunflowerseeds once a day (one day ouats, one day seeds). I'm not sure if this is the perfect amount, but it seems good this far. I'll increase soonish due to pregnancy.
How have you solved any similiar issue?
I'm thinking of having two feeding stations and simply make sure they pick the right ones. Like I atm make sure both does come out too feed so one of them won't eat it all. I have a hope that once they're at the right bowl they'll finish it and that they eat somewhat at the same pace, so there won't be anybunny going to check the others feeding station after finishing.
Is this something I need to be concerned about at all? Or will all breeds be fine with hay as a base food and about the same amount of pellets? The hay does have a good nutritional value - for horses at least. I could feed them a little extra of the barley/sunflowerseeds/oats as I'm handfeeding that anyway, just to increase energy intake. They all eat that down in seconds :lol: (or start handfeeding and leave some/the rest on the ground while handfeeding the others)
I don't mind if they take a bit longer to grow out due to eating mainy forage rather than pellets/grain, but I don't want them to be sick or malnourished.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
