How many square feet of grass to feed a small bunny?

[squidpop]

My dream was having rabbit enclosures so large that there would be enough grass growing in the enclosure so that the rabbits would always have a supply of grass to eat and I would only have to throw in some extra greens for variety and hay and pellets, and I wouldn't have to cut grass for them everyday.
So, I sectioned off my backyard with heavy duty dog fence- 4 feet high. I made rabbit enclosures 12 feet by 8 feet. Planted with grass and waited 4 months for grass to establish. I've now put the mini lop into one 12 x 8 enclosure, the Jersey wooly in another, and a fuzzy lop in another.... and they have eaten the grass down evenly to about 1 1/2 inch above the dirt, looks like a nicely mown lawn. But, I can tell the will probably be eating grass down to dirt soon- maybe in another week.

So, how big do you think an enclosure has to be before the bunnies can't eat all the grass?
Also, if they where even bigger enclosures- so big that the bunnies always had grass to eat will they just get really fat?

 

[Secuono]

You need to be doing rotational grazing. One, to keep poop down and to let the poop decompose. Two, fresh grass and no dug holes. If you just leave them in a big pen forever or too long, they will eventually start digging and dig out. They will poop piles and possibly get choosy with the grass.

 

[ladysown]

you would be better served rotating them through the 12 x 8 enclosure. Giving them perhaps 12 x 1 foot each day and just changing the section they are in. Or even dividing it into 2 x 6 portions.

 

[ckcs]

Also, if they where even bigger enclosures- so big that the bunnies always had grass to eat will they just get really fat?

I suspect with the rabbits being in a larger enclosure and likely very active that even with endless grass I doubt they would get fat.

 

[squidpop]

Thanks, that was good advice. I think you guys are right, I'm going to have to rotate which means I'll have to buy some more dog pen fencing to divide the spaces smaller- the work just never ends does it?